Black plate (189,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
GearMPH (km/h)
1st 35 (57)
2nd 62 (101)
3rd 90 (145)
4th —
5th —
6th —
DRIVING TIPSAfter starting the engine, fully depress the foot
brake pedal and push the shift lever button
before shifting the shift lever from the
&Pposition
to the
&R,&N,or
&A↔&M
position. Be sure the
vehicle is fully stopped before attempting to shift
the shift lever.
The transmission is designed so that the foot
brake pedal must be depressed before shifting
from
&Pto any other position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of the
&P
position and into any other position with the
ignition switch other in the LOCK, OFF or ACC
position.When accelerating from a stopKeep the foot brake pedal depressed and push
the shift lever button to shift into a driving gear
as following:
. To drive forward, move the shift lever to the
&A↔&M
position.
. To back up, move the shift lever to the
&R
position.
Starting on level ground:1. Check the shift lever position indicator on
the instrument panel to confirm that the
driving gear is selected.
2. Release the parking brake.
3. Release the foot brake pedal, then gradually depress the accelerator pedal to start the
vehicle in motion.Starting on an uphill:1. Check the shift lever position indicator onthe instrument panel to confirm that the
driving gear is selected.NOTE:When starting or driving on a steep uphill
grade, shift to the
&M
position and operate
the paddle shifter to shift down to 1st gear
as a manual transmission vehicle.
2. With the parking brake applied, slowly release the foot brake pedal.
3. Slowly depress the accelerator pedal and feel the vehicle starting motion with the
parking brake applied.
4. Release the parking brake and gradually depress the accelerator pedal to start the
vehicle in motion.
NOTICE
To prevent stalling or transmission
damage, start in 1st gear. The
&M
position 2nd gear can be used to start
moving the vehicle only when reduced
torque is necessary on snowy roads or
extremely slippery surfaces.NOTE:The hill start assist function operates when
the vehicle is accelerating from a stop on
an uphill. (
“HILL START ASSIST” page
5-31)
When driving the vehicle
WARNING
Do not move the shift lever to the
&N
position while driving. Doing so may
result in an accident due to loss of
engine braking. It may also damage the
transmission.
Starting and driving
5-19
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (191,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
serious injury.
NOTICE
When the vehicle is stopped on a hill,
do not hold the vehicle in place by
depressing the accelerator pedal. Doing
so may cause the clutch to overheat and
result in transmission damage. Use the
brakes to prevent the vehicle from
moving.When parking the vehicle1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the foot brake pedal depressed, applythe parking brake.
3. Move the shift lever to the
&Pposition.
4. Check the shift lever position indicator on the instrument panel to confirm that the
&P
position is selected.
5. Push the ignition switch to stop the engine.
WARNING
Before exiting the vehicle, be sure to
move the shift lever to the
&Pposition
and stop the engine. If the engine is
running and the shift lever is not in the
&Pposition, the vehicle may start mov-
ing due to partial engagement of the
clutch or to the effects of gravity on a
slope, or the vehicle may suddenly
accelerate due to accidental operation
of the accelerator pedal, possibly caus-
ing an accident.
The control of the dual clutch transmission,
Bilstein DampTronic
®electronically controlled
shock absorbers and Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) can be changed to the desired modes by
operating the setup switches. Select the desired
mode best suited to the driving conditions.
NOTE:Bilstein DampTronic
®is a registered trade-
mark of ThyssenKrupp Bilstein Suspen-
sion GmbH.
Starting and driving
5-21
VDC, TRANSMISSION AND
SUSPENSION SETUP SWITCHES
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (204,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
AWD WARNING LIGHTThe AWD warning light is located in the meter.
The AWD warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is pushed to the ON position. It
turns off soon after the engine is started.If any malfunction occurs in the AWD system
while the engine is running, the warning light will
come on.
The warning light may blink rapidly (about twice
per second) while trying to free a stuck vehicle
due to high power train oil temperature. The
driving mode may change to two-wheel drive. If
the warning light blinks rapidly during operation,
stop the vehicle with the engine idling in a safe
place immediately. 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.
If the warning light is blinking after the above
operation, have your vehicle checked by a GT-R
certified NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING
.
Do not attempt to raise two wheels
off the ground and shift the trans-
mission to any drive or reverse
position with the engine running.
Doing so may result in drivetrain
damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
. Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dy-
namometer (such as the dynam-
ometers used by some states for
emissions testing) or similar equip-
ment even if the other two wheels
are raised off the ground. Make sure
that you inform the test facility
personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with AWD before it is
placed on a dynamometer. Using
the wrong test equipment may re-
sult in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle da-
mage or personal injury.
NOTICE
.If the warning light comes on while
driving there may be a malfunction
in the AWD system. Reduce the
vehicle speed and have your vehicle
checked by a GT-R certified NISSAN
dealer as soon as possible.
. If the warning light remains on after
the above operation, have your
5-34
Starting and driving
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (205,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
vehicle checked by a GT-R certified
NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.
. The power train may be damaged if
you continue driving with the warn-
ing light blinking rapidly.
