2010 NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK parking brake

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)
(if so equipped) ................................5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ....................5-5
Off-road recovery ...............................5-5
Rapid air pressure loss ..........................5-6
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ................5-6
Ignition switch .....................................5-7
NISSAN Intelligent Key™ (if so equipped) .........5-7
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) .........5-9
Automatic transmission ..........................5-9
Manual transmission ........................... 5-10
Ignition switch positions ........................ 5-11
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system .............5-11
Before starting the engine ......................... 5-12
Starting the engine ............................... 5-12
Driving the vehicle ................................ 5-13
Automatic transmission (if so equipped) ..........5-13
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
(if so equipped) ............................... 5-17
Manual transmission (if so equipped) ............5-21Parking brake
.................................... 5-23
Cruise control (if so equipped) .....................5-24
Precautions on cruise control ...................5-24
Cruise control operations .......................5-24
Break-in schedule ................................ 5-25
Increasing fuel economy ........................... 5-26
Parking/parking on hills ............................ 5-27
Power steering ................................... 5-28
Brake system .................................... 5-28
Brake precautions ............................. 5-28
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
(if so equipped) ............................... 5-29
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-30
Cold weather driving .............................. 5-32
Freeing a frozen door lock ......................5-32
Anti-freeze .................................... 5-32
Battery ....................................... 5-32
Draining ofcoolant

water....................... 5-32
Tire equipment ................................ 5-32
Special winter equipment .......................5-32
Driving on snow or ice ......................... 5-32
Engine block heater (if so equipped) .............5-33

●Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
● Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake and clutch fluid, and windshield-
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 and
headrests (if so equipped) .
● Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
● Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
● Check the operation of warning lights when
the key is turned to the ON (3) position. See
“Warning/indicator lights and audible re-
minders” in the “Instruments and controls”
section of this manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2.
AT or CVT model:
Move the shift selector to P (Park) or N
(Neutral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The shift selector cannot be moved out
of P (Park) and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition switch is
placed in the OFF position or if the key
is removed from the ignition switch.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift selector is in any of the driving
positions.
Manual transmission model:
Move the shift selector to N (Neutral) . De-
press the clutch pedal to the floor while
cranking the engine.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully de-
pressed.
Intelligent Key system models: Slowly
push and turn the ignition switch. When the
Intelligent Key system warning light
in
the meter illuminates in green, the ignition
switch can be turned.
The Intelligent Key must be carried
when operating the ignition switch. When the Intelligent Key system warning
light (
AT or CVT models) or the Intel-
ligent Key lock warning light (
M/T
models) in the meter blinks in red and the
inside warning buzzer emits a short beep, be
sure that the shift selector is in the P (Park)
position (AT or CVT models) and the ignition
switch is securely returned to the LOCK
position.
The Intelligent Key system warning light
(
AT or CVT models) or the Intelligent
Key lock warning light (
M/T models)
blinking in red, turns off by performing the
following operations:
● Return the ignition switch to the LOCK
position.
● Place the ignition switch in the ACC po-
sition.
When the buzzer beeps 4 times continu-
ously, check for the following:
● The ignition switch is returned to the
LOCK position.
● The mechanical key is not inserted into
the ignition switch.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-12Starting and driving

The automatic transmission in your vehicle is
electronically controlled to produce maximum
power and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for this
transmission are shown on the following pages.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress thefoot brake pedal before moving the shift
selector out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift selector into a driving gear.
3. Release the foot brake, then gradually start the vehicle in motion.
The automatic transmission is designed so
the foot brake pedal MUST be depressed
before shifting from P (Park) to any drive
position while the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
The shift selector cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of the
other gear positions if the ignition switch is
placed in the LOCK, OFF or ACC position. To move the shift selector:
Push the buttonAwhile depressing the
brake pedal
Push the buttonAto shift
Shift without pushing buttonA
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal, push the shift selector button and move
the shift selector out of the P (Park) position.
WARNING
● Apply the parking brake if the shift se-
lector is in any position while the en-
gine is not running. Failure to do so
could cause the vehicle to move unex-
pectedly or roll away and result in seri-
ous personal injury or property damage.
● If the shift selector 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.
If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF or ACC
position for any reason while the vehicle is in N
(Neutral) , or any D (Drive) position, the ignition
switch cannot be turned to the LOCK position
and the key cannot be removed from the ignition
switch. If this occurs, perform the following steps: 1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle is stopped.
2. Move the shift selector to P (Park) to park the vehicle and place the ignition switch in the
LOCK position.
3. Remove the key.
WSD0224
5-14Starting and driving

