2013 NISSAN LEAF turn

light. Use a tire pressure gauge to check the tire
pressure.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning ap- pears on the dot matrix liquid crystal display
when the low tire pressure warning light is illu-
minated and low tire pressure is detected. The
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning turns off
when the low tire pressure warning light turns
off.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning ap-
pears each time the ignition switch is placed in
the ON position as long as the low tire pres-
sure warning light remains illuminated.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning does not
appear if the low tire pressure warning light illu-
minates to indicate a TPMS malfunction.
Tire pressure rises and falls depending on the heat caused by operation of the vehicle and the
outside temperature. A low outside temperature
can decrease the temperature of the air inside
the tire, which can cause a lower tire inflation
pressure. This may cause the low tire pressure
warning light to illuminate. If the warning light
illuminates in low ambient temperature, check
the tire pressure for all four tires.
For additional information, see Low tire pressure
warning light in theInstruments and controls section and
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) in theIn case of emergency section.
WARNING
Radio waves could adversely affect electric medical equipment. Those
who use a pacemaker should contact
the electric medical equipment manu-
facturer for the possible influences be-
fore use.
If the low tire pressure warning light illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den 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 perma-
nently damage the tires and increase
the likelihood of tire failure. Serious
vehicle damage could occur and may
lead to an accident and could result 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 to turn
the low tire pressure warning light
OFF. If the tire is flat, repair it as soon
as possible. (See Flat tirein theIn case of emergency
section for chang-
ing a flat tire.)
When a wheel is replaced, the TPMS will not function and the low tire pres-
sure warning light will flash for ap-
proximately 1 minute. The light will re-
main on after 1 minute. Contact a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer as soon
as possible for tire replacement
and/or system resetting.
Replacing tires with those not origi- nally specified by NISSAN could affect
the proper operation of the TPMS.
If you used the Emergency Tire Sealant to repair a minor tire puncture, your
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer will also
need to replace the TPMS sensor in
addition to repairing or replacing the
tire .
NISSAN recommends using only NISSAN Genuine Emergency Tire
Sealant provided with your vehicle.
Other tire sealants may damage the
valve stem seal which can cause the
tire to lose air pressure.
Starting and driving5-3

tire briefly to release pressure. When the pres-
sure reaches the designated pressure, the horn
beeps once.
If the hazard indicator does not flash within approximately 15 seconds after starting to in-
flate the tire, it indicates that the Easy Fill Tire
Alert is not operating.
The TPMS will not activate the Easy Fill Tire Alert under the following conditions: – If there is interference from an external de- vice or transmitter.
– The air pressure from the inflation device is not sufficient to inflate the tire such as those
using a power socket.
– If an electrical equipment is being used in or near the vehicle.
– There is a malfunction in the TPMS system.
– There is a malfunction in the horn or hazard indicators.
– If the Easy Fill Tire Alert does not operate due to TPMS interference, move the vehicle
about 3 ft (1 m) backward or forward and try
again.
If the Easy Fill Tire Alert is not working, use a tire
pressure gauge.AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss of
control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey all
traffic regulations. Avoid excessive speed, high
speed cornering, or sudden steering maneuvers,
because these driving practices could cause you to
lose control of your vehicle.
As with any vehicle, a
loss of control could result in a collision with
other vehicles or objects, or cause the vehicle to
rollover, particularly if the loss of control causes
the vehicle to slide sideways.
Be attentive at all
times, and avoid driving when tired. Never drive
when under the influence of alcohol or drugs (in-
cluding prescription or over-the-counter drugs
which may cause drowsiness) . Always wear your
seat belt as outlined in the
Seat beltsin the Safety
— Seats seat belts and supplemental restraint sys-
tem
 section of this manual, and also instruct your
passengers to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in colli-
sions and rollovers. In a rollover crash, an unbelted or improperly belted person is
significantly more likely to be injured or
killed than a person properly wearing a
seat belt.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
While driving, the right side or left side wheels
may unintentionally leave the road surface. If this
occurs, maintain control of the vehicle by follow-
ing the procedure below. Please note that this
procedure is only a general guide. The vehicle
must be driven as appropriate based on the con-
ditions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with
both hands and try to hold a straight course.
4. When appropriate, slowly release the accel- erator pedal to gradually slow the vehicle.
5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the vehicle to follow the road while the vehicle speed is
reduced. Do not attempt to drive the vehicle
back onto the road surface until vehicle speed
is reduced.
6. When it is safe to do so, gradually turn the steering wheel until both tires return to the
road surface. When all tires are on the road
Starting and driving5-5

