2004 NISSAN FRONTIER key

4. Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 sec-
onds after starting. Do not race the engine
while warming it up. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather.
In cold weather, keep the engine running for
a minimum of 2–3 minutes before shutting it
off. Starting and stopping the engine over a
short period of time may make the vehicle
more difficult to start.AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (if so
equipped)
WARNING
cDo not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) , D (Drive) , 2 or 1.
Always depress the brake pedal until
shifting is completed. Failure to do so
could cause you to lose control and
have an accident.
cCold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward or
reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
cNever shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving. This could
cause an accident.
CAUTION
cWhen stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. The foot
brake should be used for this purpose.
cOn slippery roads, do not downshift.
This may cause a loss of control.The automatic transmission in your vehicle is
electronically controlled to produce maximum
power and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for this
transmission are shown on the following pages.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal before attempting to move
the shift selector lever out of the P (Park)
position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and
move the shift selector lever into a driving
gear.
3. Release the foot brake, then gradually start
the vehicle in motion.
The automatic transmission is designed so
the foot brake pedal MUST be depressed
before shifting from P (Park) to any drive
position while the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
The shift selector lever cannot be moved
out of P (Park) and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition key is turned
to the LOCK position or if the key is re-
moved.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-10Starting and driving
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The shift selector lever can be moved if the
ignition switch is in the ACC position. This
allows the vehicle to be moved if the bat-
tery is discharged. The shift selector lever
can also be moved if the ignition switch is
in the ON position and the foot brake pedal
is depressed.
To move the selector lever:
: Pull lever toward you to shift
: Shift without pulling lever
Shifting (KA24DE engine)
Pull the shift selector lever to shift into P (Park) , R
(Reverse) or from D (Drive) to 2 or 1.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the selector
lever is in any position while the engine is
not running. Failure to do so could cause
the vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll
away and result in serious personal injury
or property damage.
P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped.The brake
pedal must be depressed and the selector
lever button pushed in to move the selector
lever from the N (Neutral) or any drive po-
sition to P (Park) .Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then shift the selector lever into the P (Park)
position.
Shifting from P (Park)
If the ignition switch is in the ON position and the
foot brake pedal is depressed, but the shift se-
lector lever still cannot be moved out of P (Park) ,
follow these instructions.
1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
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Starting and driving5-11
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3. Reinsert the key and turn it to the ACC
position.
4. Depress the foot brake pedal and move the
shift selector lever to N (Neutral) .
5. Start the engine.
These instructions for starting the vehicle in N
(Neutral) should only be used until service can be
obtained at a NISSAN dealership.
R (Reverse):
CAUTION
Use this position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Use this position to back up. Make sure the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting R
(Reverse) position.The brake pedal must be
depressed and the selector lever button
pushed in to move the selector lever from P
(Park) , N (Neutral) or any drive position to R
(Reverse) .
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged. The
engine can be started in this position. You may
shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled engine
while the vehicle is moving.D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
2 (Second gear)
Use this position for hill climbing or engine brak-
ing on downhill grades.
Do not shift into the 2 position at speeds above
58MPH (92 km/h) . Do not exceed 58 MPH (92
km/h) in the 2 position.
1 (Low gear)
Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly
or slow driving through deep snow, sand or mud,
or for maximum engine braking on steep downhill
grades.
Do not shift into the 1 position at speeds above
30 MPH (48 km/h) . Do not exceed 30 MPH (48
km/h) in the 1 position.To move the selector lever:
: Depress the button to shift
: Shift without depressing button
Shifting (VG33E or VG33ER engine)
Push the shift selector lever button to shift into P
(Park) , R (Reverse) or from D (Drive) to 2. All
other positions can be selected without pushing
the button.
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5-12Starting and driving
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WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the selector
lever is in any position while the engine is
not running. Failure to do so could cause
the vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll
away and result in serious personal injury
or property damage.
P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped.The brake
pedal must be depressed and the selector
lever button pushed in to move the selector
lever from the N (Neutral) or any drive po-
sition to P (Park) .Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then shift the selector lever into the P (Park)
position.
Shifting from P (Park)
If the ignition switch is in the ON position and the
foot brake pedal is depressed, but the shift se-
lector lever still cannot be moved out of P (Park) ,
follow these instructions.
1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.3. Reinsert the key and turn it to the ACC
position.
4. Depress the foot brake pedal and move the
shift selector lever to N (Neutral) .
5. Start the engine.
These instructions for starting the vehicle in N
(Neutral) should only be used until service can be
obtained at a NISSAN dealership.
R (Reverse):
CAUTION
Use this position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Use this position to back up. Make sure the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting R
(Reverse) position.The brake pedal must be
depressed and the selector lever button
pushed in to move the selector lever from P
(Park) , N (Neutral) or any drive position to R
(Reverse) .
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged. The
engine can be started in this position. You may
shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled engine
while the vehicle is moving.D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
2 (Second gear):
Use this position for hill climbing or engine brak-
ing on downhill grades.
Do not shift into the 2 position at speeds above
60 MPH (96 km/h) . Do not exceed 60 MPH (96
km/h) in the 2 position.
