2018 NISSAN VERSA ECO mode

Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch
When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with
the shif t lever in the D (Drive) position,
the
light in the instrument panel illu-
minates. For additional information, refer
to “Overdrive OFF indicator light” in the “In-
struments and controls” section of this
manual.
Use the overdrive OFF mode when you
need improved engine braking.
To turn off the overdrive OFF mode, push
the O/D OFF switch again. The
indi-
cator light will turn off.Each time the engine is started, or when
the shif t lever is shif ted to any position
other than D (Drive), the overdrive OFF
mode will be automatically turned off.
Accelerator downshif t
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shif ts
the transmission down into a lower gear,
depending on the vehicle speed.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the
Continuously Variable Transmission will
not be shif ted into the selected driving po-
sition.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
may come on to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL)” in the “Instruments and con-
trols” section of this manual. This will oc-
cur even if all electrical circuits are func-
tioning properly. In this case, place the
ignition switch in the OFF position andwait for 10 seconds. Then place the igni-
tion switch back in the ON position. The
vehicle should return to its normal oper-
ating condition. If it does not return to its
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.
LSD2012
Starting and driving5-15

CAUTION
∙ Always connect positive () to posi-
tive () and negative () to body
ground (for example, strut mounting
bolt, engine lif t bracket, etc.) — not to
the battery.
∙ Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine
compartment and that the cable
clamps do not contact any other
metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
and let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster
vehicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start
the engine of the vehicle being jump
started.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged
for more than 10 seconds. If the engine
does not start right away, turn the key
off and wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying
again.7. Af ter starting the engine, carefully dis-
connect the negative cable and then
the positive cable.
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped).
Be sure to dispose of the cloth used to
cover the vent holes as it may be con-
taminated with corrosive acid.
CAUTION
∙ Do not push start this vehicle. The
three-way catalyst may be damaged.
∙ Continuously variable transmission
and manual transmission models
cannot be push-started or tow-
started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.
∙ For manual transmission models,
never try to start the vehicle by tow-
ing it. When the engine starts, the for-
ward surge could cause the vehicle to
collide with the tow vehicle.
∙ Continuously variable transmission
models cannot be push-started or
tow-started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.
PUSH STARTING
6-10In case of emergency

2WD models with Continuously
Variable Transmission (CVT)
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flatbed
truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
∙ Never tow CVT models with the front
wheels on the ground or four wheels
on the ground (forward or backward),
as this may cause serious and expen-
sive damage to the transmission. If it
is necessary to tow the vehicle with
the rear wheels raised always use
towing dollies under the front wheels.
∙ When towing CVT models with the
rear wheels on the ground or on tow-
ing dollies:– Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
secure the steering wheel by plac-
ing the ignition switch in the LOCK
position. This may damage the
steering lock mechanism (for
models with a steering lock
mechanism).
LCE2345
In case of emergency6-13

2WD models with manual
transmission
NISSAN recommends that towing dollies
be used when towing your vehicle or place
the vehicle on the flatbed truck as illus-
trated.
If you must use a pull behind tow truck put
the manual transmission in N (Neutral).
Your vehicle speed should never exceed
60 mph (97 km/h) when towing your ve-
hicle. Af ter towing 500 miles, start and idle
the engine with the transmission in N (Neu-
tral) for two minutes. Failure to idle the en-gine af ter every 500 miles of towing may
cause damage to the transmission’s inter-
nal parts.
CAUTION
Failure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
∙ If you have to tow manual transmis-
sion models with the rear wheels on
the ground (if you do not use towing
dollies) or four wheels on the ground:
– Always release the parking brake.– Move the transmission shif t lever
to the N (Neutral) position
– Observe the following restricted
towing speeds and distances for
manual transmission models only:
Speed: Below 60 mph (97 km/h)
Distance: Less than 500 miles
(805 km)
When towing long distances or speeds in
excess of 60 mph (97 km/h), remove the
propeller shaf t before towing to prevent
damage to the transmission. For additional
information, it is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a
stuck vehicle)
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
∙ Contact a professional towing service
to recover the vehicle if you have any
questions regarding the recovery
procedure.
LCE2346
6-14In case of emergency

∙ Tow chains or cables must be at-
tached only to main structural mem-
bers of the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to
tow or free a stuck vehicle.
∙ Only use devices specifically designed
for vehicle recovery and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions.
∙ Always pull the recovery device
straight out from the front of the ve-
hicle. Never pull at an angle.
∙ Route recovery devices so they do not
touch any part of the vehicle except
the attachment point.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device de-
signed specifically for vehicle recovery. Al-
ways follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for the recovery device.Rocking a stuck vehicle
WARNING
∙ Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
∙ Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode and
result in serious injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) System.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind
the vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and lef t to
clear an area around the front tires.
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and
backward.
∙ Shif t back and forth between R (Re-
verse) and D (Drive) (continuous vari-
able transmission models) or 1st
(Low) and R (Reverse) (manual trans-
mission models).
∙ Apply the accelerator as little as pos-
sible to maintain the rocking motion.∙ Release the accelerator pedal before
shif ting between R (Reverse) and D
(Drive) (continuous variable trans-
mission models) or 1st (Low) and R
(Reverse) (manual transmission
models).
∙ Do not spin the tires above 35 mph
(55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed af ter a
few tries, contact a professional towing
service to remove the vehicle.
In case of emergency6-15