surface, steer the vehicle to stay in the appro-
priate driving lane.
If you decide that it is not safe to return the vehicle to the road surface based on vehicle,
road or traffic conditions, gradually slow the
vehicle to a stop in a safe place off the road.
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSS
Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can occur if
the tire is punctured or is damaged due to hitting a
curb or pothole. Rapid air pressure loss can also be
caused by driving on under-inflated tires.
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the handling
and stability of the vehicle, especially at highway
speeds.
Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by maintain-
ing the correct air pressure and visually inspect
the tires for wear and damage. See Wheels and
tires in the Maintenance and do-it-yourself
section of this manual.
If a tire rapidly loses air pressure or “blows-out”
while driving maintain control of the vehicle by
following the procedure below. Please note that
this procedure is only a general guide. The ve-
hicle must be driven as appropriate based on the
conditions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
WARNING
The following actions can increase the
chance of losing control of the vehicle if
there is a sudden loss of tire air pressure.
Losing control of the vehicle may cause a
collision and result in personal injury.
The vehicle generally moves or pulls in the direction of the flat tire.
Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
Do not rapidly release the accelerator pedal.
Do not rapidly turn the steering wheel.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and try to hold a straight course.
3. When appropriate, slowly release the accel- erator pedal to gradually slow the vehicle.
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe location off the road and away from traffic if possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradually stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and either contact a roadside emergency service to
change the tire or see Flat tirein theIn case
of emergency of this Owner’s Manual.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream
reduces coordination, delays reaction
time and impairs judgement. Driving af-
ter drinking alcohol increases the likeli-
hood of being involved in an accident
injuring yourself and others. Additionally,
if you are injured in an accident, alcohol
can increase the severity of the injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. However,
you must choose not to drive under the influence
of alcohol. Every year thousands of people are
injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents. Al-
though the local laws vary on what is considered
to be legally intoxicated, the fact is that alcohol
affects all people differently and most people
underestimate the effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix! That is
true for drugs too (over-the-counter, prescrip-
tion, and illegal drugs) . Do not drive if your ability
to operate your vehicle is impaired by alcohol,
drugs, or some other physical condition.
5-6Starting and driving

If the Intelligent Key is within the operating range,
it is possible for anyone, even someone who does
not carry the Intelligent Key, to push the power
switch to start the EV (Electric Vehicle) system.
The cargo area is not included in the operatingrange but the Intelligent Key may function.
If the Intelligent Key is placed on the instrument panel, inside the glove box or door pocket, the
Intelligent Key may not function.
If the Intelligent Key is placed near a door or window outside the vehicle, the Intelligent Key
may not function.
POWER SWITCH OPERATION
When the power switch is pushed without de-
pressing the brake pedal, the power switch posi-
tion will change as follows.
Push once to change to ACC.
Push two times to change to ON.
Push three times to change to OFF.
Push four times to return to ACC.
Open or close any door to return to LOCK whilein the OFF position. The indicator light
Aon the power switch illumi-
nates when the power switch is in the ACC or
ON position.
The power lock is designed so that the power
switch position cannot be switched to LOCK
until the vehicle is into the P (Park) position.
When the power switch cannot be switched to
the LOCK position, proceed as follows.
1. Push the P (Park) position switch on the shift lever to place the vehicle in the P (Park)
position.
2. Push the power switch to the OFF position. The power switch position indicator
Awill
not illuminate.
3. Open the door. The power switch will change to the LOCK position.
POWER SWITCH POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position)
The power switch can only be locked in this
position.
The power switch will be unlocked when it is
pushed to the ACC position while the driver is
carrying the Intelligent Key.
*: Push while the brake pedal is depressed.
5-8Starting and driving

ACC (Accessories)
This position activates electrical accessories,
such as the radio, when EV system is OFF.
ON
This position turns on the EV (Electric Vehicle)
system and electrical accessories.
READY (Normal operating position)
This position turns on the EV (Electric Vehicle)
system, electrical accessories and the vehicle
can be driven.
OFF
The EV (Electric Vehicle) system can be turned
off.
The power switch cannot be placed in the LOCK
position until the vehicle is in the P (Park) posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle with the power
switch in the ACC position for an ex-
tended period of time. This can discharge
the 12-volt battery.
NOTE:
If the power switch is pushed quickly or is
pushed twice quickly, the switch may not
function even if a chime sound is heard.
Push the switch again more slowly.
EMERGENCY EV (ELECTRIC
VEHICLE) SHUT OFF
To shut off the EV (Electric Vehicle) system in an
emergency situation while driving, perform the
following procedure.
Rapidly push the power switch 3 consecutive times in less than 1.5 seconds, or
Push and hold the power switch for more than 2 seconds.
NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY®
BATTERY DISCHARGE
If the Intelligent Key battery is discharged, or
environmental conditions interfere with the Intel-
ligent Key operation, start the EV (Electric Ve-
hicle) system in the READY to drive mode ac-
cording to the following procedure:
1. Push the P (Park) position switch on the shift lever.
2. Firmly apply the foot brake.
3. Touch the power switch with the Intelligent Key as illustrated. (A chime will sound.)
Starting and driving5-9

