2008 NISSAN MAXIMA steering

When you get used to the menus in the system,
you can talk ahead by saying more than one
command at a time. For example, say, “Call five
five five one two one two” or “Memo pad record.”
Also, when you get used to the system re-
sponses, you can skip ahead to the tone by
pressing the
button on the steering wheel.
However, if you press thebutton when the
system is waiting for a response from you it will
end the VR session.
“Call”
Main Menu
“Call”
Name (speak name)
sA
Number (speak digits)sB
“Redial”sC
“Call Back”sD
Name (speak name)sA
If you have stored entries in the Phone Book, you
can dial a number associated with a name and
location.
See “Phone book” later in this section to learn
how to store entries.When prompted by the system, say the name of
the phone book entry you wish to call. The system
acknowledges the name.
If there are multiple locations associated with the
name, the system asks you to choose the loca-
tion.
Once you have confirmed the name and location,
the system begins the call.
Number (speak digits)
sB
When prompted by the system, say the number
you wish to call. Refer to “How to say numbers”
and “Making a call by entering a phone number”
earlier in this section for more details.
“Redial”
sC
Use the Redial command to call the last number
that was dialed within the vehicle.
NOTE:
The system will not redial the last number
dialed by the handset keypad.
The system acknowledges the command, re-
peats the number and begins dialing.
If a redial number does not exist, the system
announces, “There is no number to redial” and
ends the VR session.“Call back”
sD
Use the Call Back command to dial the number of
the last incoming call within the vehicle.
The system acknowledges the command, re-
peats the number and begins dialing.
If a call back number does not exist, the system
announces, “There is no number to call back” and
ends the VR session.
During a call
During a call there are several command options
available. Press the
button on the steering
wheel to mute the receiving voice and enter com-
mands.
c“Help” — The system announces the avail-
able commands.
c“Go back/Correction” — The system an-
nounces “Go back,” ends the VR session
and returns to the call.
c“Cancel/Quit” — The system announces
“Cancel,” ends the VR session and returns
to the call.
c“Send/Enter/Call/Dial” — Use the Send
command to enter numbers during a call. For
example, if you were directed to dial an ex-
tension by an automated system:
Say: “Send one two three four.”
4-52Display screen, heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems
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“Edit”sB
Use the Edit command to alter an existing phone
book entry or to add a 2nd, 3rd or 4th phone
number to an existing entry.
When prompted by the system, say the name of
the entry you wish to edit.
The system acknowledges the name and asks
you for the location you would like to edit.
Say the name of the location. The system ac-
knowledges and asks you for the phone number
you would like to store with this location.
See “How to say numbers” earlier in this section
for more information.
The system repeats the number and prompts you
for the next command. When you have finished
entering numbers, choose “Store.”
The system confirms the name, location and
number, then announces that the entry has been
stored. The system then ends the VR session.
“Delete”
sC
Use the Delete command to erase one entry from
the phone book, all entries from the phone book,
the current redial number or the current call back
number.To delete entries from the phone book, say a
name or “All entries” when prompted by the sys-
tem.
The system acknowledges the command and
asks you to confirm the deletion.
To delete the current redial number or call back
number, say “redial number” or “call back num-
ber” when prompted by the system.
If a redial number or a call back number exists, the
system deletes them without asking for confirma-
tion.
If there is no number for the entry you are trying to
delete, the system says so and ends the VR
session.
“List names”
sD
Use the List Names command to hear all the
names and locations in the phone book.
The system recites the phone book entries but
does not include the actual phone numbers.
When the playback of the list is complete, the
system goes back to the main menu.
You can stop the playback of the list at any time
by pressing the
button on the steering
wheel. The system ends the VR session.
“Memo pad”
Main Menu
“Memo Pad”
“Record”
sA
“Play”sB
“Delete”sC
The Memo Pad records a maximum of 6 voice
memos, each up to 20 seconds long.
