2018 NISSAN SENTRA check engine

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
(Continuously Variable
Transmission only)
SymptomPossible CauseRemedy
When pushing the ignition switch to
stop the engine The P (Park) warning light in the instru-
ment panel illuminates and the inside
chime sounds continuously. The shif t lever is not in the P (Park)
position.
Make sure that the shif t lever is in the
P (Park) position.
When opening the driver’s door A warning chime sounds continuously. The ignition switch is in the ACC
position.Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position.
When pushing the door handle re-
quest switch to lock the door The outside chime sounds for a few
seconds. The Intelligent Key is inside the trunk. Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key
with you.
The Intelligent Key is inside the vehicle. Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key with you.
When closing the doors The P (Park) warning light in the instru-
ment panel illuminates and the out-
side chime sounds continuously. The ignition switch is in the ACC or
OFF position and the shif t lever is not
in the P (Park) position.Make sure that the shif t lever is in the
P (Park) position and place the ignition
switch in the OFF position.
The outside chime sounds for approxi-
mately 3 seconds and all doors unlock. The Intelligent Key is in the vehicle or
trunk.Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key
with you.
When opening the driver’s door A warning chime sounds continuously. The ignition switch is in the ACC
position.Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position.
When closing the trunk lid The outside chime sounds for approxi-
mately 10 seconds and the trunk lid
opens. The Intelligent Key is inside the trunk.Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key
with you.
When pressing the
button on
the Intelligent Key to the lock the door The outside chime sounds for a few
seconds and all the doors unlock.
The Intelligent Key is inside the trunk. Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key
with you.
The Intelligent Key is inside the vehicle. Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key with you.
A door is not closed securely. Close the doors securely.
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-23

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
(manual transmission only)
SymptomPossible CauseRemedy
When the parking brake is fully applied The inside warning chime sounds continuously. The ignition switch is in the ACC or ON
position.Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position.
When opening the driver’s door A warning chime sounds continuously. The ignition switch is in the ON
position.Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position.
When pushing the door handle re-
quest switch to lock the door The outside chime sounds for a few
seconds. The Intelligent Key is inside the trunk. Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key
with you.
The Intelligent Key is inside the vehicle. Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key with you.
When closing the doors The key warning light in the instru-
ment panel blinks in yellow, the out-
side chime sounds three times and
the inside warning chime sounds for
approximately 3 seconds. The ignition switch is in the ACC
position.
Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position.
The outside chime sounds for approxi-
mately 3 seconds and all doors unlock. The Intelligent Key is in the vehicle or
trunk.Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key
with you.
When pushing the ignition switch to
start the engine The key warning light in the instru-
ment panel blinks in green. The battery charge is low.
Replace the battery with a new one.
For additional information, refer to
“Battery replacement” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
3-24Pre-driving checks and adjustments

1. Pull the hood lock release handle1
located below the instrument panel
until the hood springs up slightly.
2. Locate the lever
2in between the
hood and grille and push the lever side-
ways with your fingertips.
3. Raise the hood
3.
4. Remove the support rod
4and insert
it into the slot marked by an arrow
5. NOTE:
Do not place the support rod in a location
other than the designated slot.
Hold the coated parts
Awhen removing
or resetting the support rod. Avoid direct
contact with the metal parts, as they
may be hot immediately af ter the engine
has been stopped.
When closing the hood, return the support
rod to its original position, lower the hood
to approximately 12 in (30 cm) above the
latch and release it. This allows proper en-
gagement of the hood latch.
WARNING
∙ Make sure the hood is completely closed and latched before driving.
Failure to do so could cause the hood
to fly open and result in an accident.
∙ If you see steam or smoke coming from the engine compartment, to
avoid injury do not open the hood.
LPD2413
HOOD
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-25

FUEL-FILLER CAP
WARNING
∙ Gasoline is extremely flammable andhighly explosive under certain condi-
tions. You could be burned or seri-
ously injured if it is misused or mis-
handled. Always stop the engine and
do not smoke or allow open flames or
sparks near the vehicle when
refueling.
∙ Do not attempt to top off the fuel tank af ter the fuel pump nozzle shuts off
automatically. Continued refueling
may cause fuel overflow, resulting in
fuel spray and possibly a fire.
∙ Use only an original equipment type fuel-filler cap as a replacement. It has
a built-in safety valve needed for
proper operation of the fuel system
and emission control system. An in-
correct cap can result in a serious mal-
function and possible injury. It could
also cause the
Malfunction Indi-
cator Light (MIL) to come on.
∙ Never pour fuel into the throttle body to attempt to start your vehicle. ∙ Do not fill a portable fuel container in
the vehicle or trailer. Static electricity
can cause an explosion of flammable
liquid, vapor or gas in any vehicle or
trailer. To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death when filling portable
fuel containers:
– Always place the container on the ground when filling.
– Do not use electronic devices when filling.
– Keep the pump nozzle in contact with the container while you are
filling it.
– Use only approved portable fuel containers for flammable liquid.
CAUTION
∙ Do not use a fuel containing morethan 15% ethanol in your vehicle. For
additional information, refer to “Fuel
recommendation” in the “Technical
and consumer information” section of
this manual.
∙ The LOOSE FUEL CAP warning mes- sage will appear if the fuel-filler cap is
not properly tightened. It may take a
few driving trips for the message to
be displayed. Failure to tighten the
fuel-filler cap properly af ter the
LOOSE FUEL CAP warning message
appears may cause the
Mal-
function Indicator Light (MIL) to
illuminate.
3-28Pre-driving checks and adjustments

