Page 393 of 671

For additional information on starting your diesel
engine, refer to your “Titan Diesel Owner’s
Manual.”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. If:
1. The engine coolant temperature is not re- duced.
2. The air conditioning cooling function does not turn back ON.
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. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for servicing. For additional information,
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.
STARTING THE ENGINE (diesel only) DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-16Starting and driving
Page 394 of 671

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 D (Drive) . 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.
● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your vehicle,
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 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
WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) , or D (Drive) . 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.
● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
Starting and driving5-17
Page 395 of 671

CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your vehicle,
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 purpose1. 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.
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.
If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF or ACC
position for any reason while the vehicle is in N
(Neutral) , or any D (Drive) position, the ignition
switch cannot be turned to the LOCK position.
Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position, then
the ignition switch can be turned to LOCK.
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) .
LSD2468
5-18Starting and driving
Page 396 of 671

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.
Manual shift mode
When the manual shift mode button is pressed
while driving, the transmission enters the manual
shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manually.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is dis-
played on the position indicator in the meter. After
pressing the manual shift mode button, the posi-
tion indicator varies depending on the gear posi-
tion and vehicle speed.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1 ←→ M2←→ M3←→ M4←→ M5←→ M6
←→ M7*←→ D
*If so equipped M7 (Seventh) (if so equipped)
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
M1
←→ M2←→ M3←→ M4←→ M5←→ M6
←→ M7
M7 will be displayed on the position indicator in
the meter.
M6 (Sixth)
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
M1 ←→ M2←→ M3←→ M4←→ M5←→ M6
M6 will be displayed on the position indicator in
the meter
M5 (Fifth)
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
M1 ←→ M2←→ M3←→ M4←→ M5
M5 will be displayed on the position indicator in
the meter.
M4 (Fourth)
For driving up or down long slopes where engine
braking would be advantageous.
LSD2457
Starting and driving5-19
Page 397 of 671

Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1←→ M2←→ M3←→ M4
M4 will be displayed on the position indicator in
the meter.
M3 (Third)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on downhill
grades.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1 ←→ M2←→ M3
M3 will be displayed on the position indicator in
the meter.
M2 (Second)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on downhill
grades.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1 ←→ M2
M2 will be displayed on the position indicator in
the meter. M1 (First)
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.
M1 will be displayed on the position indicator on
the meter.
● Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than M4
range. This reduces fuel economy.
When shifting up
Push the shift switch to the + (up) side. (Shifts to
higher range.)
When shifting down
Push the shift switch to the (down) side. (Shifts
to lower range.)
● 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.)
● Pushing the shift switch rapidly will shift the
ranges in succession. When canceling the manual shift mode
Press and hold the +(UP) button to return the
transmission to the normal driving mode.
● In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear
immediately because of vehicle speed.
The transmission will up or down shift
when vehicle speed matches the pro-
grammed transmission shift points.
This helps maintain driving perfor-
mance and reduces the chance of ve-
hicle damage or loss of control.
● In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion will not up shift to a higher gear
than is manually selected. When the
vehicle speed decreases, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down and
shifts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
5-20Starting and driving
Page 398 of 671

Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift lever may not
be moved from the P (Park) position even with the
brake pedal depressed.
To move the shift lever, release the shift lock. The
shift lever can be moved to N (Neutral) . However,
for models without the NISSAN Vehicle Immobi-
lizer System, the steering wheel will be locked
unless the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position. This allows the vehicle to be moved if
the battery is discharged.To push the shift lock release, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:
1.
Place the ignition switch to the LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover. If a screwdriver is used to remove the cover, it
should be wrapped in a protective cloth to
prevent damage to the cover and surround-
ing plastic.
4. Insert a small object or finger in the shift lock release slot and push.
5. Move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) posi- tion while holding the shift lock release.
6. Now the vehicle may be moved to the de- sired location.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of P (Park) ,
have the automatic transmission 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.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, please note
that the transmission will be locked in any of the
forward gears according to the condition.
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. This will occur
even if all electrical circuits are functioning
properly. In this case, turn the ignition
switch OFF and wait for 3 seconds. Then
turn the ignition 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 re-
paired, if necessary. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
LSD2594
Starting and driving5-21
Page 399 of 671

WARNING
●Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
● Do not release the parking brake from
outside the vehicle.
● Do not use the shift lever in place of the
parking brake. When parking, be sure
the parking brake is fully engaged.
● To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the
vehicle and /or its systems, do not leave
children, people who require the assis-
tance of others or pets unattended in
your vehicle. Additionally, the tempera-
ture 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. To engage:
Firmly depress the parking brake.
To release: 1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
3. Firmly depress the parking brake pedal and it will release.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
WARNING
Failure to follow the warnings and instruc-
tions for proper use of the BSW system
could result in serious injury or death.
●The BSW system is not a replacement
for proper driving procedures and is not
designed to prevent contact with ve-
hicles or objects. When changing lanes,
always use the side and rear mirrors
and turn and look in the direction your
vehicle will move to ensure it is safe to
change lanes. Never rely solely on the
BSW system.
The BSW system helps alert the driver of other
vehicles in adjacent lanes when changing lanes.
LSD0158
PARKING BRAKE BLIND SPOT WARNING (BSW) (if so
equipped)
5-22Starting and driving
Page 400 of 671
The BSW system uses radar sensors1in-
stalled near the rear bumper to detect other ve-
hicles in an adjacent lane. The radar sensors can detect vehicles on either
side of your vehicle within the detection zone
shown as illustrated. This detection zone starts
from the outside mirror of your vehicle and ex-
tends approximately 10 ft (3.0 m) behind the rear
bumper, and approximately 10 ft (3.0 m) side-
ways.
LSD2619
Detection zone
SSD1030
Starting and driving5-23