
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Make sure the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting
the R (Reverse) position.The brake pedal
must be depressed and the shift lever
button pushed in to move the shift lever
from P (Park) , N (Neutral) or any driving
position to R (Reverse) .
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position. You
may shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled
engine while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
L (Low):
Use this position for maximum engine braking on
steep downhill gradients/climbing steep slopes
and whenever approaching sharp bends. Do not
use the L position in any other circumstances.
SSD1176
Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch
When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with the
shift lever in the D (Drive) position, the
indicator light in the instrument panel illuminates.
Use the overdrive off mode when you need
improved engine braking.
To turn off the overdrive off mode, push the O/D
OFF switch again. The
indicator light will
turn off.
Each time the engine is started, or when the shift
lever is shifted to any position other than the D
(Drive) position, the overdrive off mode will be
automatically turned off.
Accelerator downshift — In D position —
For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, 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.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel spin-
ning and subsequent hard braking, the
fail-safe system may be activated. 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 place the igni-
tion switch back in the ON position. The
vehicle should return to its normal operat-
Starting and driving5-15

6-12In case of emergency
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle*Band let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster vehicle
*Bat about 2,000 rpm, and start
the engine of the vehicle
*Abeing jump
started.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged
for more than 10 seconds. If the engine
does not start right away, place the
ignition switch in the OFF position and
wait 10 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting your engine, carefully discon- nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable (
*4?*3?*2?*1).
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped). Be sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid. Do not attempt to start the engine by pushing.
CAUTION
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) models cannot be push-started
or tow-started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.
CAUTION
.
Do not continue to drive if your
vehicle overheats. Doing so could
cause engine damage or a vehicle
fire.
. To avoid the danger of being
scalded, never remove the radiator
cap while the engine is still hot.
When the radiator cap is removed,
pressurized hot water will spurt out,
possibly causing serious injury.
. Do not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading) , or if
you feel a lack of engine power, detect abnormal
noise, etc., take the following steps:
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply the parking brake and move the shift lever to
the P (Park) position.
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the windows, move the heater or air conditioner
temperature control to maximum hot and fan
control to high speed.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS

SCE0976
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as
illustrated.
CAUTION
.Never tow Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) models with
the front wheels on the ground or
four wheels on the ground (forward
or backward) , as this may cause serious and expensive damage to
the drivetrain. If it is necessary to
tow the vehicle with the rear wheels
raised, always use towing dollies
under the front wheels.
. When towing CVT models with the
front wheels on towing dollies:
— Push the ignition switch to the
ACC or ON position, and secure
the steering wheel in a straight-
ahead position with a rope or
similar device.
— Move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position. .
When towing a CVT model with the
rear wheels on the ground (if you do
not use towing dollies): Always
release the parking brake.
In case of emergency6-15

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
permanent 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 ventilators. These products can cause
immediate damage and discoloration when
spilled on interior surfaces.
Carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s
instructions before using air fresheners.
FLOOR MATS
WARNING
To avoid potential pedal interference
that may result in a collision or injury:
. NEVER place a floor mat on top of
another floor mat in the driver front
position.
. Use only genuine NISSAN floor
mats specifically designed for use
in your vehicle model. See your
NISSAN dealer for more informa-
tion.
. Properly position the mats in the
floorwell using the floor mat posi-
tioning aid. See “Floor mat posi-
tioning aid” (P.7-5) .
The use of genuine NISSAN floor mats can
extend the life of your vehicle carpet and make it
easier to clean the interior. Mats should be
maintained with regular cleaning and replaced if
they become excessively worn.
SAI0038Front (example)
Floor mat positioning aid
This vehicle includes front floor mat brackets to
act as floor mat positioning aid. NISSAN floor
mats have been specially designed for your
vehicle model. The front floor mats have
grommet holes in them. Position the mat by
placing the floor mat bracket hook through the
floor mat grommet hole while centering the mat
in the floorwell.
Periodically check to make certain that the mats
are properly positioned.
Appearance and care7-5

8-30Maintenance and do-it-yourself
If you have a flat tire, see “Flat tire” (P.6-3) .
TIRE PRESSURE
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) . It monitors tire
pressure of all tires except the spare. When
the low tire pressure warning light is lit and the
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning appears on
the dot matrix liquid crystal display, one or more
of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
The TPMS will activate only when the vehicle is
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h).
Also, this system may not detect a sudden drop
in tire pressure (for example a flat tire while
driving) .
For more details, see “Low tire pressure warning
light” (P.2-14) , “Tire Pressure Monitoring Sys-
tem (TPMS)” (P.5-3) and “Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS)” (P.6-3) .
Tire inflation pressure
Check the pressure of the tires (including
the spare) often and always prior to long
distance trips. The recommended tire
pressure specifications are shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label under
the “Cold Tire Pressure” heading. The Tire
and Loading Information label is affixed tothe driver side center pillar. Tire pressures
should be checked regularly because:
.Most tires naturally lose air over time.
.Tires can lose air suddenly when driven
over potholes or other objects or if the
vehicle strikes a curb while parking.
The tire pressures should be checked
when the tires are cold. The tires are
considered COLD after the vehicle has
been parked for 3 or more hours, or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at moderate
speeds.
The TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert provides
visual and audible signals outside the
vehicle for inflating the tires to the recom-
mended COLD tire pressure. (See “TPMS
with Easy Fill Tire Alert” (P.5-6).)
Incorrect tire pressure, including un-
der inflation, may adversely affect tire
life and vehicle handling.
WARNING
.Improperly inflated tires can fail
suddenly and cause an accident.
.The Gross Vehicle Weight rating
(GVWR) is located on the F.M.V.
S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification la-
bel. The vehicle weight capacity
is indicated on the Tire and
Loading Information label. Do
not load your vehicle beyond
this capacity. Overloading your
vehicle may result in reduced
tire life, unsafe operating condi-
tions due to premature tire fail-
ure, or unfavorable handling
characteristics and could also
lead to a serious accident. Load-
ing beyond the specified capa-
city may also result in failure of
other vehicle components.
.Before taking a long trip, or
whenever you heavily load your
vehicle, use a tire pressure
gauge to ensure that the tire
pressures are at the specified
level.
.For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Important
Tire Safety Information” (US) or
WHEELS AND TIRES

