5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ..................5-2
Three-way catalyst ..............................5-2
Driving precautions .............................5-3
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ..........5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover . . ..................5-6
Off-road recovery ...............................5-6
Rapid air pressure loss ..........................5-7
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ................5-8
Ignition switch .....................................5-8
Automatic transmission ..........................5-8
Ignition switch positions .........................5-9
NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
(if so equipped) ................................5-9
Before starting the engine ......................... 5-10
Starting the engine ............................... 5-10
Driving the vehicle ................................ 5-11
Engine protection mode ........................ 5-11
Automatic transmission ......................... 5-12
Parking brake .................................... 5-17
Cruise control (if so equipped) .....................5-17
Precautions on cruise control . . .................5-17
Cruise control operations .......................5-18Break-in schedule
................................ 5-19
Fuel efficient driving tips ........................... 5-19
Increasing fuel economy ........................... 5-21
Parking/parking on hills ............................ 5-21
Power steering ................................... 5-22
Brake system .................................... 5-22
Brake precautions ............................. 5-22
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) .................5-23
Brake assist .................................. 5-24
Active brake limited slip (ABLS) system .............5-24
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system .............5-25
Brake force distribution ........................ 5-26
Rear sonar system (RSS) (if so equipped) ...........5-27
Front and Rear Sonar System (if so equipped) .......5-28
Cold weather driving .............................. 5-30
Freeing a frozen door lock ......................5-30
Antifreeze ..................................... 5-30
Battery ....................................... 5-30
Draining
of coolant water ....................... 5-30
Tire equipment ................................ 5-30
Special winter equipment .......................5-31
Driving on snow or ice ......................... 5-31
Engine block heater (if so equipped) .............5-31
WARNING
●Do not leave children or adults who
would normally require the assistance
of others alone in your vehicle. Pets
should also not be left alone. They
could accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent operation of
the vehicle. Also, on hot, sunny days,
temperatures in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to cause
severe or possibly fatal injuries to
people or animals.
● Properly secure all cargo with ropes or
straps to help prevent it from sliding or
shifting. Do not place cargo higher than
the seatbacks. In a sudden stop or col-
lision, unsecured cargo could cause
personal injury.
EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)
WARNING
● Do not breathe exhaust gases; they
contain colorless and odorless carbon
monoxide. Carbon monoxide is danger-
ous. It can cause unconsciousness or
death. ●
Always keep the doors closed when
driving the vehicle. Do not drive with the
doors open and do not attempt to trans-
port long cargo by driving with the
doors open. Doing so can damage the
doors and door hinges. Cargo may also
fall out of the vehicle which may cause
serious personal injury or death.
● If you suspect that exhaust fumes are
entering the vehicle, drive with all win-
dows fully open, and have the vehicle
inspected immediately.
● Do not run the engine in closed spaces
such as a garage.
● Do not park the vehicle with the engine
running for any extended length of time.
● Keep the doors closed while driving,
otherwise exhaust gases could be
drawn into the passenger compartment.
If you must drive with this open, follow
these precautions:
1. Open all the windows.
2. Set the
air recirculation but-
ton to off and the fan control dial to
high to circulate the air. ●
If electrical wiring or other cable con-
nections must pass to a trailer through
the seal on the body, follow the manu-
facturer’s recommendation to prevent
carbon monoxide entry into the vehicle.
● The exhaust system and body should be
inspected by a qualified mechanic
whenever:
a. The vehicle is raised for service.
b. You suspect that exhaust fumes are entering into the passenger
compartment.
c. You notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system.
d. You have had an accident involving damage to the exhaust system, un-
derbody, or rear of the vehicle.
THREE-WAY CATALYST
The three-way catalyst is an emission control
device installed in the exhaust system. Exhaust
gases in the three-way catalyst are burned at
high temperatures to help reduce pollutants.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING
AND DRIVING
5-2Starting and driving
WARNING
●The exhaust gas and the exhaust sys-
tem are very hot. Keep people, animals
or flammable materials away from the
exhaust system components.
● Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry grass,
waste paper or rags. They may ignite
and cause a fire.
CAUTION
● Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline will seriously re-
duce the three-way catalyst’s ability to
help reduce exhaust pollutants.
● Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich
fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep driv-
ing if the engine misfires, or if notice-
able loss of performance or other un-
usual operating conditions are
detected. Have the vehicle inspected
promptly by a NISSAN dealer. ●
Avoid driving with an extremely low fuel
level. Running out of fuel could cause
the engine to misfire, damaging the
three-way catalyst.
● Do not race the engine while warming it
up.
● Do not push or tow your vehicle to start
the engine.
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
They have larger tires and higher ground clear-
ance than passenger cars to make them capable
of performing in a variety of applications. This
gives them a higher center of gravity than ordinary
cars. An advantage of higher ground clearance is
a better view of the road, allowing you to antici-
pate problems. However, they are not designed
for cornering at the same speeds as conventional
2-wheel drive vehicles any more than low-slung
sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily
under off-road conditions. If at all possible, avoid
sharp turns at high speeds. As with other vehicles
of this type, failure to operate this vehicle cor-
rectly may result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a person wear-
ing a seat belt. A loaded vehicle with a higher center of gravity
may handle differently than an unloaded vehicle.
The risk of loss of control or vehicle rollover
increases as more cargo is loaded in the vehicle.
The risk increases because the cargo placed in
the vehicle raises the vehicle’s center of gravity .
As a result, the van handles differently from other
ordinary passenger vehicles and it has less resis-
tance to rollover which can make it more difficult
to control in an emergency situation. Placing any
load on the roof also raises the center of gravity
and increases the potential for rollover. Do not
overload your vehicle and make sure the load is
evenly distributed.
