2012 NISSAN FRONTIER ECU

2 Instruments and controls
Instrument panel...................................2-2
Meters and gauges ................................2-3
Speedometer and odometer . . ...................2-4
Tachometer ....................................2-6
Engine coolant temperature gauge ...............2-6
Fuel gauge ....................................2-7
Engine oil pressure gauge (if so equipped) ........2-8
Voltmeter (if so equipped) .......................2-8
Trip computer (if so equipped) ...................2-9
Compass and outside temperature display
(if so equipped) .................................. 2-10
Outside temperature display . . ..................2-10
Compass display .............................. 2-11
Warning/indicator lights and audible reminders ......2-14
Checking bulbs ............................... 2-15
Warning lights ................................ 2-15
Indicator lights ................................ 2-20
Audible reminders ............................. 2-24
Security systems (if so equipped) ..................2-24
Vehicle security system (if so equipped) ..........2-24
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system
(if so equipped) ............................... 2-25
Windshield wiper and washer switch ...............2-26Switch operation
.............................. 2-26
Rear window and outside mirror defroster switch
(if so equipped) .................................. 2-27
Headlight and turn signal switch ....................2-28
Headlight control switch ........................ 2-28
Daytime running light system (Canada only) ......2-30
Instrument brightness control ...................2-31
Turn signal switch ............................. 2-31
Fog light switch (if so equipped) ................2-32
Hazard warning flasher switch .....................2-32
Horn ............................................ 2-33
Cargo lamp switch ............................... 2-33
Heated seat (if so equipped) .......................2-33
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) off switch ...........2-34
Hill descent control switch (if so equipped) ..........2-35
Electronic locking rear differential (E-Lock) system
switch (if so equipped) ............................ 2-36
Clutch interlock

(clutch start) switch
(if so equipped) .................................. 2-37
Power outlet ..................................... 2-37
Storage ......................................... 2-38
Storage trays ................................. 2-38
Under-seat storage bins ........................ 2-40
Console box .................................. 2-41

orAnti-lock Braking System (ABS)
warning lightLow tire pressure warning lightHigh beam indicator light (blue)
Automatic Transmission check warning lightLow windshield-washer fluid warning light
(if so equipped)Hill descent control system on indicator light
(if so equipped)
Automatic transmission oil temperature warning
light (if so equipped)Seat belt warning light and chimeMalfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
Automatic transmission park warning light
(model)Supplemental air bag warning lightOverdrive off indicator light (A/T models only)
orBrake warning lightAutomatic transmission position indicator light
(if so equipped)Security indicator light (if so equipped)
Charge warning lightCruise main switch indicator light (if so equipped)Slip indicator light for models with ABLS
Door open warning lightCruise set switch indicator light (if so equipped)Slip indicator light for models with VDC
Engine oil pressure warning lightElectronic locking rear differential (E-Lock)
system on indicator light (if so equipped)Transfer 4LO position indicator light
(model)
4WD warning light (model)4WD shift indicator light (model)Turn signal/hazard indicator lights
Low fuel warning lightFront passenger air bag status lightVehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF indicator
light
WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS AND
AUDIBLE REMINDERS
2-14Instruments and controls