8-32Maintenance and do-it-yourself
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km) at moderate speeds. The recom-
mended cold tire inflation is set by the
manufacturer to provide the best
balance of tire wear, vehicle handling,
driveability, tire noise, etc., up to the
vehicle’s GVWR.
*5Tire size — see “Tire labeling” (P.8-
33).
*6Spare tire size or compact spare tire
size (if so equipped)
SDI1949
Checking the tire pressure
1. Remove the valve stem cap from thetire.
2.Press the pressure gauge squarely onto
the valve stem. Do not press too hard or
force the valve stem sideways, or air will
escape. If the hissing sound of air
escaping from the tire is heard while
checking the pressure, reposition the
gauge to eliminate this leakage.
3.Remove the gauge.
4.Read the tire pressure on the gauge
stem and compare it to the specifica- tion shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label.
5.Add air to the tire as needed. If too
much air is added, press the core of the
valve stem briefly with the tip of the
gauge stem to release pressure. Re-
check the pressure and add or release
air as needed.
6.Install the valve stem cap.
7.Check the pressure of all other tires,
including the spare.

load rating as the factory installed tire.
*6Term of “tubeless” or “tube type”
Indicates whether the tire requires an inner
tube (“tube type”) or not (“tubeless”).
*7The word “radial”
The word “radial” is shown, if the tire has
radial structure.
*8Manufacturer or brand name
Manufacturer or brand name is shown.
Other tire-related terminology:
In addition to the many terms that are
defined throughout this section, Intended
Outboard Sidewall is (1) the sidewall that
contains a whitewall, bears white lettering
or bears manufacturer, brand and/or model
name molding that is higher or deeper than
the same molding on the other sidewall of
the tire, or (2) the outward facing sidewall
of an asymmetrical tire that has a particular
side that must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
TYPES OF TIRES
WARNING
. When changing or replacing tires,
be sure all four tires are of the same
type (Example: Summer, All Season
or Snow) and construction. A
NISSAN dealer may be able to help
you with information about tire type,
size, speed rating and availability.
. Replacement tires may have a lower
speed rating than the factory
equipped tires, and may not match
the potential maximum vehicle
speed. Never exceed the maximum
speed rating of the tire.
. Replacing tires with those not ori-
ginally specified by NISSAN could
affect the proper operation of the
TPMS.
. For additional information regard-
ing tires, refer to “Important Tire
Safety Information” (US) or “Tire
Safety Information” (Canada) in the
Warranty Information Booklet.
All season tires
NISSAN specifies all season tires on some
models to provide good performance all year,
including snowy and icy road conditions. All
Season tires are identified by ALL SEASON
and/or M&S (Mud and Snow) on the tire
sidewall. Snow tires have better snow traction
than All Season tires and may be more appro-
priate in some areas.
Summer tires
NISSAN specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior performance on dry
roads. Summer tire performance is substantially
reduced in snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating M&S on the tire
sidewall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in snowy or
icy conditions, NISSAN recommends the use of
SNOW tires or ALL SEASON tires on all four
wheels.
Snow tires
If snow tires are needed, it is necessary to select
tires equivalent in size and load rating to the
original equipment tires. If you do not, it can
adversely affect the safety and handling of your
vehicle.
Generally, snow tires will have lower speed
ratings than factory equipped tires and may not
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-35

Always verify that available capacities are within
the required ratings.TOWING LOAD/SPECIFICATION
TOWING LOAD/SPECIFICATION CHARTUnit: lb (kg)
MODEL VQ35DE
WEIGHT CVT
MAXIMUM TRAILER WEIGHT*1 3,500 (1,588)
MAXIMUM TONGUE LOAD 350 (159)
GROSS COMBINED WEIGHT RATING 8,500 (3,856)
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT*2 Sway Control Device (SCD)
1: All towing above 1,000 lb (454 kg) requires the use of trailer brakes. NISSAN recommends the use of a tandem axle trailer whenever towing above 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) .
2: A sway control device is recommended for all towing above 2,000 lb (907 kg) . Sway control devices are not offered by NISSAN. See a professional trailer/hitch outlet for a properly designed sway control device for
your trailer.
Technical and consumer information9-19