2018 NISSAN MAXIMA Owner´s Manual

Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in
collisions and rollovers.In a rollover crash,
an unbelted or improperly belted person
is significantly more likely to be injured
or killed than a person properly wearing
a seat belt.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
While driving, the right side or lef t side
wheels may unintentionally leave the road
surface. If this occurs, maintain control of
the vehicle by following the procedure be-
low. Please note that this procedure is only
a general guide. The vehicle must be driven
as appropriate based on the conditions of
the vehicle, road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and try to hold a
straight course.
4. When appropriate, slowly release the accelerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the vehicle to follow the road while vehicle
speed is reduced. Do not attempt to drive the vehicle back onto the road
surface until vehicle speed is reduced.
6. When it is safe to do so, gradually turn the steering wheel until both tires re-
turn to the road surface. When all tires
are on the road surface, steer the ve-
hicle to stay in the appropriate driving
lane.
∙ If you decide that it is not safe to re- turn the vehicle to the road surface
based on vehicle, road or traffic con-
ditions, gradually slow the vehicle to a
stop in a safe place off the road.
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSS
Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can
occur if the tire is punctured or is damaged
due to hitting a curb or pothole. Rapid air
pressure loss can also be caused by driving
on under-inflated tires.
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the han-
dling and stability of the vehicle, especially
at highway speeds.
Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by
maintaining the correct air pressure and
visually inspecting the tires for wear and
damage. For additional information, refer
to “Wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-yourself ”
section of this manual. If a tire rapidly loses air pressure or “blows-out” while driving,
maintain control of the vehicle by following
the procedure below. Please note that this
procedure is only a general guide. The ve-
hicle must be driven as appropriate based
on the conditions of the vehicle, road and
traffic.
WARNING
If there is a sudden loss of tire air pres-
sure, the vehicle will generally move or
pull in the direction of the flat tire. In this
situation, losing control of the vehicle
may cause a collision and result in per-
sonal injury.
To help avoid loss of control:
∙ Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
∙ Do not rapidly release the accelerator
pedal.
∙ Do not rapidly turn the steering wheel.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and try to hold a
straight course.
3. When appropriate, slowly release the accelerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
Starting and driving5-9

4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safelocation off the road and away from
traffic if possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradu- ally stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and contact a roadside emergency
service to change the tire. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Changing a
flat tire” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this manual.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream
reduces coordination, delays reaction
time and impairs judgement. Driving
af ter drinking alcohol increases the
likelihood of being involved in an acci-
dent injuring yourself and others. Addi-
tionally, if you are injured in an accident,
alcohol can increase the severity of the
injury. NISSAN is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under
the influence of alcohol. Every year thou-
sands of people are injured or killed in
alcohol-related collisions. Although the lo-
cal laws vary on what is considered to be
legally intoxicated, the fact is that alcohol
affects all people differently and most
people underestimate the effects of alco-
hol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix!
That is true for drugs (over-the-counter,
prescription) and illegal drugs, too. Don’t
drive if your ability to operate your vehicle is
impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some other
physical condition.
WARNING
Do not operate the push-button igni-
tion switch while driving the vehicle ex-
cept in an emergency. (The engine will
stop when the ignition switch is pushed
three consecutive times in less than
1.5 seconds or the ignition switch is
pushed and held for more than 2 sec-
onds.) If the engine stops while the ve-
hicle is being driven, this could lead to a
crash and serious injury.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-10Starting and driving

When the ignition switch is pushed without
depressing the brake pedal, the ignition
switch will illuminate.
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or OFF
position, push the ignition switch center:∙ Once to change to ACC.
∙ Two times to change to ON.
∙ Three times to change to OFF.
The shif t lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed. If the battery of the vehicle is discharged,
the push-button ignition switch cannot
be moved from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for opera-
tion are displayed on the vehicle informa-
tion display. For additional information, re-
fer to “Vehicle information display” in the
“Instruments and controls” section of this
manual.OPERATING RANGE
The Intelligent Key functions can only be
used when the Intelligent Key is within the
specified operating range.
When the Intelligent Key battery is almost
discharged or strong radio waves are pres-
ent near the operating location, the Intelli-
gent Key system’s operating range be-
comes narrower and may not function
properly.
If the Intelligent Key is within the operating
range, it is possible for anyone, even some-
LSD2014LSD2089
Starting and driving5-11

one who does not carry the Intelligent Key,
to push the ignition switch to start the en-
gine.
The operating range of the engine start
function is inside of the vehicle
1.
∙ The luggage area is not included in the operating range, but the Intelligent Key
may function.
∙ If the Intelligent Key is placed on the instrument panel, inside the glove box,
storage bin or door pocket, the Intelli-
gent Key may not function.
∙ If the Intelligent Key is placed near the door or window outside the vehicle, the
Intelligent Key may function.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position)
The ignition switch can only be locked in
this position.
The ignition switch will be unlocked when it
is pushed to the ACC position while carry-
ing the Intelligent Key.
The ignition switch will lock when any door
is opened or closed with the ignition
switched off. ACC (Accessories)
This position activates electrical accesso-
ries, such as the radio, when the engine is
not running.
ACC has a battery saver feature that will
place the ignition switch in the OFF position
af ter a period of time under the following
conditions:
∙ All doors are closed.
∙ The shif t lever is in P (Park).
∙ The hazard lamps are off.
∙ The turn signals are off.
The battery saver feature will be canceled if
any of the following occur: ∙ Any door is opened.
∙ The shif t lever is moved out of P (Park).
∙ The ignition switch changes position.
∙ The hazard lamps are turned on.
ON (Normal operating position)
This position turns on the ignition system
and electrical accessories. ON has a battery saver feature that will
place the ignition switch in the OFF posi-
tion, if the vehicle is not running, af ter some
time under the following conditions:
∙ All doors are closed.
∙ The shif t lever is in P (Park).
∙ The hazard lamps are off.
∙ The turn signals are off.
The battery saver feature will be canceled if
any of the following occur: ∙ Any door is opened.
∙ The shif t lever is moved out of the P (Park) position.
∙ The ignition switch changes position.
∙ The hazard lamps are turned on.
∙ The turn signals are turned on.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle with the igni-
tion switch in the ACC or ON position
when the engine is not running for an
extended period. This can discharge the
battery.
5-12Starting and driving

