NISSAN is committed to safe driving. However,
you must choose not to drive under the influence
of alcohol. Every year thousands of people are
injured or killed in alcohol-related collisions. Al-
though the local laws vary on what is considered
to be legally intoxicated, the fact is that alcohol
affects all people differently and most people
underestimate the effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix! That is
true for drugs (over-the-counter, prescription)
and illegal drugs too. Don’t drive if your ability to
operate your vehicle is impaired by alcohol,
drugs, or some other physical condition.WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except in
an emergency. (The engine will stop when
the ignition switch is pushed 3 consecu-
tive times in less than 1.5 seconds or the
ignition switch is pushed and held for
more than 2 seconds.) If the engine stops
while the vehicle is being driven, this
could lead to a crash and serious injury.When the ignition switch is pushed without de-
pressing the brake pedal, the ignition switch will
illuminate.
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or OFF
position, push the ignition switch center:● once to change to ACC.
● two times to change to ON.
● three times to change to OFF.
The shift lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
LSD2014
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-10Starting and driving
●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 switch is pushed to the ON
position. For additional information, refer to
“Warning lights, indicator lights and audible
reminders” in the “Instruments and controls”
section of this manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift lever is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position. Depress the brake pedal and push the igni-
tion switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal with the ignition switch in
any position.
● If the engine is very hard to start in ex-
tremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little (ap-
proximately 1/3 to the floor) and while
holding, crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
● If the engine is very hard to start because
it is flooded, depress the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to start cranking the engine. After 5 or
6 seconds, stop cranking by pushing the
ignition switch to LOCK. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal by depressing the
brake pedal and pushing the push-button
ignition switch to start the engine. 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, push the ignition switch to the
OFF position and wait 10 seconds before
cranking again, otherwise the starter
could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 sec-
onds 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 en-
gine running for a minimum of2-3minutes
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 push the ignition
switch to the OFF position.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-14Starting and driving
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 electronic accessories that consume battery power
when the engine is not running (Phone char-
gers, 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.
REMOTE START
Vehicles started with the remote start require the
ignition switch to be placed in the ON position
before the shift lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position. To place the ignition switch to the
ON position, follow these steps:
1. Make sure that the Intelligent Key is on you.
2. Apply the brake.
3. Press the ignition switch once to the ON position.
For additional information, refer to “NISSAN In-
telligent Key®” in the “Pre-driving checks and
adjustments” section of this manual.CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) , D (Drive) , or (M)
Manual shift mode. Always depress the
brake pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident. It can also
damage the vehicle. ●
Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward or
reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
● Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving. This could
cause an accident or damage the
vehicle.
CAUTION
● 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.
● 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.
● The CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.LSD2354
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-15
The CVT can operate in two different automatic
drive modes:● D (Drive) mode - Move the shift lever to D
(Drive) , the transmission is in the normal
forward automatic driving mode. The posi-
tion indicator in the meter shows a “D”.
● Manual shift mode - Move the shift lever over
from D (Drive) to the left into the manual shift
gate. The position indicator in the meter
shows what gear you are in. In the manual
shift mode, transmission operation changes
to Sporty” driving shift operation, creating a
more aggressive acceleration feeling than
the D (Drive) mode and a gear change sen-
sation when the driver accelerates quickly.
● To cancel the manual mode, return the shift
lever to the D (Drive) position. The transmis-
sion returns to the automatic drive mode.
The CVT can operate in two manual drive modes: ● Manual mode - With the shift lever in the
manual shift gate manual mode, manual
mode can be selected by moving the shift
lever up (+) or down (–) or using the shift
paddles (if so equipped) up (+) or down (–) .
In manual mode, the transmission will pro-
duce noticeable upshifts and downshifts.
The position indicator in the meter shows the
gear you are in. ●
Temporary manual shift mode - With the shift
lever in the D (Drive) mode and if the shift
paddle is moved + (up) or - (down) , the
transmission will temporarily switch to the
manual mode. If the shift paddles are not
used after5-10seconds, the transmission
will return to the D (Drive) mode.
● To cancel the manual mode and return to the
D (Drive) mode, press and hold either shift
paddle for3-5seconds.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
NOTE:
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.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift lever into a driving gear.
3. Release the foot brake, then gradually start the vehicle in motion. 4. Stop the vehicle completely before shifting
the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
The CVT is designed so the foot brake
pedal MUST be depressed before shifting
from P (Park) to any drive position while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park) and into any of the other gear posi-
tions if the ignition switch is pushed to the
LOCK position.
5-16Starting and driving
To move the shift lever:
Press the button while depressing the
brake pedal
Press the button to shift
Shift without pressing button
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift lever from P (Park) 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.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) 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 should be depressed 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
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.
LSD2358
Starting and driving5-17
Manual shift mode
The transmission enters the manual shift mode by
moving the shift lever to the left side in the “D”
range. You can select the manual shift range
either by moving the shift lever up or down, or by
pulling the right-side or left-side paddle shifter (if
so equipped) . To cancel the manual shift mode,
return shift lever to the right D (Drive) position.
The transmission returns to automatic driving
mode.
When the shift lever is shifted from D (Drive) to
the manual shift gate
Awith the vehicle stopped
or while driving, the transmission enters the
manual shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manually. Shift ranges can also be selected using
the shift paddles (if so equipped) on the steering
wheel
BandC. In the manual shift mode, the
shift range is displayed on the position indicator
in the meter. When shifting the shift lever to the
manual shift gate, the position indicator displays
1 (first) up to 7 (seventh) depending on vehicle
speed.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
1⇔ 2⇔ 3⇔ 4⇔ 5⇔ 6⇔ 7
7 (7th)
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds. M5 (5th) and M6 (6th)
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 6
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.
LSD2359LSD0193
5-18Starting and driving
●The transmission will automatically down-
shift the gears. (For example, if you select the
3rd range, the transmission will shift down
between the 3rd and 1st gears.)
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.
● When this situation occurs, the CVT
position indicator light will blink and
the chime will sound.
● 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.
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 pressed.
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 a NISSAN dealer
or a professional towing service.
LSD2360
Starting and driving5-19
To move the shift lever, complete the following
procedure:1. Press 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 rotate clockwise.
5. Move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) posi- tion while holding down the shift lock re-
lease.
6. Push the ignition switch to the ON position to unlock the steering wheel. Now the ve-
hicle may be moved to the desired location.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of P (Park) ,
have a NISSAN dealer check the transmission as
soon as possible.
CAUTION
Make sure to take extra care during the
removal of the shift lock cap as this part is
easily damaged.
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 (Drive) position and manual
shift mode
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into lower range, 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.
5-20Starting and driving