●Shift the 4WD switch into the 2WD, 4H
or 4LO position again to turn off the ATP
warning light when the shift selector is
in the P position and the ATP warning
light is ON. (Before shifting the 4WD
switch into the 4LO position, move the
shift selector into the N position once,
shift the shift selector into P again and
make sure the ATP warning light is
OFF.)
This light indicates that the automatic transmis-
sion parking function is not engaged. If the trans-
fer control is not secured in any drive position
while the shift selector is in the P (Park) position,
the transmission will disengage and the drive
wheels will not lock.
orBrake warning light
This light functions for both the parking brake and
the foot brake systems.
Parking brake indicator
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the light comes on when the parking
brake is applied.
Low brake fluid warning light
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the light warns of a low brake fluid level. If the light comes on while the engine is running
with the parking brake not applied, stop the ve-
hicle and perform the following:
1. Check the brake fluid level. Add brake fluid as necessary. See “Brake fluid” in the “Main-
tenance and do-it-yourself” section of this
manual.
2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have the warning system checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
WARNING
●Your brake system may not be working
properly if the warning light is on. Driv-
ing could be dangerous. If you judge it
to be safe, drive carefully to the nearest
service station for repairs. Otherwise,
have your vehicle towed because driv-
ing it could be dangerous.
● Pressing the brake pedal with the en-
gine stopped and/or a low brake fluid
level may increase your stopping dis-
tance and braking will require greater
pedal effort as well as pedal travel. ●
If the brake fluid level is below the
MINIMUM or MIN mark on the brake
fluid reservoir, do not drive until the
brake system has been checked at a
NISSAN dealer.
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) warning
indicator
When the parking brake is released and the
brake fluid level is sufficient, if both the brake
warning light and the Anti-lock Braking System
(ABS) warning light illuminate, it may indicate the
ABS is not functioning properly. Have the brake
system checked, and if necessary, repaired by a
NISSAN dealer promptly. Avoid high-speed driv-
ing and abrupt braking. (See “Anti-lock Braking
System (ABS) warning light” in this section.)
Charge warning light
If this light comes on while the engine is running,
it may indicate the charging system is not func-
tioning properly. Turn the engine off and check
the generator belt. If the belt is loose, broken,
missing, or if the light remains on, see a NISSAN
dealer immediately.
2-16Instruments and controls

CAUTION
●Do not ground electrical accessories
directly to the battery terminal. Doing
so will bypass the variable control sys-
tem and the vehicle battery may not
charge completely. Refer to “Variable
voltage control system” in the “Mainte-
nance and do-it-yourself” section later
in this manual.
● Do not continue driving if the generator
belt is loose, broken or missing.
Door open warning light
This light comes on when any of the doors are not
closed securely while the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
Engine oil pressure warning
light
This light warns of low engine oil pressure. If the
light flickers or comes on during normal driving,
pull off the road in a safe area, stop the engine
immediately and call a NISSAN dealer or other
authorized repair shop. The engine oil pressure warning light is not
designed to indicate a low oil level.
Use the
dipstick to check the oil level. See “Engine oil” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of
this manual.
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause se-
rious damage to the engine almost imme-
diately. Such damage is not covered by
warranty. Turn off the engine as soon as it
is safe to do so.
4WD warning light (
model)
The 4WD warning light comes on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to ON. It turns off soon after
the engine is started.
If the engine or vehicle is not functioning properly,
the warning light will either remain illuminated or
blink. See “4WD warning light” in the “Starting
and driving” section.
CAUTION
● If the warning light comes on or blinks
during operation, have your vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
● Do not drive on dry hard surface roads
in the 4H or 4LO position. If the 4WD
warning light turns on when you are
driving on dry hard surface roads:
– in the 4H position, shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
– in the 4LO position for automatic transmission models, stop the ve-
hicle and shift the shift selector to
the N (Neutral) position with the
brake pedal depressed and shift the
4WD shift switch to 2WD.
– in the 4LO position for manual trans- mission models, stop the vehicle and
shift the shift selector to the N (Neu-
tral) position with the clutch pedal
depressed and shift the 4WD shift
switch to 2WD,
● If the warning light is still on after the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
Instruments and controls2-17

