The VDC system uses various sensors to monitor
driver inputs and vehicle motion. Under certain
driving conditions, the VDC system helps to per-
form the following functions.
• Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel slip onone slipping drive wheel so power is transferred
to a drive wheel on the same axle that is not
slipping.
• Controls brake pressure and traction motor out- put to reduce drive wheel slip based on vehicle
speed (traction control function) .
• Controls brake pressure at individual wheels and traction motor output to help the driver
maintain control of the vehicle in the following
conditions. – understeer (vehicle tends to not follow the steered path despite increased steering in-
put) .
– oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to cer- tain road or driving conditions) .
The VDC system can help the driver maintain
control of the vehicle, but it cannot prevent loss of
vehicle control in all driving situations.
When the VDC system operates, the
warning in the instrument panel flashes. When
the warning flashes, note the following items. • The road may be slippery or the system may
determine some action is required to help keep
the vehicle on the steered path.
• You may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a noise or vibration from under the hood.
This is normal and indicates that the VDC sys-
tem is working properly.
• Adjust your speed and driving according to the road conditions.
For additional information, refer to “Vehicle Dy-
namic Control (VDC) warning light” and “Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) off indicator light” in the
“Instruments and controls” section of this manual.
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
warning illuminates in the lower display. The VDC
system automatically turns off when this warning
light is lit.
The VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the VDC
system. The VDC off indicator
illuminates
to indicate that the VDC system is off. When the
VDC switch is used to turn off the system, the
VDC system still operates to prevent one drive
wheel from slipping by transferring power to a
non slipping wheel. The
flashes if this
occurs. All other VDC functions are off and the
warning will not flash. The VDC System is
automatically reset to ON when the power switch is placed in the OFF position then back to the ON
position.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you start the EV
and move the vehicle forward or in reverse at a
slow speed. When the self-test occurs, you may
hear a “clunk” noise and/or feel a pulsation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
• The VDC system is designed to help the driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving tech-
niques. Reduce vehicle speed and be
especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-23
To shut off the EV (Electric Vehicle) system in an
emergency situation while driving, perform the
following procedure.
• Rapidly push the power switch three consecu-tive times in less than 1.5 seconds, or
• Push and hold the power switch for more than 2 seconds.TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with TPMS. It monitors
tire pressure of all tires. When the low tire pres-
sure warning light is lit, and the CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE warning appears on the vehicle in-
formation display, one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. If the vehicle is being
driven with low tire pressure, the TPMS will acti-
vate and warn you of it by the low tire pressure
warning light. This system will activate only when
the vehicle is driven at speeds above 16 mph
(25 km/h) . For additional information, refer to
“Warning lights, indicator lights and audible re-
minders” in the “Instruments and controls” sec-
tion and “Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)” in the “Starting and driving” section of
this manual.
WARNING
• Radio waves could adversely affect electric medical equipment. Those
who use a pacemaker should contact
the electric medical equipment manu-
facturer for the possible influences be-
fore use. • If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull off
the road to a safe location and stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. Driving
with underinflated tires may perma-
nently damage the tires and increase
the likelihood of tire failure. Serious
vehicle damage could occur and may
lead to an accident and could result in
serious personal injury. Check the tire
pressure for all four tires. Adjust the
tire pressure to the recommended
COLD tire pressure shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light
OFF. If the light still illuminates while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may be flat. If you have a
flat tire, repair it as soon as possible.
• When a wheel is replaced, the TPMS will not function and the low tire pres-
sure warning light will flash for ap-
proximately 1 minute. The light will re-
main on after 1 minute. Contact a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer as soon
as possible for tire replacement
and/or system resetting.
EMERGENCY EV (ELECTRIC
VEHICLE) SHUT OFF FLAT TIRE
In case of emergency6-3
Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size, tread
design, speed rating and load carrying capacity as
originally equipped. For additional information, re-
fer to “Specifications” in the “Technical and con-
sumer information” section of this manual for rec-
ommended types and sizes of tires and wheels.
WARNING
• The use of tires other than those rec- ommended or the mixed use of tires of
different brands, construction (bias,
bias-belted or radial) , or tread patterns
can adversely affect the ride, braking,
handling, Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) system, ground clearance, body-
to-tire clearance, tire chain clearance,
speedometer calibration, headlight
aim and bumper height. Some of these
effects may lead to accidents and
could result in serious personal injury.
• If your vehicle was originally equipped with 4 tires that were the same size
and you are only replacing 2 of the 4
tires, install the new tires on the rear
axle. Placing new tires on the front
axle may cause loss of vehicle control
in some driving conditions and cause
an accident and personal injury. • If the wheels are changed for any rea-
son, always replace with wheels which
have the same off-set dimension.
Wheels of a different off-set could
cause premature tire wear, degrade
vehicle handling characteristics, affect
the VDC system and/or interference
with the brake discs. Such interference
can lead to decreased braking effi-
ciency and/or early brake pad/shoe
wear. For additional information on
wheel-off set dimensions, refer to
“Wheels and tires” in the “Technical
and consumer information” section of
this manual.
• When a wheel is replaced, the TPMS will not function and the low tire pres-
sure warning light will flash for ap-
proximately 1 minute. The light will re-
main on after 1 minute. Contact a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer as soon
as possible for tire replacement
and/or system resetting.
• Replacing tires with those not origi- nally specified by NISSAN could affect
the proper operation of the TPMS.
• The TPMS sensor may be damaged if it is not handled correctly. Be careful
when handling the TPMS sensor. • When replacing the TPMS sensor, the
ID registration may be required. Con-
tact a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for
ID registration.
• Do not use a valve stem cap that is not specified by NISSAN. The valve stem
cap may become stuck.
• Be sure that the valve stem caps are correctly fitted. Otherwise the valve
may be clogged up with dirt and cause
a malfunction or loss of pressure.
• Do not install a damaged or deformed wheel or tire even if it has been re-
paired. Such wheels or tires could have
structural damage and could fail with-
out warning.
• The use of retread tire is not recom- mended.
• For additional information regarding tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety Infor-
mation” (Canada) in the Warranty In-
formation Booklet.
8-36Maintenance and do-it yourself