
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. (AWD mod-
els)
. 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 vehicle has a higher
center of gravity than a conventional
passenger car. The vehicle is not
designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional passenger
cars. 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 traction
devices on the front wheels when
driving on slippery roads and drive
carefully. .
Be sure to check the brakes imme-
diately after driving in mud or water.
See “Brake system” (P.5-25) 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
the maintenance information in the
“NISSAN Service and Maintenance
Guide”.
. Spinning the front wheels on slip-
pery surfaces may cause the AWD
warning light to flash and the AWD
system to automatically switch from
the AWD mode to the 2WD mode.
This could reduce traction. Be espe-
cially careful when towing a trailer.
(AWD models)
SSD0392
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANS-
MISSION (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 turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, make sure that the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position.
. When removing the key from the ignition
switch, make sure that the shift lever is in the
P (Park) position.
Starting and driving5-9
IGNITION SWITCH

5-10Starting and driving
When the ignition switch cannot be turned to
the LOCK position:
1. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
2. Turn the ignition switch slightly in the ONdirection.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position.
4. Remove the key.
If the ignition switch is turned to the LOCK
position, the shift lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position. The shift lever can be
moved if the ignition switch is in the ON position
with the foot brake pedal depressed.
The OFF position
*1is between the LOCK and
ACC positions, although it is not marked on the
ignition switch.
KEY POSITIONS
LOCK (0)
The key can only be removed from the ignition
switch at this position.
OFF (1)
The power supply is turned off.
ACC (2)
The electrical accessory power activates without
the engine turned on.
ON (3)
The ignition system and the electrical accessory
power activate without the engine turned on.
START (4)
The engine starter activates and the engine will
start. The ignition switch, when released, will
automatically turn to the ON position.
CAUTION
As soon as the engine has started,
release the ignition switch immediately. .
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 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 key is turned to the ON position.
(See “Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders” (P.2-9).)
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) or N(Neutral) position. (P is recommended.)
The starter is designed so that it does not
operate unless the shift lever is in either of
the above positions.
3. Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by turning the ignition
switch to START. Release the switch 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 extremely cold weather or when restart-
ing, depress the accelerator pedal a little
(approximately 1/3 to the floor) and hold
it and then crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
.If the engine is very hard to start becauseit 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
turning the ignition switch to START.
Release the ignition switch 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 ignition switch
off and wait 10 seconds before cranking
again, otherwise the starter could be
damaged.
Do not turn the ignition switch to the
START position unless the engine and
starter have stopped moving. Attempt-
ing to start the engine while the engine
or starter is moving may cause damage.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds 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 engine running for a minimum of 2 -
3 minutes 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 to the P (Park) position and turn 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 electro-
nic 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.
Starting and driving5-11
STARTING THE ENGINE

5-12Starting and driving
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANS-
MISSION (CVT)
The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
in your vehicle is electronically controlled to
produce 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 turned to the LOCK, OFF or
ACC position or if the key is removed. 2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed, push
the shift lever button 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 (Neutral) to R (Reverse) , D
(Drive) , L (Low) . 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 (Re-
verse) while vehicle is moving. Fail-
ure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
CAUTION
.Except in an emergency, do not shift
to the N (Neutral) position while
driving. Coasting with the transmis-
sion in the N (Neutral) position may
cause serious damage to the trans-
mission.
. When stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle
by depressing the accelerator pedal.
The foot brake should be used for
this purpose.
. Do not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE

SSD0665
To move the shift lever,
: Push the button*Awhile depressing the
brake pedal.
: Push the button.
: Just move the shift lever.
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal, push 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.
If the ignition switch is turned to the OFF or
ACC position for any reason while the shift lever
is in any positions other than the P (Park) , the
ignition switch cannot be turned to the LOCK
position.
If the ignition switch cannot be turned to the
LOCK position, perform the following steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle is stopped.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position while depressing the foot brake pedal.
3. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position.
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only
when the vehicle is completely stopped.
P (Park):
Use this 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 to the P (Park) position.
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
Starting and driving5-13

