DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alcohol
or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream re-
duces 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 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 collisions. 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 (over-the-counter, prescription,
and illegal drugs) too. Don’t drive if your ability to
operate your vehicle is impaired by alcohol,
drugs, or some other physical condition.
DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Your NISSAN is designed for both normal and
off-road use. However, avoid driving in deep wa-
ter or mud as your NISSAN is mainly designed for
leisure use, unlike a conventional off-road ve-
hicle.
Remember that two-wheel drive models are less
capable than all-wheel drive models for rough
road driving and extrication when stuck in deep
snow or mud, or the like.
Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
● Spinning the front wheels on slippery
surface may cause the AWD warning
message to display and the AWD sys-
tem to automatically switch from the
AWD to the 2WD mode. This could re-
duce the traction. Be especially careful
when towing a trailer. (AWD models)
● Drive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle
should be seated with their seat belt
fastened. This will keep you and your
passengers in position when driving
over rough terrain. ●
Do not drive across steep slopes. In-
stead drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. Off-road vehicles can
tip over sideways much more easily
than they can forward or backward.
● Many hills are too steep for any vehicle.
If you drive up them, you may stall. If
you drive down them, you may not be
able to control your speed. If you drive
across them, you may roll over.
● Do not shift gears while driving on
downhill grades as this could cause
loss of control of the vehicle.
● Stay alert when driving to the top of a
hill. At the top there could be a drop-off
or other hazard that could cause an
accident.
● If your engine stalls or you cannot make
it to the top of a steep hill, never at-
tempt to turn around. Your vehicle could
tip or roll over. Always back straight
down in R (Reverse) gear and apply
brakes to control your speed.
● Heavy braking going down a hill could
cause your brakes to overheat and fade,
resulting in loss of control and an acci-
dent. Apply brakes lightly and use a low
gear to control your speed.
5-8Starting and driving
●Failure to operate this vehicle correctly
could result in loss of control and/or a
rollover accident.
● Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted,
or radial) , and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Install tire chains on the front
wheels when driving on slippery roads
and drive carefully.
● Be sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately after driving in mud or water. See
“Brake system” later in this section for
“Wet brakes”.
● Avoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and it
rolls forward, backward or sideways,
you could be injured.
● Whenever you drive off-road through
sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent maintenance
may be required. See “Periodic mainte-
nance” in the “NISSAN Service and
Maintenance Guide.”WARNING
● Never remove or turn the key to the
LOCK position while driving. The steer-
ing wheel will lock (for models with a
steering lock mechanism) . This may
cause the driver to lose control of the
vehicle and could result in serious ve-
hicle damage or personal injury.
● Never place the ignition switch in the
LOCK position while driving. The steer-
ing wheel will lock (for models with a
steering lock mechanism) . This may
cause the driver to lose control of the
vehicle and could result in serious ve-
hicle damage or personal injury.
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch cannot be turned to the LOCK position
until the shift lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
● When moving the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, make sure the shift lever is in
the P (Park) position.
● When removing the key from the ignition
switch, make sure the shift lever is in the P
(Park) position.
LIC2717
IGNITION SWITCH (if so equipped)
5-10Starting and driving
When the ignition switch cannot be turned to the
LOCK position:1. Shift the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
2. Turn the ignition switch slightly in the ON direction.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK posi- tion.
4. Remove the key if it is inserted in the ignition switch.
If the ignition switch is turned to the LOCK posi-
tion, the shift lever cannot be moved from the P
(Park) position.
The shift lever can be moved if the ignition
switch is placed in the ON position and the
foot brake pedal is depressed.
KEY POSITIONS
LOCK: Normal parking position (0)
OFF: (Not used) (1)
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio when the engine is not running.
ON: Normal operating position (3)
This position turns on the ignition system and the
electrical accessories. START: (4)
This position starts the engine. As soon as the
engine has started, release the key. It automati-
cally returns to the ON position.
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer system will not
allow the engine to start without the use of the
registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered key
(for example, when interference is caused by
another registered key, an automated toll road
device or automatic payment device on the key
ring) , restart the engine using the following pro-
cedure:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately
10 seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the device (which may have caused the interference)
separate from the registered key. If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN rec-
ommends placing the registered key on a sepa-
rate key ring to avoid interference from other
devices.
Starting and driving5-11
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 3 consecu-
tive times in quick succession or the igni-
tion 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.When the ignition switch is pushed without de-
pressing the brake pedal, the ignition switch will
illuminate.
Push the ignition switch center:● once to change to ON.
● two times to change to OFF.
The ignition switch will automatically return to the
LOCK position when any door is either opened or
closed with the switch in the OFF position.
The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch position cannot be switched to OFF until
the shift lever is moved to the P (Park) position. When the ignition switch cannot be pushed to-
ward the OFF position, proceed as follows:
1. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) posi- tion.
2. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch position will change to the ON position.
3. Push the ignition switch again to the OFF position.
The shift lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
If the battery of the vehicle is discharged,
the push-button ignition switch cannot be
moved from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for operation are
displayed on the vehicle information display. See
“Vehicle information display” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
LSD2184
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH (if
so equipped)
5-12Starting and driving
AUTO ACCESSORY:
With the vehicle in the P (Park) position, the
Intelligent key with you and the ignition placed
from ON to OFF, the radio can still be used for a
period of time, or until the driver’s door is opened.
After a period of time, functions such as radio,
navigation, and Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone
System may be restarted by pressing the
“POWER button/ VOLUME control knob” (See
“Monitor, climate, audio, phone and voice recog-
nition systems” in this manual) or the keyfob
unlock button up to a total of 30 minutes.
EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF
To shut off the engine in an emergency situation
while driving, perform the following procedure:
– Rapidly push the push-button ignition switch 3consecutive times in less than 1.5 seconds, or
– Push and hold the push-button ignition switch for more than 2 seconds.NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY®
BATTERY DISCHARGE
If the battery of the NISSAN Intelligent Key® is
discharged, or environmental conditions interfere
with the Intelligent Key operation, start the engine
according to the following procedure:
1. Place the shift lever in the P (Park) position.
2. Firmly apply the foot brake. 3. Touch the ignition switch with the Intelligent
Key as illustrated. (A chime will sound.)
After step 3 is performed, when the ignition
switch is pushed without depressing the
brake pedal, the ignition switch position will
change to ON.
4. Push the ignition switch while depressing the brake pedal within 10 seconds after the
chime sounds. The engine will start.
NOTE: ● When the ignition switch is pushed to the
ON position or the engine is started by the
above procedure, the Intelligent Key battery
discharge indicator appears in the vehicle
information display even when the Intelligent
Key is inside the vehicle. This is not a mal-
function. To turn off the Intelligent Key bat-
tery discharge indicator, touch the ignition
switch with the Intelligent Key again.
● If the Intelligent Key battery discharge indi-
cator appears, replace the battery as soon
as possible. See “Battery Replacement” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” sec-
tion.
SSD0860
5-14Starting and driving
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer system will not
allow the engine to start without the use of the
registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered key
(for example, when interference is caused by
another registered key, an automated toll road
device or automatic payment device on the key
ring) , restart the engine using the following pro-
cedure:1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately
10 seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the device (which may have caused the interference)
separate from the registered key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN rec-
ommends placing the registered key on a sepa-
rate key ring to avoid interference from other
devices. ●
Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
● Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid, and windshield-washer fluid
as frequently as possible, or at least when-
ever you refuel.
● Check that all windows and lights are clean.
● Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
● Check that all doors are closed.
● Position seat and adjust head
restraints/headrests.
● 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 placed in the ON posi-
tion. See “Warning/indicator lights and au-
dible reminders” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of
P (Park) and into any of the other gear
positions if the ignition key is turned to
the OFF position or if the key is re-
moved from the ignition switch.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift lever is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by turning the ignition
key to START. Release the key when the
engine starts. If the engine starts, but fails to
run, repeat the above procedure.
● 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 hold it
and then crank the engine. Release the
key and the accelerator pedal when the
engine starts.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE (models without NISSAN Intelligent Key®
system)
Starting and driving5-15
●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.
Crank the engine for 5-6 seconds. After
cranking the engine, release the accel-
erator pedal. Crank the engine with your
foot off the accelerator pedal by turn-
ing the ignition key to START. Release the
key when the engine starts. 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, turn the key off and wait 10 sec-
onds before cranking again, otherwise the
starter could be damaged.
4. 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. NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of electronic
accessories that consume battery power
when the engine is not running (Phone
chargers, GPS, DVD players, etc.) 2. 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.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift lever 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
STARTING THE ENGINE (models with
NISSAN Intelligent Key® system)
5-16Starting and driving
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 lever into the P (Park) position and push the ignition
switch to the OFF position. NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of electronic accessories that consume battery power
when the engine is not running (Phone char-
gers, GPS, DVD players, etc.)
2. 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.
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) in
your vehicle is electronically controlled to pro-
duce maximum power and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for this
transmission are shown on the following pages.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
Engine power may be automatically re-
duced to protect the CVT if the engine
speed increases quickly when driving on
slippery roads or while being tested on
some dynamometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress thefoot brake pedal before moving the shift
lever out of the P (Park) position.
This CVT is designed so that the foot
brake pedal must be depressed before
shifting from P (Park) to any driving
position while the ignition switch is in
the ON position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of
the other positions if the ignition
switch is placed in the LOCK, OFF or
ACC (if equipped) position.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-17