CAUTION
Do not slide the shift lever while push- ing the P position switch. This may
also damage the electric motor.
When switching to the preferred posi- tion by operating the shift lever, check
that the shift lever returns to the cen-
tral position by releasing your hand
from the lever. Holding the shift lever
in a mid-way position may also dam-
age the shift control system.
Do not operate the shift lever while the accelerator pedal is depressed, except
when switching to the ECO position.
This may cause a sudden start which
could result in an accident.

The following operations are not allowed
because excessive force would be ap-
plied to the traction motor and this may
result in damage to the vehicle:
– Moving the shift lever to the R (Re- verse) position when driving for-
ward
– Moving the shift lever to the D (Drive) or ECO position when revers-
ing
If these operations are attempted, a
chime sounds and the vehicle shifts to
the N (Neutral) position. P (Park):
Use this shift position when the vehicle is parked
or when placing the vehicle in the READY to drive
position. Make sure that the vehicle is completely
stopped.
In order to switch to the P (Park)
position, press the P (Park) position switch
as shown in the illustration above once the
vehicle has come to a complete stop. If the
P (Park) position switch is pressed while
the vehicle is in motion, a chime sounds
and the current shift position is main-
tained. After switching to the P (Park) position,
apply the parking brake. When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake first while keeping the
foot brake pedal depressed then push the P
(Park) position switch and place the vehicle in the
P (Park) position. See
Parking brake.
NOTE:
While the vehicle is stationary, if the shift
position is placed in any position other
than the P (Park) position when the power
switch is set to OFF, it will automatically
switch to the P (Park) position.
If the P (Park) position switch is pressed
while sliding the shift lever, the shift posi-
tion will not switch to the P (Park) posi-
tion. When pressing the P (Park) position
switch be sure to first allow the shift lever
to return to its center position.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Make sure that the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting
the R (Reverse) position. If the vehicle is
placed in the D (Drive) position while re-
versing, the chime will sound and the ve-
hicle will switch into the N (Neutral) posi-
tion.
Starting and driving5-13

N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged. The
vehicle can be placed in READY to drive position
in this position.
Do not shift to the N (Neutral) position while
driving. The regenerative brake system does not
operate in the N (Neutral) position. However, the
vehicle brakes will still stop the car.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.If
the vehicle is placed in the D (Drive) posi-
tion while reversing, the chime will sound
and the vehicle will switch into the N (Neu-
tral) position.
B-mode:
Engages the regenerative braking system more
aggressively on downhill slopes, and helps re-
duce brake use. Activated by moving the shift
lever left and down. The shift lever will then return
to the center position. ECO mode:
Use ECO in order to help extend the driving
range.
In comparison to the D (Drive) position, ECO
consumes less power for the traction motor and
heater and air conditioner operations and en-
ables the range of the vehicle to be extended.
ECO can be selected from the D (Drive) or
B-mode position.
WARNING
Be sure the parking brake is released before driving. Failure to do so could
cause brake failure and lead to an ac-
cident.
Do not release the parking brake from outside the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in a vehicle. They could release the parking
brake and cause an accident.
When leaving the vehicle, apply the parking brake and push the P (Park)
position switch on the shift lever.
PARKING BRAKE
5-14Starting and driving

To engage:Firmly depress the parking brake.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Firmly depress the parking brake and it will release.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE
CONTROL
If the cruise control system malfunctions, it will
cancel automatically. The SET indicator on the dot
matrix crystal display will then blink to warn the
driver.
If the SET indicator on the dot matrix crystal display
blinks, turn the cruise control MAIN switch off and
have the system checked by a NISSAN certified
LEAF dealer.
The SET indicator on the dot matrix crystal display
may blink when the cruise control MAIN switch is
turned ON while pushing the RESUME/
ACCELERATE, SET/COAST or CANCEL switch.
To properly set the cruise control system, perform
the following procedure.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control when driv-
ing 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.
CRUISE CONTROL OPERATION
1. RESUME/ACCELERATE switch
2. SET/COAST switch
3. CANCEL switch
4. MAIN (ON·OFF) switch
The cruise control allows driving at a speed be-
tween 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 on the dot
matrix crystal display will illuminate.
CRUISE CONTROL
Starting and driving5-15