or roll away and result in serious per-
sonal injury and/or property damage.
If the key is turned to OFF or ACC for any reason
while the vehicle is in R (Reverse), N (Neutral), or
any D (Drive) position, the key cannot be turned
to LOCK and be removed from the ignition
switch. Additionally, the selector lever cannot be
moved to R (Reverse) from N (Neutral) or any D
(Drive) position. The selector lever can be moved
to R (Reverse) from any of the D (Drive) posi-
tions within 3 minutes after the ignition switch is
turned to the ACC or OFF position. The selector
lever can be moved from R (Reverse) to P (Park)
with the key in the OFF or ACC position.
If the key cannot be turned to LOCK, perform the
following steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle is
stopped.
2. Turn the key to ON while depressing the foot
brake pedal.
3. Move the selector lever to P (Park).
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK to remove the
key.
P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle isparked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped.The brake
pedal must be depressed to move the se-
lector lever from N(Neutral) or any drive
position to P (Park).Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then move the lever to the P (Park) position.
CAUTION
Use this position only when the vehicle
is completely stopped.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Always be sure the
vehicle is completely stopped when selecting R
(Reverse).The brake pedal must be de-
pressed to move the selector lever from P
(Park) to R (Reverse).
The selector lever can be moved to R (Reverse)
from any of the D (Drive) positions within 3
minutes after the ignition switch is turned to the
ACC or OFF position.
N (Neutral):
Neither forward or reverse is engaged. The
engine can be started in this position. You may
shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled enginewhile the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
S (Second):
Use this position for the improved engine brak-
ing.
L (Low):
Use this position for maximum engine braking on
steep downhill gradients/climbing steep slopes
and whenever approaching sharp bends. Do not
use the L position in any other circumstances.
Shift from the D to S or L position after releasing
the accelerator pedal.
5-12
Starting and driving
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
Shift lock releaseIf the battery charge is low or discharged, the
selector lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal de-
pressed.
To move the selector lever, depress the brake
pedal, remove the cover using a suitable tool and
push the shift lock release button. The selector
lever can be moved to N (Neutral). This allows
the vehicle to be moved if the battery is dis-
charged.
If the selector lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have your NISSAN dealer check the CVTsystem as soon as possible.
Accelerator downshift
— In D position —For rapid passing or hill climbing, fully depress
the accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into lower range, depending
on the vehicle speed.High fluid temperature protection
modeThis transmission has a high fluid temperature
protection mode. If the fluid temperature be-
comes too high (for example, when climbing
steep grades in high temperature with heavy
loads, such as when towing a trailer), engine
power and, under some conditions, vehicle
speed will be decreased automatically to reduce
the chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the vehicle may not accelerate above
approximately 40 to 50 MPH (65 to 80 km/h).Fail-safeIf the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated, see “Malfunction indicator lamp(MIL)” in the “2. Instrument and controls”
section. This will occur even if all electrical
circuits are functioning properly. In this
case, turn the ignition key OFF and wait for
10 seconds. Then turn the key back to the
ONposition. The vehicle should return to
its normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condi-
tion, have your NISSAN dealer check the
transmission and repair if necessary.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion mode or fail-safe operation occurs,
vehicle speed may be gradually re-
duced. On highways, the reduced speed
may be lower than other traffic which
could increase the chance of a collision.
Be especially careful when driving. If
necessary, pull to the side of the road at
a safe place and allow the transmission
to return to normal operation, or have it
repaired if necessary.
SSD0290
Starting and driving
5-13
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
M-CVT (CVT with Manual shift mode)
Gate type shift with manual modeThe M-CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled by a transmission control module to pro-
duce maximum power and smooth operation.
Shown on the following pages are the recom-
mended operating procedures for this transmis-
sion. Follow these procedures for maximum ve-
hicle performance and driving enjoyment.Starting the vehicleAfter starting the engine, fully depress the foot
brake pedal before shifting the selector lever to
the R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive) or manual
shift mode position. Be sure the vehicle is fully
stopped before attempting to shift the selector
lever.