5-16Starting and driving
SSD0667
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, release the shift lock.
The shift lever can be moved to the N (Neutral)
position. This allows the vehicle to be moved if
the battery is discharged.
To release the shift lock, perform the following
procedure:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCKposition, and remove the key. 2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover
*Ausing a suitable tool.
4. Push down the shift lock release
*Busing a
suitable tool.
5. Push the shift lever button
*Cand move the
shift lever to the N (Neutral) position
*Dwhile holding down the shift lock release.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. The
vehicle may be moved to the desired location.
Replace the removed shift lock release 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
running and the brake pedal is de-
pressed, the stop lights may not work.
Malfunctioning stop lights could cause
an accident injuring yourself and
others.
WARNING
. Be sure the parking brake is fully
released 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 gear shift 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 acci-
dent.
PARKING BRAKE

SPA2331
To apply:Fully depress the parking brake pedal
*1.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake
*2.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal
*1and
the parking brake will be released.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE CON-
TROL
.If the cruise control system malfunctions, it
will cancel automatically. The SET indicator
on the vehicle information display will then
blink to warn the driver.
. If the engine coolant temperature becomes
excessively high, the cruise control system
will cancel automatically.
. If the SET indicator on the vehicle informa-
tion display blinks, turn the cruise control
main switch off and have the system
checked by a NISSAN dealer.
. The SET indicator on the vehicle information
display may blink when the cruise control
main switch is turned ON while pushing the
ACCEL/RES, COAST/SET or CANCEL
switch. To properly set the cruise control
system, perform the following procedures.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control when
driving under the following conditions:
.when it is not possible to keep the
vehicle at a set speed
. in heavy traffic or in traffic that
varies in speed .
on winding or hilly roads
. on slippery roads (rain, snow, ice,
etc.)
. in very windy areas
Doing so could cause a loss of vehicle
control and result in an accident.
Starting and driving5-17
CRUISE CONTROL (if so equipped)

5-18Starting and driving
SSD0668
1. ACCEL/RES switch
2. COAST/SET switch
3. CANCEL switch
4. MAIN (ON·OFF) switch
CRUISE CONTROL OPERATIONS
The cruise control allows driving at a speed
between 25 to 89 MPH (40 to 144 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator
pedal.
To turn on the cruise control,push the MAIN
switch on. The CRUISE indicator on the vehicle
information display will illuminate.
To set cruising speed, accelerate the vehicle
to the desired speed, push the COAST/SET
switch and release it. (The SET indicator light on the vehicle information display will illuminate.)
Take your foot off the accelerator pedal. Your
vehicle will maintain the set speed.
.
To pass another vehicle, depress the
accelerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle will return to the previously
set speed.
. The vehicle may not maintain the set speed
on winding or hilly roads. If this happens,
drive without the cruise control.
To cancel the preset speed, use one of the
following methods:
. Push the CANCEL switch. The SET indica-
tor on the vehicle information display will
turn off.
. Tap the brake pedal. The SET indicator on
the vehicle information display will turn off.
. Turn the MAIN switch off. Both the CRUISE
and SET indicator on the vehicle information
display will turn off.
— If you depress the brake pedal while
pushing the ACCEL/RES or COAST/
SET switch and reset at the cruising
speed, the cruise control will disengage.
Turn the MAIN switch off once and then
turn it on again.
— The cruise control will automatically cancel if the vehicle slows more than 8
MPH (12 km/h) below the set speed. — If you move the shift lever to the N
(Neutral) position, the cruise control will
be canceled.
To reset at a faster cruising speed, use one
of the following methods:
. Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push and
release the COAST/SET switch.
. Push and hold the ACCEL/RES switch.
When the vehicle attains the desired speed,
release the switch.
. Push, then quickly release the ACCEL/RES
switch. Each time you do this, the set speed
will increase by about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h) .
To reset at a slower cruising speed, use one
of the following methods:
. Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it.
. Push and hold the COAST/SET switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle slows
down to the desired speed.
. Push, then quickly release the COAST/SET
switch. Each time you do this, the set speed
will decrease by about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h) .
To resume the preset speed, push and
release the ACCEL/RES switch. The vehicle
will resume the last set cruising speed when the
vehicle speed is over 25 MPH (40 km/h) .