P (Park):
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when
the vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the P (Park) position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped. The brake
pedal must be depressed and the shift se-
lector button pushed in to move the shift
selector from N (Neutral) or any drive posi-
tion to P (Park) . Apply the parking brake. When
parking on a hill, apply the parking brake first,
then shift the shift selector into the P (Park)
position. R (Reverse):
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when
the vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the R (Reverse) position to back up. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped before
selecting R (Reverse) position. The brake
pedal must be depressed and the shift se-
lector button pushed in to move the shift
selector from P (Park) , N (Neutral) or any
drive position to R (Reverse) .
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged. The
engine can be started in this position. You may
shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled engine
while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
2 (Second gear):
Use this position for hill climbing or engine brak-
ing on downhill grades. 1 (Low gear):
Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly
or driving slowing through deep snow, sand or
mud, or for maximum engine braking on steep
downhill grades.
Do not shift into the gears when the vehicle
speed exceeds the following limits, otherwise the
engine may over-rev and cause engine damage.
Shift Selector position
12
HR16DE 31 MPH (50 km/h)62 MPH (100
km/h)
MR18DE 35 MPH (55 km/h)62 MPH (100
km/h)
Starting and driving5-15

Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift selector may
not be moved from the P (Park) position even with
the brake pedal depressed.
To move the shift selector, release the shift lock.
The shift selector can be moved to N (Neutral) .
To push the shift lock release, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK posi- tion 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 to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shift lock
release.
6. Now the vehicle may be moved to the de- sired location.
If the shift selector cannot be moved out of P
(Park) , have a NISSAN dealer check the auto-
matic transmission system as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the shift selector 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 position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into a lower gear, depending on the
vehicle speed.
Overdrive switch
Each time your vehicle is started, the transmis-
sion is automatically “reset” to overdrive ON.
ON: With the engine running and the shift selector in the D (Drive)
position, the transmission upshifts
into Overdrive as vehicle speed
increases.
Overdrive does not engage until the engine
has reached operating temperature.
WSD0195SSD0533
5-16Starting and driving

Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress thefoot brake pedal before moving the shift
selector out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift selector into a driving gear.
3. Release the foot brake, then gradually start the vehicle in motion.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before shifting the selector to the P (Park) position.
The CVT is designed so the foot brake
pedal MUST be depressed before shifting
from P (Park) to any drive position while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
The shift selector cannot be moved out of P
(Park) and into any of the other gear posi-
tions if the ignition switch is placed in the
LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the key is
removed. To move the shift selector:
Push the buttonAwhile depressing the
brake pedal
Push the buttonAto shift
Shift without pushing buttonA
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift selector from P (Park) to
any of the desired shift positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shift selec-
tor is in any position while the engine is
not running. Failure to do so could cause
the vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll
away and result in serious personal injury
or property damage.
If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF or ACC
position for any reason while the vehicle is in N
(Neutral) , or any drive position, the key cannot be
turned to the LOCK position and be removed
from the ignition switch. If this occurs, perform
the following steps: 1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle is stopped.
2. Move the shift selector to P (Park) to park the vehicle and place the ignition switch in the
LOCK position to remove the key.
P (Park):
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when
the vehicle is completely stopped.
WSD0194
5-18Starting and driving

Use the P (Park) selector position when the ve-
hicle is parked or when starting the engine. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped.The
brake pedal must be depressed and the
shift selector button pushed in to move the
shift selector from N (Neutral) or any drive
position to P (Park) . Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then place the shift selector into the P (Park)
position.
R (Reverse):
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when
the vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the R (Reverse) position to back up. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped before
selecting R (Reverse) position. R (Reverse)
speed is limited to 30 MPH (48 km/h) . Do not
exceed 30 MPH (48 km/h) in the R (Reverse)
position. The brake pedal must be de-
pressed and the shift selector button
pushed in to move the shift selector from P
(Park) , N (Neutral) or any drive position to R
(Reverse) . N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged. The
engine can be started in this position. You may
shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled engine
while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
L (Low):
Use this position for maximum engine braking on
steep downhill gradients/climbing steep slopes
and whenever approaching sharp bends. Do not
use the L (Low) position in any other circum-
stances.
Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift selector may
not be moved from the P (Park) position even with
the brake pedal depressed.
To move the shift selector, release the shift lock.
The shift selector can be moved to N (Neutral) .
To push the shift lock release, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK posi- tion and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
WSD0195
Starting and driving5-19

WARNING
●Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased 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 shift selector 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 accident.
To engage:Pull the parking brake lever up
A.
To release: 1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Manual transmission models:
Place the shift selector in the N (Neutral)
position.
Automatic Transmission (AT) or Con-
tinuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
models:
Move the shift selector to the P (Park) posi-
tion. 3. While pulling up on the parking brake lever
slightly, push the button
Band lower the
lever completely .
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
WSD0169
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-23