2-50Instruments and controls
XENON HEADLIGHTS
WARNING
HIGH VOLTAGE
. When xenon headlights are on, they
produce a high voltage. To prevent
an electric shock, never attempt to
modify or disassemble. Always have
your xenon headlights replaced at a
GT-R certified NISSAN dealer.
. Xenon headlights provide consider-
ably more light than conventional
headlights. If they are not correctly
aimed, they might temporarily blind
an oncoming driver or the driver
ahead of you and cause a serious
accident. If headlights are not aimed
correctly, immediately take your ve-
hicle to a GT-R certified NISSAN
dealer and have the headlights
adjusted correctly.
When the xenon headlight is initially turned on,
its brightness or color varies slightly. However,
the color and brightness will soon stabilize. NOTE:
.
The life of xenon headlights will be
shortened by frequent on-off opera-
tion. It is generally desirable not to turn
off the headlights for short intervals
(for example, when the vehicle stops at
a traffic signal) . Even when the daytime
running lights are active, the xenon
headlights do not turn on. This way the
life of the xenon headlights is not
reduced.
. If the xenon headlight bulb is close to
burning out, the brightness will drasti-
cally decrease, the light will start
blinking, or the color of the light will
become reddish. If one or more of the
above signs appear, contact a GT-R
certified NISSAN dealer.
HEADLIGHT SWITCH
Lighting
Turning the switch to theposition:
The clearance, side marker, tail, license plate
and instrument lights will come on and the
daytime running light will remain on.
Turning the switch to the
position:
Headlights will come on and all the other lights
remain on. The daytime running light will turn off.
HEADLIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL
SWITCH
vehicle.
. If the mirrors were folded or un-
folded by hand, there is a chance
that the mirror will move forward or
backward during driving. If the mir-
rors were folded or unfolded by
hand, be sure to adjust them again
electrically before driving.
NOTE:
. If the switch is operated continuously,
the mirror may stop before movement
is completed. This does not indicate
that there is a malfunction. Wait a few
moments, then operate the switch
again.
. If the mirrors were folded or unfolded
by hand, the mirrors may start moving
when the ignition switch is set to the
ACC or ON position.
. When the ignition switch is in the ON
position, operating the rear window
defroster will also remove frost and
fog from the outside mirrors.
(
“Rear window defroster switch”
page 2-49)
VANITY MIRROR
To use the front vanity mirror, pull down the sun
visor and pull up the cover.
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-29
5-4Starting and driving
WARNING
.The exhaust gas and the exhaust
system are very hot. Keep people,
animals or flammable materials
away from the exhaust system com-
ponents.
. Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They
may ignite and cause a fire.
NOTICE
.Do not use leaded gasoline. Depos-
its from leaded gasoline seriously
reduce the three-way catalyst’s abil-
ity to help reduce exhaust pollu-
tants.
. Keep your engine tuned up. Mal-
functions in the ignition, fuel injec-
tion, or electrical systems can cause
overrich fuel flow into the three-way
catalyst, causing it to overheat. Do
not keep driving if the engine mis-
fires, or if noticeable loss of perfor-
mance or other unusual operating conditions are detected. Have the
vehicle inspected promptly by a
GT-R certified NISSAN dealer.
. Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, dama-
ging the three-way catalyst.
. Do not race the engine while warm-
ing it up.
. Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If
your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
If the vehicle is being driven with one or more flat
tires, the run-flat tire warning light will illuminate
continuously and a chime will sound for 10
seconds. The chime will only sound at the first
indication of a flat tire, and the warning light will
illuminate continuously. When the Flat tire
warning is activated, have the system reset
and the tire checked and replaced if necessary
by a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer. Even if the
tire is inflated to the specified COLD tire
pressure, the warning light will continue to
illuminate until the system is reset by a GT-R
certified NISSAN dealer. Your vehicle can be
driven for a limited time on a flat tire. (
“Run-
flat tires” page 8-38)
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
5-6Starting and driving
WARNING
.If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates or LOW PRESSURE in-
formation is displayed on the moni-
tor screen 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 un-
der-inflated tires may permanently
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
light still illuminates while driving
after adjusting the tire pressure, a
tire may be flat.
. Although you can continue driving
with a punctured run-flat tire, re-
member that vehicle handling sta- bility is reduced, which could lead to
an accident and personal injury.
Also, driving a long distance at high
speeds may damage the tires.
. Do not drive at speeds above 50
MPH (80 km/h) and do not drive
more than 50 miles (80 km) with a
punctured run-flat tire. The actual
distance the vehicle can be driven
on a flat tire depends on outside
temperature, vehicle load, road con-
ditions and other factors.
. When 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. Con-
tact your GT-R certified NISSAN
dealer as soon as possible for tire
replacement and/or system reset-
ting.
. Replacing tires with those not ori-
ginally specified by NISSAN could
affect the proper operation of the
TPMS.
. Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,
as this may cause a malfunction of the tire pressure sensors.NOTICE
.
The TPMS may not function properly
when the wheels are equipped with
tire chains or the wheels are buried
in snow.
. The TPMS may not function properly
if the TPMS sensor is not reset and
when wheels/tires from another
GT-R are installed on your vehicle.
. The TPMS will not function properly
if non-GT-R specified wheels are
installed on the vehicle.
. Do not place metalized film or any
metal parts (antenna, etc.) on the
windows. This may cause poor re-
ception of the signals from the tire
pressure sensors, and the TPMS will
not function properly.
Some devices and transmitters may temporarily
interfere with the operation of the TPMS and
cause the low tire pressure warning light to
illuminate. Some examples are:
. Facilities or electric devices using similar
5-8Starting and driving
.If you decide that it is not safe to return
the vehicle to the road surface based on
vehicle, road or traffic conditions, gradu-
ally 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 main-
taining the correct air pressure and visually
inspect the tires for wear and damage.
