to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low
tire pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi-
mately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction indica-
tor is illuminated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of replacement
or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after
replacing one or more tires or wheels on your
vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alter-
nate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to con-
tinue to function properly.Additional informationThe TPMS does not monitor the tire pressure
of the spare tire.
The TPMS will activate only when the vehicle
is driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h).
Also, this system may not detect a suddendrop in tire pressure (for example a flat tire
while driving).
Tire pressure rises and falls depending on the
heat caused by the vehicle’s operation and
the outside temperature. Low outside tem-
perature can lower the temperature of the air
inside the tire which can cause a lower tire
inflation pressure. This may cause the low tire
pressure warning light to illuminate. If the
warning light illuminates in low ambient tem-
perature, check the tire pressure for all four
tires.
You can also check the pressure of all tires
(except the spare tire) on the display screen.
The order of the tire pressure figures dis-
played on the screen does not correspond
with the actual order of the tire position. See
“Tire pressure information” in the “4. Display
screen, heater, air conditioner and audio sys-
tem” section.
For additional information, see “Low tire pres-
sure warning light” in the “2. Instruments and
controls” section and “Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS)” in the “6. In case of emergency”
section.
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull
off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to an accident and
could result in serious personal in-
jury. Check the tire pressure for all
four tires. Adjust the tire pressure to
the recommended COLD tire pres-
sure shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label to turn the low tire
pressure warning light OFF. If the
light still illuminates while driving af-
ter adjusting the tire pressure, a tire
may be flat or the TPMS may be
malfunctioning. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with a spare tire as soon as
possible. (See “Flat tire” in the “In
case of emergency” section for
changing a flat tire.) If no tire is flat
and all tires are properly inflated,
5-4
Starting and driving
05.8.26/Z50-D/V5.0
vehicle is not designed for cornering
at the same speeds as conventional
two-wheel drive vehicles. Failure to
operate this vehicle correctly could
result in loss of control and/or a
rollover accident.
Always use tires of the same type,
size, brand, construction (bias, bias-
belted or radial), and tread pattern on
all four wheels. Install tire chains on
the front wheels when driving on slip-
pery roads and drive carefully.
Be sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately after driving in mud or water.
See “Brake system” later in this sec-
tion for wet brakes.
Avoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and
it rolls forward, backward or side-
ways, you could be injured.
Whenever you drive off-road through
sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent mainte-
nance may be required. See “Periodic maintenance” in the “Service
and Maintenance Guide”.
Do not drive continuously on sandy
or muddy roads with the front wheels
spinning. The AWD warning light
blinks and the driving mode changes
to 2WD. This could reduce traction
force remarkably. Be especially care-
ful when towing a trailer. (AWD mod-
els)
Do not use 2-wheel chassis dyna-
mometers or 2-wheel free rollers.
(AWD models)
Never operate the accelerator pedal
with the front wheels raised and the
rear wheels on the ground while jack-
ing up or with the front wheels on the
roller and the rear wheels on the
ground. Otherwise, the vehicle could
jump. (AWD models)
When a wheel is suspended due to
running off the road, do not idle the
wheel excessively. (AWD models)
When the vehicle is on a free roller orthe front or rear wheels are jacked
up, do not start the engine. (AWD
models)
5-8
Starting and driving
05.8.26/Z50-D/V5.0
If the light comes on during the self-test or while
driving, take the vehicle to a NISSAN dealer for
repair.
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 brake
system. 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 thespecified size of tires on all four
wheels.
When installing a spare tire, make
sure it is the proper size and type as
specified on the tire placard. See
“Vehicle identification” in the “9.
Technical and consumer informa-
tion” section for tire placard location.When accelerating or driving on a slippery sur-
faces, the tires may spin or slide. With the
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system, sensors
detect these movements and control the braking
and engine output to help improve vehicle sta-
bility.
When the VDC system is operating, the
“SLIP” indicator in the instrument panel
blinks.
When only the Traction Control System
(TCS) portion of the VDC system is operat-
ing, the “SLIP” indicator in the instrument
panel blinks.
If the “SLIP” indicator blinks, the road condi-
tions are slippery. Be sure to adjust your
speed and driving to these conditions. Be
sure to drive carefully. See “Slip indicator
light”, and “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
OFF indicator light” in the “2. Instruments and
controls” section.