“Record”
sA
The system announces “Recording” and a tone
sounds, signaling you to begin.
Speak the information you wish to record clearly.
When you are done, press the
orbutton on the steering wheel.
A tone sounds and the system announces
“Memo recorded.” Another tone sounds to end
the VR session.
If the memo pad is full, the system asks if you wish
to record over the oldest memo.
“Play”
sB
The system plays back all the memos in the order
of newest to oldest. The system ends the VR
session.
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5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide)..................5-2
Three-way catalyst..............................5-2
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)..........5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover....................5-5
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving................5-5
Ignition switch.....................................5-6
Intelligent Key System...........................5-6
Ignition switch positions.........................5-7
Nissan vehicle immobilizer system................5-7
Before starting the engine..........................5-8
Starting the engine................................5-8
Driving the vehicle.................................5-9
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).........5-9
Parking brake....................................5-13
Cruise control....................................5-14
Precautions on cruise control...................5-14
Cruise control operations.......................5-14
Break-in schedule................................5-15Increasing fuel economy...........................5-16
Parking/parking on hills............................5-17
Power steering...................................5-18
Brake system....................................5-18
Brake precautions.............................5-18
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).................5-19
Traction Control System (TCS).....................5-20
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system.............5-21
Rear sonar system (if so equipped).................5-22
Cold weather driving..............................5-23
Freeing a frozen door lock......................5-23
Anti-freeze....................................5-23
Battery.......................................5-23
Draining of coolant water.......................5-24
Tire equipment................................5-24
Special winter equipment.......................5-24
Driving on snow or ice.........................5-24
Engine block heater (if so equipped).............5-25
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cThe low tire pressure warning light does not
automatically turn off when the tire pressure
is adjusted. After the tire is inflated to the
recommended pressure, the vehicle must be
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h)
to activate the TPMS and turn off the low tire
pressure warning light. Use a tire pressure
gauge to check the tire pressure.
cTire pressure rises and falls depending on
the heat caused by the vehicle’s operation
and the outside temperature. Low outside
temperature 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 illumi-
nate. If the warning light illuminates in low
ambient temperature, check the tire pres-
sure for all four tires.
cYou can also check the pressure of all tires
(except the spare tire) on the display screen
(if so equipped) . The order of the tire pres-
sure figures displayed on the screen does
not correspond with the actual order of the
tire position. See “Tire pressure information”
in the “Display screen, heater, air conditioner
and audio and phone systems” section.For additional information, see “Low tire pressure
warning light” in the “Instruments and controls”
section and “Tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS)” in the “In case of emergency” 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. Driving with under-
inflated tires may permanently damage
the tires and increase the likelihood of
tire failure. Serious vehicle damage
could occur and may lead to an acci-
dent and could result in serious per-
sonal injury. Check the tire pressure for
all four tires. Adjust the tire pressure to
the recommended COLD tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading Informa-
tion 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. (See “Flat tire” in the “In case
of emergency” section for changing a
flat tire.)cWhen 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 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.
CAUTION
Do not place metalized film or any metal
parts (antenna, etc.) on the windows. This
may cause poor reception of the signals
from the tire pressure sensors, and the
TPMS will not function properly.
Some devices and transmitters may temporarily
interfere with the operation of the TPMS and
cause the low tire pressure warning light to illu-
minate.
5-4Starting and driving
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Some examples are:
– Facilities or electric devices using similar radio
frequencies are near the vehicle.
– If a transmitter set to similar frequencies is
being used in or near the vehicle.
– If a computer (or similar equipment) or a
DC/AC converter is being used in or near the
vehicle.
FCC Notice:
Changes or modifications not expressly ap-
proved by the party responsible for compli-
ance could void the user’s authority to op-
erate the equipment.