1 (Low gear):
Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly
or driving slowing through deep snow, sand or
mud, or for maximum engine braking on steep
downhill grades.
Do not shift into the 1 position at speeds above
31 MPH (50 km/h) . Do not exceed 31 MPH (50
km/h) in the 1 position.
Starting and driving5-13
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Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift selector lever
may not be moved from the P (Park) position even
with the brake pedal depressed and the shift
selector lever button pushed.
To move the shift selector lever, release the shift
lock and push the shift selector lever button. The
shift selector lever can be moved to N (Neutral) .
However, the steering wheel will be locked un-
less the ignition switch is turned to the ON posi-
tion.
To release the shift lock, complete the following
procedure:
1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position
and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock cover
sA.
4. Insert a small screwdriver in the shift lock
slot, and push down
sB.
5. Push the shift selector lever button
sCand
move the shift selector lever to N (Neutral)
position
sDwhile holding down the shift
lock.
6. Turn the key to the ON position to unlock the
steering wheel. Now the vehicle may be
moved to the desired location.If the shift selector lever cannot be moved out of
P (Park) , have a NISSAN dealer check the auto-
matic transmission system as soon as possible.
Accelerator downshift
— in D position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into a lower gear, depending on the
vehicle speed.
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5-14Starting and driving
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1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2.Manual transmission models:
Place the shift lever in the R (Reverse) posi-
tion. When parking on an uphill grade, place
the shift lever in 1st gear.
Automatic transmission models:
Move the shift selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into
traffic when parked on an incline, it is a good
practice to turn the wheels as illustrated.
cHEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
s1
Turn the wheels into the curb and move the
vehicle forward until the curb side wheel
gently touches the curb.
cHEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
s2
Turn the wheels away from the curb and
move the vehicle back until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.
cHEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
s3
Turn the wheels toward the side of the road
so the vehicle will move away from the cen-
ter of the road if it moves.4. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position
and remove the key.The power assisted steering is designed to use a
hydraulic pump, driven by the engine, to assist
steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks, you
will still have control of the vehicle. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, especially
in sharp turns and at low speeds.
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned off
while driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
much harder to operate.
POWER STEERING
Starting and driving5-27
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cWhen driving on extremely inclined sur-
faces such as higher banked corners,
the vehicle dynamic control system may
not operate properly and the vehicle
dynamic control off indicator light may
come on. Do not drive on these types of
roads.
cIf wheels or tires other than the recom-
mended ones are used, the vehicle dy-
namic control system may not operate
properly and the vehicle dynamic con-
trol off indicator light may come on.
cThe vehicle dynamic control system is
not a substitute for winter tires or tire
chains on a snow covered road.FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply de-
icer through the key hole. If the lock becomes
frozen, heat the key before inserting it into the key
hole.
ANTI-FREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the tem-
perature will drop below 32°F (0°C) , check the
anti-freeze to assure proper winter protection.
For details, see ‘‘Engine cooling system’’ in the
‘‘Maintenance and do-it-yourself’’ section of this
manual.
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during extremely
cold weather conditions, the battery fluid may
freeze and damage the battery. To maintain maxi-
mum efficiency, the battery should be checked
regularly. For details, see ‘‘Battery’’ in the ‘‘Main-
tenance and do-it-yourself’’ section of this
manual.
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be left outside without anti-
freeze, drain the cooling system, including the
engine block. Refill before operating the vehicle.For details, see ‘‘Changing engine coolant’’ in the
‘‘Maintenance and do-it-yourself’’ section of this
manual.
TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed to
provide superior performance on dry pave-
ment. However, the performance of these
tires will be substantially reduced in snowy
and icy conditions. If you operate your ve-
hicle on snowy or icy roads, NISSAN recom-
mends the use of MUD & SNOW or ALL
SEASON TIRES on all four wheels. Please
consult a NISSAN dealer for the tire type,
size, speed rating and availability informa-
tion.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some U.S.
states and Canadian provinces prohibit their
use. Check local, state and provincial laws
before installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow tires.
3. Tire chains may be used.
Use of tire chains may be prohibited accord-
ing to location. Check the local laws before
installing tire chains. When installing tire
chains, make sure they are of proper size for
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-31
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WARNING
Always follow the instructions below.
Failure to do so could result in damage to
the charging system and cause personal
injury.
1. If the booster battery is in another vehicle,
position the two vehicles to bring their bat-
teries near each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.2. Apply the parking brake. Move the shift lever
to N (Neutral) (manual transmission) or to P
(Park) (automatic transmission) . Switch off
all unnecessary electrical systems (lights,
heater, air conditioner, etc.) .
3. Remove vent caps on the battery (if so
equipped) . Cover the battery with an old
cloth to reduce explosion hazard.
4. Connect jumper cables in the sequence il-
lustrated (
sA,sB,sC,sD).
CAUTION
cAlways connect positive (1) to positive
(1) and negative (2) to body ground (for
example, strut mounting bolt, engine
lift bracket, etc.) — not to the battery.
cMake sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and
let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster ve-
hicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start the en-
gine of the vehicle being jump started.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does
not start right away, turn the key off and
wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable.
WCE0066
6-10In case of emergency
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