Black plate (181,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
.The Intelligent Key port does not
charge the Intelligent Key battery. If
you see the low battery indicator in the
vehicle information display, replace the
battery as soon as possible.
(
“INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY RE-
PLACEMENT” page 8-23)
. Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
. Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid and window washer fluid as
frequently as possible, or at least whenever
you refuel.
. Check that all windows and lights are clean.
. Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
. Lock all doors.
. Position seat and adjust head restraints.
. Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
. Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
. Check the operation of warning lights when
the ignition switch is pushed to the ON
position. (
“WARNING/INDICATOR
LIGHTS AND AUDIBLE REMINDERS”
page 2-23)
NOTE:. This vehicle includes spark plugs that
are designed for maximum perfor-
mance. If the start time becomes long-
er, the plugs may be fouled, making the
engine difficult to start. If this occurs,
start the engine using the procedure
described in this section.
. A click sound may be heard when the
brake pedal is depressed and released.
This is normal.
. A low rattling operating sound may
occur when the engine is started or
stopped. This does not indicate that
there is a malfunction. This sound is
likely to occur in particular if the engine
is stopped when the temperature of the
transmission oil is high.
Starting and driving
5-11
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (183,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
ment. When the cooling fan is operat-
ing, be sure that hands or other items
do not get caught in it.
DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSIONThe GT-R dual clutch transmission is a newly-
developed system that uses an electronically
controlled multiple-disc wet clutch attached to
the highly efficient manual transmission. This
transmission has two driving modes.
.
&Aposition (Automatic gearshift):
allows automatic shifting of the manual
transmission.
.
&M
position (Manual gearshift):
allows quick shifting of the manual transmis-
sion.
NOTE:.
&M
position driving is recommended
when driving up hills or accelerating
from a stop on a cold morning.
.
&M
position driving is recommended if
you feel shift shocks or jerkiness in the
&Aposition in cold temperatures.
. 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 similar to a manual
transmission vehicle.
The GT-R dual clutch transmission was devel-
oped specifically to maximize vehicle perfor-
mance and driving enjoyment. The GT-R transmission components were designed using
different engineering standards than typical
passenger car transmissions. Because of this,
the GT-R has different operating characteristics,
and various rattle noises may be heard during
some driving conditions because of the follow-
ing items:
.
Gear clearances
. Ultralight flywheel
. Dry sump lubrication
These noises do not indicate that there is a
malfunction.
WARNING
. Do not depress the accelerator
pedal while shifting from the
&Por
&N
position to the
&R
or
&A↔&M
position. Always depress the brake
pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause loss
of control and an accident.
. 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 the
&Por
&Rposition
while the vehicle is moving forward.
Starting and driving
5-13
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (184,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
Never shift to the
&P
or
&A↔&M
position while the vehicle is moving
rearward. Doing so could cause loss
of control and an accident.
. The shift lever contains a powerful
magnet. Do not place electronic
medical devices or other electronic
products that are susceptible to
magnetic force close to the shift
lever.
CAUTION
.Do not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
. Because the vehicle includes a dual
clutch transmission that automati-
cally controls the clutch and shifting
operation of the manual transmis-
sion, whenever the shift lever is in a
position other then
&P
or
&N, the
vehicle will begin to move slowly, in
the same way as when the clutch in
a manual transmission vehicle is
partially engaged. Keep the brake
pedal firmly depressed when the
vehicle is stopped. In some circum-
stances the vehicle may not start moving on its own, however this
does not indicate that there is a
malfunction.
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.
Operating the shift leverAfter starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift lever from the
&P
position to the
&R,&N,or
&A↔&M
position. Push
the button to shift into the
&Por&Rposition. All
other positions can be selected without pushing
the button.
5-14
Starting and driving
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (186,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
— Do not allow sand or similarsubstances to contact the shift
lever.
. Develop the habit of performing the
operations marked with “
”
without pressing the button. If the
button is pressed at these times,
there is the possibility that the lever
could accidentally enter the
&Por
&R
positions.
. When the vehicle is hot, the area
around the shift lever may be hot or
may produce an unusual sound,
however this does not indicate that
there is a malfunction.
NOTE:.When moving the shift lever out of the
&Pposition, it may not be possible to
move the shift lever if the button is
pressed before the brake pedal is
depressed. Press the button only after
depressing the brake pedal.
. Do not place coins or other small
objects in the area around the shift
lever. These objects may get stuck in
the shift gate and prevent the shift
lever from moving into a position.
Sometimes, you may not be able to retrieve these objects.
. Immediately after a cold start, while the
transmission system check display (“T/
M SYSTEM CHECK IN PROCESS”)
appears on the vehicle information
display, the shift lever cannot be moved
out of the
&Pposition. This is because a
check of the transmission system is in
progress. This does not indicate that
there is a malfunction. Move the shift
lever after the message on the vehicle
information display turns off.
