
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 com-
pleted. 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.
● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. this may cause a loss of control.
● Never shift to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is re-
versing. This could cause an accident or
damage the transmission.
● 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.
CAUTION
When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by depress-
ing 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.
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 hybrid system, fully de- press 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 ignition
switch is placed in the LOCK, OFF or
ACC position while the ready light illu-
minates.
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) , D (Drive) , or M
(Manual shift mode) 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.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-16Starting and driving

●Never shift to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is re-
versing. This could cause an accident or
damage the transmission.
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.
Shifting
After starting the hybrid system, fully depress the
brake pedal, 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) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped
Use the P (Park) shift lever position when the
vehicle is parked or when starting the hybrid
system. Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped. The brake pedal must be de-
pressed 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
R (Reverse) position only when the vehicle
is completely stopped.
LSD2222
Starting and driving5-17

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
hybrid system can be started in this position. You
may shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled
hybrid system while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
Manual shift mode
When the shift lever is in the manual shift gate,
the transmission is ready for the manual shift
mode. Shift ranges can be selected manually by
moving the shift lever up or down. To cancel
manual shift mode, return the shift lever to the D
(Drive) position. The transmission returns to au-
tomatic driving mode.
When the shift lever is shifted from D (Drive) to
the manual shift gate with the vehicle stopped or
while driving, the transmission enters the manual
shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manu-
ally. 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 (Seventh)
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
6 (Sixth) and 5 (Fifth)
Use this position when driving up long slopes, or
for engine braking when driving down long
slopes.
4 (Fourth) , 3 (Third) and 2 (Second)
Use these positions for hill climbing or engine
braking on downhill grades.
1 (First)
Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly
or when driving slowly, or for maximum engine
braking on steep downhill grades. ● Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than 7th
gear. This reduces fuel economy.
LSD2489
5-18Starting and driving

5. Press the shift lever button and move theshift lever to the N (Neutral) position while
holding down the shift lock release. The
vehicle may be moved to the desired loca-
tion. Replace the removed shift lock release
cover after the operation. If the shift lever
cannot be moved out of the P (Park) posi-
tion, have the CVT system checked as soon
as possible. It is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for this service.
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 —
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 Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL) may come on to indi-
cate the fail-safe mode is activated. For
additional information, refer to “Malfunc-
tion Indicator Light (MIL)” in the “Instru-
ment 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 operating condition. If it does not return to its normal operating
condition, have the transmission checked
and repaired, if necessary. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
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.
5-20Starting and driving

●The Driver Attention Alert system may
not operate properly and may not pro-
vide an alert in the following conditions:
– Poor road conditions such as an un- even road surface or pot holes.
– Strong side wind.
– If you have adopted a sporty driving style with higher cornering speeds or
higher rates of acceleration.
– Frequent lane changes or changes to vehicle speed.
● The Driver Attention Alert system will
not provide an alert in the following
conditions:
– Vehicle speeds lower than 37 mph (60 km/h).
– Short lapses of attention.
– Instantaneous distractions such as dropping an object.
System malfunction
If the Driver Attention Alert system malfunctions,
the system warning message will appear in the
vehicle information display and the function will
be stopped automatically.
Action to take
Stop the vehicle in a safe location, place the
vehicle in P (Park) position, turn the hybrid system
off and restart the hybrid system. If the system
warning message continues to appear, have the
system checked. It is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for this service.
CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km),
follow these recommendations to obtain
maximum engine performance and ensure
the future reliability and economy of your
new vehicle. Failure to follow these rec-
ommendations may result in shortened
engine life and reduced engine
performance.
● Avoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow, and do not run the
engine over 4,000 RPM.
● Do not accelerate at full throttle in any gear.
● Avoid quick starts.
● Avoid hard braking as much as possible.
● Do not tow a trailer for the first 500 mi
(805 km) . Your engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged.
LIC3125
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE
Starting and driving5-77

Follow these easy-to-use Fuel Efficient Driving
Tips to help you achieve the most fuel economy
from your vehicle.1. Use Smooth Accelerator and Brake
Pedal Application
● Avoid rapid starts and stops.
● Use smooth, gentle accelerator and
brake application whenever possible.
● Maintain constant speed while commut-
ing and coast whenever possible.
2. Maintain Constant Speed
● Look ahead to try and anticipate and mini-
mize stops.
● Synchronizing your speed with traffic
lights allows you to reduce your number
of stops.
● Maintaining a steady speed can minimize
red light stops and improve fuel effi-
ciency.
3. Use Air Conditioning (A/C) at Higher
Vehicle Speeds
● Below 40 mph (64 km/h), it is more effi-
cient to open windows to cool the vehicle
due to reduced engine load. ●
Above 40 mph (64 km/h), it is more effi-
cient to use A/C to cool the vehicle due to
increased aerodynamic drag.
● Recirculating the cool air in the cabin
when the A/C is on reduces cooling load.
4. Drive at Economical Speeds and Dis-
tances
● Observing the speed limit and not ex-
ceeding 60 mph (97 km/h) (where legally
allowed) can improve fuel efficiency due
to reduced aerodynamic drag.
● Maintaining a safe following distance be-
hind other vehicles reduces unnecessary
braking.
● Safely monitoring traffic to anticipate
changes in speed permits reduced brak-
ing and smooth acceleration changes.
● Select a gear range suitable to road con-
ditions.
5. Use Cruise Control
● Using cruise control during highway driv-
ing helps maintain a steady speed.
● Cruise control is particularly effective in
providing fuel savings when driving on flat
terrains. 6.
Plan for the Shortest Route
● Utilize a map or navigation system to de-
termine the best route to save time.
7. Avoid Idling
● Shutting off your engine when safe for
stops exceeding 30–60 seconds saves
fuel and reduces emissions.
8. Buy an Automated Pass for Toll Roads
● Automated passes permit drivers to use
special lanes to maintain cruising speed
through the toll and avoid stopping and
starting.
9. Winter Warm Up
● Limit idling time to minimize impact to fuel
economy.
● Vehicles typically need no more than
30 seconds of idling at start-up to effec-
tively circulate the engine oil before driv-
ing.
● Your vehicle will reach its ideal operating
temperature more quickly while driving
versus idling.
FUEL EFFICIENT DRIVING TIPS
5-78Starting 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 all the wheels in correct alignment.
Improper 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. If any malfunction occurs in the AWD system
while the engine is running, messages are dis-
played in the meter.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (if so
equipped)
Starting and driving5-79

If the AWD error warning message is displayed,
there may be a malfunction in the AWD system.
Reduce vehicle speed and have your vehicle
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.The AWD high temperature message may be
displayed while trying to free a stuck vehicle due
to increased oil temperature. The driving mode
may change to 2-wheel drive. If this message is
displayed, stop the vehicle with the engine idling,
as soon as it is safe to do so. Then if the message
turns off, you can continue driving.The tire size message may be displayed if there is
a large difference between the diameters of front
and rear wheels. Pull off the road in a safe area,
with the engine idling. Check that all tire sizes are
the same, that the tire pressure is correct and that
the tires are not excessively worn.
If any warning messages continue to be dis-
played, have your vehicle checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer as soon
as possible.
LSD2528LSD2529LSD2530
5-80Starting and driving