
●If any malfunctions are found or the
heated seat does not operate, turn the
switch off and have the system checked
by your NISSAN dealer.
● The battery could run down if the seat
heater is operated while the engine is
not running.
The vehicle should be driven with the VDC sys-
tem on for most driving conditions.
If the vehicle is stuck in mud or snow, the VDC
system reduces the engine output to reduce
wheel spin. The engine speed will be reduced
even if the accelerator is depressed to the floor. If
maximum engine power is needed to free a stuck
vehicle, turn the VDC system off.
To turn off the VDC system, push the VDC OFF
switch. The
indicator will come on.
Push the VDC OFF switch again or restart the
engine to turn on the system. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
system” in the “Starting and driving” section of
this manual. The Electronic Locking Rear Differential (E-Lock)
system can help provide added traction if the
vehicle is stuck or becoming stuck.
To activate the E-Lock system:
● the 4WD switch must be in the 4LO position
(4-wheel drive vehicles) ,
● the vehicle must be stopped or moving at
4 MPH (7 km/h) or less, and
● the E-Lock system switch must be turned
ON.
LIC1548LIC0729
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
OFF SWITCH ELECTRONIC LOCKING REAR
DIFFERENTIAL (E-Lock) SYSTEM
SWITCH (if so equipped)
Instruments and controls2-39

5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ..................5-2
Three-way catalyst ..............................5-2
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ..........5-3
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions ....................................5-5
Avoiding collision and rollover . . ..................5-6
Off-road recovery ...............................5-6
Rapid air pressure loss ..........................5-6
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ................5-7
Driving safety precautions .......................5-7
Ignition switch .....................................5-9
Automatic transmission ......................... 5-10
Ignition switch positions ........................ 5-10
NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
(if so equipped) ............................... 5-11
Before starting the engine ......................... 5-11
Starting the engine ............................... 5-12
Driving the vehicle ................................ 5-13
Engine protection mode ........................ 5-13
Automatic transmission ......................... 5-14
Parking brake .................................... 5-20
Cruise control (if so equipped) .....................5-20Precautions on cruise control
...................5-20
Cruise control operations .......................5-21
Break-in schedule ................................ 5-22
Fuel efficient driving tips ........................... 5-23
Increasing fuel economy ........................... 5-24
Using 4–wheel drive (4WD)
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-24
Transfer case shifting procedures . . .............5-26
Electronic locking rear differential (E-Lock) system
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-31
Parking/parking on hills ............................ 5-32
Power steering ................................... 5-33
Brake system .................................... 5-33
Brake precautions ............................. 5-33
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) .................5-34
Brake assist .................................. 5-35
Active brake limited slip (ABLS) system .............5-35
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system .............5-36
Brake force distribution ........................ 5-37
Rear sonar system (if so equipped) .................5-38
Cold weather driving .............................. 5-39
Freeing a frozen door lock ......................5-39
Antifreeze ..................................... 5-39

●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.
● 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.
● 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 two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with the
engine running. Doing so may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected ve-
hicle movement which could result in
serious vehicle 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 two
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.
● Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.
5-8Starting and driving

10.Keeping your Vehicle Cool
● Park your vehicle in a covered parking
area or in the shade whenever possible.
● When entering a hot vehicle, opening the
windows will help to reduce the inside
temperature faster, resulting in reduced
demand on your A/C system. ●
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.
● For vehicles equipped with
, use 4H
or 4L position only when necessary. Four-
wheel drive operation 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.
WARNING
● For 4WD equipped vehicles, do not at-
tempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with the
engine running. Doing so may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected ve-
hicle movement which could result in
serious vehicle 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 two
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.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMYUSING 4–WHEEL DRIVE
(4WD) (if so equipped)
5-24Starting and driving

CAUTION
●Do not drive the vehicle in the 4H or 4LO
position on dry hard surface roads. Driv-
ing on dry, hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO
may cause unnecessary noise, tire wear
and increased fuel consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on when
you are driving on dry hard surface
roads:
– in the 4H position, shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
– in the 4LO position, stop the vehicle, move the shift lever to the N (Neutral)
position with the brake pedal de-
pressed, and shift the 4WD shift
switch to 2WD.
● If the warning light is still on after the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
Starting and driving5-25

