Page 209 of 328

Black plate (209,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 4
Accelerator downshift
— In D position —For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, 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 engine and vehicle speed may be
limited.Fail-safeIf the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel spin-
ning and subsequent hard braking, the
fail-safe system may be activated. The MIL
may illuminate to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. (See “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” in the “2. Instruments
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 10seconds. Then turn the switch back to the
ON position. The vehicle should return to
its normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condi-
tion, have a NISSAN dealer check the
transmission and repair if necessary.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection 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 careful when driving. If ne-
cessary, 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.
SSD0667
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
depressed and the selector lever button pushed.
To move the selector lever, release the shift lock.
The selector lever can be moved to the N
(Neutral) position. This allows the vehicle to be
moved if the battery is discharged.
To release the shift lock, perform the following
procedure:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK
position, and remove the key if it is inserted.
2. Apply the parking brake.
Starting and driving
5-17
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Black plate (210,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 4
3. Remove the shift lock release cover
*A
using a suitable tool.
4. Push down the shift lock release
*B
using a
suitable tool.
5. Push the selector lever button
*C
and move
the selector lever to the N (Neutral) position
*D
while holding down the shift lock
release.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. The
vehicle may be moved to the desired location.
Replace the removed shift lock release cover
after the operation.
If the selector lever cannot be moved out of the
P (Park) position, 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 injuring yourself and
others.
WARNING
. Be sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving. Failure to
do so can cause brake failure and
lead to an accident.
. Do not release the parking brake
from outside the vehicle.
. Do not use the gear shift in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
engaged.
. Do not leave children unattended in
a vehicle. They could release the
parking brake and cause an acci-
dent.
SPA2331
To apply: Fully depress the parking brake pedal*1.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake
*2.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal
*1
and
the parking brake will be released.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
PARKING BRAKE
5-18
Starting and driving
Page 211 of 328

Black plate (211,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 4
PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE CON-
TROL.If the cruise control system malfunctions, it
will cancel automatically. The SET indicator
light on the meter panel will then blink to
warn the driver.
. If the engine coolant temperature becomes
excessively high, the cruise control system
will cancel automatically.
. If the SET indicator light blinks, turn the
cruise control main switch off and have the
system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
. The SET indicator light may blink when the
cruise control main switch is turned ON
while pushing the RESUME/ACCELERATE,
SET/COAST or CANCEL switch. To prop-
erly set the cruise control system, perform
the following procedures.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control when
driving under the following conditions:
.when it is not possible to keep the
vehicle at a set speed
. in heavy traffic or in traffic that
varies in speed
. on winding or hilly roads .
on slippery roads (rain, snow, ice,
etc.)
. in very windy areas
Doing so could cause a loss of vehicle
control and result in an accident.
SSD0668
1. RESUME/ACCELERATE switch
2. SET/COAST switch
3. CANCEL switch
4. MAIN (ON·OFF) switchCRUISE CONTROL OPERATIONSThe cruise control allows driving at a speed
between 25 to 89 MPH (40 to 144 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator
pedal.
To turn on the cruise control, push the MAIN
switch on. The CRUISE indicator light will
illuminate.
To set cruising speed, accelerate the vehicle
to the desired speed, push the SET/COAST
CRUISE CONTROL
Starting and driving
5-19
Page 212 of 328

Black plate (212,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 4
switch and release it. (The SET indicator light in
the instrument panel will illuminate.) Take your
foot off the accelerator pedal. Your vehicle will
maintain the set speed.
.To pass another vehicle, depress the
accelerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle will return to the previously
set speed.
. The vehicle may not maintain the set speed
on winding or hilly roads. If this happens,
drive without the cruise control.
To cancel the preset speed, use one of the
following methods:
a) Push the CANCEL switch. The SET indica-
tor light will turn off.
b) Tap the brake pedal. The SET indicator light will turn off.
c) Turn the MAIN switch off. Both the CRUISE and SET indicator lights will turn off.
. If you depress the brake pedal while pushing
the RESUME/ACCELERATE or SET/
COAST switch and reset at the cruising
speed, the cruise control will disengage.
Turn the MAIN switch off once and then turn
it on again.
. The cruise control will automatically cancel if
the vehicle slows more than 8 MPH (12 km/h) below the set speed.
. If you move the selector lever to the N
(Neutral) position, the cruise control will be
canceled.
To reset at a faster cruising speed, use one
of the following methods:
. Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push and
release the SET/COAST switch.
. Push and hold the RESUME/ACCELERATE
switch. When the vehicle attains the desired
speed, release the switch.
. Push, then quickly release the RESUME/
ACCELERATE switch. Each time you do
this, the set speed will increase by about 1
MPH (1.6 km/h) .
To reset at a slower cruising speed, use one
of the following methods:
. Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push the
SET/COAST switch and release it.
. Push and hold the SET/COAST switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle slows
down to the desired speed.
. Push, then quickly release the SET/COAST
switch. Each time you do this, the set speed
will decrease by about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h) . To resume the preset speed,
push and
release the RESUME/ACCELERATE switch.
The vehicle will resume the last set cruising
speed when the vehicle speed is over 25 MPH
(40 km/h) .5-20
Starting and driving
Page 213 of 328

