2013 NISSAN MAXIMA brake light

OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
If the right side or left side wheels unintentionally
leave the road surface, maintain control of the
vehicle by following the procedure below. Please
note that this procedure is only a general guide.
The vehicle must be driven as appropriate based
on the conditions 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 ve- hicle to follow the road while vehicle speed
is reduced. Do not attempt to drive the ve-
hicle 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
surface, steer the vehicle to stay in the ap-
propriate 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 vehicle must be driven as
appropriate based on the conditions of the ve-
hicle, 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 over react.
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 “Changing a flat
tire” in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
5-6Starting and driving

●Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
● Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid, and window 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.
● Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
● Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
● Check the operation of warning lights when
the ignition switch is pushed to the ON
position. See “Warning/indicator lights and
audible reminders” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift selector to P (Park) or N
(Neutral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift selector is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position. Depress the brake pedal and push the igni-
tion switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal with the ignition switch in
any position.
● If the engine is very hard to start in ex-
tremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little (ap-
proximately 1/3 to the floor) and while
holding, crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
● If the engine is very hard to start because
it is flooded, depress the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to start cranking the engine. After 5 or
6 seconds, stop cranking by pushing the
ignition switch to LOCK. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal by depressing the
brake pedal and pushing the push-button
ignition switch to start the engine. If the
engine starts, but fails to run, repeat the
above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, push the ignition switch to the
OFF position and wait 10 seconds before
cranking again, otherwise the starter
could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 sec-
onds after starting. Do not race the engine
while warming it up. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather. In cold weather, keep the en-
gine running for a minimum of2-3minutes
before shutting it off. Starting and stopping
the engine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, shift the shift selector to the P (Park) position and push the ignition
switch to the OFF position.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving5-11

Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
shift selector may not be moved from the P (Park)
position even with the brake pedal depressed
and the shift selector button pressed.
It will be necessary to jump start or have your
battery charged, see “Jump starting” in the “In
case of emergency” section. Contact your
NISSAN dealer or a professional towing service.
To move the shift selector, complete the following
procedure:1. Press the ignition switch to the LOCK posi- tion. 2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip ofa3mm
screwdriver, remove the shift lock release
cover.
● If available, a plastic trim tool can also be
used.
4. Insert the 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. Push the ignition switch to the ON position to unlock the steering wheel. Now the ve-
hicle may be moved to the desired location.
If the shift selector cannot be moved out of P
(Park) , have a NISSAN dealer check the trans-
mission 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 (Drive) position and manual
shift mode
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into lower range, depending on the
vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This 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.
WSD0236
Starting and driving5-17

Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated, see “Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL)” in the “Instrument and controls” sec-
tion. This will occur even if all electrical
circuits are functioning properly. In this
case, place the ignition switch in the OFF
position and wait for 10 seconds. Then
push the switch back to the ON position.
The vehicle should return to its normal op-
erating condition. If it does not return to its
normal operating condition, have a
NISSAN dealer check the transmission and
repair if necessary.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion 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 care-
ful when driving. If necessary, pull to the
side of the road at a safe place and allow
the transmission to return to normal op-
eration, or have it repaired if necessary.
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.
PARKING BRAKE
5-18Starting and driving

To engage:Firmly depress the parking brake.
To release: 1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Move the shift selector to the P (Park) posi- tion.
3. Firmly depress the parking brake pedal and it will release.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.1. CANCEL switch
2. ACCEL/RES switch
3. COAST/SET switch
4. ON/OFF switch
PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE
CONTROL
●If the cruise control system malfunctions, it
cancels automatically.
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.
CRUISE CONTROL OPERATIONS
The cruise control allows driving at a speed be-
tween 25 - 89 MPH (40 - 144 km/h) without
keeping your foot on the accelerator pedal.
To turn on the cruise control, push the
ON·OFF switch on. The CRUISE indicator light in
the instrument panel will illuminate.
LSD0158WSD0231
CRUISE CONTROL
Starting and driving5-19

