2018 NISSAN FRONTIER brake light

When driving on rough roads:∙ Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
∙ Drive carefully according to the road surface conditions.
When the vehicle is stuck: ∙ Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
∙ Use the Electronic Locking Rear Differ- ential (E-Lock) system (if so equipped).
Turn the switch ON while the vehicle is
stationary and apply the throttle to try
to free the vehicle.
∙ If it is difficult to free the vehicle, rock the vehicle back and forth between R (Re-
verse) and D (Drive) gears.
∙ If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, place stones or wooden blocks under the
tires. Then try the recovery procedures
above. Tire chains may be effective.
CAUTION
∙ Do not spin the tires excessively. Tireswill sink deep into the mud, making it
difficult to free the vehicle.
∙ Avoid shif ting gears with the engine running at high speeds as this may
cause malfunction.
4WD shif t switch operations
∙ Shif t the 4WD shif t switch to either the
2WD, 4H or 4LO position, depending on
driving conditions.
∙ If the 4WD shif t switch is operated
while making a turn, accelerating or
decelerating or if the key switch is
turned off while in the 4H or 4LO posi-
tion, you may feel a jolt. This is not
abnormal. ∙
When the vehicle is stopped af ter
making a turn, you may feel a slight
jolt af ter the shif t lever is shif ted to N
(Neutral) or P (Park). This occurs be-
cause the transfer clutch is released
and not because of a malfunction.
CAUTION
∙ When driving straight, shif t the 4WD shif t switch to the 2WD or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shif t switch
when making a turn or reversing.
∙ Do not shif t the 4WD shif t switch while driving on steep downhill
grades. Use the engine brake and low
automatic transmission gears 2 (Sec-
ond gear) or 1 (Low gear) or manual
transmission (1st gear or 2nd gear) for
engine braking.
∙ Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch with the rear wheels spinning.
∙ Before placing the 4WD shif t switch in the 4H position from 2WD, ensure the
vehicle speed is less than 62 mph
(100 km/h). Failure to do so can dam-
age the 4WD system.
∙ Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be- tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
LSD0145
5-30Starting and driving

A large difference between the diameters
of front and rear wheels will make the
warning light blink slowly (about once per
2 seconds). Change the 4WD shif t switch
into 2WD and do not drive fast.
CAUTION
∙ If the warning light comes on or blinksslowly during operation, have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible. It
is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
∙ Shif ting between 4H and 4LO is not recommended when the 4WD warn-
ing light turns on.
∙ When the warning light comes on, the 2WD mode may be engaged even if
the 4WD shif t switch is in 4H. Be espe-
cially careful when driving. If corre-
sponding parts are malfunctioning,
the 4WD mode will not be engaged
even if the 4WD shif t switch is shif ted. ∙ Do not drive the vehicle in the 4H or
4LO position on dry hard surface
roads. Driving on dry, hard surfaces in
4H or 4LO may cause unnecessary
noise, tire wear and increased fuel
consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on
when you are driving on dry hard sur-
face roads:
– In the 4H position, shif t the 4WD shif t switch to 2WD.
– In the 4LO position for automatic transmission vehicles, stop the ve-
hicle and shif t the shif t lever to the
N (Neutral) position with the brake
pedal depressed and shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to 2WD.
– In the 4LO position for manual transmission vehicles, stop the ve-
hicle and shif t the shif t lever to the
N (Neutral) position with the clutch
pedal depressed and shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to 2WD.
∙ If the warning light is still on af ter the above operation, have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. ∙ The transfer case may be damaged if
you continue driving with the warning
light blinking.
5-32Starting and driving

WARNING
∙ While driving on a slippery surface, becareful when braking, accelerating or
downshif ting. Abrupt braking or ac-
celerating could cause the wheels to
skid and result in an accident.
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned off while driving, the power as-
sist for the brakes will not work. Brak-
ing will be harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven
through water, the brakes may get wet. As
a result, your braking distance will be lon-
ger and the vehicle may pull to one side
during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake
pedal to heat up the brakes. Do this until
the brakes return to normal. Avoid driving
the vehicle at high speeds until the brakes
function correctly.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or drums/rotors are replaced,
in order to assure the best braking perfor-
mance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
WARNING
∙ The ABS is a sophisticated device, but
it cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain ve-
hicle control during braking on slip-
pery surfaces. Remember that stop-
ping distances on slippery surfaces
will be longer than on normal sur-
faces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if you
are using tire chains. Always maintain
a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you. Ultimately, the driver is
responsible for safety.
∙ Tire type and condition may also af- fect braking effectiveness. – When replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all four
wheels.
– When installing a spare tire, make sure that it is the proper size and
type as specified on the Tire and
Loading Information label. For ad-
ditional information, refer to “Tire
and Loading Information label” in
the “Technical and consumer infor-
mation” section of this manual.
– For additional information, refer to “Wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
The ABS controls the brakes so the wheels
do not lock during hard braking or when
braking on slippery surfaces. The system
detects the rotation speed at each wheel
and varies the brake fluid pressure to pre-
vent each wheel from locking and sliding.
By preventing each wheel from locking, the
system helps the driver maintain steering
control and helps to minimize swerving
and spinning on slippery surfaces.
5-36Starting and driving

Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
Depress the brake pedal with firm steady
pressure, but do not pump the brakes. The
Anti-lock Braking System will operate to
prevent the wheels from locking up. Steer
the vehicle to avoid obstacles.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping
distances.
Self-test feature
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) in-
cludes electronic sensors, electric pumps,
hydraulic solenoids and a computer. The
computer has a built-in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you start
the engine and move the vehicle at a low
speed in forward or reverse. When the self-
test occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise
and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal.
This is normal and does not indicate a mal-
function. If the computer senses a mal-
function, it switches the ABS off and illumi-
nates the ABS warning light on theinstrument panel. The brake system then
operates normally but without anti-lock
assistance.
If the ABS warning light illuminates during
the self-test or while driving, have the ve-
hicle checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Normal operation
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) oper-
ates at speeds abov
e3-6mph(5-
10 km/h). The speed varies according to
road conditions.
When the ABS senses that one or more
wheels are close to locking up, the actuator
rapidly applies and releases hydraulic pres-
sure. This action is similar to pumping the
brakes very quickly. You may feel a pulsa-
tion in the brake pedal and hear a noise
from under the hood or feel a vibration
from the actuator when it is operating. This
is normal and indicates that the ABS is op-
erating properly. However, the pulsation
may indicate that road conditions are haz-
ardous and extra care is required while
driving. ∙ The ABLS system uses automatic brak-
ing to transfer power from a slipping
drive wheel to the wheel on the same
axle with more traction. The ABLS sys-
tem applies braking to the slipping
wheel, which helps redirect power to
the other wheel.
∙ On 4WD models the ABLS system oper- ates in both 4H and 4LO modes. If 4WD
mode is engaged, the ABLS system op-
erates for both drive axles. On 2WD ve-
hicles, the ABLS system operates on the
drive axle only.
∙ The ABLS system is always ON. In some conditions, the system may automati-
cally turn the ABLS system off. If the sys-
tem is automatically turned off, normal
brake function will continue. ABLS will
function even when the VDC system is
turned OFF.
∙ The ABLS does not operate if both wheels on a drive axle are slipping.
ACTIVE BRAKE LIMITED SLIP (ABLS)
SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-37

WARNING
∙ The ABLS system helps provide in-creased traction, but will not prevent
accidents due to abrupt steering op-
eration or by careless driving or dan-
gerous driving practices. Reduce ve-
hicle speed and be especially careful
when driving and cornering on slip-
pery surfaces. Always drive carefully.
∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen- sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN approved for your vehicle
or are extremely deteriorated, the
ABLS system may not operate prop-
erly. This could adversely affect ve-
hicle handling performance, and the
slip indicator light may illuminate.
∙ If brake related parts such as brake pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the ABLS sys-
tem may not operate properly and the
slip indicator light may illuminate. ∙ If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the ABLS system may not operate
properly and the slip indicator light
may illuminate. The VDC system uses various sensors to
monitor driver inputs and vehicle motion.
Under certain driving conditions, the VDC
system helps to perform the following
functions:
∙ Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel slip on one slipping drive wheel
so power is transferred to a non-
slipping drive wheel on the same axle.
∙ Controls brake pressure and engine output to reduce drive wheel slip based
on vehicle speed (traction control func-
tion).
∙ If the 4WD transfer case is shif ted into 4LO the
indicator light will come
on and the VDC system will be turned
off. For additional information, refer to
“Using 4–wheel drive (4WD)” in this sec-
tion.
∙ Controls brake pressure at individual wheels and engine output to help the
driver maintain control of the vehicle in
the following conditions:
– Understeer (vehicle tends to not fol- low the steered path despite in-
creased steering input)
– Oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving conditions)
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM
5-38Starting and driving

