2015 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN Owners Manual

R (Reverse)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when
the vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the R (Reverse) position to back up. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped before
selecting the R (Reverse) position. The brake
pedal must be depressed to move the shift
lever from P (Park) , N (Neutral) or any drive
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. Ds (Drive Sport) (if so equipped)
When the shift lever is shifted from the D (Drive)
to Ds (Drive Sport) position, the transmission
enters the Ds (Drive Sport) mode. Moving the
shift lever to the Ds (Drive Sport) position allows
you to enjoy “sporty” driving shift operation on a
winding road and feel smooth acceleration or
deceleration on a hilly road by moving in a lower
gear automatically. When canceling the DS
mode, return the shift lever to the D (Drive) posi-
tion. The transmission returns to the normal driv-
ing mode.
Manual shift mode (if so equipped)
When the shift lever is in the Ds (Drive Sport)
position, the transmission is ready for the manual
shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manu-
ally by pulling the right-side or left-side paddle
shifter.
When shifting up, pull the right side paddle
shifter (+)
C(if so equipped) . The transmission
shifts to the higher range.
When shifting down, pull the left side paddle
shifter ()
B(if so equipped) . The transmission
shifts to the lower range.
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Starting and driving5-15

When canceling the manual shift mode, return
the shift lever to the D (Drive) position. The trans-
mission returns to the normal driving mode.
When you pull the paddle shifter (if so equipped)
while in the D (Drive) position, the transmission
will shift to the upper or lower range temporarily.
The transmission will automatically return to the D
(Drive) position after a short period of time. If you
want to return to the D (Drive) position manually,
pull and hold the paddle shifter for about 1.5 sec-
onds.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is dis-
played on the position indicator in the meter.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
1⇔2⇔ 3⇔ 4⇔ 5⇔ 6⇔ 7
M7 (7th)
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
M6 (6th) and M5 (5th)
Use this position when driving up long slopes, or
for engine braking when driving down long
slopes.
M4 (4th) , M3 (3rd) and M2 (2nd)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on downhill
grades. M1 (1st)
Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly
or driving slowly through deep snow, sand or
mud, or for maximum engine braking on steep
downhill grades.
● Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than 7
range. This reduces fuel economy.
When shifting up
Move the shift lever to the + (up) side. (Shifts to
higher range.)
When shifting down
Move the shift lever to the (down) side. (Shifts
to lower range.)
● Moving the shift lever rapidly to the same
side twice will shift the ranges in succession.
When canceling the manual shift mode
Return the shift lever to the D (Drive) position to
return the transmission to the normal driving
mode. ● In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving perfor-
mance and reduces the chance of ve-
hicle damage or loss of control. ●
In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may shift up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the en-
gine speed is too high. When the ve-
hicle speed decreases, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down and
shifts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
● CVT operation is limited to automatic drive
mode when CVT fluid temperature is ex-
tremely low even if manual shift mode is
selected. This is not a malfunction. When
CVT fluid warms up, manual mode can be
selected.
● When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the
shift range may upshift in lower rpm than
usual. This is not a malfunction.
5-16Starting and driving

Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
shift lever may not be moved from the P (Park)
position even with the brake pedal depressed
and the shift lever button pushed.
It will be necessary to jump start or have your
battery charged. For additional information, refer
to “Jump starting” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this manual. Contact your NISSAN
dealer or a professional towing service.To move the shift lever, complete the following
procedure:
1. Push 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 lever to the N (Neutral) posi- tion while holding down the shift lock re-
lease.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of P (Park) ,
have a NISSAN dealer check the transmission as
soon as possible.
WARNING
If the shift lever cannot be moved from the
P (Park) position while the engine is run-
ning and the brake pedal is depressed, the
stop lights may not work. Malfunctioning
stop lights could cause an accident injur-
ing yourself and others.
SPORT mode switch (if so equipped)
When the SPORT mode switch is pushed with
the shift lever in the D (Drive) position, the
light in the instrument panel illuminates.
Use the SPORT mode when you need improved
engine braking.
To turn off the SPORT mode, push the SPORT
mode 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 D (Drive)
or Ds (Drive Sport) , the Sport mode will auto-
matically be turned off.
LSD2087
SPORT mode
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Starting and driving5-17

Overdrive (O/D) mode OFF switch (if
so equipped)
When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with the
shift lever in the D (Drive) position, the
light in the instrument panel illuminates. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Overdrive off indicator
light” in the “Instruments and controls” section of
this manual.
Use the Overdrive OFF when you need improved
engine braking.
To turn off the Overdrive OFF, 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 D
(Drive) , the Overdrive mode will automatically
turned off.
Accelerator downshift
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion 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 temperatures 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 con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safesystem may be activated. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated. For additional information, refer
to “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” in the
“Instrument and controls” section of this
manual. 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 careful
when driving. If necessary, pull to the side
of the road at a safe place and allow the
transmission to return to normal opera-
tion, or have it repaired if necessary.
Overdrive mode
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1. To engage, firmly depress the foot brake.
2. To release:●Move the shift lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion.
● Firmly depress the parking brake pedal
and it will release.
● Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out.
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 lever 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. The Blind Spot Warning (BSW) system can help
alert the driver of other vehicles in adjacent lanes
when changing lanes.
The Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system
helps alert the driver when the vehicle is traveling
close to either the left or the right of a traveling
lane.
LSD2177
PARKING BRAKEBLIND SPOT WARNING (BSW)
SYSTEM/LANE DEPARTURE WARNING
(LDW) SYSTEM (if so equipped)
Starting and driving5-19