TIGHT CORNER BRAKING PHE-
NOMENONWhen driving on dry pavement in AWD mode, or
immediately after starting the engine in cold
conditions, when the steering wheel is turned all
the way, the vehicle may behave as if the brakes
had been applied. This phenomenon is known
as the “tight corner braking phenomenon”.
This phenomenon is unique to AWD vehicles,
and occurs due to a difference in speeds
between the front and rear wheels while the
vehicle is turning. This does not indicate that
there is a malfunction. If this phenomenon
occurs, more force will be required to operate
the steering wheel.NOTE:.If the tight corner braking phenomenon
occurs, a slipping sound may be heard
from the tires, or a squeaking sound
may be heard from the drive system.
. If excessive operation continues when
a wheel has come off the road or at
other times when the operation causes a large difference in speed between the
front and rear wheels (the wheels are
spinning) , the oil temperature in the
drive system parts will increase.
In this case, to protect the drive system
parts, the AWD warning light blinks
rapidly and the system switches to
RWD mode or low AWD mode. Keep
the vehicle stopped and idling for a
short time. When the warning light
stops blinking, the vehicle returns from
RWD mode to normal driving mode.
. If you feel an unusual vibration in the
vehicle, even if the warning lights are
not illuminated, have the vehicle in-
spected by a GT-R certified NISSAN
dealer.
TIRESThis vehicle is equipped with special tires. When
changing the tires, install the designated special
tires. Replacing tires as a set of four with new
ones is recommended. However, if a tire is
punctured or damaged, it may be possible to
replace only the damaged tire. Determining
whether one tire or a complete set of tires
should be replaced is based on a number of
factors including tire wear and condition. Con-
tact your GT-R certified NISSAN dealer. They
can recommend if an individual tire or a complete set should be replaced.
NOTICE
If tires other than the designated tires,
tires with large differences in wear or
tires of different sizes are installed, the
AWD performance will be degraded and
the drive mechanism may be damaged.AWD SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICSThe AWD system automatically distributes the
optimal torque to the front and rear wheels. This
provides both the superior turning performance
of a front wheel drive vehicle and the traction of
a AWD vehicle.
Electronic control continuously distributes tor-
que to the front and rear wheels in the range
from 0:100 (rear-wheel drive mode) to 50:50
(all-wheel drive mode) to match the driving
conditions and road conditions. This allows the
engine output (torque) to be effectively trans-
mitted to the road surface.
Starting and driving
5-35
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (210,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
the ABS warning light on the instrument panel.
The brake system then operates normally, but
without anti-lock assistance.
If the ABS warning light illuminates during the
self-test or while driving, have the vehicle
checked by a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer.Normal operationThe ABS operates at speeds above 3 to 6 MPH
(5 to 10 km/h) . The speed varies according to
road conditions.
When the ABS senses that one or more wheels
are close to locking up, the actuator rapidly
applies and releases hydraulic pressure. This
action is similar to pumping the brakes very
quickly. You may feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal and hear a noise from under the hood or
feel a vibration from the actuator when it is
operating. This is normal and indicates that the
ABS is operating properly. However, the pulsa-
tion may indicate that road conditions are
hazardous and extra care is required while
driving.
The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system
uses various sensors to monitor driver inputs
and vehicle motion. Under certain driving situa-
tions, the system will control braking and engine
output to help keep the vehicle on its steered
path.
.The VDC mode can be changed using the
VDC setup switch. (
“VDC, TRANS-
MISSION AND SUSPENSION SETUP
SWITCHES” page 5-21)
. When the VDC system is operating, the
indicator in the instrument panel blinks.
. If the
indicator blinks, the road condi-
tions may be slippery. Be sure to adjust your
speed and driving to these conditions. Be
sure to drive carefully. (
“Slip indicator
light” page 2-29) (
“Vehicle Dynamic
Control (VDC) off indicator light” page 2-
29)
. Indicator light
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
and
indicator lights illuminate 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) function to improve vehicle traction.
The ABLS system works when one of the driving
wheels is spinning on a slippery surface. The ABLS system brakes the spinning wheel, which
distributes the driving power to the other drive
wheel. If the vehicle is operated with the VDC
setup switch pushed and the VDC system
turned off, all VDC systems will be turned off.
The ABLS system and ABS will still operate with
the VDC system off.
While the VDC system is operating, you may feel
a pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a noise
or feel a vibration from under the hood. This is
normal and indicates that the VDC system is
working properly.
The VDC system 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 forward or backward. When the
self-test occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise
and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal. This
does not indicate that there is a malfunction.
WARNING
.
