2004 NISSAN PATHFINDER ignition

the LOCK position. Remove the key. To
unlock the steering wheel, insert the key
and turn it gently while rotating the steer-
ing wheel slightly right and left.
WARNING
Never remove or turn the key to the
LOCK position while driving. The steer-
ing wheel will lock. This may cause the
driver to lose control of the vehicle and
could result in serious vehicle damage
or personal injury.KEY POSITIONSLOCK (Normal parking position) (0)
The ignition key can only be removed when the
switch is at this position.
OFF (1)
The engine can be turned off without locking the
steering wheel.
ACC (Accessories) (2)
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio when the engine is not running.
ON (Normal operating position) (3)This position turns on the ignition system and the
electrical accessories.
START (4)
This position activates the starter motor, starting
the engine.
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEMThe Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System will not
allow the engine to start without the use of the
registered Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System
key.
If the engine fails to start using the registered
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System key (for ex-
ample, when interference is caused by another
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System key, an au-
tomated toll road device or automated payment
device on the key ring), restart the engine using
the following procedures:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position
for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK
position, and wait approximately 10 seconds.
3. Repeat step 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the device
(which may have caused the interference)
separate from the registered Nissan VehicleImmobilizer System key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN
recommends placing the registered Nissan Ve-
hicle Immobilizer System key on a separate key
ring to avoid interference from other devices.
Starting and driving
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04.3.9/R50-D/V5


Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.

Check fluid levels such as engine oil, coolant,
brake and clutch fluid, window washer fluid
as frequently as possible, at least whenever
you refuel.

Check to be sure that all windows and light
lenses are clean.

Visually inspect tires for their appearance and
condition. Also check tires for proper infla-
tion.

Lock all doors.

Position seat and adjust head restraints.

Adjust inside and outside mirrors.

Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.

Check the operation of warning lights when
key is turned to the ON (3) position.1. Apply the parking brake.
2.Automatic transmission:
Move the selector lever to P (Park position) or
N (Neutral position). (P preferred)
The selector lever cannot be moved out
of P and into any of the other gear
positions if the ignition key is turned to
LOCK or if the key is removed from the
switch.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the selector lever is in one of the driving
positions.
Manual transmission:
Move the gearshift lever to N (Neutral posi-
tion), and depress the clutch pedal to the
floor while starting the engine.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully de-
pressed.
3. Crank the enginewith your foot off the
accelerator pedalby turning the ignition
key to START. Release the key when the
engine starts. If the engine starts, but fails to
run, repeat the above procedure.

If the engine is very hard to start in extremely
cold weather or when restarting, depress theaccelerator pedal a little (approximately 1/3
to the floor) and hold it then crank the engine.
Release the key and the accelerator pedal
when the engine starts.

If the engine is very hard to start because it is
flooded, depress the accelerator pedal all the
way to the floor and hold it. Crank the engine
for 5 to 6 seconds. After cranking the engine,
release the accelerator pedal. Crank the en-
ginewith your foot off the accelerator
pedalby turning the ignition key to START.
Release the key when the engine starts. If the
engine starts, but fails to run, repeat the
above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, turn the key off and wait 10
seconds before cranking again, other-
wise the starter could be damaged.
4.Warm-up
Always allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Do not race the en-
gine while warming it up. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE5-10
Starting and driving


04.3.9/R50-D/V5


cold weather. In cold weather, keep the
engine running for a minimum of2-3minutes
before shutting it off. Starting and stopping
the engine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONThe automatic transmission in your vehicle is
electronically controlled by a transmission con-
trol module to produce 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. If your
vehicle is equipped with four wheel drive, see
“Using four wheel drive” later in this section.

After starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal and push the selector lever
button before shifting the selector lever to the
R, N, D, 2 or 1 position. Be sure the vehicle is
fully stopped before attempting to shift the
selector lever.
This automatic transmission is designed
so that the foot brake pedal MUST be
depressed before shifting from P to any
drive position while the ignition switch is
ON.
The selector lever cannot be moved out of
P and into any of the other gear positions if
the ignition key is turned to LOCK or if the
key is removed from the switch.
1. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed andpush the selector lever button to shift 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 or Nto R, D, 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.

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 or R while the vehicle
is moving forward. Never shift to P or
D while vehicle is moving rearward.
These could cause an accident.

On slippery roads, do not downshift.
This may cause a loss of control.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving
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04.3.9/R50-D/V5


Overdrive switchEach time your vehicle is started, the transmis-
sion is automatically reset to overdrive on.
ON: For normal driving the overdrive switch
is engaged. The transmission is up-
shifted into overdrive as the vehicle
speed increases.
The overdrive does not engage until the
engine has warmed up.
OFF: For driving up and down long slopes
where engine braking would be advan-
tageous, push the overdrive switch. The
O/D OFF light illuminates. When cruis-ing at a low speed or climbing a gentle
slope, you may feel uncomfortable shift
shocks as the transmission shifts be-
tween 3rd and overdrive repeatedly. In
this case, press the overdrive switch.
The O/D OFF indicator light comes on
at this time.
When driving conditions change, press the over-
drive switch again. The O/D OFF indicator light
goes out.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for ex-
tended periods of time with the O/D OFF light
illuminated. This reduces the fuel economy.
Fail-safeWhen the Fail-safe operation occurs, the next
time the key is turned to the ON position, the
O/D OFF light will blink for approximately 8
seconds after coming on for 2 seconds. While
the vehicle can be driven under these circum-
stances please note that the gears in the auto-
matic transmission may be locked in third gear.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the Fail-safe
system may be activated. This will occur
even if all electrical circuits are functioning
properly. In this case, turn the ignition key
OFF and wait for 3 seconds. Then turn thekey back to the ONposition. The vehicle
should return to its normal operating con-
dition. If it does not return to its normal
operating condition have your NISSAN
dealer check the transmission and repair if
necessary.
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Starting and driving
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04.3.9/R50-D/V5


This occurs because the transfer clutch
is released and not because of a mal-
function.
CAUTION

When driving straight, shift the 4WD
shift switch to the 2WD, AUTO, or 4H
position. Do not move the 4WD shift
switch when making a turn or revers-
ing.