WARNING
●If the light does not illuminate with the
ignition switch placed in the ON posi-
tion, have the vehicle checked by a
NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.
● If the 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 in-
crease the likelihood of tire failure. Se-
rious vehicle damage could occur and
may lead to an accident and could re-
sult in serious personal 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 Information label located
in the driver’s door opening to turn the
low tire pressure warning light OFF. If
the light still comes on while driving
after adjusting the tire pressure, a tire
may be flat. If you have a flat tire, re-
place it with a spare tire as soon as
possible. ●
When a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced 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.
The CHECK TIRE PRES warning mes-
sage is not displayed if the low tire
pressure warning light illuminates to
indicate a TPMS malfunction. Contact
your NISSAN dealer as soon as pos-
sible for tire replacement and/or sys-
tem resetting.
● Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by NISSAN could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS.
CAUTION
●The TPMS is not a substitute for the
regular tire pressure check. Be sure to
check the tire pressure regularly.
● If the vehicle is being driven at speeds
of less than 16 MPH (25 km/h) , the
TPMS may not operate correctly.
● Be sure to install the specified size of
tires to the 4 wheels correctly.
Low windshield-washer fluid
warning light (if so equipped)
This light comes on when the windshield-washer
fluid is at a low level. Add windshield-washer fluid
as necessary. See “Windshield-washer fluid” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of
this manual.
Seat belt warning light andchime
The light and chime remind you to fasten your
seat belts. The light illuminates whenever the
ignition switch is placed in the ON or START
position and remains illuminated until the driver’s
seat belt is fastened. At the same time, the chime
sounds for about 6 seconds unless the driver’s
seat belt is securely fastened.
The seat belt warning light may also illuminate if
the front passenger’s seat belt is not fastened
when the front passenger’s seat is occupied . For
7 seconds after the ignition switch is placed in
the ON position, the system does not activate the
warning light for the front passenger.
Refer to “Seat belts” in the “Safety—Seats, seat
belts and supplemental restraint system” section
for precautions on seat belt usage.
Instruments and controls2-19

Operation
The Malfunction Indicator Light will come on in
one of two ways:● Malfunction Indicator Light on steady — An
emission control system malfunction has
been detected. Check the fuel-filler cap if
the LOOSE FUEL CAP warning message is
displayed in the odometer. If the fuel-filler
cap is loose or missing, tighten or install the
cap and continue to drive the vehicle.
The
light should turn off after a few
driving trips. If the
light does not turn
off after a few driving trips, have the vehicle
inspected by a NISSAN dealer. You do not
need to have your vehicle towed to the
dealer.
● Malfunction Indicator Light blinking — An
engine misfire has been detected which may
damage the emission control system. To re-
duce or avoid emission control system dam-
age:
– do not drive at speeds above 45 MPH (72 km/h) .
– avoid hard acceleration or deceleration.
– avoid steep uphill grades.
– if possible, reduce the amount of cargo being hauled or towed. The Malfunction Indicator Light may stop blinking
and come on steady. Have the vehicle inspected
by a NISSAN dealer. You do not need to have
your vehicle towed to the dealer.
CAUTION
Continued vehicle operation without hav-
ing the emission control system checked
and repaired as necessary could lead to
poor driveability, reduced fuel economy,
and possible damage to the emission con-
trol system.
Overdrive off indicator light
(A/T models only)
This light comes on when the overdrive function
is OFF.
The automatic transmission overdrive function is
controlled by the overdrive switch.
See “Driving the vehicle” in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
Security indicator light (if soequipped)
This light blinks when the ignition switch is in the
OFF, LOCK or ACC position. The blinking secu-
rity indicator light indicates that the security sys-
tems equipped on the vehicle are operational. For additional information, see “Security sys-
tems” later in this section.
Slip indicator light for models
with ABLS
This indicator light comes on if the active brake
limited slip is activated. If activated, the system
will apply braking to the slipping drive wheel(s) ,
giving the non-slipping wheel(s) more traction.
Slip indicator light for modelswith VDC
This indicator will blink when the VDC system or
the traction control system is operating, thus
alerting that the vehicle is nearing its traction
limits. The road surface may be slippery.
Transfer 4LO position indicatorlight (
model)
The light should turn off within 1 second after
turning the ignition switch to ON.
This light comes on when the 4WD shift switch is
set in the 4LO position with the ignition switch in
the ON position.
The transfer case may be damaged if you shift the
switch while driving.
2-22Instruments and controls

