2015 NISSAN PATHFINDER HYBRID transmission

●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.
●Unsecured cargo can be thrown around
when driving over rough terrain. Prop-
erly secure all cargo so it will not be
thrown forward and cause injury to you
or your passengers.
●Secure heavy loads in the cargo area as
far forward and as low as possible. Do
not equip the vehicle with tires larger
than specified in this manual. This could
cause your vehicle to roll over.●Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel when driving off-road.
The steering wheel could move sud-
denly and injure your hands. Instead
drive with your fingers and thumbs on
the outside of the rim.
●Before operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers have
their seat belts fastened.
●Always drive with the floor mats in place
as the floor may become hot.
●Lower your speed when encountering
strong crosswinds. With a higher center
of gravity, your NISSAN is more affected
by strong side winds. Slower speeds
ensure better vehicle control.
●Do not drive beyond the performance
capability of the tires, even with 4WD
engaged.
●For 4WD equipped vehicles, do not at-
tempt to raise 2 wheels off the ground
and shift the transmission to any drive
or reverse position with the engine run-
ning. Doing so may result in drivetrain
damage or unexpected vehicle move-
ment which could result in serious ve-
hicle damage or personal injury.●Do not attempt to test a 4WD equipped
vehicle on a 2-wheel dynamometer
(such as the dynamometers used by
some states for emissions testing) , or
similar equipment even if the other 2
wheels are raised off the ground. Make
sure you inform test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with 4WD
before it is placed on a dynamometer.
Using the wrong test equipment may
result in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage or per-
sonal injury.
●When a wheel is off the ground due to
an unlevel surface, do not spin the
wheel excessively.
●Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.
●If at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high speeds.
Your NISSAN vehicle has a higher cen-
ter of gravity than a passenger car. The
vehicle is not designed for cornering at
the same speeds as passenger cars.
Starting and driving5-9

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 the
foot 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 ignitionswitch is placed in the LOCK, OFF or
ACC position while the Ready Light il-
luminates.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and
move the shift lever to a driving position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake
pedal, and then gradually start the vehicle in
motion.
WARNING
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive) position.
Always depress the brake pedal until
shifting is completed. Failure to do so
could cause you to lose control and
have an accident.
●Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward or
reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
●Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while vehicle is moving. Failure to do so
could cause you to lose control and
have an accident.
CAUTION
●When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. The foot
brake should be used for this purpose.
●Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
●Except in an emergency, do not shift to
the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-15

Shifting
Press the buttonAwhile depressing the
brake pedal
Press the buttonAto shift
Shift without pressingAbutton
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal, push and press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever from the P (Park) position to
any of the desired shift positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shift lever is
in any position while the engine is not
running. Failure to do so could cause the
vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll away
and result in serious personal injury or
property damage.
CAUTION
Use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position
only when the vehicle is completely
stopped.
P (Park):
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when
the vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the P (Park) shift lever position when the
vehicle is parked or when starting the engine.
Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped.
The brake pedal must be depressed and
the shift lever button pushed in to move the
shift lever from N (Neutral) or any drive
position to P (Park) .Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then move the shift lever into the P (Park)
position.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 and the shift lever
button pushed in to move the shift lever
from P (Park) , N (Neutral) or any drive po-
sition 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 engine braking on steep
downhill gradients/climbing steep slopes and
whenever approaching sharp bends. Do not use
the L (Low) position in any other circumstances.
LSD2127
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. To move the
shift lever, perform the following procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or
LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover
Aus-
ing a suitable tool.
4. Push down the shift lock release
Busing a
suitable tool.5. Press the shift lever button
Cand move the
shift lever to the N (Neutral) position
D
while holding down the shift lock release.
The vehicle may be moved to the desired
location. Replace the removed shift lock re-
lease cover after the operation. If the shift
lever cannot be moved out of the P (Park)
position, have a NISSAN dealer check the
CVT system 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.
Accelerator downshift
— in D 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-safe
system 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.
LSD2128
Starting and driving5-17

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.
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.
To engage:Firmly depress the parking brake.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
3. Firmly depress the parking brake pedal and it
will release.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out.
LSD0158
PARKING BRAKE
5-18Starting and driving

