• Make sure that the area around the ve-hicle is clear.
• Check fluid levels such as coolant, brake fluid, and windshield-washer fluid as fre-
quently as possible.
• Check that all windows and lights are clean.
• Visually inspect tires for their appearance and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
• Check that all doors are closed.
• Position the seat and adjust the head restraints/headrests.
• Adjust the inside and outside mirrors.
• Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to do likewise.
•
Check the operation of the warning lights
when the power switch is pushed to the ON
position. For additional information, refer to
“Warning lights, indicator lights and audible
reminders” in the “Instruments and con-
trols” section of this manual.
1. Confirm the parking brake is applied.
2. Confirm that the vehicle is in the P (Park) position.
When the power switch is placed in the
ON position, the EV is designed not to
operate unless the shif t lever is in the P
(Park) or N (Neutral) position.
The Intelligent Key must be carried
with you when operating the power
switch.
3. Depress the brake pedal and push the power switch to place the EV system in
the READY to drive position.
To place the vehicle in the READY to drive
position immediately, push and release
the power switch while depressing the
brake pedal with the power switch in
any position. The READY to drive indica-
tor light
in the meter illuminates.
4. To stop the EV system, push the P (Park) position switch on the shif t lever, and
push the power switch to the OFF
position.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situa-
tions that can lead to potential battery
discharge and potential no-start con-
ditions such as:
1.Installation or extended use of elec-
tronic accessories that consume bat-
tery power when the EV system 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.
BEFORE STARTING THE EV SYSTEM STARTING THE EV SYSTEM
5-14Starting and driving
ELECTRIC SHIFT CONTROL SYSTEM
This vehicle is electronically controlled to
produce maximum available power and
smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures
for this vehicle are shown on the following
pages.
Starting the vehicle
1. Af ter placing the vehicle in the READY todrive position, fully depress the foot
brake pedal before moving the shif t lever
to the D (Drive) position.
The shif t lever of this vehicle is de-
signed so that the foot brake pedal
must be depressed before shif ting
from the P (Park) position to any driv-
ing position while the power switch is
in the ON position.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out
of the P (Park) position and into any of
the other positions if the power
switch is placed in the LOCK, OFF or
ACC position or if the Intelligent Key is
removed. 2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed,
and move the shif t lever to the D (Drive)
position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal, and then gradually start the
vehicle in motion.
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal while shif ting from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to the R (Reverse) or D
(Drive) position. Always depress the
brake pedal until shif ting is com-
pleted. Failure to do so could cause
you to lose control, which could re-
sult in an accident.
• Never shif t to the P (Park) or R (Re- verse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and the P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is
reversing. This could cause you to
lose control and have an accident.
• Do not shif t to the B position abruptly on slippery roads. This may
cause a loss of control.
CAUTION
• To avoid possible damage to your vehicle, when stopping the vehicle
on an uphill grade, do not hold the
vehicle by depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. The foot brake should be
used for this purpose.
• Do not hang items on the shif t lever. This may cause an accident due to a
sudden start.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-15
Shif ting
To move the shif t lever,
: Slide along the gate while the brake
pedal is depressed.
: Af ter sliding, maintain it in the same
position until the vehicle is placed in the N
(Neutral) position.
: When in the D (Drive) position, slide
along the gate.
NOTE:
• Confirm that the vehicle is in the desired
shif t position by checking the shif t indi-
cator
1located near the shif t lever or
the vehicle information display in the
meter.
• To place the vehicle into the D (Drive)
position from the B mode, move the
shif t lever into the D (Drive) position.
Af ter placing the vehicle in the READY to
drive position, fully depress the brake pedal,
and move the shif t lever to any of the pre-
ferred shif t positions.
If the power switch is placed in the OFF or
ACC position for any reason while the shif t
position is in any position other than the P
(Park) position, the power switch cannot be
placed in the LOCK position.
If the power switch cannot be placed in the
LOCK position, perform the following steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the ve- hicle is stopped.
2. Place the power switch in the ON posi- tion while depressing the foot brake
pedal. 3. Push the P (Park) position switch and
confirm the vehicle is in the P (Park)
position.
4. Place the power switch in the OFF position.
NOTE:
The vehicle automatically applies the P
(Park) position when the power switch is
in the OFF position.
NOTE:
When the following conditions overlap,
the shif t position may be automatically
switched to P (Park):
•When maintaining a stop and hold with
the e-pedal.
• When taking off the seatbelt.
• When opening the door.