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules and RSS-210 of Industry
Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received, in-
cluding interference that may cause undes-
ired operation of the device.AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss of
control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey
all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive speed,
high speed cornering, or sudden steering ma-
neuvers, because these driving practices could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle.As with
any vehicle, loss of control could result in a
collision with other vehicles or objects, or
cause the vehicle to roll over, particularly if
the loss of control causes the vehicle to
slide sideways.
Be attentive at all times, and
avoid driving when tired. Never drive when under
the influence of alcohol or drugs (including pre-
scription or over-the-counter drugs which may
cause drowsiness) . Always wear your seat belt as
outlined in the “Safety – Seats, seat belts and
supplemental restraint system” section of this
manual, and also instruct your passengers to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in collisions
and rollovers.In a rollover crash, an unbelted
or improperly belted person is significantly
more likely to be injured or killed than a
person properly wearing a seat belt.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alcohol
or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream re-
duces coordination, delays reaction time
and impairs judgement. Driving after
drinking alcohol increases the likelihood
of being involved in an accident injuring
yourself and others. Additionally, if you
are injured in an accident, alcohol can
increase the severity of the injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. However,
you must choose not to drive under the influence
of alcohol. Every year thousands of people are
injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents. Al-
though the local laws vary on what is considered
to be legally intoxicated, the fact is that alcohol
affects all people differently and most people
underestimate the effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix! And
that is true for drugs, too (over-the-counter, pre-
scription, and illegal drugs) . Don’t drive if your
ability to operate your vehicle is impaired by alco-
hol, drugs, or some other physical condition.
Starting and driving5-5
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WARNING
Never turn the ignition knob to the LOCK
position while driving. The steering wheel
will lock. This may cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle and could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal injury.
INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM
The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch cannot be turned to LOCK until the selec-
tor lever is moved to the P (Park) position.
When turning the ignition switch, make sure the
selector lever is in the P (Park) position.
If the selector lever is not returned to the P (Park)
position, the ignition switch cannot be moved
toward LOCK.
When the ignition switch cannot be turned to-
ward the LOCK position when the Intelligent Key
is in range, proceed as follows:1. Move the selector lever into the P (Park)
position.
2. Turn the ignition switch slightly in the ON
direction.
3. Turn the key toward the LOCK position.
The selector lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the foot brake pedal is
depressed.
There is an OFF position in between LOCK and
ACC, although it does not show on the lock
cylinder. When the ignition is in OFF the steering
wheel is not locked.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/6 of a turn counterclock-
wise from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position. To unlock the
steering wheel, push the ignition switch in
and turn it gently while rotating the steer-
ing wheel slightly right and left.
If the battery of the vehicle equipped with
the Intelligent Key system is discharged,
the ignition switch cannot be turned from
the LOCK position, even using the me-
chanical key.
LSD0171
IGNITION SWITCH
5-6Starting and driving
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Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift selector lever
may not be moved from the P (Park) position even
with the brake pedal depressed.
To move the shift selector lever, release the shift
lock. The shift selector lever can be moved to N
(Neutral) . However, the steering wheel will be
locked unless the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position. This allows the vehicle to be moved
if the battery is discharged.
To push the shift lock release, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position
and remove the key
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. Turn the key to the ON position to unlock the
steering wheel. Now the vehicle 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 (Drive) position and manual
shift mode —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into lower range, 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
WSD0168
5-12Starting and driving
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The power assisted steering uses a hydraulic
pump, driven by the engine, to assist steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks, you
will still have control of the vehicle. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, especially
in sharp turns and 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
harder to operate.The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The 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 stopping dis-
tance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will overheat the brakes, wear out the
brake pads faster, and reduce gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may
reduce braking performance and could result in
loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
cWhile driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or accel-
erating could cause the wheels to skid
and result in an accident.
cIf the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
Wet brakes
When 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 the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing 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-in
Break-in the parking brake shoes whenever the
stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened
or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or
drum/rotors are replaced, in order to assure the
best brake performance.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
5-18Starting and driving
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