13.Use D (Drive)
●Use the D (Drive) and drive with the Over
Drive on as much as possible
●Driving with the Over Drive OFF or in the
L (Low) position may cause the engine to
run longer than necessary and reduce
fuel economy
NOTE:
In order to display the correct fuel
economy, reset the fuel economy meter
first.●Keep your engine tuned up.
●Follow the recommended scheduled main-
tenance.
●Keep the tires inflated to the correct pres-
sure. Low tire pressure increases tire wear
and lowers fuel economy.
●Keep the wheels in correct alignment. Im-
proper alignment increases tire wear and
lowers fuel economy.
●Use the recommended viscosity engine oil.
For additional information, refer to “Engine
oil and oil filter recommendations” in the
“Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion of this manual.4X4–I SYSTEM OPERATION
WARNING
●Do not drive beyond the performance
capability of the tires. Accelerating
quickly, sharp steering maneuvers or
sudden braking may cause loss of con-
trol, even with Intelligent 4WD engaged.
●For 4WD equipped vehicles, do not at-
tempt to raise 2 wheels off the ground
and shift the transmission to any drive
or reverse position with the engine run-
ning. Doing so may result in drivetrain
damage or unexpected vehicle move-
ment which could result in serious per-
sonal injury or vehicle damage.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY INTELLIGENT 4WD (if so equipped)
Starting and driving5-35

WARNING
●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.
●Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park) . Fail-
ure to do so could cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly or roll away and re-
sult in an accident. Make sure the shift
lever has been pushed as far forward as
it can go and cannot be moved without
depressing the foot brake pedal.●Never leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.
●Do not leave children unattended inside
the vehicle. They could unknowingly ac-
tivate switches or controls. Unattended
children could become involved in seri-
ous accidents.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into
traffic when parked on an incline, it is a good
practice to turn the wheels as illustrated.●HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
A
Turn the wheels into the curb and move the
vehicle forward until the curb side wheel
gently touches the curb.
●HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
B
Turn the wheels away from the curb and
move the vehicle back until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.
●HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
C
Turn the wheels toward the side of the road
so the vehicle will move away from the cen-
ter of the road if it moves.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK posi-
tion.
WSD0050
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
Starting and driving5-39

Before attempting to jump start the vehicle, make
sure the fuel tank is not empty and the correct
starting procedure is followed. For additional in-
formation, refer to “Starting the NISSAN PURE-
DRIVE™ Hybrid System” in the “Starting and
driving” section of your Owner’s Manual. Do not
drive the vehicle on battery power only if the fuel
tank is empty. The Li-ion battery will become
discharged and the hybrid system will turn off.
CONFIRM BATTERY IS
DISCHARGED
Confirm the battery is discharged by pushing the
ignition switch to the ON position. Confirm the
instrument cluster or head lights come on at the
normal brightness levels or that other accesso-
ries such as the audio system come on. Push the
ignition switch to turn the hybrid system on.
If any of the following conditions occur, the 12-
volt battery might discharge:
●The instrument cluster and/or headlights are
not normal brightness.
●Audio accessories cannot be turned on.
●The hybrid system does not become READY
to drive mode.
●The ignition switch cannot be placed in the
ON position.Check the following if you notice any of the above
conditions:
1. Check that the 12-volt battery terminals are
tight and clean. For additional information,
refer to “12-volt Battery” in the “Mainte-
nance and do-it-yourself” section. If the 12-
volt battery terminals are loose, contact your
NISSAN dealer.
2. If the 12-volt battery terminals are tight and
clean, try to jump start the vehicle. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Jump starting” in
this section.EMERGENCY START
When the hybrid system cannot be started, the
following procedure can be used if the hybrid
system and push-button ignition switch function
normally:
1. Put the transmission in P (Park) position.
2. Push the ignition switch to the ACC posi-
tion.
3. Depress the brake pedal.4. Push and hold the ignition switch for about
15 seconds. Even if the hybrid system starts
using this procedure, the system may be
malfunctioning. Do not continue to use this
emergency procedure to start the system.
Have the vehicle checked by your NISSAN
dealer.
If the hybrid system still does not start, contact
you NISSAN dealer.
IF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT START
6-10In case of emergency