2018 NISSAN VERSA brake

Starting the vehicle
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or L (Low).
Always depress the brake pedal until
shif ting is completed. Failure to do so
could cause you to lose control and
have an accident.
∙ 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
∙ Except in an emergency, do not shif t
to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission in
the N (Neutral) position may cause se-
rious damage to the transmission.
CAUTION
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.
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 foot brake, then gradually
start the vehicle in motion.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before
moving the shif t lever into the P (Park)
position.
The Continuously Variable Transmission
is designed so the foot brake pedal MUST
be depressed before shif ting from P
(Park) to any drive position while the ig-
nition switch is in the ON position.The shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park) and into any of the other gear po-
sitions if the ignition switch is placed in
the LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the
keyisremoved.
5-12Starting and driving

To move the shif t lever:
Press the buttonAwhile depressing
the brake pedal
Press the buttonAto shif t
Shif t without pressing the buttonA
Shif ting
Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and move the shif t lever from P
(Park) to any of the desired shif t positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shif t 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 ignition switch is placed in the OFF or
ACC position for any reason while the ve-
hicle is in N (Neutral), or any drive position,
the key cannot be turned to the LOCK po-
sition and be removed from the ignition
switch. If this occurs, perform the following
steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the ve-
hicle is stopped.
2. Move the shif t 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 ve-
hicle is completely stopped.Use the P (Park) shif t lever position when
the vehicle is parked or when starting the
engine. Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped.The brake pedal must be de-
pressed and the shif t lever button
pressed to move the shif t 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 shif t 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 depressed and the
shif t lever button pressed in to move the
shif t lever from P (Park), N (Neutral) or
any drive position to R (Reverse).LSD2013
Starting and driving5-13

N (Neutral)
Neither forward nor reverse gear is en-
gaged. The engine can be started in this
position. You may shif t 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.
Shif t lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shif t lever
may not be moved from the P (Park) posi-
tion even with the foot brake pedal de-
pressed.
To move the shif t lever, perform the follow-
ing procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK
position and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a
screwdriver, remove the shif t lock re-
lease cover.∙ If available, a plastic trim tool can also
be used.
4. Push down the shif t lock release using
a suitable tool.
5. Press the shif t lever button
Aand
move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral)
position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
6. Place the ignition switch in the ON po-
sition to unlock the steering wheel.
7. Release the parking brake.
The vehicle may be moved to the desired
location.
Replace the removed shif t lock release
cover af ter the operation.
If the shif t lever cannot be moved out of the
P (Park) position, have the Continuously
Variable Transmission system checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
LSD2011
5-14Starting and driving

MANUAL TRANSMISSION (if so
equipped)
WARNING
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slippery
roads. 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 clutch
pedal 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.
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 could occur.
Start the vehicle in 1st gear and shif t to 2nd,
3rd, 4th and up to 5th gear in sequence
according to vehicle speed.
SSD0535
5-16Starting and driving

WARNING
∙ Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
∙ Do not release the parking brake from
outside the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the shif t lever in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
engaged.
∙ 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.To engage:Pull the parking brake lever up
A.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2.Manual transmission models:
Place the shif t lever in the N (Neutral)
position.
Continuously Variable Transmission
models:
Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) po-
sition.3. While pulling up on the parking brake
lever slightly, press the button
Band
lower the lever completely.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warn-
ing light goes out.
WSD0169
PARKING BRAKE
5-18Starting and driving