This M-CVT is designed so that the foot
brake pedal MUST be depressed before
shifting from P (Park) to any drive position
while the ignition switch is ON.
The 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, OFF or ACC position or if the key is
removed from the ignition switch.
1. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed andshift the selector lever into a driving gear.
2. Release the parking brake and foot brake,
then gradually start the vehicle in motion.
WARNING
Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or
manual shift mode. Always depress
the brake pedal until shifting is com-
pleted. Failure to do so could cause
you to lose control and have an acci-
dent.
Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while vehicle is moving forward.
Never shift to P (Park) or D (Drive)
while vehicle is moving rearward.
These could cause an accident.
On slippery roads, do not downshift.
This may cause a loss of control.
CAUTION
When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. The foot
brakes should be used for this purpose.
5-14
Starting and driving
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
ShiftingAfter starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and shift the selector lever from P (Park) to
R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive), Manual shift
mode or any of the desired shift positions.
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 unexpectedlyor roll away and result in serious per-
sonal injury or property damage.
If the key is turned to OFF or ACC for any reason
while the vehicle is in R (Reverse), N (Neutral), or
any D (Drive) position, the key cannot be turned
to LOCK and be removed from the ignition
switch. Additionally, the selector lever cannot be
moved to R (Reverse) from N (Neutral) or any D
(Drive) position for about 3 minutes after the
ignition switch is turned to the ACC or OFF
position. The selector lever can be moved from R
(Reverse) to P (Park) with the key in the OFF or
ACC position. If this occurs, perform the follow-
ing steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle is
stopped.
2. Turn the key to ON.
3. Depress the foot brake pedal if the vehicle is
in the N (Neutral) or any D (Drive) position.
4. If necessary, move the selector lever to P
(Park) or N (Neutral) to restart the vehicle (P
is preferred) or move the selector lever to P
(Park) to park the vehicle.
5. Turn the ignition key to LOCK to remove the
key.P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped. For maximum
safety, depress the brake pedal, then move the
lever to the P (Park) position.The brake pedal
must be depressed any time the selector
lever is moved to P (Park).Apply the parking
brake. When parking on a hill, apply the parking
brake first, then move the lever to the P (Park)
position.
CAUTION
Use this position only when the vehicle
is completely stopped.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Always be sure the
vehicle is completely stopped when selecting R
(Reverse).The brake pedal must be de-
pressed to move the selector lever from P
(Park) to R (Reverse).
The selector lever can be moved to R (Reverse)
from any of the D (Drive) positions within 3
minutes after the ignition switch is turned to the
ACC or OFF position.
SSD0289
Starting and driving
5-15
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
Shift lock releaseIf the battery is discharged, the selector lever
may not be moved from the P (Park) position
even with the brake pedal depressed.
To move the selector lever, push the shift lock
release button while depressing the foot brake
and applying the parking brake. The selector
lever can be moved to N (Neutral). This allows
the vehicle to be moved if the battery is dis-
charged, after releasing the parking brake.
If the battery is discharged in N (Neutral), D
(Drive) or Manual shift mode, the select lever
may not be moved to the P (Park) position.If it is necessary to park the vehicle, push the
shift lock release button, then move the shift
lever to the P (Park).
To push the shift lock release button, follow the
procedure as illustrated.
If the lever cannot be moved out of P (Park), have
your NISSAN dealer check the CVT system as
soon as possible.
WARNING
If the selector lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position while the
engine is running and the brake
pedal is depressed, the stop lights
may not work. Malfunctioning stop
lights could cause an accident injur-
ing yourself and others.