The BSW/LDW systems use the rear view moni-
tor camera unit
1with automatic washer and
blower.
WARNING
● The BSW system is not a replacement
for proper driving procedure and is not
designed to prevent contact with ve-
hicles or objects. When changing lanes,
always use the side and rear mirrors
and turn and look in the direction you
will move to ensure it is safe to change
lanes. Never rely solely on the BSW
system. ●
The LDW system is only a warning de-
vice to help inform the driver of a poten-
tial unintended lane departure. It will
not steer the vehicle or prevent loss of
control. It is the driver’s responsibility to
stay alert, drive safely, keep the vehicle
in the traveling lane, and be in control of
the vehicle at all times.
● The camera unit may not function prop-
erly under the following conditions:
– When towing a trailer.
– When strong light enters the camera unit. (e.g. light directly shines on the
rear of the vehicle at sunrise or
sunset.)
– When ambient brightness changes suddenly. (e.g. when the vehicle en-
ters or exits a tunnel or passes under
a bridge.)
● If the camera lens is excessively dirty,
the automatic washer may not be able
to completely clean the lens. This could
result in the camera not detecting ve-
hicles or lane markers.
● Excessive noise (e.g. audio system vol-
ume, open vehicle window) will inter-
fere with the chime sound, and it may
not be heard.
BSW SYSTEM OPERATION
The BSW system operates above approximately
20 MPH (32 km/h).
When the camera unit detects vehicles in the
detection zone, the Blind Spot indicator light
located inside the outside mirrors will illuminate. If
the turn signal is then activated, the system
chimes (twice) and the Blind Spot indicator light
flashes to alert the driver.
The Blind Spot indicator light continues to flash
until the detected vehicle(s) leave the detection
zone.
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Detection zone
The camera unit can detect vehicles on either
side of your vehicle when part of another vehicle
is within the detection zone shown as illustrated.
This detection zone typically starts from the out-
side mirror of your vehicle and extends approxi-
mately 10 ft (3.0 m) behind the rear bumper, and
approximately 10 ft (3.0 m) sideways.
NOTE:
The Blind Spot indicator lights will illumi-
nate for a few seconds when the ignition
switch is placed in the ON position.The brightness of the Blind Spot indicator lights
is adjusted automatically depending on the
brightness of the ambient light.
A chime sounds if the camera unit has already
detected vehicles when the driver activates the
turn signal. If a vehicle comes into the detection
zone after the driver activates the turn signal, then
only the Blind Spot indicator light flashes and no
chime sounds. For additional information, refer to
“BSW driving situations” in this section.
Turning on or off the BSW system
The BSW system is turned on or off using the
settings menu in the vehicle information display.
SYSTEM ON
The BSW indicator in the vehicle information
display will appear.
SYSTEM OFF
The BSW indicator in the vehicle information
display will disappear.
Perform the following steps to enable or disable
the BSW system:
1. Press the
button until “Settings” dis-
plays in the vehicle information display. Use
the
to select “Driver Assistance”.
Then press the ENTER button.
Blind Spot indicator light
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Starting and driving5-21

2. Select “Driving Aids”, and press the ENTERbutton.
3. To set the BSW system to on or off, use the
buttons to navigate in the menu
and use the ENTER button to select or
change an item:
● Select “Blind Spot” and press the ENTER
button.
● To turn on the warning, use the ENTER
button to check box for “Warning (BSW)”
WARNING
●The camera unit may not be able to
detect when certain objects are present
such as:
– Pedestrians, bicycles, animals
– Some types of small vehicles such as motorcycles, and very short length
vehicles
– Oncoming vehicles
– A vehicle approaching rapidly from behind. For additional information,
refer to “BSW driving situations” in
this section. – A vehicle which your vehicle over-
takes rapidly. For additional informa-
tion, refer to “BSW driving situa-
tions” in this section.
– A vehicle that merges or changes lanes rapidly directly next to your
vehicle.
● The camera unit may not be able to
detect property when your vehicle trav-
els beside the middle section of a ve-
hicle with long wheelbase (e.g. trailer
truck, semi-trailer, tractor) .
● The camera detection zone is designed
based on a standard lane width. When
driving in a wider lane, the camera unit
may not detect vehicles in an adjacent
lane. When driving in a narrow lane, the
camera unit may detect vehicles driving
two lanes away.
● The camera unit is designed to ignore
most stationary objects, however ob-
jects such as guardrails, walls, foliage
and parked vehicles may occasionally
be detected. This is a normal operating
condition. ●
The camera unit may detect the re-
flected image of vehicles or roadside
objects that are not actually in the de-
tection zone, especially when the road
is wet.
BSW DRIVING SITUATIONS
Another vehicle approaching from
behind
5-22Starting and driving