Indicator light
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
“SLIP” and “VDC OFF” indicator lights illumi-
nate in the instrument panel. As long as these
indicators are illuminated, the VDC system
function is canceled.
The VDC system uses an Active Brake Limited
Slip (ABLS) system to improve vehicle traction.
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL
(VDC) SYSTEM (if so equipped)
5-32
Starting and driving
05.8.26/Z50-D/V5.0
the chain manufacturer’s suggestions.Use
only SAE Class S chains.Class “S” chains
are used on vehicles with restricted tire to
vehicle clearance. Vehicles that can use
Class “S” chains are designed to meet the
SAE standard minimum clearances between
the tire and the closest vehicle suspension or
body component required to accommodate
the use of a winter traction device (tire chains
or cables). The minimum clearances are de-
termined using the factory equipped tire size.
Other types may damage your vehicle. Use
chain tensioners when recommended by the
tire chain manufacturer to ensure a tight fit.
Loose end links of the tire chain must be
secured or removed to prevent the possibility
of whipping action damage to the fenders or
underbody. If possible, avoid fully loading
your vehicle when using tire chains. In addi-
tion, drive at a reduced speed. Otherwise,
your vehicle may be damaged and/or vehicle
handling and performance may be adversely
affected.
Never install tire chains on TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tires.
Do not use tire chains on dry roads.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
front wheels and not on the rear wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved roadswhich are clear of snow. Driving with chains in
such conditions can cause damage to the vari-
ous mechanisms of the vehicle due to some
overstress.
4. For all-wheel drive:
If you install snow tires, they must also be the
same size, brand, construction and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENTIt is recommended that the following items be
carried in the vehicle during winter:
a scraper and stiff-bristled brush to remove
ice and snow from the windows and wiper
blades.
a sturdy, flat board to be placed under the
jack to give it firm support.
a shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow-drifts.
extra window washer fluid to refill the reser-
voir tank.DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain),very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip” un-
der these conditions. Try to avoid
driving on wet ice until the road is
salted or sanded.
Whatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shifting too fast, the drive wheels will
lose even more traction.
Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
Watch for slippery spots (glare ice).
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch
of ice is seen ahead, brake before
reaching it. Try not to brake while on
the ice, and avoid any sudden steer-
ing maneuvers.
Starting and driving
5-35
05.8.26/Z50-D/V5.0
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS) (if so equipped)This vehicle is equipped with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS). It monitors tire pres-
sure of all tires except the spare. When the low
tire pressure warning light is lit, one or more of
your tires is significantly under-inflated. If
equipped, the system also displays pressure of
all tires (except the spare tire) on the display
screen by sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel. If the vehicle is being
driven with low tire pressure, the low TPMS will
activate and warn you of it by the low tire
pressure warning light. This system will activate
only when the vehicle is driven at speeds above
16 MPH (25 km/h). For more details, refer to
“Warning/indicator lights and audible remind-
ers” in the “2. Instruments and controls” section,
“Tire pressure information” in the “4. Display
screen, heater, air conditioner and audio sys-
tems” section and “Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS)” in the “5. Starting and driving”
section.
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull
off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as pos-sible.
Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to an accident and
could result in serious personal in-
jury. Check the tire pressure for all
four tires. Adjust the tire pressure to
the recommended COLD tire pres-
sure shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label to turn the low tire
pressure warning light OFF. If the
light still illuminates while driving af-
ter adjusting the tire pressure, a tire
may be flat or the TPMS may be
malfunctioning. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with a spare tire as soon as
possible. If no tire is flat and all tires
are properly inflated, have the TPMS
system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel is replaced, tire pressure will
not be indicated, the TPMS will not
function and the low tire pressure
warning light will flash. Contact yourNISSAN dealer as soon as possible
for tire replacement and/or system
resetting.
Replacing tires with those not origi-
nally specified by NISSAN could af-
fect the proper operation of the
TPMS.
Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol
tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pres-
sure sensors.
CHANGING A FLAT TIREIf you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below.Stopping the vehicle1. Safely move the vehicle off the road away
from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking
brake. Shift the selector lever into P (Park)
position.
4. Turn off the engine.
FLAT TIRE6-2
In case of emergency
05.8.26/Z50-D/V5.0
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
Two wheel drive modelsNISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as
illustrated.
CAUTION
Never tow CVT models with the front
wheels on the ground or four wheelson the ground (forward or backward),
as this may cause serious and expen-
sive damage to the transmission.