∙ Do not stop or park the vehicle overflammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.
CAUTION
∙ Do not use leaded gasoline. Depositsfrom leaded gasoline will seriously re-
duce the three-way catalyst’s ability
to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
∙ Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunc- tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich
fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep
driving if the engine misfires, or if no-
ticeable loss of performance or other
unusual operating conditions are de-
tected. Have the vehicle inspected
promptly. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
∙ Avoid driving with an extremely low fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three-way catalyst.
∙ Do not race the engine while warming it up. ∙ Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as pos-
sible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substi-
tute for proper tire maintenance, and it is
the driver’s responsibility to maintain cor-
rect tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger illumi-
nation of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illu-
minated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the malfunc-
tion indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the installation of replacement or alter-
nate tires or wheels on the vehicle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale af ter replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
Starting and driving5-3

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 the ACC
position.
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 ACC or 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.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 and clutch fluid (if so
equipped), and windshield-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 placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
refer to “Warning lights, indicator lights
and audible reminders” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section of this
manual.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-14Starting and driving

∙When this situation occurs, the Con-
tinuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
position indicator light will blink and
the chime will sound.
∙ In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may shif t up automatically to
a higher range than selected if the
engine speed is too high. When the
vehicle speed decreases, the trans-
mission automatically shif ts down
and shif ts to 1st gear before the ve-
hicle comes to a stop.
∙ CVT operation is limited to automatic drive mode when CVT fluid tempera-
ture is extremely low even if manual
shif t mode is selected. This is not a mal-
function. When CVT fluid warms up,
manual mode can be selected.
∙ When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shif t range may upshif t in lower
rpm than usual. This is not a malfunc-
tion.
Shif t lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged,
the shif t lever may not be moved from the
P (Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the shif t lever button
pressed.
It will be necessary to jump start or have
your battery charged. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Jump starting” in the “In
case of emergency” section of this manual.
It is recommended that you contact a
NISSAN dealer or a professional towing ser-
vice. To move the shif t lever, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a 3 mm screwdriver, remove the shif t
lock release cover.
∙ If available, a plastic trim tool can also be used.
4. Insert the small screwdriver in the shif t lock release slot and push down.
5. Move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
6. Push the ignition switch to the ON po- sition to unlock the steering wheel.
Now the vehicle may be moved to the
desired location.
If the shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have the transmission checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
LSD2569
Starting and driving5-21

normal operating condition, have the
transmission checked and repaired, if
necessary. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection mode or fail-safe operation oc-
curs, vehicle speed may be gradually re-
duced. The reduced speed may be lower
than other traffic, which could increase
the chance of a collision. Be especially
careful when driving. If necessary, pull
to the side of the road at a safe place
and allow the transmission to return to
normal operation, or have it repaired if
necessary.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION (if so
equipped)
WARNING
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slipperyroads. This may cause a loss of
control.
∙ Do not over-rev the engine when shif ting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage. ∙ Do not shif t to the N (Neutral) position
while driving. Doing so may result in
an accident due to loss of engine
braking.
CAUTION
∙ Do not rest your foot on the clutchpedal while driving. This may cause
clutch damage.
∙ Fully depress the clutch pedal before shif ting to help prevent transmission
damage.
∙ Stop your vehicle completely before shif ting into R (Reverse).
∙ When the vehicle is stopped with the engine running (for example, at a stop
light), shif t to N (Neutral) and release
the clutch pedal with the foot brake
applied.
∙ Do not shif t to the N (Neutral) position while driving. Doing so may result in
an accident due to loss of engine
braking.
Shif ting
To change gears or when upshif ting or
downshif ting, depress the clutch pedal
fully, shif t into the appropriate gear, then
release the clutch slowly and smoothly.
To ensure smooth gear changes, fully de-
press the clutch pedal before operating the
shif t lever. If the clutch pedal is not fully
depressed before the transmission is
shif ted, a gear noise may be heard. Trans-
mission damage may occur.
Start the vehicle in 1st gear and shif t to 2nd,
3rd, 4th and 5th up to 6th gear in sequence
according to vehicle speed.
SSD0552
Starting and driving5-23