To reduce the risk of loss of control or vehicle
rollover drive at slower speed, avoid abrupt steer-
ing changes and increase your following distance
and allow for increased stopping distance.
Be sure to read the driving safety precautions in
this section.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided) ,
should be checked monthly when cold and in-
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by
the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
Starting and driving5-3
To remove the key from the ignition switch:1. Shift the shift lever to the P (Park) position with the ignition switch in the ON position.
2. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK posi- tion.
3. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
If the shift lever is shifted to the P (Park) position
after the ignition switch is placed in the OFF
position or when the ignition switch cannot be
placed in the LOCK position, proceed as follows
to remove the key. 1. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) posi- tion.
2. Place the ignition switch slightly toward the ON position.
3. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK posi- tion.
4. Remove the key.
The shift lever is designed so it cannot move out
of P (Park) and into any of the other gear posi-
tions if the ignition switch is placed in the OFF
position or if the key is removed from the switch.
The shift lever can be moved if the ignition
switch is in the ON position and the foot
brake pedal is depressed. There is an OFF position between the
LOCK and ON positions. The OFF position
is indicated by a “1” on the ignition switch.
For models without NISSAN Vehicle Immo-
bilizer System: when the ignition switch is
in the OFF position, the steering wheel is
not locked.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a turn clockwise
from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, turn the ignition
to the LOCK position. Remove the key. To
unlock the steering wheel, insert the key
and turn it gently while rotating the steer-
ing wheel slightly right and left.
If the key will not turn from the LOCK posi-
tion, turn the steering wheel to the left or
right while turning the key to unlock the key
cylinder.
IGNITION SWITCH POSITIONS
LOCK: Normal parking position (0)
OFF: (1)
The engine can be turned off without locking the
steering wheel.
ACC: (Accessories) (2)
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio when the engine is not running.
ON: Normal operating position (3)
This position turns on the ignition system and the
electrical accessories.
START: (4)
This position starts the engine. As soon as the
engine has started, release the key. It automati-
cally returns to the ON position.
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM (if so equipped)
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System will not
allow the engine to start without the use of the
registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered key (for
example, when interference is caused by another
registered key, an automated toll road device or
automatic payment device on the key ring) , restart
the engine using the following procedures:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position
for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately 10 sec-
onds.
Starting and driving5-9
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the device(which may have caused the interference)
separate from the registered key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN rec-
ommends placing the registered key on a sepa-
rate key ring to avoid interference from other
devices. ●
Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
● Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid, and windshield-washer fluid
as frequently as possible, or at least when-
ever you refuel.
● Check that all windows and lights are clean.
● Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
● Check that all doors are closed.
● 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 placed in the ON posi-
tion. 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 shift lever cannot be moved out of
P (Park) and into any of the other gear
positions if the ignition switch is
turned to the OFF position or if the key
is removed from the ignition switch.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift lever is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by placing the ignition
switch in the START position. Release the
key 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 ex-
tremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little (ap-
proximately 1/3 to the floor) and hold it
and then crank the engine. Release the
key and 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.
Crank the engine for 5–6 seconds. After
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-10Starting and driving
cranking the engine, release the accel-
erator pedal. Crank the enginewith your
foot off the accelerator pedal by turn-
ing the ignition key to START. Release the
key 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 key off and wait 10 sec-
onds before cranking again, otherwise the
starter could be damaged.
4. 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 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. 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.
ENGINE PROTECTION MODE
The engine has an engine protection mode to
reduce the chance of damage if the coolant tem-
perature becomes too high (for example, when
climbing steep grades in high temperature with
heavy loads, such as when towing a trailer) .
When the engine temperature reaches a certain
level:
● The engine coolant temperature gauge will
move toward the H position.
● Engine power may be reduced.
● The air conditioning cooling function may be
automatically turned off for a short time (the
blower will continue to operate) .
Engine power and, under some conditions, ve-
hicle speed will decrease. Vehicle speed can be
controlled with the accelerator pedal, but the
vehicle may not accelerate at the desired speed.
The transmission will downshift or upshift as it
reaches prescribed shift points. You can also
shift manually.
As driving conditions change and engine coolant
temperature is reduced, vehicle speed can be
increased using the accelerator pedal, and air
conditioning cooling function will automatically
be turned back on.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-11
If:1. The engine coolant temperature is not re- duced.
2. The air conditioning cooling function does not turn back on.
3. If the engine oil pressure low warning light illuminates or the engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge indicates an overheating condi-
tion, this may indicate a malfunction. Move
the vehicle off the road in a safe area and
allow the engine to cool. If either condition is
still present after checking the oil and cool-
ant, do not continue to drive and call a
NISSAN dealer.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may also
come on. If onlyit remains on, you do not need to
have your vehicle towed, but have it inspected
soon by a NISSAN dealer. For additional informa-
tion, refer to “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” in
the “Instruments and controls ” section of this
manual.WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced engine
power and vehicle speed. The reduced
speed may be lower than other traffic,
which could increase the chance of a col-
lision. Be especially careful when driving.
If the vehicle cannot maintain a safe driv-
ing speed, pull to the side of the road in a
safe area. Allow the engine to cool and
return to normal operation. For additional
information, refer to “If your vehicle over-
heats” in the “In case of emergency” sec-
tion of this manual.
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause se-
rious damage to the engine almost imme-
diately. Such damage is not covered by
warranty. Turn off the engine as soon as it
is safe to do so.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) , or 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 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.
5-12Starting and driving
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.
The automatic transmission 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.
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. The automatic transmission 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 the
P (Park) position and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition switch is
placed in the LOCK or OFF position.
To move the shift lever:
: Shift while depressing the brake pedal
: Shift without depressing brake pedal
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift lever out of the P (Park)
position.
LIC2709
Starting and driving5-13