5-16Starting and driving
P (Park):
Use this shif t position when the vehicle is
parked or when placing the vehicle in the
READY to drive position. Make sure that the
vehicle is completely stopped.In order to
switch to the P (Park) position, push the P
(Park) position switch as shown in the
illustration above once the vehicle has
come to a complete stop. If the P (Park)
position switch is pushed while the ve-
hicle is in motion, a chime sounds and
the current shif t position is maintained.
Af ter switching to the P (Park) position, ap-
ply the parking brake. When parking on a
hill, apply the parking brake first while keep- ing the foot brake pedal depressed then
push the P (Park) position switch and place
the vehicle in the P (Park) position. For ad-
ditional information, refer to “Parking brake”
in this section.
NOTE:
•
While the vehicle is stationary, if the
shif t position is placed in any position
other than the P (Park) position when
the power switch is set to OFF, it will
automatically switch to the P (Park) po-
sition.
• If the P (Park) position switch is pushed
while sliding the shif t lever, the shif t po-
sition will not switch to the P (Park) po-
sition. When pushing the P (Park) posi-
tion switch be sure to first allow the
shif t lever to return to its center posi-
tion. R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Make sure that
the vehicle is completely stopped before
selecting the R (Reverse) position.
If the ve-
hicle is placed in the D (Drive) position
while reversing, the chime will sound and
the vehicle will switch into the N (Neutral)
position.
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is en-
gaged. The vehicle can be placed in the
READY to drive position in this position.
Do not shif t to the N (Neutral) position while
driving. The regenerative brake system
does not operate in the N (Neutral) position.
However, the vehicle brakes will still stop
the car.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward
driving. If the vehicle is placed in the D
(Drive) position while reversing, the
chime will sound and the vehicle will
switch into the N (Neutral) position.
5-18Starting and driving
B mode:
The B mode engages the regenerative
braking system more aggressively on
downhill slopes, and helps reduce brake
use. It is activated by moving the shif t lever
lef t and down. The shif t lever will then re-
turn to the center position. For additional
information, refer to “Brake system” in this
section.
WARNING
• Be sure the parking brake is released before driving. Failure to do so could
cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
• Do not release the parking brake from outside the vehicle.
• To help avoid risk of injury or death through unintended operation of
the vehicle and/or its systems, do
not leave children, people who re-
quire the assistance of others or
pets unattended in your vehicle. Ad-
ditionally, the temperature inside a
closed vehicle on a warm day can
quickly become high enough to
cause a significant risk of injury or
death to people and pets.
• When leaving the vehicle, apply the parking brake and push the P (Park)
position switch on the shif t lever.
PEDAL TYPE
To engage: Firmly depress the parking
brake.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) position.
3. Firmly depress the parking brake pedal and it will release.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warn- ing light goes out.
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-19
SWITCH TYPE (MODELS WITH
ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE
SYSTEM)
The electronic parking brake can be ap-
plied or released automatically or by oper-
ating the electronic parking brake switch.
Automatic operation
The electronic parking brake is automati-
cally released as soon as the vehicle starts
and the accelerator pedal is depressed.
In order for the electronic parking brake to
disable when the driver pushes the accelera-
tor, the driver’s seat belt must be fastened.
WARNING
• The electronic parking brake will not be automatically applied when the
EV system is stopped without using
the power switch (for example, by EV
system stalling).
• Before leaving the vehicle, move the shif t lever to the P (Park) position
and check that the electronic park-
ing brake indicator light (
or
PARK) is illuminated to confirm that
the electronic parking brake is ap-
plied. The electronic parking brake
indicator light (
or PARK) will re-
main on for a period of time af ter the
driver’s door is locked.
CAUTION
When parking in an area where the
outside temperature is below 32°F
(0°C), the parking brake, if applied, may
freeze in place and may be difficult to
release.
For safe parking, it is recommended
that you place the shif t lever in the P
(Park) position and securely block the
wheels.
NOTE:
• If a malfunction occurs in the electronic
parking brake system (for example,
due to battery discharge), it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN certi-
fied LEAF dealer.
• If the shif t lever is moved to the P (Park)
position when the brake force is main-
tained by the automatic brake hold
function, the electronic parking brake
will apply automatically.
• If the driver’s seat belt is unfastened
when the brake force is maintained by
the automatic brake hold function, the
electronic parking brake will apply au-
tomatically.
• When the ICC system (if so equipped) is
canceled under the following condi-
tions at a standstill, the electronic park-
ing brake is automatically activated:
– Any door is open.
