2007 NISSAN MURANO ignition

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 (if so equipped) 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 discharged.
If the selector lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have a 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 light(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 switch to the OFF
position and wait for 10 seconds. Then turn
the switch back to the ONposition. The
vehicle should return to its normal operat-
ing 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 re-
duced. 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.
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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 switch 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 the vehicle is moving. Never
shift to P (Park) or D (Drive) while the
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
brake should be used for this purpose.
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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 ignition switch 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 following 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 switch to LOCK to remove
the key.P (Park):
Use this shift 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.
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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 selector 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 selector
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
a 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 light
(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 switch to the OFF
position and wait for 10 seconds. Then turn
the switch back to the ONposition. The
vehicle should return to its normal operat-
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AWD
modeWheel drivenAWD LOCK
indicator
lightUse conditions
AUTODistribution of torque to the front and rear
wheels changes automatically, depending
on road conditions encountered
[100:0]↔[50:50].
This results in improved driving stability.*1Goes off.For driving on paved or slippery
roads
LOCK All-wheel drive*2, *3 AWD LOCK For driving on rough roads
*1: When the rotation difference between the front and rear wheels is large, the AWD mode may change from
AUTO to LOCK for a while, however, this is not a malfunction.
*2: LOCK mode will change to AUTO mode automatically when the vehicle is accelerated or the vehicle speed is
over approximately 10 km/h (6 MPH). The AWD LOCK indicator light does not go off.
LOCK mode will change to AUTO mode automatically when the vehicle has been driven for a high speed. The
AWD LOCK indicator light goes off.
*3: LOCK mode will automatically be cancelled when the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position.
If the AWD LOCK switch is operated while accelerating or decelerating, or if the ignition switch
is turned off, you may feel a jerk. This is normal.

The oil temperature of power train parts will increase if the vehicle is continuously operated under
conditions where the difference in rotation between the front and rear wheels is large (wheel slip),
such as when driving the vehicle on rough roads through sand, mud or freeing a stuck vehicle. In
these cases, the AWD warning light blinks rapidly and the AWD mode changes to 2WD condition
to protect the power train parts. If you stop driving with the engine idling and wait until the warning
light stops blinking, the AWD returns to the AUTO mode.
WARNING

Do not place an AWD equipped ve-
hicle on a two wheel dynamometer or
raise two wheels off the ground and
shift the transmission to any D (drive)
or R (reverse) position. Doing so may
result in transmission damage or un-
expected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle dam-
age or personal injury.

When driving straight, shift the AWD
lock switch to AUTO. Do not operate
the AWD lock switch when making a
turn or backing up.

Do not operate the AWD lock switch
with the front wheel spinning.

Engine idling speed is high while
warming up the engine. Be especially
careful when starting or driving on
slippery surfaces with the AWD lock
switch set in AUTO or LOCK.

When turning the vehicle in LOCK
mode on paved roads, you may feel
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a braking effect. This is a normal
condition of the AWD model.
AWD WARNING LIGHTThe AWD warning light is located in the meter.
The AWD warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to ON. It turns off soon
after the engine is started.If any malfunction occurs in the AWD system
when the ignition switch is ON, the warning light
will remain illuminated.
High-temperature power-train oil due to continu-
ous operation of the vehicle to free a stuck
vehicle makes the warning light blink rapidly
(about twice per second). The driving mode may
change to 2 wheel drive condition. AUTO mode
may change to LOCK mode before the warning
light blinks. This is normal. If the warning light
blinks rapidly during operation, stop the vehicle
with the engine idling in a safe place immedi-
ately. Then if the light goes off after a while, you
can continue driving.
A large difference between the diameters of
front and rear wheels will make the warning light
blink slowly (about once per two seconds). Pull
off the road in a safe area, and idle the engine.
Check that all tire sizes are the same, tire
pressure is correct and tires are not worn.
WARNING
Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle with two wheels on a
two wheel dynamometer and the other
two wheels raised. Doing so may result
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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.
4. Turn the ignition switch 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.
BRAKING PRECAUTIONSThe brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at two wheels.Vacuum assisted brakeThe brake booster aids braking by using engine
vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop the
vehicle by depressing the brake pedal. However,
greater foot pressure on the brake pedal will be
required to stop the vehicle and the stopping
distance will be longer.Wet brakesWhen the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result, your
braking distance will be longer and the vehicle
may pull to one side during braking.
To dry brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly tapping the brake pedal to heat-up
the brakes. Do this until the brakes return to
normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at high speeds
until the brakes function correctly.Parking brake break-inBreak in the parking brake shoes whenever the
stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened
or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or
drums/rotors are replaced, in order to assure the
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
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must be used.

Always attach safety chains before
towing.
For information about towing your vehicle behind
a recreational vehicle (RV), refer to “Flat towing”
in the “Technical and consumer information”
section of this manual.
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 steering
SCE0438
Two wheel drive models
In case of emergency
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