Page 305 of 508

5-20Starting and driving
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANS-
MISSION (CVT)
The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
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.
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.
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 or OFF
position.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 (Neutral) to R (Reverse) , D
(Drive) , or manual shift mode. Al-
ways 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 vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) while the vehicle is rever-
sing. This could cause an accident
or damage the transmission.
.Do not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss ofcontrol.
CAUTION
.To avoid possible damage to your
vehicle; when stopping the vehicle
on an uphill grade, do not hold the
vehicle by depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. The foot brake should be
used for this purpose.
.Except in an emergency, do not shift
to the N (Neutral) position while
driving. Coasting with the transmis-
sion in the N (Neutral) position may
cause serious damage to the trans-
mission.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
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JVS1025X
To move the shift lever,
:Push the button*Awhile depressing the
brake pedal.
:Push the button*A.
:Just move the shift lever.
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal, push 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.
If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF or
ACC position for any reason while the shift lever
is in any positions other than the P (Park) , the
ignition switch cannot be placed in the LOCK
position.
If the ignition switch cannot be placed in the
LOCK position, perform the following steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle is
stopped.
2. Place the ignition switch in the ON position
while depressing the foot brake pedal.3. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK
position.
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, move
the shift lever to the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position only when the vehi-
cle is completely stopped.
P (Park):
Use this position when the vehicle is parked or
when starting the engine. Make sure the vehicle
is completely stopped.The brake pedal must
be depressed 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 to the P (Park) position.
R (Reverse):
Use this 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 driving
Starting and driving5-21
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5-22Starting and driving
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.
Manual shift mode
When the shift lever is shifted from the D (Drive)
position to the manual shift gate, the transmis-
sion enters the manual shift mode. Shift ranges
can be selected manually by moving the shift
lever up or down.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is
displayed on the position indicator in the meter.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1?
M2?
M3?
M4?
M5?
M6?
M7
//////
.When shifting up, move the shift lever to the
+ (up) side. The transmission shifts to a
higher range.
.When shifting down, move the shift lever to
the í(down) side. The transmission shifts to
a lower range..Moving the shift lever to the same side twice
will shift the ranges in succession. However,
if this motion is rapidly done, the second
shifting may not be completed properly.
.When canceling the manual shift mode,
return the shift lever to the D (Drive) position.
The transmission returns to the normal
driving mode.
M7 (7th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
However, you need to shift down the gears
manually when accelerating or passing another
vehicle.
M6 (6th) and M5 (5th):
Use these positions when driving up long
slopes, or for engine braking when driving down
long slopes.
M4 (4th) , M3 (3rd) and M2 (2nd) :
Use these positions 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 M7range. This reduces fuel economy.
.In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected
range. This helps maintain driving per-
formance and reduces the chance of
vehicle damage or loss of control.
.In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down to 1st
gear before the vehicle comes to a
stop. When accelerating again, it is
necessary to shift up to the desired
range.
.When the CVT fluid temperature is extre-
mely low, the manual shift mode may not
work and automatically shift as a drive mode.
This is not a malfunction. In this case, return
the shift lever to the D (Drive) position and
drive for a while and then shift to the manual
shift mode.
.When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the
shift range may upshift at a lower engine
speed than usual. This is not a malfunction.
Accelerator downshift — In D position —
For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, depending
on the vehicle speed.
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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 temperature with heavy
loads) , engine power and, under some condi-
tions, vehicle speed will be decreased auto-
matically 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
conditions, such as excessive wheel spin-
ning and subsequent hard braking, the
fail-safe system may be activated. The MIL
may illuminate to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. (See “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” (P.2-16) .) 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 turn 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
recommended you visit a NISSAN dealerfor this service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection 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 ne-
cessary, pull to the side of the road at a
safe place and allow the transmission
to return to normal operation, or have it
repaired if necessary.
Adaptive Shift Control (ASC)
The Adaptive Shift Control automatically oper-
ates when the transmission is in the “D” (Drive)
position and selects an appropriate gear de-
pending on the road conditions such as uphill or
downhill.
Control on uphill and curving roads:
A low gear is maintained that suits the degree of
the slope to allow smooth driving with a small
number of shifts.Control on downhill roads:
The Adaptive Shift Control shifts to a low gear
that suits the degree of the slope when the
accelerator pedal is depressed, and uses the
engine braking to help driving in the downhill.
Control on winding roads:
A low gear is maintained on continuous curves
that involve repeated acceleration and decelera-
tion, so that smooth acceleration is available
instantly when the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed.
NOTE:
.Adaptive Shift Control may not operate
when the transmission oil temperature
is low immediately after the start of
driving or when it is very hot.
.During some driving situations, hard
braking for example, the Adaptive Shift
Control may automatically operate. The
transmission may automatically shift to
a lower gear for engine braking. This
increases engine speed but not vehicle
speed. Vehicle speed is controlled by
the accelerator pedal when the vehicle
is in the Adaptive Shift Control mode.
.When the Adaptive Shift Control oper-
ates, the transmission sometimes
maintains a lower gear for a longer
period of time than when Adaptive
Starting and driving5-23
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5-24Starting and driving
Shift Control is not operating. Engine
speed will be higher for a specific
vehicle speed while Adaptive Shift
Control is operating than when Adap-
tive Shift Control is not operating.
JVS0392X
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 pushed.
To move the shift lever, perform the following
procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or
LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover (shown
in the illustration above) using a suitable
tool.4. Insert the mechanical key and push down
the shift lock release.
5. Push the shift lever button and move the
shift lever to the N (Neutral) position while
holding down the shift lock release.
Place the ignition switch in the ON position. The
vehicle may be moved to the desired location.
Replace the removed shift lock release cover
after the operation.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of the P
(Park) position, have the CVT system checked
as soon as possible. It is recommended 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
running and the brake pedal is de-
pressed, the stop lights may not work.
Malfunctioning stop lights could cause
an accident injuring yourself and
others.
Page 310 of 508

MANUAL TRANSMISSION (MT)
WARNING
.Do not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
.Do not over-rev the engine when
shifting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage.
.When the high fluid temperature
protection mode or fail-safe opera-
tion 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 operation, or have
it repaired if necessary.
CAUTION
.Do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving. This may da-
mage the clutch.
.Fully depress the clutch pedal be-
fore shifting to help prevent trans-
mission damage.
.Stop your vehicle completely before
shifting into R (Reverse) .
.When the vehicle is stopped for a
period of time, for example at a stop
light, shift to N (Neutral) and release
the clutch pedal with the foot brake
applied.
SSD0552
Shifting
To change gears, or when upshifting or down-
shifting, fully depress the clutch pedal, shift into
the appropriate gear, then slowly and smoothly
release the clutch pedal.
To ensure smooth gear changes, be sure to fully
depress the clutch pedal before operating the
shift lever. If the clutch pedal is not fully
depressed before the transmission is shifted, a
gear noise may be heard. Transmission damage
could occur.
Start the vehicle in 1st gear and shift to 2nd,
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gear in sequence accord-
ing to vehicle speed.
Starting and driving5-25
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5-26Starting and driving
To back up, pull the shift lever ring*1upward
and then move it to the R (Reverse) gear after
stopping the vehicle completely.
The shift lever ring returns to its original position
when the shift lever is moved to the N (Neutral)
position.
If it is difficult to move the shift lever into the R
(Reverse) or 1st gear, shift to the N (Neutral)
position, and then release the clutch pedal once.
Fully depress the clutch pedal again and shift
into the R (Reverse) or 1st gear.Suggested maximum speed in each gear
Downshift to a lower gear if the engine is not
running smoothly, or if you need to accelerate.
Do not exceed the maximum suggested speed
(shown below) in any gear. For level road
driving, use the highest gear suggested for that
speed. Always observe posted speed limits, and
drive according to the road conditions, which
will ensure safe operation. Do not over-rev the
engine when shifting to a lower gear as it may
cause engine damage or loss of vehicle control.
GearMPH (km/h)
1st28 (46)
2nd50 (81)
3rd70 (112)
4th90 (145)
5th—
6th—
WARNING
.Never drive the vehicle with the
parking brake applied. The brake
will overheat and fail to operate and
will lead to an accident.
.Never release the parking brake
from outside the vehicle. If the
vehicle moves, it will be impossible
to push the foot brake pedal and
will lead to an accident.
.Never use the shift lever in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
applied.
.To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of
the vehicle and/or its systems, do
not leave children, people who re-
quire the assistance of others or
pets unattended in your vehicle.
Additionally, the temperature inside
a closed vehicle on a warm day can
quickly become high enough to
cause a significant risk of injury or
death to people and pets.
PARKING BRAKE
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SPA2331
PEDAL TYPE
To apply the parking brake, firmly depress the
parking brake pedal
*1.
To release the parking brake, depress and hold
the foot brake
*2and then fully depress and
release the parking brake pedal
*1.
Before driving, be sure that the brake warning
light has turned off.
JVP0498X
SWITCH TYPE (models with electronic
parking brake system)
The electronic parking brake can be applied or
released automatically or by operating the
parking brake switch.
Automatic operation
With the vehicle stationary, the electronic
parking brake is automatically applied when
the engine is turned off with the ignition switch.
The electronic parking brake is automatically
released as soon as the vehicle starts while the
accelerator pedal is depressed.
WARNING
.The electronic parking brake will
not be automatically applied when
the engine is stopped without using
the ignition switch (for example, by
engine stalling) .
Without the vehicle stationary, the
electronic parking brake will not be
automatically applied even if the
engine is turned off with the ignition
switch.
.Before leaving the vehicle, move the
shift lever to the 1 (1st) or R
(Reverse) position and check that
the electronic parking brake warn-
ing light is illuminated to confirm
that the electronic parking brake is
applied. The electronic parking
brake warning light will remain on
for a period of time after the driver’s
door is locked.
Starting and driving5-27