OFF
The ignition switch is in the OFF position
when the engine is turned off using the
ignition switch. The ignition switch heart
beat function (pulsed illumination) may ac-
tivate for a period of time when any door is
unlocked and when the door
opened/closed status changes in the OFF
and ACC positions.
EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF
To shut off the engine in an emergency
situation while driving, perform the follow-
ing procedure:∙ Rapidly push the ignition switch three consecutive times in less than 1.5 sec-
onds, or
∙ Push and hold the ignition switch for more than 2 seconds.
NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY®
BATTERY DISCHARGE
If the battery of the NISSAN Intelligent Key®
is discharged, or environmental conditions
interfere with the Intelligent Key operation,
start the engine according to the following
procedure:
1. Place the shif t lever in the P (Park) posi- tion.
2. Firmly apply the foot brake.
3. Touch the ignition switch with the Intel- ligent Key as illustrated. (A chime will
sound.) (Af ter step 3 is performed, when the
ignition switch is pushed without de-
pressing the brake pedal, the ignition
switch position will change to ON.)
4. Push the ignition switch while depress- ing the brake pedal within 10 seconds
af ter the chime sounds. The engine will
start.
NOTE: ∙ When the ignition switch is pushed to
the ON position or the engine is
started by the above procedure, the
Intelligent Key battery discharge in-
dicator appears in the vehicle infor-
mation display even when the Intelli-
gent Key is inside the vehicle. This is
not a malfunction. To turn off the In-
telligent Key battery discharge indi-
cator, touch the ignition switch with
the Intelligent Key again.
∙ If the Intelligent Key battery dis-
charge indicator appears, replace the
battery as soon as possible. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Battery
replacement” in the “Do-it-yourself ”
section of this manual.
SSD0860
Starting and driving5-13

NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
will not allow the engine to start without
the use of the registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered
key (for example, when interference is
caused by another registered key, an auto-
mated toll road device or automatic pay-
ment device on the key ring), restart the
engine using the following procedure:1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON po- sition for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately
10 seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the device (which may have caused the in-
terference) separate from the regis-
tered key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN
recommends placing the registered key on
a separate key ring to avoid interference
from other devices. ∙ Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
∙ Check fluid levels such as engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, and window washer
fluid as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
∙ Check that all windows and lights are clean.
∙ Visually inspect tires for their appear- ance and condition. Also check tires for
proper inflation.
∙ Lock all doors.
∙ Position seat and adjust head restraints/headrests.
∙ Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
∙ Fasten seat belts and ask all passen- gers to do likewise.
∙ Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is pushed to
the ON position. For additional informa-
tion, refer to “Warning lights, indicator
lights and audible reminders” in the “In-
struments and controls” section of this
manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral). P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to oper-
ate if the shif t lever is in any of the
driving positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON po- sition. Depress the brake pedal and
push the ignition 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 extremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to the
floor) and while holding, crank the en-
gine. Release the accelerator pedal
when the engine starts.
∙ If the engine is very hard to start be- cause it is flooded, depress the accel-
erator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Push the ignition switch
to the ON position to start cranking
the engine. Af ter 5 or 6 seconds, stop
cranking by pushing the ignition
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-14Starting and driving

switch to the LOCK position. Af ter
cranking the engine, release the ac-
celerator pedal. Crank the engine
with your foot off the accelerator
pedal by depressing the brake pedal
and pushing the ignition switch to
start the engine. If the engine starts,
but fails to run, repeat the above pro-
cedure.
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 seconds af ter starting. Do not race
the engine while warming it up. Drive at
a moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather. In cold
weather, keep the engine running for a
minimum of 2 to 3 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, move the shif t lever
to 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 dis-
charge and potential no-start conditions
such as: 1. Installation or extended use of elec-
tronic accessories that consume bat-
tery power when the engine is not
running (phone chargers, GPS, DVD
players, etc.).
2. The 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.
REMOTE ENGINE START
Vehicles started with the Remote Engine
Start require the ignition switch to be
placed in the ON position before the shif t
lever can be moved from the P (Park) posi-
tion. To place the ignition switch in the ON
position, follow these steps: 1. Make sure that the Intelligent Key is on you.
2. Apply the brake.
3. Push the ignition switch once to the ON position.
For additional information, refer to “NISSAN
Intelligent Key®” in the “Pre-driving checks
and adjustments” section of this manual.
Starting and driving5-15

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shif t mode). Always depress
the brake pedal until shif ting is com-
pleted. Failure to do so could cause
you to lose control and have an acci-
dent. It can also damage the vehicle. ∙ Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
∙ Never shif t 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.
CAUTION
∙ Except in an emergency, do not shif tto the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission in
the N (Neutral) position may cause se-
rious damage to the transmission.
∙ To avoid possible damage to your ve- hicle, when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this
purpose. The 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 fol-
lowing pages. Follow these procedures for
maximum vehicle performance and driv-
ing enjoyment.
NOTE:
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. Af ter starting the engine, fully depress
the foot brake pedal before moving the
shif t lever out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shif t lever into a driving
gear.
3. Release the parking brake and the foot brake pedal, then gradually start the
vehicle in motion.
LSD2354
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-16Starting and driving