(
“Wheels and tires” page 8-32)
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 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 accelera-
tor 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
contact a roadside emergency service to
change the tire.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of
alcohol or drugs. Alcohol in the blood-
stream reduces coordination, delays
reaction time and impairs judgement.
Driving after drinking alcohol increases
the likelihood of being involved in an
accident injuring yourself and others.
Additionally, if you are injured in an
accident, alcohol can increase the se-
verity 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.
Although 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! And
that is true for drugs, too (over-the-counter,
prescription, and illegal drugs) . Don’t drive if
your ability to operate your vehicle is impaired by
alcohol, drugs, or some other physical condition.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) DRIVING
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
WARNING
.Do not drive beyond the perfor-
mance capability of the tires, even
with AWD engaged. Accelerating
quickly, sharp steering maneuvers
or sudden braking may cause loss
of control.
. Always use the specified tires on all
four wheels. Install tire chains on
the rear wheels when driving on
slippery roads and drive carefully.
. This vehicle is not designed for
offroad (rough road) use. Do not
drive on sandy or muddy roads that
tires may get stuck in.
. Do not attempt to raise two wheels
off the ground and shift the trans-
mission to any
&A↔&Mor&Rposition
with the engine running. Doing so may result in drivetrain damage or
unexpected vehicle movement
which could result in serious vehicle
damage or personal injury.
. Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dy-
namometer, (such as the dynam-
ometers used by some states for
emissions testing) , or similar equip-
ment even if the other two wheels
are raised off the ground. Make sure
you inform test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with
AWD before it is placed on a
dynamometer. Using the wrong test
equipment may result in drivetrain
damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
. When a wheel is off the ground due
to an unlevel surface, do not spin
the wheel excessively.
WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except
in an emergency. (The engine will stop
when the ignition switch is pushed
three consecutive times or the ignition
switch is pushed and held for more than
2 seconds.) If the engine stops while
the vehicle is being driven, this could
lead to a crash and serious injury.
Before operating the push-button ignition
switch, be sure to move the shift lever to the
&Pposition.
Starting and driving5-9
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
.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.
. 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. (
“Warning/indicator lights
and audible reminders” page 2-25)
NOTE:
. This vehicle includes spark plugs that
are designed for maximum perfor-
mance. If the start time becomes long-
er, the plugs may be fouled, making the
engine difficult to start. If this occurs,
start the engine using the procedure
described in this section.
. A click sound may be heard when the
brake pedal is depressed and released.
This is normal.
. A low rattling operating sound may
occur when the engine is started or
stopped. This is because of the trans-
mission gear design, light flywheel and
dry sump lubrication system used in
this transmission. This does not indi-
cate that there is a malfunction. This
sound is likely to occur in particular if
the engine is stopped when the tem-
perature of the transmission oil is high.
1. Check the positions of the accelerator pedal
*1and brake pedal*2. Adjust the steering
wheel and seat positions so that the correct
driving posture is achieved. (
“Front
seats” page 1-3)
2. Check that the parking brake is engaged.
3. Check that the shift lever is in the
&Por&N
position. (&Pis recommended.)
4. Firmly depress the brake pedal. Without depressing the accelerator pedal, push the
ignition switch once to start the engine.
5. To stop the engine, move the shift lever to the
&Pposition, and push the ignition switch
to the OFF position.
Starting and driving5-13
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-14Starting and driving
NOTE:
.Care should be taken to avoid situa-
tions that can lead to potential battery
discharge and potential no-start condi-
tions such as:
a. Installation or extended use of elec-
tronic accessories that consume
battery power when the engine is
not running (Phone chargers, GPS,
DVD players, etc.)
b. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/
or only driven short distances.
In these cases, the battery may need to
be charged to maintain battery health.
. If the engine is difficult to start, de-
press the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and hold it. Push the
ignition switch with the brake pedal
depressed to start cranking the engine.
After 5 or 6 seconds, stop cranking by
pushing the ignition switch to the OFF
position, and then release the accel-
erator pedal. Then perform steps 1 to 5
to start the engine. If the engine starts,
but fails to run, repeat this procedure.
. Starting and stopping the engine over a
short period of time may make the
vehicle more difficult to start. If this
occurs, wait for more than 3 minutes, and then push the ignition switch again
to start the engine.
. To maintain high performance over a
long period of time, the engine speed is
limited to 5,000 rpm when the engine is
revved with the shift lever in the
&Nor
&Pposition, and to 4,000 rpm when the
engine oil or coolant temperature is
low or higher than normal.
. If the ignition switch is pushed before
the shift lever is moved to the
&P
position, the ignition switch will not
change to the OFF position. If this
occurs, the SHIFT
&Pwarning display
appears on the vehicle information
display. When stopping the engine, be
sure to move the shift lever to the
&P
position and then push the ignition
switch. Failure to do so may result in
discharge of the battery. (
“Shift
“P” warning” page 2-43)
. If the shift lever was in the
&A↔&Mor&R
position when the engine was stopped,
then be sure to move the shift lever to
the
&Pposition before starting the
engine the next time. If the engine is
started with the shift lever in the
&N
position, then it may not be possible to drive the vehicle even when the shift
lever is moved to the
&A↔&Mor&R
position. If this occurs, the SHIFT&P
warning appears on the vehicle infor-
mation display. (“Shift “P” warn-
ing” page 2-43)
CAUTION
If the engine was stopped soon when
the engine is hot, the cooling fan may
operate for approximately 2 minutes
after the engine was stopped to cool
the components in the engine compart-
ment. When the cooling fan is operat-
ing, be sure that hands or other items
do not get caught in it.