1. Apply the parking brake.
2.Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) model:
Move the shift selector lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift selector lever is in any of the
driving positions.
Manual transmission:
Move the shift lever to N (Neutral) . Depress
the clutch pedal to the floor.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully de-
pressed.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position.
Depress the brake pedal and the clutch
pedal (if so equipped) and push the ignition
switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal with the ignition switch in
any position.cIf the engine is very hard to start in ex-
tremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little (ap-
proximately 1/3 to the floor) and while
holding, crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
cIf the engine is very hard to start because
it is flooded, depress the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to start cranking the engine. After 5 or
6 seconds, stop cranking by pushing the
ignition switch to LOCK. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by depressing the
brake pedal and pushing the push-button
ignition switch to start the engine. 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, push the ignition switch to the
OFF position and wait 10 seconds before
cranking again, otherwise the starter
could be damaged.4.Warm-up
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 en-
gine 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.
5. To stop the engine, shift the selector lever to
the P (Park) position (CVT) or to N (Neutral)
and apply the parking brake (MT) and push
the ignition switch to the OFF position.
STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving5-9
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CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) (if so
equipped)
WARNING
cDo not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) , D (Drive) or manual
shift mode. Always depress the brake
pedal until shifting is completed. Fail-
ure 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.
cDo not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
cNever shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving. This could
cause an accident.
CAUTION
When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by depress-
ing the accelerator pedal. The foot brake
should be used for this purpose.The CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled 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.
NOTE:
Engine power may be automatically re-
duced to protect the CVT if the engine
speed increases quickly when driving on
slippery roads or while being tested on
some dynamometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal before moving 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.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before shifting
the selector lever to the P (Park) position.The CVT 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 switch is
pushed to the LOCK or ACC position.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-10Starting and driving
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Manual shift mode
When 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 dis-
played on the position indicator in the meter.
When shifting the shift lever to the manual shift
gate, the position indicator displays 1 (first) up to
6 (sixth) depending on vehicle speed.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
1,2,3,4,5,66 (Sixth):
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
5 (Fifth):
For driving up or down long slopes where engine
braking would be advantageous.
4 (fourth) , 3 (Third) and 2 (Second):
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on downhill
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.
cRemember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than 4
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 the2(down) side.
(Shifts to lower range.)cThe transmission will automatically down-
shift the gears. (For example, if you select the
3rd range, the transmission will shift down
between the 3rd and 1st gears.)
cMoving the selector lever rapidly to the same
side twice will shift the ranges in succession.
When canceling the manual shift mode:
Return the selector lever to the D position to
return the transmission to the normal driving
mode.
cIn the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving perfor-
mance and reduces the chance of ve-
hicle damage or loss of control.
cIn the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may shift up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the en-
gine speed is too high. When the ve-
hicle speed decreases, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down and
shifts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
LSD0182
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Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
shift selector lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal de-
pressed and the selector lever button pushed.
If the battery is discharged completely, the steer-
ing wheel cannot be locked or unlocked. Do not
move the vehicle with the steering wheel locked.
It will be necessary to jump start or have your
battery charged, see “Jump starting” in the “In
case of emergency” section. Contact your
NISSAN dealer or a professional towing service.To move the shift selector lever, complete the
following procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCK posi-
tion.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover as
shown.
4. Insert a small screwdriver in the shift lock
release slot and push down.
5. Move the shift selector lever to the N (Neu-
tral) position while holding down the shift
lock release.
6. Push the ignition switch to the ON position
to unlock the steering wheel. Now the ve-
hicle 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 trans-
mission 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. Malfunction-
ing stop lights could cause an accident
injuring yourself and others.
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.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This 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 engine and vehicle speed may be
limited.
Fail-safe
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. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated, see “Malfunction indicator light
(MIL)” in the “Instrument and controls” sec-
LSD0183
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tion. This will occur even if all electrical
circuits are functioning properly. In this
case, push the ignition switch to the OFF
position and wait for 10 seconds. Then
push the switch back to the ON position.
The vehicle should return to its normal op-
erating condition. If it does not return to its
normal operating condition, have a
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 reduced.
