2017 NISSAN PATHFINDER Steering

●Do not drive across steep slopes. In-
stead drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. Off-road vehicles can
tip over sideways much more easily
than they can forward or backward.
● 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.
● Always drive with the floor mats in place
as the floor may become hot.
● 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.
● When a wheel is off the ground due to
an unlevel surface, do not spin the
wheel excessively.
Starting and driving5-9

●Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.
● If at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high speeds.
Your NISSAN vehicle has a higher cen-
ter of gravity than a passenger car. The
vehicle is not designed for cornering at
the same speeds as passenger cars.
● Failure to operate this vehicle correctly
could result in loss of control and/or a
rollover accident.
● Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted,
or radial) , and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Install tire chains on the front
wheels when driving on slippery roads
and drive carefully.
● Be sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately after driving in mud or water. For
additional information, refer to “Brake
system” in this section.
● Avoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and it
rolls forward, backward or sideways,
you could be injured. ●
Whenever you drive off-road through
sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent maintenance
may be required. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Severe driving condi-
tions” in the “Maintenance and sched-
ules” section of this manual.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 three con-
secutive times in quick succession 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.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-10Starting and driving

THE ICC SWITCH
The system is operated by the CRUISE ON/OFF
switch and four control switches, all mounted on
the steering wheel.1. CANCEL switch:
Deactivates the system without erasing the
set speed.
2. ACCEL/RES switch:
Resumes set speed or increases speed in-
crementally. 3.
COAST/SET switch:
Sets desired cruise speed or reduces speed
incrementally.
4. DISTANCE
switch:
Changes the vehicle’s following distance:
● Long
● Middle
● Short
5. CRUISE ON/OFF switch:
Master switch to activate the system.
The ICC system display and indicators
The display is located between the speedometer
and tachometer. 1. CRUISE ON/OFF switch indicator: ●ICC system ON indicator (white): In-
dicates that the CRUISE ON/OFF switch
is ON.
● ICC system SET indicator (green):
Indicates that the cruising speed is set.
● ICC system warning (orange): Indi-
cates that if there is a malfunction in the
ICC system.
LSD2739LSD2285
Starting and driving5-43

NOTE:
The approach warning chime may sound
and the system display may blink when the
ICC sensor detects objects on the side of
the vehicle or on the side of the road. This
may cause the ICC system to decelerate or
accelerate the vehicle. The ICC sensor may
detect these objects when the vehicle is
driven on winding roads, narrow roads, hilly
roads, or when entering or exiting a curve.
In these cases you will have to manually
control the proper distance ahead of your
vehicle.
Also, the sensor sensitivity can be affected by
vehicle operation (steering maneuver or driving
position in the lane) or traffic or vehicle condition
(for example, if a vehicle is being driven with some
damage) .
ICC SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations for
the ICC system. Failure to operate the
vehicle in accordance with these system
limitations could result in serious injury or
death.
●The ICC system is primarily intended for
use on straight, dry, open roads with
light traffic. It is not advisable to use the
ICC system in city traffic or congested
areas. ●
The ICC system will not adapt automati-
cally to road conditions. This system
should be used in evenly flowing traffic.
Do not use the system on roads with
sharp curves, or on icy roads, in heavy
rain or in fog.
SSD0252
5-48Starting and driving

●When excessively heavy baggage is loaded
in the rear seat or cargo area of your vehicle.
The ICC system is designed to automatically
check the sensor’s operation within the limita-
tions of the system.
The detection zone of the ICC sensor is limited. A
vehicle ahead must be in the detection zone for
the vehicle-to-vehicle distance detection mode
to maintain the selected distance from the vehicle
ahead.
A vehicle ahead may move outside of the detec-
tion zone due to its position within the same lane
of travel. Motorcycles may not be detected in the
same lane ahead if they are traveling offset from
the centerline of the lane. A vehicle that is enter-
ing the lane ahead may not be detected until the
vehicle has completely moved into the lane.
If this occurs, the ICC system may warn you
by blinking the system indicator and
sounding the chime. The driver may have to
manually control the proper distance away
from vehicle traveling ahead. When driving on some roads, such as winding,
hilly, curved, narrow roads, or roads which are
under construction, the ICC sensor may detect
vehicles in a different lane, or may temporarily not
detect a vehicle traveling ahead. This may cause
the ICC system to decelerate or accelerate the
vehicle.
The detection of vehicles may also be affected by
vehicle operation (steering maneuver or traveling
position in the lane, etc.) or vehicle condition.If this occurs, the ICC system may warn you
by blinking the system indicator and
sounding the chime unexpectedly. You will
have to manually control the proper dis-
tance away from the vehicle traveling
ahead.
SSD0253
5-50Starting and driving