Black plate (213,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 4
CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) ,
follow these recommendations to ob-
tain maximum engine performance and
ensure the future reliability and econo-
my of your new vehicle. Failure to
follow these recommendations may
result in shortened engine life and
reduced engine performance.
. Avoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow. Do not run the
engine over 4,000 rpm.
. Do not accelerate at full throttle in any gear.
. Avoid quick starts.
. Avoid hard braking as much as possible.
. Do not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km) . Your engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged. .
Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Maintain
cruising speeds with a constant accelerator
position.
. Drive at moderate speeds on the highway.
Driving at high speed lowers fuel economy.
. Avoid unnecessary stopping and braking.
Keep a safe distance behind other vehicles.
. Select a gear range suitable to road condi-
tions.
. Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
. Keep your engine tuned up.
. Follow the recommended periodic mainte-
nance schedule.
. Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure. Low tire pressure increases tire
wear and lowers fuel economy.
. Keep the wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment increases tire wear and
lowers fuel economy.
. Air conditioner operation lowers fuel econ-
omy. Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.
. When cruising at highway speeds, it is more
economical to use the air conditioner and
leave the windows closed to reduce drag. .
Use the recommended viscosity engine oil.
(See “ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION” in the “9. Technical
and consumer information” section.)BREAK-IN SCHEDULE INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
Starting and driving
5-21
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Black plate (214,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 4
WARNING
.For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with
the engine running. Doing so may
result in drivetrain damage or un-
expected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle da-
mage 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.
SSD0418
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) LOCK
SWITCH OPERATIONSThe AWD LOCK switch located on the lower
side of the instrument panel. This switch is used
to select the AUTO or LOCK mode depending
on the driving conditions.
Each time you push the lower part of the switch*A
, the AWD mode will switch:
AUTO ?LOCK ?AUTO.
LOCK modeThe AWD LOCK indicator light
will
illuminate.
AUTO modeThe AWD LOCK indicator light will turn off.AWD
mode Wheel driven AWD
LOCK
indica-
tor lightUse condi-
tions
AUTO Distribution of tor-
que to the front and
rear wheels changes
automatically, de-
pending on road
conditions encoun-
tered
[100:0]
↔[50:50].
This results in im-
proved driving stabi-
lity.*1 Turns
off.
For driving
on paved
or slippery
roads
LOCK All-Wheel Drive
(AWD)*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.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (if so
equipped)5-22
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Black plate (215,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 4
*2: LOCK mode will change to AUTO modeautomatically when the vehicle has been
driven at a high speed. The AWD LOCK
indicator light turns 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 jolt. This
is normal.
. The oil temperature of power train parts will
increase if the vehicle is continuously
operated under conditions where the differ-
ence 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 to protect the powertrain 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
.When driving straight, shift the AWD
LOCK switch to AUTO. Do not oper-
ate the AWD LOCK switch when
making a turn or backing up.
. Do not operate the AWD LOCK
switch with the front wheel spin-
ning.
. Engine idling speed is high while
warming up the engine. Be espe-
cially careful when starting or driv-
ing on slippery surfaces.
. When turning the vehicle in LOCK
mode on paved roads, you may feel
a braking effect. This is a normal
condition of the AWD model.
SSD0336B
AWD WARNING LIGHTThe AWD warning light is located in the meter.
The AWD warning light illuminates when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position. It
turns off soon after the engine is started.
Starting and driving
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Black plate (216,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 4
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 powertrain oil temperature. The
driving mode may change to 2WD. AUTO mode
may change to LOCK mode before the warning
light blinks. If the warning light blinks rapidly
during operation, stop the vehicle with the
engine idling in a safe place immediately. Then
if the light turns 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.
CAUTION
.If the warning light remains on after
the above operation, have your
vehicle checked by a NISSAN dealer
as soon as possible.
. 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 NISSAN dealer as
soon as possible.
. The powertrain may be damaged if
you continue driving with the warn-
ing light blinking rapidly.
. Never drive on dry hard surface
roads in the LOCK mode, as this
will overload the powertrain and
may cause a serious malfunction.5-24
Starting and driving