The reduced speed may be lower than
other traffic, which could increase the
chance of a collision. Be especially care-
ful when driving. If necessary, pull to the
side of the road at a safe place and allow
the transmission to return to normal op-
eration, or have it repaired if necessary.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION (if so
equipped)
WARNING
cDo not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
cDo not over-rev the engine when shift-
ing to a lower gear. This may cause a
loss of control or engine damage.
CAUTION
cDo not rest your foot on the clutch pedal
while driving. This may cause clutch
damage.
cFully depress the clutch pedal before
shifting to help prevent transmission
damage.
cStop your vehicle completely before
shifting into R (Reverse) .
cWhen the vehicle is stopped with the
engine running (for example, at a stop
light) , shift to N (Neutral) and release
the clutch pedal with the foot brake
applied.
Shifting
To change gears, or when upshifting or down-
shifting, depress the clutch pedal fully, shift into
the appropriate gear, then release the clutch
slowly and smoothly.
To ensure smooth gear changes, fully depress
the clutch pedal before operating the shift lever. If
the clutch pedal is not fully depressed before the
transmission is shifted, a gear noise may be
heard. Transmission damage may occur.
Start the vehicle in 1st gear and shift to 2nd, 3rd,
4th and 5th up to 6th gear in sequence according
to vehicle speed.
LSD0180
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Suggested maximum speed in each
gear
Downshift to a lower gear if the engine is not
running smoothly, or if you need to accelerate.
Do not exceed the maximum suggested speed
(shown below) in any gear. For level road driving,
use the highest gear suggested for that speed.
Always observe posted speed limits, and drive
according to the road conditions, which will en-
sure safe operation. Do not over-rev the engine
when shifting to a lower gear as it may cause
engine damage or loss of vehicle control.
GEAR QR25DE
MPH (km/h)VQ35DE
MPH (km/h)
1st 32 (53) 36 (58)
2nd 59 (95) 58 (93)
3rd 82 (133) 81 (131)
4th — —
5th — —
6th — —
WARNING
cBe sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
cDo not release the parking brake from
outside the vehicle.
cDo not use the gear shift in place of the
parking brake. When parking, be sure
the parking brake is fully engaged.
cDo not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the parking
brake and cause an accident.
To engage:Type A, firmly depress the parking
brake. Type B, pull the lever up
sA.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2.Manual transmission models:
Place the shift lever in the N (Neutral) posi-
tion.
Automatic transmission models:
Move the shift selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
Type A
LSD0158
PARKING BRAKE
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WARNING
cDo not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry grass,
waste paper or rags. They may ignite
and cause a fire.
cSafe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park) for
CVT models or in an appropriate gear
for manual transmission models. Fail-
ure to do so could cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly or roll away and re-
sult in an accident. Make sure the shift
lever has been pushed as far forward asit can go and cannot be moved without
depressing the foot brake pedal.
cNever leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.
cDo not leave children unattended inside
the vehicle. They could unknowingly ac-
tivate switches or controls. Unattended
children could become involved in seri-
ous accidents.
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.Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) 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.
SSD0488
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
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TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
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 the
vehicle is being driven with low tire pressure, the
TPMS will activate and warn you of it by the low
tire pressure warning light. This system will acti-
vate 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 “Instruments and controls” section,
and “Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)”
in the “Starting and driving” section.
WARNING
cIf the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sudden
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 injury. 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 you have
a flat tire, replace it with a spare tire as
soon as possible.
cWhen a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, the TPMS will not function
and the low tire pressure warning light
will flash for approximately 1 minute.
The light will remain on after 1 minute.
Contact your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting.
cReplacing tires with those not originally
specified by NISSAN could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS.cDo not inject any tire liquid or aerosol
tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pressure
sensors.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions be-
low.
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking
brake. Shift the manual transmission into R
(Reverse) , or the CVT into P (Park) .
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to
signal professional road assistance person-
nel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle
and stand in a safe place, away from traffic
and clear of the vehicle.
FLAT TIRE
6-2In case of emergency
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