Depending on vehicle speed and distance to the
vehicle ahead, as well as driving and roadway
conditions, the system may help the driver avoid a
forward collision or may help mitigate the conse-
quences of a collision, should one be unavoid-
able. If the driver is handling the steering wheel,
accelerating or braking, the FEB system will func-
tion later or will not function.
The automatic braking will cease under the fol-
lowing conditions:● When the steering wheel is turned as far as
necessary to avoid a collision.
● When the accelerator pedal is depressed.
● When there is no longer a vehicle detected
ahead.
If the FEB system has stopped the vehicle, the
vehicle will remain at a standstill for approximately
2 seconds before the brakes are released.
LSD2766
5-56Starting and driving

●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.
● 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.4X4–I SYSTEM OPERATION
WARNING
●Do not drive beyond the performance
capability of the tires. Accelerating
quickly, sharp steering maneuvers or
sudden braking may cause loss of con-
trol, even with Intelligent 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 vehicle movement which
could result in serious personal injury or
vehicle damage.
● 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 2
wheels are raised off the ground. Make
sure that you inform the test facility
personnel that your vehicle is equipped
with 4WD before it is placed on a dyna-
mometer. Using the wrong test equip-
ment may result in drivetrain damage or
unexpected vehicle movement which
could result in serious personal injury
or vehicle damage.
CAUTION
●Do not operate the engine on a free
roller when any of the wheels are
raised.
● If you use the free roller, rotate 4 wheels
with the same speed without raising
any wheels.
● If a 4WD warning message is displayed
while driving there may be a malfunc-
tion in the 4WD system. Reduce the
vehicle speed immediately and have
your vehicle checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
as soon as possible.
● If the 4WD high temperature message is
displayed while you are driving, pull off
the road in a safe area, and idle the
engine. The driving mode will change to
2WD to prevent the 4WD system from
malfunctioning. If the warning message
turns off, you can drive again.
● If the incorrect tire size message is dis-
played while you are driving, 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.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY INTELLIGENT 4WD (if so equipped)
5-62Starting and driving

WARNING
●If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the steering will not work. Steering will
be harder to operate.
● When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running,
there will be no power assist for the
steering. You will still have control of
the vehicle, but the steering will be
harder to operate. Have the power
steering system checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
The power steering system is designed to pro-
vide power assist while driving to operate the
steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated repeatedly
or continuously while parking or driving at a very
low speed, the power assist for the steering
wheel will be reduced. This is to prevent over-
heating of the power steering system and protect
it from getting damaged. While the power assist
is reduced, steering wheel operation will become
heavy. When the temperature of the power steer-
ing system goes down, the power assist level will
return to normal. Avoid repeating such steering wheel operations that could cause the power
steering system to overheat.
You may hear a sound when the steering wheel is
operated quickly. However, this is not a malfunc-
tion.
If the electric power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may indicate
the power steering system is not functioning
properly and may need servicing. Have the power
steering system checked. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
When the electric power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running, there will be
no power assist for the steering, but you will still
have control of the vehicle. At this time, greater
steering effort is required to operate the steering
wheel, especially in sharp turns and at low
speeds.
For additional information, refer to “Power steer-
ing warning light” in the “Instruments and con-
trols” section of this manual.
The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using engine
vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop the
vehicle by depressing the brake pedal. However,
greater foot pressure on the brake pedal will be
required to stop the vehicle and stopping dis-
tance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will overheat the brakes, wear out the
brake pads faster, and reduce gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may
reduce braking performance and could result in
loss of vehicle control.
POWER STEERING
BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-67