. The shift lever knob and console-
mounted shift indicator have a genuine
leather finish that requires proper care
and maintenance. (
“CLEANING IN-
TERIOR” page 7-4)
Shift lock releaseIf the battery charge is low or discharged, the
shift lever may not be moved from the
&P
position even with the brake pedal depressed
and the shift lever button pushed.
To move the shift lever, perform the following
procedure.
1. Push the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock cover using a suitable tool wrapped with a cloth.
4. Push down the shift lock as illustrated.
5-16
Starting and driving
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
Black plate (187,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
5. Push the shift lever button and move theshift lever to the
&N
position while holding
down the shift lock.
Push the ignition switch to the ON position to
unlock the steering wheel. Now the vehicle may
be moved to the desired location.
If the battery is discharged completely, the
steering wheel cannot be unlocked. Do not
move the vehicle with the steering wheel locked.
NOTICE
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of
the
&P
position after performing the
shift lock release procedure, immedi-
ately have the vehicle inspected by a
GT-R certified NISSAN dealer.
Adaptive shift controlThe adaptive shift control system automatically
operates when the transmission is in the
&A
position and selects an appropriate gear de-
pending on the road conditions such as uphill,
downhill or curving roads.Control on uphill and curving roads:A low gear is maintained that suits the degree of
the slope or curve to allow smooth driving with a
small number of shifts.
Control on downhill roads:The adaptive shift control system shifts to a low
gear that suits the degree of the slope, and uses
the engine brake to reduce the number of times
that the foot brake must be used.Control on winding roads:A low gear is maintained on continuous curves
that involve repeated acceleration and decelera-
tion, so that smooth acceleration is available
instantly when the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed.NOTE:Adaptive shift control may not operate
when the transmission oil temperature is
low immediately after the start of driving
or when it is very hot. If this occurs, switch
to the
&M
position and downshift if neces-
sary.
&M
position
Changing to the
&M
position:
To change to the
&M
position from the
&A
position, either move the shift lever to the
&M
side or operate the paddle shifter. The position
indicator indicates the gear position with the
indication of “M”.
If the paddle shifter is used, the first operation
changes from the
&Aposition to the
&Mposition,
and the second and later operations change the gears.
To return to the
&Aposition, move the shift lever
to the
&M
side again. The position indicator
indicates the gear position with the indication of
“A”.
Starting and driving
5-17
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
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 (190,1)
Model "R35-D" EDITED: 2008/ 5/ 20
Normal driving:Drive with the shift lever in the
&Aposition.
The appropriate gear will be automatically
shifted according to the position of the accel-
erator pedal, the driving speed and driving
conditions.
Passing or hill climbing:.
&Aposition:
Fully depress the accelerator pedal to the floor.
This shifts the transmission down into a lower
gear depending on the vehicle speed.
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.
.
&M
position:
Use the paddle shifter to shift down, then
depress the accelerator pedal depending on
the vehicle speed.
Driving on a downhill:.
&Aposition:
The system shifts down according to the degree
of downhills to increase the effectiveness of the
engine brake. .
&M
position:
When driving on a long slope, selecting the
&M
position and 4th or 3rd gear will provide gentle
engine braking.
When driving on a steep downhill, selecting the&M
position and 2nd or 1st gear will provide
powerful engine braking.
WARNING
. When the shift lever is in the
&A
position, the adaptive shift control
system will stay in a low gear in
order to maintain the effectiveness
of the engine brake. However if the
vehicle is traveling too fast depend-
ing on the degree of the slope, you
should shift to the
&M
position and
use the paddle shifter to shift down.
If you continue to use only the foot
brake, a high load will be applied to
the brake, which may overheat,
reducing its effectiveness. Be sure
to use the engine brake together
with the foot brake. (
“Adaptive
shift control” page 5-17)
. The adaptive shift control system
may not operate when the transmis-
sion is not warm immediately after the start of driving, or when the oil
temperature is high. In this case,
depending on the degree of the
slope, you should shift to the
&M
position and select a lower gear.
. Do not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
When stopping the vehicleLeave the shift lever in the
&A↔&Mor&Rposition
and firmly depress the foot brake pedal.
If the vehicle will be stopped for a long period of
time, apply the parking brake and move the shift
lever to the
&Por
&Nposition as necessary.WARNING
. Do not race the engine while the
vehicle is stopped. Doing so may
accelerate the vehicle suddenly and
cause an accident when shifting to a
driving gear.
. While the engine is running, the
propeller shaft that transmits torque
from the engine to the transmission
is turning at all times. Crawling or
reaching under the vehicle while the
engine is running may result in
5-20
Starting and driving
, 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
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