∙ Use only Genuine NISSAN floor mats,
or equivalent floor mats, that are spe-
cifically designed for use in your ve-
hicle model and model year.
∙ Properly position the mats in the
floorwell using the floor mat position-
ing hook. For additional information,
refer to "Floor mat installation" in this
section.
∙ Make sure the floor mat does not in-
terfere with pedal operation.
∙ Periodically check the floor mats to
make sure they are properly installed.
∙ Af ter cleaning the vehicle interior,
check the floor mats to make sure
they are properly installed.
The use of Genuine NISSAN floor mats can
extend the life of your vehicle carpet and
make it easier to clean the interior. Mats
should be maintained with regular clean-
ing and replaced if they become exces-
sively worn.Floor mat installation
Your vehicle is equipped with floor mat po-
sitioning hook(s). The number and shape of
the floor mat positioning hooks for each
seating position varies depending on the
vehicle.
When installing Genuine NISSAN floor mats,
follow the installation instructions provided
with the mat and the following:
1. With the ignition in the OFF position, the
shif t lever in P (Park) position (Continu-
ously Variable Transmission models) or
the shif t lever in the N (Neutral) position
(manual transmission models) and
with the parking break fully applied, po-
sition the floor mat in the floorwell so
that the floor mat grommet holes are
aligned with the hook(s).
2. Secure the grommet holes into the
hook(s) and ensure that the floor mat is
properly positioned.3. Make sure the floor mat does not inter-
fere with pedal operation. With the igni-
tion still in the OFF position, the shif t
lever in the P (Park) position (Continu-
ously Variable Transmission models) or
the shif t lever in the N (Neutral) position
(manual transmission models) and
with the parking break applied, fully ap-
ply and release all pedals. The floor mat
must not interfere with pedal opera-
tion or prevent the pedal from return-
ing to its normal position.
It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for details about installing the floor
mats in your vehicle.
7-6Appearance and care

When performing any inspection or main-
tenance work on your vehicle, always take
care to prevent serious accidental injury to
yourself or damage to the vehicle. The fol-
lowing are general precautions which
should be closely observed.
WARNING
∙ Park the vehicle on a level surface, ap-
ply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving. For manual trans-
mission models, move the shif t lever
to N (Neutral). For CVT models, move
the shif t lever to P (Park).
∙ Be sure the ignition switch is in the
OFF or LOCK position when perform-
ing any parts replacement or repairs.
∙ If you must work with the engine run-
ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans,
belts and any other moving parts.
∙ It is advisable to secure or remove any
loose clothing and remove any jew-
elry, such as rings, watches, etc. be-
fore working on your vehicle.
∙ Always wear eye protection whenever
you work on your vehicle.∙ If you must run the engine in an en-
closed space such as a garage, be sure
there is proper ventilation for exhaust
gases to escape.
∙ Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is neces-
sary to work under the vehicle, sup-
port it with safety stands.
∙ Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
∙
Because the fuel lines on gasoline en-
gine models are under high pressure
even when the engine is off, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for service of the fuel filter or fuel lines.
∙ Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come
on at any time without warning, even
if the ignition key is in the OFF position
and the engine is not running. To
avoid injury, always disconnect the
negative battery cable before work-
ing near the fan.
CAUTION
∙ Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down.∙
Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, engine coolant and/or other vehicle
fluids can damage the environment. Al-
ways conform to local regulations for
disposal of vehicle fluid.
∙ Never leave the engine or the trans-
mission related component harness
connector disconnected while the ig-
nition switch is in the ON position.
∙ Never connect or disconnect the bat-
tery or any transistorized component
while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
This “Do-it-yourself ” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A Genuine NISSAN service manual is also
available. For additional information, refer
to “Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order
information” in the “Technical and con-
sumer information” section of this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
difficulties or excessive emissions, and
could affect warranty coverage.If in doubt
about any servicing, it is recommended
that you have it done by a NISSAN dealer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself

Be careful not to let anything get into the
washer nozzle
D. This may cause clogging
or improper windshield–washer operation.
If something gets into the nozzle, remove it
with a needle or small pin
C.If the brakes do not operate properly, have
the brakes checked. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this ser-
vice.
Self-adjusting brakes
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The front disc-type brakes self-adjust ev-
ery time the brake pedal is applied. The rear
drum-type brakes self-adjust every time
the parking brake is applied.
WARNING
Have your brake system checked if the
brakes pedal height does not return to
normal. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Brake pad wear indicators
The disc brake pads on your vehicle have
audible wear indicators. When a brake pad
requires replacement, a high pitched
scraping or screeching sound will be heard
when the vehicle is in motion. The noise will
be heard whether or not the brake pedal is
depressed. Have the brakes checked as
soon as possible if the wear indicator
sound is heard.Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is nor-
mal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.For additional information re-
garding brake inspections, refer to the ap-
propriate maintenance schedule informa-
tion in the "Maintenance and schedules"
section of this manual.LDI2710
BRAKES
Do-it-yourself8-17