Normal operation
The ABS operates at speeds above 3 to 6 MPH
(5 to 10 km/h) . The speed varies according to
road conditions.
When the ABS senses that one or more wheels
are close to locking up, the actuator rapidly ap-
plies and releases hydraulic pressure. This action
is similar to pumping the brakes very quickly. You
may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a
noise from under the hood or feel a vibration from
the actuator when it is operating. This is normal
and indicates that the ABS is operating properly.
However, the pulsation may indicate that road
conditions are hazardous and extra care is re-
quired while driving.The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system uses
various sensors to monitor driver inputs and ve-
hicle motion. Under certain driving conditions,
the VDC system helps to perform the following
functions.
Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel slip on
one slipping drive wheel so power is transferred
to a drive wheel on the same axle that is not
slipping.
Controls brake pressure and traction motor out- put to reduce drive wheel slip based on vehicle
speed (traction control function) .
Controls brake pressure at individual wheels and traction motor output to help the driver
maintain control of the vehicle in the following
conditions. – understeer (vehicle tends to not follow the steered path despite increased steering in-
put)
– oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to cer- tain road or driving conditions) .
The VDC system can help the driver to maintain
control of the vehicle, but it cannot prevent loss of
vehicle control in all driving situations.
When the VDC system operates, the
warning in the instrument panel flashes. When
the warning flashes, note the following items. The road may be slippery or the system may
determine some action is required to help keep
the vehicle on the steered path.
You may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a noise or vibration from under the hood.
This is normal and indicates that the VDC sys-
tem is working properly.
Adjust your speed and driving according to the road conditions.
See VDC warning light in theInstruments and
controls section and VDC OFF indicator light
in the Instruments and controls section.
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
warning illuminates in the lower display. The VDC
system automatically turns off when this warning
light is lit.
The VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the VDC
system. The VDC off indicator
illuminates
to indicate that the VDC system is off. When the
VDC switch is used to turn off the system, the
VDC system still operates to prevent one drive
wheel from slipping by transferring power to a
drive wheel that is not slipping. The
warn-
ing flashes if this occurs. All other VDC functions
are off and the
warning will not flash. The
VDC System is automatically reset to ON when
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM
5-22Starting and driving
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.
REPAIRING FLAT TIRE
WARNING
After using Emergency Tire Sealant to
repair a minor tire puncture, do not
drive the vehicle at speeds faster than
50 MPH (80 km/h) .
Immediately after using the Emer-
gency Tire Sealant to repair a minor
tire puncture, take your vehicle to a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer to in-
spect, and repair or replace the tire.
The Emergency Tire Sealant cannot
permanently seal a punctured tire.
Continuing operation of the vehicle
without a permanent tire repair can
lead to a crash.
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.
This vehicle does not have a spare tire. The
emergency tire puncture repair kit (Emergency
Tire Sealant) is supplied with the vehicle instead of a spare tire. It can be used to temporarily repair
minor tire punctures.
If possible, have the vehicle towed to a facility that
can repair or replace the flat tire. Using the emer-
gency tire puncture repair kit may cause a mal-
function of the tire pressure sensor and cause the
low tire pressure warning light to illuminate.
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions be-
low.
CAUTION
To avoid the emergency tire puncture
kit being damaged during storage or
use:
–Only use the emergency tire punc-
ture repair kit on your vehicle. Do
not use it on other vehicles.
– Only use the kit to inflate the tires of
your vehicle and to check the vehi-
cle’s tire pressure.
– Only plug the compressor into a 12-
volt DC car power point.
– Keep the kit free of water and dirt.
– Do not disassemble or modify the
kit.
– Do not drop the kit or allow hard
impacts to the kit.
6-4In case of emergency
Before using emergency tire puncture
repair kit
If any foreign object (for example, a screw ornail) is embedded in the tire, do not remove it.
Check the expiration date of the sealant (shown on the label attached to the bottle) . Never use a
sealant whose expiration date has passed.
Repairing tire:
WARNING
Observe the following precautions when
using the tire repair compound.
Swallowing the compound is danger-
ous. Immediately drink as much water
as possible and seek prompt medical
assistance.
Rinse well with lots of water if the
compound comes into contact with
skin or eyes. If irritation persists, seek
prompt medical attention.
Keep the repair compound out of the
reach of children.
The emergency repair compound may
cause a malfunction of the tire pres-
sure sensors and cause the low tire
pressure warning light to illuminate.
Have the tire pressure sensor replaced
as soon as possible.
1. Open the lid of the air compressor and takeout the speed restriction sticker, then put it in
a location where the driver can see it while
driving.
CAUTION
Do not put the speed restriction label on
the steering wheel pad, the speedometer
or the warning light locations.
6-6In case of emergency
7. When the tire pressure is at the specifiedamount, turn the air compressor off. If the tire
cannot be inflated to the specified amount,
the air compressor can be turned off at the
minimum of 26 psi (180 kPa) . Remove the
power plug from the power outlet and quickly
remove the hose from the tire valve. Attach the
protective cap and valve cap. Properly stow
the emergency tire puncture repair kit in the
cargo area.