TRANSFER CASE SHIFTING
PROCEDURES
The part time 4WD system provides 3 positions
(2WD, 4H and 4LO) , so you can select the
desired drive mode according to the driving con-
ditions.
2WD or 4WD shift procedure:
4WD Shift SwitchPosition Wheels Driven Indicator Light
Use Conditions 4WD Shift Procedure
4WD shift Transfer 4LO position
2WD Rear wheels
For driving on dry, paved
roads (Economy drive) Move the 4WD switch.
2WD <—> 4H
4WD shift indicator light will indicate transfer shift
position engaged.
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO MOVE THE SHIFT SE-
LECT TO THE N POSITION IN THIS OPERATION.
PERFORM THIS OPERATION WHEN DRIVING
STRAIGHT.
4H
4 wheels
For driving on rocky,
sandy or snow-covered
roads
(N) Neutral
*1
May blink (N) Neutral disengages
the automatic transmis-
sion mechanical parking
lock, which will allow the
vehicle to roll. Do not
leave the transfer shift
position in (N) Neutral.*2 1. Stop the vehicle.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, move the shift
lever to the N position.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, depress and turn the 4WD shift switch to 4LO or 4H.
THE TRANSFER CASE DOES NOT ENGAGE BE-
TWEEN 4H AND 4LO (OR 4LO TO 4H) UNLESS
YOU HAVE FIRST STOPPED THE VEHICLE, DE-
PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MOVED THE
SHIFT LEVER TO (N) NEUTRAL. *3
4LO
4 wheels
Illuminated For use when maximum
power and traction is re-
quired (for example: on
steep grades or rocky,
sandy, muddy roads)
5-26Starting and driving

*1: Before moving the shift lever from (N) Neutral, wait until the 4LO indicator light stays on steady. This indicates that the 4WD shift procedure is completedand the transfer gear is correctly set in the 4LO position. If the vehicle is shifted into gear before the indicator is on steady, the transfer gear may grind,
not engage correctly or stay in the (N) Neutral position.
- If the 4WD warning light illuminates, perform the following procedure to return the transfer case to correct operating condition.
1. Turn off the engine by turning the ignition switch OFF.
2. Start the engine.
- Check that the 4WD warning light turns off. If the 4WD light illuminates, have the system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
3. Apply the parking brake, depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever to (N) Neutral position.
4. With the brake pedal depressed, move the 4WD shift switch to desired mode.
- Be sure to wait until the transfer gear change completes before shifting the shift lever from (N) Neutral position.
*2: While changing in and out of 4LO, the ignition key must be ON and the vehicle’s engine must be running for a shift to take place and for the indicator lights (4WD shift and 4LO position indicator) to be operable. Otherwise, the shift will not take place and no indicator lights will be on or flashing.
*3: Make sure the transfer 4LO position indicator light turns on when you shift the 4WD shift switch to 4LO. The
indicator light will also turn on when
4LO is selected. For additional information, refer to “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system” in this section.
Starting and driving5-27

The transfer case 4WD shift switch is used to
select either 2WD or 4WD depending on the
driving conditions. There are three types of drive
modes available, 2WD, 4H and 4LO.
The 4WD shift switch electronically controls the
transfer case operation. Rotate the switch to
move between each mode, 2WD, 4H and 4LO.
To change into or out of 4LO, the vehicle
MUST be stationary, shift the shift lever to
(N) Neutral, and depress the brake pedal.
The switch must be pushed and turned to
select 4LO.
WARNING
●When parking, apply the parking brake
before stopping the engine and make
sure that the 4WD shift indicator light is
on and the ATP warning light goes off.
Otherwise, the vehicle could unexpect-
edly move even if the automatic trans-
mission is in the P position.
● The 4LO indicator light must stop blink-
ing and remain illuminated or turn off
before shifting the transmission into
gear. If the shift lever is shifted from the
“N” position to any other gear when the
4LO indicator light is blinking, the ve-
hicle may move unexpectedly.
CAUTION
● Never shift the 4WD shift switch be-
tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
● The 4H position provides greater trac-
tion. Avoid excessive speed, as it will
cause increased fuel consumption and
higher oil temperatures, and could
damage drivetrain components. Speeds
over 62 MPH (100 km/h) in 4H is not
recommended.
● The 4LO position provides maximum
power and traction. Avoid raising ve-
hicle speed excessively, as the maxi-
mum speed is approximately 31 MPH
(50 km/h).
● When driving straight, shift the 4WD
shift switch to the 2WD or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shift switch when
making a turn or reversing.
● Do not shift the 4WD shift switch (be-
tween 2WD and 4H) while driving on
steep downhill grades. Use the engine
brake and low automatic transmission
gears (D1 or D2) for engine braking.
● Do not operate the 4WD shift switch
(between 2WD and 4H) with the rear
wheels spinning. ●
Do not drive on dry hard surface roads
in the 4H or 4LO position. Driving on dry
hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO may cause
unnecessary noise and tire wear.
NISSAN recommends driving in the
2WD position under these conditions.
● The 4WD transfer case may not be
shifted between 4H and 4LO at low am-
bient temperatures and the transfer
4LO position indicator light may blink
even when the 4WD shift switch is
shifted. After driving for a while you can
change the 4WD transfer case between
4H and 4LO.
When driving on rough roads, ● Set the 4WD shift switch to 4H or 4LO.
● Drive carefully according to the road surface
conditions.
When the vehicle is stuck, ● Set the 4WD shift switch to 4H or 4LO.
● Use the Electronic Locking Rear Differential
(E-Lock) system (if so equipped) . Turn the
switch ON while the vehicle is stationary and
apply the throttle to try to free the vehicle.
5-28Starting and driving