AUDIBLE REMINDERS
Brake pad wear warning
The disc brake pads have audible wear warnings.
When a disc brake pad requires replacement, it
makes a high pitched scraping sound when the
vehicle is in motion, whether or not the brake
pedal is depressed. Have the brakes checked as
soon as possible if the warning sound is heard.
Key reminder chime
A chime sounds if the driver’s door is opened
while the key is left in the ignition switch. Remove
the key and take it with you when leaving the
vehicle.
Light reminder chime
With the ignition switch placed in the OFF posi-
tion, a chime sounds when the driver’s door is
opened if the headlights or parking lights are on.
Turn the headlight control switch off before leav-
ing the vehicle.Your vehicle may have two types of security sys-
tems:
● Vehicle security system (if so equipped)
● NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System (if so
equipped)
VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM (if so
equipped)
The vehicle security system provides visual and
audible alarm signals if someone opens the doors
when the system is armed. It is not, however, a
motion detection-type system that activates
when a vehicle is moved or when a vibration
occurs. The system helps deter vehicle theft but cannot
prevent it, nor can it prevent the theft of interior or
exterior vehicle components in all situations. Al-
ways secure your vehicle even if parking for a
brief period. Never leave your keys in the ignition,
and always lock the vehicle when unattended. Be
aware of your surroundings, and park in secure,
well-lit areas whenever possible.
Many devices offering additional protection, such
as component locks, identification markers, and
tracking systems, are available at auto supply
stores and specialty shops. Your NISSAN dealer
may also offer such equipment. Check with your
insurance company to see if you may be eligible
for discounts for various theft protection features.
How to arm the vehicle security
system
1. Close all windows.
(The system can be
armed even if the windows are open.)
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Close all doors. Lock all doors. The doors can be locked with the key, power door lock
switch (if the door is opened, locked and
then closed) , or with the keyfob.
LIC0359
SECURITY SYSTEMS (if so equipped)
2-24Instruments and controls

Keyfob operation:
●Push the
button on the keyfob.
All doors lock. The hazard lights flash
twice and the horn beeps once to indicate
all doors are locked.
● When the
button is pushed with
all doors locked, the hazard lights flash
twice and the horn beeps once as a re-
minder that the doors are already locked.
The horn may or may not beep. Refer to
“Silencing the horn beep feature” in the
“Pre-driving checks and adjustments” sec-
tion later in this manual.
4. Confirm that the
indicator light comes
on. The
light stays on for about 30
seconds. The vehicle security system is now
pre-armed. After about 30 seconds the ve-
hicle security system automatically shifts
into the armed phase. The
light begins
to flash once every 3 seconds. If, during the
30-second pre-arm time period, the driver’s
door is unlocked by the key or the keyfob, or
the ignition switch is placed in ACC or ON
position, the system will not arm. ●
If the key is turned slowly when locking
the driver’s door, the system may not
arm. Furthermore, if the key is turned
beyond the vertical position toward the
unlock position to remove the key, the
system may be disarmed when the key
is removed. If the indicator light fails to
glow for a period of time, unlock the
door once and lock it again.
● Even when the driver and/or passen-
gers are in the vehicle, the system will
arm with all doors closed and locked
with the ignition switch placed in the
OFF position.
Vehicle security system activation
The vehicle security system will give the following
alarm:
● The headlights blink and the horn sounds
intermittently.
● The alarm automatically turns off after a pe-
riod of time. However, the alarm reactivates if
the vehicle is tampered with again. The alarm
can be shut off by unlocking the driver’s door
with the key or by pressing the
button
on the keyfob. The alarm is activated by:
● opening a door without using the key or
keyfob (even if the door is unlocked by using
the inside lock knob or the power door lock
switch) .
How to stop an activated alarm
The alarm stops only by unlocking the driver’s
door with the key or by pressing the
button
on the keyfob.
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM (if so equipped)
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System will not
allow the engine to start without the use of a
registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered key
(for example, when interference is caused by
another registered key, an automated toll road
device or automatic payment device on the key
ring) , restart the engine using the following pro-
cedures:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately 10 sec-
onds.
Instruments and controls2-25