To cancel the preset speed,use one of the
following three methods:
∙ Push the CANCEL switch; the CRUISE
indicator light in the instrument panel
goes out.
∙ Tap the brake pedal; the CRUISE indica-
tor light goes out.
∙ Push the ON/OFF switch off. The CRUISE
indicator light in the instrument panel
goes out.
The cruise control is automatically can-
celed and the CRUISE indicator light in the
instrument panel goes out if:
∙ You depress the brake or clutch pedal
while pushing the ACCEL/RES or
SET/COAST switch. The preset speed is
deleted from memory.
∙ The vehicle slows down more than
8 mph (13 km/h) below the set speed.
∙ You depress the clutch pedal (manual
transmission), or move the shif t lever
into N (Neutral) (Continuously Variable
Transmission).
To reset at a faster cruising speed,use
one of the following three methods:
∙
Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push
and release the COAST/SET switch.
∙ Push and hold the ACCEL/RES switch.
When the vehicle attains the speed you
desire, release the switch.
∙ Push and release the ACCEL/RES
switch. Each time you do this, the set
speed increases by about 1 mph
(1.6 km/h).
To reset at a slower cruising speed,use
one of the following three methods:
∙ Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push
the COAST/SET switch and release it.
∙ Push and hold the COAST/SET switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle
slows to the desired speed.
∙ Push and release the COAST/SET
switch. Each time you do this, the set
speed decreases by about 1 mph
(1.6 km/h).
To resume the preset speed,push and
release the ACCEL/RES switch. The vehicle
returns to the last set cruising speed when
the vehicle speed is over 25 mph (40 km/h).CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km),
follow these recommendations to ob-
tain maximum engine performance
and ensure the future reliability and
economy of your new vehicle. Failure to
follow these recommendations may re-
sult in shortened engine life and re-
duced engine performance.
∙ Avoid driving for long periods at con-
stant speed, either fast or slow, and do
not run the engine over 4,000 rpm.
∙ Do not accelerate at full throttle in any
gear.
∙ Avoid quick starts.
∙ Avoid hard braking as much as pos-
sible.
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE
5-20Starting and driving

Follow these easy-to-use Fuel Efficient
Driving Tips to help you achieve the most
fuel economy from your vehicle.
1.Use Smooth Accelerator and Brake
Pedal Application
∙ Avoid rapid starts and stops.
∙ Use smooth, gentle accelerator and
brake application whenever possible.
∙ Maintain constant speed while com-
muting and coast whenever pos-
sible.
2.Maintain Constant Speed
∙ Look ahead to try and anticipate and
minimize stops.
∙ Synchronizing your speed with traffic
lights allows you to reduce your num-
ber of stops.
∙ Maintaining a steady speed can mini-
mize red light stops and improve fuel
efficiency.
3.Use Air Conditioning (A/C) at Higher
Vehicle Speeds
∙ Below 40 mph (64 km/h), it is more
efficient to open windows to cool the
vehicle due to reduced engine load.∙ Above 40 mph (64 km/h), it is more
efficient to use A/C to cool the vehicle
due to increased aerodynamic drag.
∙ Recirculating the cool air in the cabin
when the A/C is on reduces cooling
load.
4.Drive at Economical Speeds and Dis-
tances
∙ Observing the speed limit and not
exceeding 60 mph (97 km/h) (where
legally allowed) can improve fuel effi-
ciency due to reduced aerodynamic
drag.
∙ Maintaining a safe following distance
behind other vehicles reduces un-
necessary braking.
∙ Safely monitoring traffic to anticipate
changes in speed permits reduced
braking and smooth acceleration
changes.
∙ Select a gear range suitable to road
conditions.
5.Use Cruise Control
∙ Using cruise control during highway
driving helps maintain a steady
speed.∙ Cruise control is particularly effective
in providing fuel savings when driving
on flat terrains.
6.Plan for the Shortest Route
∙ Utilize a map or navigation system to
determine the best route to save
time.
7.Avoid Idling
∙ Shutting off your engine when safe
for stops exceeding 30–60 seconds
saves fuel and reduces emissions.
8.
Buy an Automated Pass for Toll Roads
∙ Automated passes permit drivers to
use special lanes to maintain cruis-
ing speed through the toll and avoid
stopping and starting.
9.Winter Warm Up
∙ Limit idling time to minimize impact
to fuel economy.
∙ Vehicles typically need no more than
30 seconds of idling at start-up to
effectively circulate the engine oil be-
fore driving.
∙ Your vehicle will reach its ideal oper-
ating temperature more quickly
while driving versus idling.
FUEL EFFICIENT DRIVING TIPS
Starting and driving5-21

WARNING
∙ Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable 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) or in
an appropriate gear for manual trans-
mission (M/T) models. Failure to do so
could cause the vehicle to move unex-
pectedly or roll away and result in an
accident. Make sure the shif t lever has
been pushed as far forward as it can
go and cannot be moved without de-
pressing 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 into the R (Reverse)
position. When parking on an uphill
grade, place the shif t lever into 1st gear.
Continuously Variable Transmission
models:
Move the shif t lever into the P (Park)
position.
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.
SSD0488
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
Starting and driving5-23