Do not shift the 4WD shift switch
while driving on steep downhill
grades. Use the engine brake.

Do not operate the 4WD shift switch
with the rear wheels spinning.

Before placing the 4WD shift switch
in the 4H position from 2WD or
AUTO, ensure the vehicle speed is
less than 50 MPH (80 km/h). Failure
to do so can damage the 4WD sys-
tem.

Never shift the 4WD shift switch be-
tween 4LO and 4H while driving.

Engine idling speed is high whilewarming up the engine. Be especially
careful when starting or driving on
slippery surfaces with the 4WD shift
switch set in AUTO.
4WD shift indicator lightThe 4WD shift indicator light is located in the
tachometer.
The light should turn off within 1 second after
turning the ignition switch to ON.
While the engine is running, the 4WD shift
indicator light will illuminate the position se-
lected by the 4WD shift switch.

The 4WD shift indicator light may blink
while shifting from one drive mode to
the other. When the shifting is com-
pleted, the 4WD shift indicator light will
come on. If the indicator light does not
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Starting and driving
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04.3.9/R50-D/V5


Part time 4WD models:

If the ATP light is ON, this indicates
that the automatic transmission P
(park) position will not function and
the transfer shift lever is in the N
position. Failure to engage the trans-
fer shift lever in H or 4L could result
in the vehicle moving unexpectedly,
resulting in serious personal injury or
property damage.
All-mode 4WD models:

If the ATP light is ON, this indicates
that the automatic transmission P
(park) position will not function and
the transfer case is in neutral. Make
sure that the 4WD shift indicator light
(and transfer 4LO position indicator)
light remains illuminated before
stopping the engine. Otherwise, the
vehicle could unexpectedly move
even if the automatic transmission is
in the P (park) position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle rolling into the
street when parked on a sloping drive way, itis 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.

HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
2
Turn the wheels away from the curband
move the vehicle back until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.

HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
3
Turn the wheels toward the side of the road
so the vehicle will move away from the center
of the road if it moves.
Make sure the ATP light is off before stop-
ping the engine.
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 drive belt breaks, you will
still have control of the vehicle. However, much
greater steering effort is needed, especially in
sharp turns or 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 driving
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If a tire slips on rough roads for more than
10 seconds, the ABS brake warning light
may come on. Turn OFF the ignition key,
restart the engine and drive the vehicle at
speeds above 20 MPH (30 km/h). If the
warning light does not go out, have the
vehicle checked at a NISSAN dealer.Self-test featureThe anti-lock brake system consists of electronic
sensors, electric pumps, and hydraulic solenoids
controlled by a computer. The computer has a
built-in diagnostic feature that tests the system
each time you start the engine and move the
vehicle at a low speed in forward or reverse.
When the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal.
This is normal and is not an indication of any
malfunction. If the computer senses any mal-
function, it switches the anti-lock brake system
OFF and turns on the ABS brake warning light in
the dashboard. The brake system will then be-
have normally, but without anti-lock assistance.
If the light comes on during the self check, or
while you are driving, you should take your
vehicle to your NISSAN dealer for repair at your
earliest convenience.
WARNING
The anti-lock brake system is a sophis-
ticated device, but it cannot prevent ac-
cidents resulting from careless or dan-
gerous driving techniques. It can help
maintain vehicle control during braking
on slippery surfaces, but remember that
the stopping distance on slippery sur-
faces will be longer than on normal
surfaces, even with the anti-lock sys-
tem. Stopping distances may also be
longer on rough, gravel or snow covered
roads, or if you are using tire chains.
Always maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front of you. Ultimately,
the responsibility for safety of self and
others rests in the hands of the driver.
Tire type and condition of tires may also
affect braking effectiveness.

When replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all four
wheels.

When installing a spare tire, make
sure it is the proper size and type asspecified on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See “Vehicle iden-
tification” in the “9. Technical and
consumer information” section for
Vehicle identification location infor-
mation.
Starting and driving
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TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
Two wheel drive modelsNISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (rear) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as
illustrated.
CAUTION

Never tow automatic transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the ground
(forward or backward), as this may
cause serious and expensive damage
to the transmission. If it is necessary
to tow the vehicle with the front
wheels raised, always use towing
dollies under the rear wheels.

When towing automatic or manual
transmission models with the front
wheels on the ground or on towing
dollies:

Turn the ignition key to the OFF
position, and secure the steeringwheel in a straightahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
secure the steering wheel by turn-
ing the ignition key to the LOCK
position. This may damage the
steering lock mechanism.

If you have to tow manual transmis-
sion models with the rear wheels on
the ground or four wheels on the
ground (if you do not use towing
dollies):

Always release the parking brake.

Move the transmission shift lever
to the N(Neutral) position.

Observe the following restricted tow-
ing speeds and distances for manual
transmission models only:

Speed: Below 60 MPH (95 km/h)

Distance: Less than 500 miles (800
km)
If the speed or distance must necessarily be
greater, remove the propeller shaft before tow-
ing to prevent damage to the transmission.
Part time four wheel drive modelsNISSAN recommends that towing dollies be
used when towing your vehicle or the vehicle be
placed on a flat bed truck as illustrated.
SCE0198
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