2018 NISSAN FRONTIER Brake

2WD or 4WD shif t procedure:
4WD Shif t SwitchPosition Wheels Driven Indicator Light
Use Conditions 4WD Shif t Procedure
4WD shif t Transfer
4LO posi-
tion
2WDRear wheels
Fordrivingondry,paved
roads (Economy drive) Move the 4WD switch.
2WD <—> 4H
4WD shif t indicator light will indicate transfer shif t po-
sition engaged.
4H
4 wheels
Fordrivingonrocky,
sandy or snow-covered
roads
Neutral
*1
May blink Neutral disengages the
automatic transmission
(A/T) mechanical park-
ing lock, which will allow
the vehicle to roll. Do not
leave the transfer shif t
position in N (Neutral).*2 1. Stop the vehicle.
2. For A/T vehicles: Shif t the shif t lever to the N
(Neutral) position with the brake pedal depressed.
For manual transmission (M/T) vehicles: Shif t the
shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position with the
clutch depressed.
3. For A/T vehicles: Depress and turn the 4WD shif t switch to 4LO or 4H with the brake pedal de-
pressed.
For M/T vehicles: Depress and turn the 4WD
switch to 4LO or 4H with the clutch pedal de-
pressed.
THE TRANSFER CASE DOES NOT ENGAGE BETWEEN
4H AND 4LO (OR 4LO TO 4H) UNLESS YOU HAVE FIRST
STOPPED THE VEHICLE, DEPRESSED THE BRAKE
PEDAL AND MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER TO N (NEUTRAL)
FOR A/T VEHICLES. FOR M/T VEHICLES YOU MUST
MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER TO N (NEUTRAL). *34LO
4 wheels
Illuminated For use when maximum
power and traction is
required (for example, on
steep grades or rocky,
sandy, muddy roads)
*1: Before moving the shif t lever from N (Neutral), wait until the transfer 4LO position indicator light stays on steady. This indicates that the
4WD shif t procedure is completed and the transfer gear is correctly set in the 4LO position. If the vehicle is shif ted into gear before the
indicator is on steady, the transfer gear may grind, not engage correctly or stay in the neutral position.
- If the 4WD warning light illuminates, perform the following procedure to return the transfer case to correct operating condition.
Starting and driving5-27

1. Turn off the engine by turning the ignition switch off.
2. Start the engine.
- Check that the 4WD warning light turns off. If the 4WD warning light illuminates, have the system checked. It is recommended that youvisit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
3. Apply the parking brake, for A/T vehicles, depress the brake pedal and move the shif t lever to N (Neutral) position. For M/T vehicles, move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position.
4. With the brake pedal depressed on A/T vehicles or with the clutch pedal depressed on M/T vehicles, move the 4WD shif t switch to the desired mode.
- Be sure to wait until the transfer gear change completes before shif ting the shif t lever from the N (Neutral) position.
*2: While changing in and out of 4LO, the ignition key must be on and the vehicle’s engine must be running for a shif t to take place and for the indicator lights (4WD shif t and 4LO position indicator) to be operable. Otherwise, the shif t will not take place and no indicator lights
will be on or flashing.
*3: Make sure the transfer 4LO position indicator light turns on when you shif t the 4WD shif t switch to 4LO. The
indicator light will also
turn on when 4LO is selected. For additional information, refer to “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system” in this section.
5-28Starting and driving

The transfer case 4WD shif t switch is used
to select either 2WD or 4WD depending on
the driving conditions. There are three
types of drive modes available, 2WD, 4H and
4LO.
The 4WD shif t switch electronically controls
the transfer case operation. Rotate the
switch to move between each mode, 2WD,
4H and 4LO.
To change into or out of 4LO, the vehicle
MUST be stationary, shif t the shif t lever
to N (Neutral), and for A/T vehicles de-
press the brake pedal or for M/T vehicles
depress the clutch pedal. The switch
must be depressed and turned when
changing into or out of 4LO.
WARNING
∙ When parking, apply the parkingbrake before stopping the engine and
make sure that the 4WD shif t indica-
tor light is on and the ATP warning
light goes off. Otherwise, the vehicle
could unexpectedly move even if the
A/T is in the P (Park) position. ∙ The transfer 4LO position indicator
light must stop blinking and remain
illuminated or turn off before shif ting
the transmission into gear. If the shif t
lever is shif ted from the N (Neutral)
position to any other gear when the
transfer 4LO position indicator light is
blinking, the vehicle may move
unexpectedly.
CAUTION
∙ Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be-tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
∙ The 4H position provides greater trac- tion. Avoid excessive speed, as it will
cause increased fuel consumption
and higher oil temperatures, and
could damage drivetrain compo-
nents. Speeds over 62 mph
(100 km/h) in 4H is not recommended.
∙ The 4LO position provides maximum power and traction. Avoid raising ve-
hicle speed excessively, as the maxi-
mum speed is approximately 31 mph
(50 km/h). ∙ 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 (be- tween 2WD and 4H) while driving on
steep downhill grades. Use the engine
brake and low A/T gears 2 (Second
gear) or 1 (Low gear), or M/T (1st gear
or 2nd gear) for engine braking.
∙ Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch (between 2WD and 4H) with the rear
wheels spinning.
∙ Do not drive on dry hard surface roads in the 4H or 4LO position. Driving on
dry hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO may
cause unnecessary noise and tire
wear. NISSAN recommends driving in
the 2WD position under these
conditions.
∙ The 4WD transfer case may not be shif ted between 4H and 4LO at low
ambient temperatures and the trans-
fer 4LO position indicator light may
blink even when the 4WD shif t switch
is shif ted. Af ter driving for a while you
can change the 4WD transfer case be-
tween 4H and 4LO.
Starting and driving5-29

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
∙ Do not stop or park the vehicle overflammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire. ∙ Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park) for
automatic transmission (A/T) models
or in an appropriate gear for manual
transmission (M/T) models. Failure to
do so could cause the vehicle to move
unexpectedly or roll away and result
in an accident. Make sure the shif t le-
ver has been pushed as far forward as
it can go and cannot be moved with-
out depressing the foot brake pedal.
∙ Never leave the engine running while the vehicle is unattended. ∙ 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
assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly be-
come high enough to cause a signifi-
cant risk of injury or death to people
and pets.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. M/T models:
Place the shif t lever in the R (Reverse)
position. When parking on an uphill
grade, place the shif t lever in 1st gear.
A/T models:
Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) po-
sition.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into traffic when parked on an incline, it
is a good practice to turn the wheels as
illustrated.
WSD0050
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
5-34Starting and driving

∙ HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURBA:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the curb
side wheel gently touches the curb.
∙ HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB
B:
Turn the wheels away from the curb
and move the vehicle back until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
∙ HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO CURB
C:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it moves.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position and remove the key. The power assisted steering uses a hy-
draulic pump, driven by the engine, to as-
sist steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks,
you will still have control of the vehicle.
However, much greater steering effort is
needed, especially in sharp turns and at
low speeds.
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.
The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic 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 pres-
sure on the brake pedal will be required to
stop the vehicle and stopping distance 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 downshif t 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 driving5-35

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