
5 Starting and drivingPrecautions when starting and driving ............................. 5-2
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) .................................. 5-2
Three way catalyst ........................................................... 5-3
Low tire pressure warning system (if so
equipped) ........................................................................... 5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ...................................... 5-5
On-pavement and offroad driving precautions
(AWD) ................................................................................. 5-5
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving .............................. 5-5
Driving safety precautions.............................................. 5-6
Ignition switch ......................................................................... 5-8
Key positions ..................................................................... 5-8
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System ............................. 5-9
Before starting the engine ................................................... 5-9
Starting the engine ............................................................. 5-10
Driving the vehicle ............................................................... 5-10
CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)............. 5-10
M-CVT (CVT with Manual shift mode)..................... 5-14
Parking brake........................................................................ 5-18
Cruise control (if so equipped)........................................ 5-19
Precautions on cruise control .................................... 5-19
Cruise control operations ............................................ 5-19
Break-in schedule ............................................................... 5-21
Increasing fuel economy .................................................... 5-21Using all wheel drive (AWD) (if so equipped)............. 5-22
AWD lock switch operations...................................... 5-23
AWD warning light ........................................................ 5-24
Parking/parking on hills...................................................... 5-26
Power steering ..................................................................... 5-27
Brake system ........................................................................ 5-27
Braking precautions ...................................................... 5-27
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) .................................... 5-28
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system (if so
equipped) .............................................................................. 5-29
Cold weather driving .......................................................... 5-30
Freeing a frozen door lock .......................................... 5-30
Antifreeze ......................................................................... 5-30
Battery .............................................................................. 5-30
Draining of coolant water ............................................ 5-30
Tire equipment................................................................ 5-31
Special winter equipment ............................................ 5-31
Driving on snow or ice ................................................. 5-31
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ....................... 5-32
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

N (Neutral):
Neither forward or 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.Manual shift modeWhen the selector lever is shifted from D to the
manual shift gate with the vehicle stopped or
while driving, the transmission enters the manual
shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manu-
ally.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is
displayed on the position indicator in the meter.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:M1→
←M2→
←M3→
←M4→
←M5→
←M6M6 (Sixth):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
M5 (Fifth):
For driving up or down long slopes where engine
braking would be advantageous.M4 (Fourth), M3 (Third) and M2 (Second):
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on down-
hill grades.
M1 (First):
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
sand or mud, or for maximum engine braking on
steep downhill grades.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than M6
range. This reduces fuel economy.
When shifting up, move the selector lever to
the + (up) side. (Shifts to higher range.)
When shifting down, move the selector lever
to the − (down) side. (Shifts to lower range.)
Moving the selector lever to the same side
twice will shift the ranges in succession.
However, if this motion is rapidly done, the
second shifting may not be completed prop-
erly.
In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down to M1
(First) before the vehicle comes to a
stop. When accelerating again, it is nec-
essary to shift up to the desired range.
When canceling the manual shift mode, re-
turn the selector lever to the D position. Thetransmission returns to the normal driving
mode.
In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving performance
and reduces the chance of vehicle dam-
age or loss of control.
When the CVT fluid temperature is extremely
low, the manual shift mode may not work and
automatically shift as a drive mode. This is not
a malfunction. In this case, return the selector
lever to D range and drive for a while and then
shift to the manual shift mode.
When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the
shift range may upshift in lower rpm than
usual. This is not a malfunction.5-16
Starting and driving
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