CAUTION
To avoid serious personal injury when
stowing the emergency tire puncture re-
pair kit:
Keep the sealant bottle screwed into
the compressor. Failure to do so can
cause the sealant to spray into the air
and get into your eyes or on the skin.
8. Immediately drive the vehicle for 10 minutes or 2 miles (3 km) at a speed below 50 MPH
(80 km/h) .
9. After driving, make sure that the air compres- sor switch is in the OFF position, then screw
the hose securely onto the tire valve. Check
the tire pressure with the pressure gauge. Temporary repair is completed if the tire pres-
sure does not drop.
Make sure the pressure is adjusted to the
pressure that is specified on the Tire and
Loading Information label before driving.
10. If the tire pressure drops, repeat the steps from 5 to 9. If the pressure drops again or
under 19 psi (130 kPa) , the tire cannot be
repaired with this tire repair kit. Contact
a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.
The sealant bottle and hose can not be reused
to repair another punctured tire. Contact a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer to purchase
replacements.
After repairing tire:
See a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for tire
repair/replacement as soon as possible.
WARNING
After using Emergency Tire Sealant to
repair a minor tire puncture, do not
drive the vehicle at speeds faster than
50 MPH (80 km/h) .
Immediately after using Emergency
Tire Sealant to repair a minor tire
puncture, take your vehicle to a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer to in-
spect, and repair or replace the tire.
The Emergency Tire Sealant cannot
permanently seal a punctured tire.
Continuing operation of the vehicle
without a permanent tire repair can
lead to a crash.
Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pres-
sure sensors.
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.
In case of emergency6-9
CHROME PARTS
Clean chrome parts regularly with a non- abra-
sive chrome polish to maintain the finish.
TIRE DRESSING
NISSAN does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating to
the tires to help reduce discoloration of the rub-
ber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires, it may
react with the coating and form a compound. This
compound may come off the tire while driving and
stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
Use a water-based tire dressing. The coating onthe tire dissolves more easily with an oil-based
tire dressing.
Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help prevent it from entering the tire tread/grooves (where it
would be difficult to remove) .
Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry towel. Make sure the tire dressing is completely re-
moved from the tire tread/grooves.
Allow the tire dressing to dry as recommended by the tire dressing manufacturer. Occasionally remove loose dust from the interior
trim, plastic parts and seats using a vacuum
cleaner or soft bristled brush. Wipe the vinyl and
leather surfaces with a clean, soft cloth damp-
ened in mild soap solution, then wipe clean with a
dry soft cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in order to
maintain the appearance of the leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read the manu-
facturer’s recommendations. Some fabric pro-
tectors contain chemicals that may stain or
bleach the seat material.
Use a cloth dampened only with water to clean
the meter and gauge lens.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can
damage the seat or occupant classifica-
tion sensor. This can also affect the op-
eration of the air bag system and result in
serious personal injury.
CAUTION
Never use benzine, thinner, or any similar material. Small dirt particles can be abrasive
and damaging to the leather surfaces
and should be removed promptly. Do
not use saddle soap, car waxes, pol-
ishes, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents,
detergents or ammonia-based clean-
ers as they may damage the leather’s
natural finish.
Never use fabric protectors unless rec- ommended by the manufacturer.
Do not use glass or plastic cleaner on meter or gauge lens covers. It may
damage the lens cover.
AIR FRESHENERS
Most air fresheners use a solvent that could affect
the vehicle interior. If you use an air freshener,
take the following precautions:
Hanging-type air fresheners can cause perma-
nent discoloration when they contact vehicle
interior surfaces. Place the air freshener in a
location that allows it to hang free and not
contact an interior surface.
Liquid-type air fresheners typically clip on the vents. These products can cause immediate
damage and discoloration when spilled on inte-
rior surfaces.
CLEANING INTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care
The use of retread tire is not recom-mended.
For additional information regarding tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety Infor-
mation” (Canada) in the Warranty In-
formation Booklet.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle handling
and tire life. Even with regular use, wheels can get
out of balance. Therefore, they should be bal-
anced as required.
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle.
Spin balancing the wheels on the vehicle
could lead to mechanical damage.
For additional information regarding tires, refer to
“Important Tire Safety Information” (US) or “Tire
Safety Information” (Canada) in the Warranty In-
formation Booklet.
Care of wheels
See Cleaning exterior in theAppearance and
care section for details about care of the wheels.
EMERGENCY TIRE PUNCTURE
REPAIR KIT
The emergency tire puncture repair kit (Emer-
gency Tire Sealant) is supplied with the vehicle
instead of a spare tire. It can be used to tempo-
rarily repair minor tire punctures.
If possible, have the vehicle towed to a facility that
can repair or replace the flat tire. Using the emer-
gency tire puncture repair kit may cause a mal-
function of the tire pressure sensor and cause the
low tire pressure warning light to illuminate.
SeeFlat tire for more details.
8-34Maintenance and do-it yourself