The VDC system can help the driver to
maintain control of the vehicle, but it can-
not prevent loss of vehicle control in all driv-
ing situations.
When the VDC system operates, the
indicator in the instrument panel flashes
so note the following:∙ The road may be slippery or the system may determine some action is required
to help keep the vehicle on the steered
path.
∙ You may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a noise or vibration from
under the hood. This is normal and indi-
cates that the VDC system is working
properly.
∙ Adjust your speed and driving to the road conditions.
For additional information, refer to “Slip in-
dicator light” and ”Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) OFF indicator light” in the ”Instru-
ments and controls” section of this manual.
If a malfunction occurs in the system,
the
indicator light will come on in the
instrument panel. The VDC system auto-
matically turns off when these indicator
lights are off. The VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the
VDC system. The
indicator illumi-
nates to indicate the VDC system is off.
When the VDC switch is used to turn off the
system, the VDC system still operates to
prevent one drive wheel from slipping by
transferring power to a non-slipping drive
wheel. The
indicator flashes if this oc-
curs. All other VDC functions are off and
the
indicator will not flash.
The VDC system is automatically reset to
on when the ignition switch is placed in the
OFF position then back to the ON position.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle for-
ward or in reverse at a slow speed. When
the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to help the driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed and
be especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.
∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen- sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator may flash or
the
indicator light may
illuminate.
Starting and driving5-39

∙ If brake related parts such as brakepads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and
the
indicator andlight
may illuminate.
∙ If engine control related parts are not NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, both
the
andindicator light may
illuminate.
∙ When driving on extremely inclined surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator may
flash or the
indicator light may
illuminate. Do not drive on these types
of roads.
∙ When driving on an unstable surface such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator may flash or
the
indicator light may illumi-
nate. This is not a malfunction. Re-
start the engine af ter driving onto a
stable surface. ∙ If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator may
flash or the
indicator light may
illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the four wheels depending
on the radius of the turn.
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to helpthe driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed and
be especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully. ∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator may flash or
the
indicator light may
illuminate.
∙ If brake related parts such as brake pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and
the
indicator andlight
may illuminate.
∙ If engine control related parts are not NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, both the
andindicator light may
illuminate.
5-40Starting and driving

∙ When driving on extremely inclinedsurfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator may
flash or the
indicator light may
illuminate. Do not drive on these types
of roads.
∙ When driving on an unstable surface such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator may flash or
the
indicator light may illumi-
nate. This is not a malfunction. Re-
start the engine af ter driving onto a
stable surface.
∙ If wheels or tires other than the NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator may
flash or the
indicator light may
illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
WARNING
∙ Never rely solely on the hill descentcontrol system to control vehicle
speed when driving on steep downhill
grades. Always drive carefully and at-
tentively when using the hill descent
control system and decelerate the ve-
hicle speed by depressing the brake
pedal if necessary. Be especially care-
ful when driving on frozen, muddy or
extremely steep downhill roads. Fail-
ure to control vehicle speed may re-
sult in a loss of control of the vehicle
and possible serious injury or death.
∙ The hill descent control may not con- trol the vehicle speed on a hill under
all load or road conditions. Always be
prepared to depress the brake pedal
to control vehicle speed. Failure to do
so may result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
The hill descent control system helps
maintain vehicle speed when driving under
15-21 mph (25-35 km/h) on steeper down-
hill grades. Hill descent control is useful
when engine braking alone in 4H or 4L can-
not control vehicle speed. Hill descent con-
trol applies the vehicle brakes to control
vehicle speed allowing the driver to con- centrate on steering while reducing the
burden of brake and accelerator operation.
∙ When additional braking is required on steep downhill roads, activate the hill
descent control system by pushing the
switch on. For additional information,
refer to “Hill descent control switch” in
the “Instruments and controls” section
of this manual.
∙ Once the system is activated, the indi- cator light will remain on in the instru-
ment panel. For additional information,
refer to “Hill descent control system ON
indicator light” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual.
If the accelerator or brake pedal is de-
pressed while the hill descent control sys-
tem is on, the system will stop operating
temporarily. As soon as the accelerator or
brake pedal is released, the hill descent
control system begins to function again if
the hill descent control operating condi-
tions are fulfilled.
For the best results, when descending
steep downhill grades, the hill descent con-
trol switch should be on and the shif t lever
in 2 (Second gear) or 1 (Low gear) for engine
braking.
HILL DESCENT CONTROL SYSTEM (if
so equipped)
Starting and driving5-41