– The driver’s seat belt is not fastened.
– Your vehicle has been stopped by the ICC system for approximately
3 minutes or longer.
– The shif t lever is not in the D (Drive) position or B mode.
5-20Starting and driving
– The Vehicle Dynamic Control systemis turned off.
– When distance measurement be- comes impaired due to adhesion of
dirt or obstruction to the sensor.
– When the radar signal is temporarily interrupted.
Manual operation
The electronic parking brake will not be au-
tomatically applied if the EV system is
stopped without using the power switch
(for example, by EV system stalling). In such
a case, you have to apply the parking brake
manually.
To apply: Pull the switch up
1. The indica-
tor light
Awill illuminate.
To release: With the power switch in the ON
position, depress the brake pedal and push
the switch down
2. The indicator lightA
will turn off.
Before driving, check that the electronic
parking brake indicator light (
or PARK)
goes out. For additional information, refer
to “Warning lights, indicator lights and au-
dible reminders” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual.
NOTE:
• A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is
driven without releasing the parking
brake. For additional information, refer
to “Warning lights, indicator lights and
audible reminders” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
• While the electronic parking brake is ap-
plied or released, an operating sound is
heard from the lower side of the rear
seat. This is normal and does not indi-
cate a malfunction.
• When the electronic parking brake is
frequently applied and released in a
short period of time, the parking brake
may not operate in order to prevent the
parking brake system from overheat-
ing. If this occurs, operate the electronic
parking brake switch again af ter wait-
ing approximately 1 minute.
• If the electronic parking brake must be
applied while driving in an emergency,
pull up and hold the electronic parking
brake switch. When you release the
electronic parking brake switch, the
parking brake will be released. •
While pulling up the electronic parking
brake switch during driving, the parking
brake is applied and a chime sounds.
The electronic parking brake indicator
light (
or PARK) in the meter and in
the electronic parking brake switch illu-
minates. This does not indicate a mal-
function. The electronic parking brake
indicator light (
or PARK) in the me-
ter and in the electronic parking brake
switch turns off when the parking brake
is released.
• When pulling the electronic parking
brake switch up with the power switch
in the OFF or ACC position, the elec-
tronic parking brake switch indicator
light will continue to illuminate for a
short period of time.
Starting and driving5-21
When restarting the vehicle:
• Af ter the vehicle comes to a stop by thee-Pedal system function, the vehicle re-
mains at a stop as long as the accelerator
pedal is released.
• The vehicle’s brake lights remain illumi- nated when the vehicle is stopped by the
e-Pedal system.
• Depress the accelerator pedal to start the vehicle again from a stop.
When the vehicle needs to be stopped for a
certain period of time, place the vehicle in
the P (Park) position and apply the parking
brake.
CAUTION
When the e-Pedal system is turned off,
remember to depress the brake pedal
firmly to prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing with the shif t lever in any position
other than P (Park). When backing up the vehicle:
• With the shif t lever in the R (Reverse)
position, operating the accelerator pedal
adjusts the vehicle speed (acceleration,
deceleration, or stopping) in the same way
as the D (Drive) position.
Other driving tips for the e-Pedal
system:
• For smooth deceleration when the e-Pedal system is activated, it is recom-
mended that you adjust the accelerator
pedal by either depressing or returning,
not releasing, the pedal.
• Moving the shif t lever from D (Drive) to B mode or from B mode to D (Drive) does
not affect the e-Pedal system feature.
• The e-Pedal system does not function un- der the following conditions: – When the vehicle is placed in the P(Park) or N (Neutral) position
– When cruise control (if so equipped), ProPILOT Assist (if so equipped), or
Automatic Emergency Braking (if so
equipped) operates
E-PEDAL SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limita-
tions for the e-Pedal system. Failure to
operate the vehicle in accordance with
these system limitations could result
in serious injury or death.
• If the “Press brake pedal to prevent rolling” warning message appears in
the vehicle information display, de-
press the brake pedal. The vehicle
may start moving.
• If the deceleration force provided by the e-Pedal system is not sufficient,
depress the brake pedal.
• If the vehicle starts to move while it is stopped by the e-Pedal system,
depress the brake pedal immedi-
ately.
• Under the following conditions, place the vehicle in the P (Park) posi-
tion and make sure the parking
brake is securely applied. The ve-
hicle may start moving suddenly.
– When getting in and out of the ve-hicle
– When loading and unloading the vehicle
5-24Starting and driving