The VDC system is designed to help
improve driving stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
due to careless or dangerous driv-
ing techniques. Reduce vehicle
speed and be especially careful
when driving and cornering on slip-
pery surfaces and always drive care-
5-40
Starting and driving
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (212,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCKTo prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
deicer through the key hole. If the lock becomes
frozen, heat the key before inserting it into the
key hole or use the Intelligent Key system.ANTI-FREEZEIn the winter when it is anticipated that the
outside temperature will drop below 328F(0 8C) ,
check antifreeze to assure proper winter protec-
tion. (
“ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM”
page 8-9)
BATTERYIf the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the battery
fluid may freeze and damage the battery. To
maintain maximum efficiency, the battery should
be checked regularly. (
“BATTERY” page 8-
15)
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATERIf the vehicle is to be left outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, including
the engine block. Refill before operating the
vehicle. For details, contact a GT-R certified
NISSAN dealer.TIRE EQUIPMENTThe GT-R summer tires are made from a
specially formulated rubber to maximize the
vehicle’s performance capabilities. Performance of summer tires is substantially reduced when
temperatures are less than 32
8F(0 8C) so you
must drive carefully. NISSAN recommends the
use of winter or all-season tires on all four
wheels if you plan to operate your vehicle in
snowy or icy conditions when temperatures are
less than 32 8F(0 8C) .
WARNING
Never use summer tires when the
temperature is below 48 F( 20 8C) to
prevent permanent tread deformation
which may cause tire damage or tire
failure. This may cause a loss of vehicle
control which can result in serious
personal injury or death.
Tire chains may be used. (
“TIRE CHAINS”
page 8-36)
If you install tires, they must also be the specified
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 snowdrifts.
. Extra window washer fluid to refill the
reservoir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
.Wet ice (32 8F, 0 8C 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” under 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 pave-
ment.
. Allow greater following distances
on slippery roads.
. Watch for slippery spots (glare ice) .
5-42
Starting and driving
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (221,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
3. If engine overheating is caused by climbinga long hill on a hot day, run the engine at a
fast idle (approximately 1,500 rpm) until the
temperature gauge indication returns to
normal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. (If steam or
coolant is escaping, turn off the engine.)
Do not open the hood further until no steam
or coolant can be seen.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check drive belts for damage or looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leaking,
the drive belts are missing or loose, or the
cooling fan does not run, stop the engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or the engine cooling fan. The engine
cooling fan can start at any time.
7. When the coolant temperature gauge goes down to the midpoint, stop the engine and
wait until the gauge goes down further to
“C” (cold) .
8. After the engine cools down, check the coolant level in the reservoir tank. Add
coolant to the reservoir, if necessary, after
opening the coolant reservoir cap with a
heavy cloth covering it. (
“ENGINE
COOLING SYSTEM” page 8-9)
9. Have your vehicle repaired at the nearest GT-R certified NISSAN dealer.
If needed, Roadside Assistance is available.
Please see your Warranty Information Booklet or
Roadside Assistance I.D. Card for the toll-free
number to call (U.S.) or Warranty & Roadside
Assistance Information Booklet (Canada) .
When towing your vehicle, all State (Provincial in
Canada) and local regulations for towing must
be followed. Incorrect towing equipment could
damage your vehicle. Towing instructions are
available from a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer.
Local service operators are familiar with the
applicable laws and procedures for towing. To
assure proper towing and to prevent accidental
damage to your vehicle, NISSAN recommends
that you have a service operator tow your
vehicle. It is advisable to have the service
operator carefully read the following precau-
tions.
WARNING
. Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
. Never get under your vehicle after it
has been lifted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
Always attach safety chains before
towing.
NOTICE
When towing, make sure that the
transmission, axles, steering system
and powertrain are in working condi-
In case of emergency
6-7
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (28,1)
8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
Maintenance requirement..................................... 8-2
Scheduled maintenance ................................... 8-2
General maintenance ...................................... 8-2
Where to go for service ................................... 8-2
General maintenance .......................................... 8-3
Explanation of maintenance items ....................... 8-3
Maintenance precautions ..................................... 8-5
Engine compartment check locations ...................... 8-7
Removing the cowl top cover ............................ 8-8
Engine cooling system ......................................... 8-9
Checking engine coolant level ......................... 8-11
Changing engine coolant ............................... 8-11
Engine oil ....................................................... 8-12
Checking engine oil level ............................... 8-12
Changing engine oil and filter .......................... 8-12
Transmission oil ............................................... 8-13
Power steering fluid .......................................... 8-13
Brake fluid ...................................................... 8-14
Window washer fluid ........................................ 8-15
Battery .......................................................... 8-15
Precautions ................................................ 8-15
Fluid level check .......................................... 8-16
Jump starting .............................................. 8-17 Drive belts
...................................................... 8-17
Spark plugs .................................................... 8-18
Replacing spark plugs ................................... 8-18
Air cleaner ...................................................... 8-19
Windshield wiper blades .................................... 8-19
Cleaning .................................................... 8-19
Replacing the wiper blades ............................ 8-20
Brakes ........................................................... 8-20
Self-adjusting brakes .................................... 8-20
Brake pad wear indicators .............................. 8-20
High performance brake system ....................... 8-21
Replacing the brake pads .............................. 8-21
Fuses ............................................................ 8-22
Engine compartment ..................................... 8-22
Passenger compartment ................................ 8-23
Intelligent Key battery replacement ....................... 8-23
Lights ............................................................ 8-26
Headlights .................................................. 8-26
Exterior and interior lights ............................... 8-27
Wheels and tires .............................................. 8-29
Tire pressure ............................................... 8-29
Tire and loading information label ..................... 8-31
Checking the tire pressure ............................. 8-32
Tire labeling ................................................ 8-33
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \