2017 NISSAN VERSA SEDAN ignition

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neu-tral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift lever is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position. Depress the brake pedal and push the igni-
tion switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal with the ignition switch in
any position.
● 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 while
holding, crank the engine. Release 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.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to start cranking the engine. After five
or six seconds, stop cranking by pushing
the ignition switch to LOCK. After crank-
ing the engine, release the accelerator
pedal. Crank the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal by depressing the
brake pedal and pushing the push-button
ignition switch to start the engine. 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, push the ignition switch to the
OFF position and wait 10 seconds before
cranking again, otherwise the starter
could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
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 en-
gine running for a minimum of two to three
minutes before shutting it off. Starting and
stopping the engine over a short period of
time may make the vehicle more difficult to
start.
5. To stop the engine, shift the shift lever into the P (Park) position and push the ignition
switch to the OFF position. 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.
STARTING THE ENGINE (models with
NISSAN Intelligent Key® system)
5-16Starting and driving

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.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.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before moving the shift lever into the P (Park) position.
The CVT 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 P
(Park) and into any of the other gear posi-
tions if the ignition switch is placed in the
LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the key is
removed. To move the shift lever:
Push the buttonAwhile depressing the
brake pedal
Push the buttonAto shift
Shift without pushing buttonA
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift lever from P (Park) 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.
If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF or ACC
position for any reason while the vehicle is in N
(Neutral) , or any drive position, the key cannot be
turned to the LOCK position and be removed
from the ignition switch. If this occurs, perform
the following steps: 1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle is stopped.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) to park the vehicle and place the ignition switch in the
LOCK position to remove the key.
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.
LSD2013
5-18Starting and driving

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 place 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. R (Reverse)
speed is limited to 30 mph (48 km/h). Do not
exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) in the R (Reverse)
position. The brake pedal must be de-
pressed and the shift lever button pushed
in to move the shift lever from P (Park) , N
(Neutral) or any drive position to R (Re-
verse) .
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.
L (Low)
Use this position for engine braking on steep
downhill gradients/climbing steep slopes and
whenever approaching sharp bends. Do not use
the L (Low) position in any other circumstances.
Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift lever may not
be moved from the P (Park) position even with the
foot brake pedal depressed.
To move the shift lever, perform the following
procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK posi- tion and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
LSD2011
Starting and driving5-19

3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of ascrewdriver, remove the shift lock release
cover.
● If available, a plastic trim tool can also be
used.
4. Push down the shift lock release using a suitable tool.
5. Push the shift lever button
Aand move the
shift lever to the N (Neutral) position while
holding down the shift lock release.
6. Place the ignition switch in the ON position to unlock the steering wheel.
7. Release the parking brake.
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) position, have the CVT system checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch
When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with the
shift lever in the D (Drive) position, the
light
in the instrument panel illuminates. For additional
information, refer to “Overdrive OFF indicator
light” in the “Instruments and controls” section of
this manual.
Use the overdrive OFF mode when you need
improved engine braking.
To turn off the overdrive OFF mode, push the O/D
OFF switch again. The
indicator light will
turn off.
Each time the engine is started, or when the shift
lever is shifted to any position other than D (Drive) , the overdrive OFF mode will be automati-
cally turned off.
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, the CVT will
not be shifted into the selected driving position.
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 MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated. For additional information, refer
to “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” in the
“Instruments 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
place the ignition switch back in 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-
LSD2012
5-20Starting and driving

Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress thefoot 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 to a drive position.
3. Release the parking brake, the foot brake pedal, and 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 P
(Park) and into any of the other gear posi-
tions if the ignition switch is turned to the
LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the key is
removed.
WARNING
DEPRESS THE FOOT BRAKE PEDAL -
Shifting the shift lever to “D”, “R”, “2” or
“1” without depressing the foot brake
pedal causes the vehicle to move slowly
when the engine is running. Make sure the
foot brake pedal is depressed fully and the
vehicle is stopped before shifting the shift
lever.
CAUTION
● MAKE SURE OF THE SHIFT LEVER PO-
SITION - Make sure the shift lever is in
the desired position. “D”, “2” and “1” are
used to move forward and “R” to back
up.
● WARM UP THE ENGINE - Due to the
higher idle speeds when the engine is
cold, extra caution must be exercised
when shifting the shift lever into the
driving position immediately after start-
ing the engine. To move the shift lever:
Push the buttonAwhile depressing the
brake pedal.
Push the buttonA.
Just move the shift lever.
LSD2005
5-22Starting and driving

Shifting
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 in-
jury or property damage.
● 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.
After starting the engine, fully depress the foot
brake pedal, push the shift lever button and move
the shift lever out of the P (Park) position.
If the ignition switch is in the OFF or ACC posi-
tion for any reason while the shift lever is in any
position other than the P (Park) position, the
ignition switch cannot be turned to 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 posi- tion.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Use the P (Park) 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 shift
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 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
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.
2 (Second gear)
Use this position for hill climbing or engine brak-
ing on downhill grades.
1 (Low gear)
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.
Starting and driving5-23

Do not shift into the gears when the vehicle
speed exceeds the following limits, otherwise the
engine may over-rev and cause engine damage.
Shift Lever position
12
34 mph (55 km/h) 62 mph (100 km/h)
Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift lever may not
be moved from the P (Park) position even with the
foot brake pedal depressed.
To move the shift lever, perform the following
procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK posi- tion and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover using a suitable tool. 4. Push down the shift lock release using a
suitable tool.
5. Push the shift lever button
Aand move the
shift lever to the N (Neutral) position while
holding down the shift lock release.
6. Place the ignition switch in the ON position to unlock the steering wheel.
7. Release the parking brake.
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) position, have the automatic transmission
system checked as soon as possible. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
LSD2006
5-24Starting and driving

Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch
Each time your vehicle is started, the transmis-
sion is automatically “reset” to overdrive ON.
ON: With the engine running and theshift lever in the D (Drive) position,
the transmission upshifts into over-
drive as vehicle speed increases.
Overdrive does not engage until the engine
has reached operating temperature.
OFF: For driving up and down longslopes where engine braking is nec-
essary push the overdrive switch
once. The O/D OFF indicator light
in the instrument panel comes on at
this time.
When cruising at a low speed or climbing a
gentle slope, you may feel uncomfortable shift
shocks as the transmission shifts into and out of
overdrive repeatedly. In this case, depress the
overdrive switch to turn the overdrive off. The
O/D OFF indicator light in the instrument panel
comes on at this time.
When driving conditions change, depress the
overdrive switch to turn the overdrive on.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for ex-
tended periods of time with the overdrive off. This
reduces fuel economy.
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 is activated, the
automatic transmission will be locked in third
gear.
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:
● Place the shift lever in the P (Park)
position.
● Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position and wait for 3 seconds.
● Then place the ignition switch back in
the ON position.
The vehicle should return to its normal op-
erating condition. If it does not return to its
normal operating condition, have the trans-
mission checked and repaired, if necessary.
It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
LSD2007
Starting and driving5-25