If it is necessary to tow the vehicle
with the rear wheels raised, always
use towing dollies under the front
wheels.
When towing with the front wheels
on towing dollies:
•Turn the ignition key to the OFF
position, and secure the steeringwheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device.
Never secure the steering wheel
by turning the ignition key to the
LOCK position. This may damage
the steering lock mechanism.
•Move the selector lever to the N
(Neutral) position.
When towing two wheel drive CVT
model with the rear wheels on the
ground (if you do not use towing
dollies): Always release the parking
brake.
SCE0438
Two wheel drive models
In case of emergency
6-13
05.8.26/Z50-D/V5.0
All-wheel drive models
CAUTION
Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or
radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Failure to do so may result in a
circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and may dam-
age the transmission, transfer case and
differential gears.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recommended
that all four tires be replaced with tires of the
same size, brand, construction and tread pat-
tern. The tire pressure and wheel alignment
should also be checked and corrected as nec-
essary. Contact a NISSAN dealer.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
front wheels and not on the rear wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved roads
which are clear of snow. Driving with chains in
such conditions can cause damage to the vari-
ous mechanisms of the vehicle due to some
overstress.
TIRE CHAINSUse of tire chains may be prohibited according
to location. Check the local laws before installing
tire chains. When installing tire chains, make
sure they are the proper size for the tires on your
vehicle and are installed according to the chain
manufacturer’s suggestions.Use only SAE
class S chains.Class “S” chains are used on
vehicles with restricted tire to vehicle clearance.
Vehicles that can use Class “S” chains are
designed to meet the SAE standard minimum
clearances between the tire and the closest
vehicle suspension or body component required
to accommodate the use of a winter traction
device (tire chains or cables). The minimum
clearances are determined using the factory
equipped tire size. Other types may damage
your vehicle. Use chain tensioners when recom-
mended by the tire chain manufacturer to ensure
a tight fit. Loose end links of the tire chain must
be secured or removed to prevent the possibility
of whipping action damage to the fenders or
undercarriage. If possible, avoid fully loading
your vehicle when using tire chains. In addition,
drive at a reduced speed. Otherwise, your ve-
hicle may be damaged and/or vehicle handling
and performance may be adversely affected.
Never install tire chains on a TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY type spare tire.Do not use the chains on dry roads.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
front wheels and not on the rear wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved roads
which are clear of snow. Driving with chains in
such conditions can cause damage to the vari-
ous mechanisms of the vehicle due to some
overstress.
8-38
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
05.8.26/Z50-D/V5.0
trol to the HOT position.
If the transmission fluid rises to an extremely
high temperature, a high fluid temperature
protection mode may operate. See page
5-15 for details. If necessary, pull to the side
of the road at a safe place and let the
transmission cool before continuing.
Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles
(805 km).
Have your vehicle serviced more often than at
intervals specified in the recommended main-
tenance schedule.
When making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this, make
a larger than normal turning radius during the
turn.
Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling. If swaying does occur, firmly
grip the steering wheel, steer straight ahead,
and immediately (but gradually) reduce ve-
hicle speed. This combination will help stabi-lize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal passing.
Remember the length of the trailer must also
pass the other vehicle before you can safely
change lanes.
Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the brakes
to overheat, resulting in reduced braking ef-
ficiency.
Increase your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
Do not use cruise control while towing a
trailer.
Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
When stopped in traffic for long periods of
time in hot weather, put the vehicle in the P
(Park) position.
FLAT TOWINGTowing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a ve-hicle behind a recreational vehicle, such as a
motor home.
CAUTION
Failure to follow these guidelines
can result in severe transmission
damage.
Whenever flat towing your vehicle,
always tow forward, never backward.
DO NOT tow any continuously vari-
able transmission vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground (flat tow-
ing). Doing so WILL DAMAGE internal
transmission parts due to lack of
transmission lubrication.
For emergency towing procedures re-
fer to “Towing recommended by
NISSAN” in the “6. In case of emer-
gency” section of this manual.Continuously variable transmissionTo tow a vehicle equipped with a continuously
variable transmission, an appropriate vehicle
dollyMUSTbe placed under the towed vehi-
cle’s drive wheels.Alwaysfollow the dollyTechnical and consumer information
9-23
05.8.26/Z50-D/V5.0