Do not park the vehicle without shift-
ing to the P (Park) position.Accelerator downshift
— In D position —For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into the lower gear, depend-ing on the vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
modeThis transmission has a high fluid temperature
protection mode. If the fluid temperature be-
comes too high (for example, when climbing
steep grades in high temperature with heavy
loads, such as when towing a trailer), engine
power and, under some conditions, vehicle
speed will be decreased automatically to reduce
the chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the vehicle may not accelerate above
approximately 40 to 50 MPH (65 to 80 km/h).Fail-safeIf the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated, see “Malfunction indicator lamp
(MIL)” in the “2. Instrument and controls”
section. This will occur even if all electrical
circuits are functioning properly. In this
case, turn the ignition key OFF and wait for
10 seconds. Then turn the key back to the
ONposition. The vehicle should return to
its normal operating condition. If it does
SSD0352
Starting and driving
5-17
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
not return to its normal operating condi-
tion, have your NISSAN dealer check the
transmission and repair if necessary.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion mode or fail-safe operation occurs,
vehicle speed may be gradually re-
duced. On highways, the reduced speed
may be lower than other traffic which
could increase the chance of a collision.
Be especially careful when driving. If
necessary, pull to the side of the road at
a safe place and allow the transmission
to return to normal operation, or have it
repaired if necessary.To apply:Fully depress the parking brake pedal.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal and the
parking brake will be released.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out.
WARNING
Be sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving. Failure to do
so can cause brake failure and lead
to an accident.
Do not release the parking brake
from outside the vehicle.
Do not use the gear shift in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully en-
gaged.
Do not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the park-
ing brake and cause an accident.
SPA1286B
PARKING BRAKE
5-18
Starting and driving
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
To set at cruising speed,accelerate your
vehicle to the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it. (The SET
indicator light will come on.) Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal. Your vehicle will maintain
the set speed.
To pass another vehicle,depress the ac-
celerator pedal. When you release the pedal,
the vehicle will return to the previously set
speed.
The vehicle may not maintain the set speed
when going up or down steep hills. If this
happens, drive without the cruise control.
To cancel the preset speed,follow either of
these three methods:
a) Push the cancel switch; The SET indicator
light will go out.
b) Tap the brake pedal; The SET indicator light
will go out.
c) Turn the main switch off. Both the CRUISE
indicator and SET indicator lights will go out.
If you depress the brake pedal while pushing
the ACCEL/RES set switch and reset at the
cruising speed, turn the main switch off once
and then turn it on again.
The cruise control will automatically be can-
celled if the vehicle slows down below ap-proximately 8 MPH (13 km/h).
Move the selector lever to N (Neutral) posi-
tion. The SET indicator light will go out.
To reset at a faster cruising speed,use one
of the following three methods:
a) Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push and
release the COAST/SET switch.
b) Push and hold the ACCEL/RES set switch.
When the vehicle attains the speed you
desire, release the switch.
c) Push, then quickly release the ACCEL/RES
set switch. Each time you do this, the set
speed will increase by about 1 MPH (1.6
km/h).
To reset at a slower cruising speed,use one
of the following three methods:
a) Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the vehicle
attains the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it.
b) Push and hold the COAST/SET switch. Re-
lease the switch when the vehicle slows
down to the desired speed.
c) Push, then quickly release the COAST/
SET switch. Each time you do this, the setspeed will decrease by about 1 MPH (1.6
km/h).
To resume the preset speed,push and re-
lease the RES/ACCEL set switch. The vehicle
will resume the last set cruising speed when the
vehicle speed is over 25 MPH (40 km/h).5-20
Starting and driving
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
WARNING
Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.
Never leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.
Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Move the selector lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion.
WARNING
Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park).
Failure to do so could cause the ve-
hicle to move unexpectedly or roll
away and result in an accident.
Make sure the selector lever has
been pushed as far forward as it can
go and cannot be moved without de-
pressing the button at the end of the
lever.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into
the street when parked on a sloping drive
way, it is a good practice to turn the wheels
as illustrated.
HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
1
Turn the wheels into the curband move the
vehicle forward until the curbside wheel
gently touches the curb.
MSD0002
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS5-26
Starting and driving
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0