To set cruising speed,accelerate the vehicle to
the desired speed, push the COAST/SET switch
and release it. Take your foot off the accelerator
pedal. Your vehicle maintains the set speed.
● To pass another vehicle, depress the ac-
celerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle returns to the previously
set speed.
● The vehicle may not maintain the set speed
when going up or down steep hills. If this
happens, drive without the cruise control.
To cancel the preset speed, use one of the
following three methods.
● Push the CANCEL button.
● Tap the brake pedal.
● Push the ON·OFF switch off. The CRUISE
indicator light in the instrument panel goes
out.
The cruise control is automatically canceled if: ● you depress the brake pedal while pushing
the ACCEL/RES or SET/COAST switch.
The preset speed is deleted from memory.
● the vehicle slows down more than 8 MPH
(13 km/h) below the set speed.
● you move the shift selector to N (Neutral) . To reset at a faster cruising speed,
use one
of the following three methods.
● Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push and
release the COAST/SET switch.
● Push and hold the ACCEL/RES switch.
When the vehicle attains the speed you de-
sire, release the switch.
● Push and release the ACCEL/RES switch.
Each time you do this, the set speed in-
creases by about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h).
To reset at a slower cruising speed, use one
of the following three methods.
● Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the ve-
hicle attains the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it.
● Push and hold the COAST/SET switch. Re-
lease the switch when the vehicle slows to
the desired speed.
● Push and release the COAST/SET switch.
Each time you do this, the set speed de-
creases by about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h).
To resume the preset speed, push and re-
lease the ACCEL/RES switch. The vehicle re-
turns to the last set cruising speed when the
vehicle speed is over 25 MPH (40 km/h). To turn off the cruise control,
use one of the
following three methods.
● Push the CANCEL button.
● Tap the brake pedal.
● Push the ON·OFF switch off. The CRUISE
indicator light in the instrument panel goes
out.
5-20Starting and driving

CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km),
follow these recommendations to obtain
maximum engine performance and en-
sure the future reliability and economy of
your new vehicle. Failure to follow these
recommendations may result in short-
ened engine life and reduced engine
performance.● Avoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow, and 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. Follow these easy-to-use Fuel Efficient Driving
Tips to help you achieve the most fuel economy
from your vehicle.
1. Use Smooth Accelerator and Brake
Pedal Application
● Avoid rapid starts and stops
● Use smooth, gentle accelerator and
brake application whenever possible
● Maintain constant speed while commut-
ing and coast whenever possible
2. Maintain Constant Speed
● Look ahead to try and anticipate and mini-
mize stops
● Synchronizing your speed with traffic
lights allows you to reduce your number
of stops
● Maintaining a steady speed can minimize
red light stops and improve fuel efficiency
3. Use Air Conditioning (A/C) at Higher
Vehicle Speeds
● Below 40 MPH (64 km/h), it is more
efficient to open windows to cool the
vehicle due to reduced engine load ●
Above 40 MPH (64 km/h), it is more
efficient to use A/C to cool the vehicle
due to increased aerodynamic drag
● Recirculating the cool air in the cabin
when the A/C is on reduces cooling load
4. Drive at Economical Speeds and Dis-
tances
● Observing the speed limit and not ex-
ceeding 60 MPH (97 km/h) (where le-
gally allowed) can improve fuel efficiency
due to reduced aerodynamic drag
● Maintaining a safe following distance be-
hind other vehicles reduces unnecessary
braking
● Safely monitoring traffic to anticipate
changes in speed permits reduced brak-
ing and smooth acceleration changes
● Select a gear range suitable to road con-
ditions.
5. Use Cruise Control
● Using cruise control during highway driv-
ing helps maintain a steady speed
● Cruise control is particularly effective in
providing fuel savings when driving on flat
terrains
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE FUEL EFFICIENT DRIVING TIPS
Starting and driving5-21

The power assisted steering uses a hydraulic
pump, driven by the engine, to assist steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks, you
will still have control of the vehicle. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, especially
in sharp turns and at low speeds.
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned off
while driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
harder to operate.The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at 2 wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using engine
vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop the
vehicle by depressing the brake pedal. However,
greater foot pressure on the brake pedal will be
required to stop the vehicle and stopping dis-
tance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will overheat the brakes, wear out the
brake pads faster, and reduce gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may
reduce braking performance and could result in
loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
●
While driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or accel-
erating could cause the wheels to skid
and result in an accident.
● If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result, your
braking distance will be longer and the vehicle
may pull to one side during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake pedal to
heat up the brakes. Do this until the brakes return
to normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at high
speeds until the brakes function correctly.
Parking brake break-in
Break-in the parking brake shoes whenever the
effect of the parking brake is weakened or when-
ever the parking brake shoes and/or drum/rotors
are replaced, in order to assure the best brake
performance.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
5-24Starting and driving