The VDC OFF indicator light also comes on
when you place the ignition switch in the
ON position. The light will turn off af ter
about 2 seconds if the system is opera-
tional. If the light stays on or comes on
along with the
indicator light while
you are driving, have the VDC system
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
While the VDC system is operating, you
might feel a slight vibration or hear the sys-
tem working when starting the vehicle or
accelerating, but this is normal.
AUDIBLE REMINDERS
Brake pad wear warning
The disc brake pads have audible wear
warnings. When a disc brake pad requires
replacement, it makes a high pitched
scraping sound when the vehicle is in mo-
tion, whether or not the brake pedal is de-
pressed. Have the brakes checked as soon
as possible if the warning sound is heard.
Key reminder chime
A chime sounds if the driver’s door is
opened while the key is lef t in the ignition
switch. Remove the key and take it with you
when leaving the vehicle.
Light reminder chime
With the ignition switch placed in the OFF
position, a chime sounds when the driver’s
door is opened if the headlights or parking
lights are on.
Turn the headlight control switch off before
leaving the vehicle.
Parking brake reminder chime
A chime sounds if the parking brake is set
and the vehicle is driven. The chime will
stop if the parking brake is released or the
vehicle speed returns to zero.
Your vehicle has a security system:∙ NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
will not allow the engine to start without
the use of a registered key.
LIC0301
SECURITY SYSTEMS
2-14Instruments and controls
Using the interior light
Press thebutton on the key fob once
to turn on the interior lights.
For additional information, refer to “Interior
light” in the “Instruments and controls” sec-
tion of this manual.
1. Pull the hood lock release handle
1
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
5.
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 30 cm (12 in) 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.
LPD2795
HOOD
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-9
OPENER OPERATION
The fuel-filler door release is located below
the instrument panel. To open the fuel-filler
door, pull the release. To lock, close the fuel-
filler door securely.
FUEL-FILLER CAP
The fuel-filler cap is a detachable type. Turn
the cap counterclockwise
1to remove. To
tighten, turn the cap clockwise
2until a
single click is heard.
Put the fuel-filler cap on the cap holder
while refueling.
WARNING
∙ Gasoline is extremely flammable and highly 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 Indicator
Light (MIL) to come on.
∙ Never pour fuel into the throttle body to attempt to start your vehicle.
LPD2810SPA1755
FUEL-FILLER DOOR
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-11
∙ Make sure the area around the vehicle isclear.
∙ 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 re- straints.
∙ Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
∙ Fasten seat belts and ask all passen- gers to do likewise.
∙ Check the operation of warning lights when the key is turned to the ON posi-
tion. For additional information, refer to
“Warning lights, indicator lights and au-
dible reminders” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2.
Automatic transmission:
Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral). P (Park) is recommended.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out
of the P (Park) position and into any
of the other gear positions if the ig-
nition switch is placed in the OFF po-
sition or if the key is removed from
the ignition switch.
The starter is designed not to oper-
ate if the shif t lever is in any of the
driving positions.
Manual transmission:
Move the shif t lever to N (Neutral). De-
press the clutch pedal to the floor
while cranking the engine.
3. Crank the engine with your foot off
the accelerator pedal by placing the
ignition switch in the START position.
Release the key when the engine
starts. If the engine starts, but fails to
run, repeat the above procedure.
∙ 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 hold it and then crank the
engine. Release the key and the ac-
celerator 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. Crank the engine for
5-6 seconds. Af ter cranking the en-
gine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off
the accelerator pedal by placing the
ignition in the START position. Re-
lease the key when the engine starts.
If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start, turn the key off and wait
10 seconds before cranking again, oth-
erwise the starter could be damaged.
4. Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 seconds af ter starting. Do not race
the engine while warming it up. Drive at
moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-8Starting and driving
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the
Automatic Transmission will be locked in
any of the forward gears depending on
conditions.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
This will occur even if all electrical cir-
cuits are functioning properly. In this
case:∙ Place the shif t lever in the P (Park)
position.
∙ Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position and wait for 3 seconds.
∙ Then place the ignition switch back in
the ON position.
The vehicle should return to its normal
operating 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.
Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch
Each time your vehicle is started, the trans-
mission is automatically “reset” to overdrive
ON.
ON: With the engine running and the shif t lever in the D (Drive)
position, the transmission up-
shif ts into overdrive as vehicle
speed increases.
Overdrive does not engage until the en-
gine has reached operating tempera-
ture.
OFF: For driving up and down longslopes where engine braking is
necessary push the O/D off
switch once. The Overdrive OFF
indicator light in the instrument
panel comes on at this time.
When cruising at a low speed or climbing a
gentle slope, you may feel uncomfortable
shif t shocks as the transmission shif ts into
and out of overdrive repeatedly. In this
case, depress the overdrive switch to turn
the overdrive off. The Overdrive OFF indica-
tor light in the instrument panel comes on
at this time.
When driving conditions change, depress
the O/D off switch to turn the overdrive on.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time with the over-
drive off. This reduces fuel economy.
LSD2012
Starting and driving5-13
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rollinginto traffic when parked on an incline, it
is a good practice to turn the wheels as
illustrated.
∙ HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB
A:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the curb
side wheel gently touches the curb.
∙ HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB
B:
Turn the wheels away from the curb
and move the vehicle back until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
∙ HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO CURB
C:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it moves.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position and remove the key.
WARNING
∙ If the engine is not running or isturned off while driving, the power as-
sist for the steering will not work.
Steering will be harder to operate.
∙ When the power steering warning light illuminates with the engine run-
ning, there will be no power assist for
the steering. You will still have control
of the vehicle but the steering will be
harder to operate. Have the power
steering system checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assist while driving to oper-
ate the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power as-
sist for the steering wheel will be reduced.
This is to prevent overheating of the power
steering system and protect it from getting
damaged. While the power assist is re-
duced, steering wheel operation will be-
come heavy. When the temperature of the
power steering system goes down, the
power assist level will return to normal.
Avoid repeating such steering wheel op- erations that could cause the power steer-
ing system to overheat.
You may hear a sound when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the electric power steering warning light
PS
illuminates while the engine is running,
it may indicate the power steering system
is not functioning properly and may need
servicing. Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
When the electric power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine running,
there will be no power assist for the steer-
ing but you will still have control of the ve-
hicle. At this time, greater steering effort is
required to operate the steering wheel, es-
pecially in sharp turns and at low speeds.
For additional information, refer to “Power
steering warning light” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
POWER STEERING
5-22Starting and driving
– When replacing tires, install thespecified size of tires on all four
wheels.
– When installing a spare tire, make sure that it is the proper size and
type as specified on the Tire and
Loading Information label. For ad-
ditional information, refer to “Tire
and Loading Information label” in
the “Technical and consumer infor-
mation” section of this manual.
– For additional information, refer to “Wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
The ABS controls the brakes so the wheels
do not lock during hard braking or when
braking on slippery surfaces. The system
detects the rotation speed at each wheel
and varies the brake fluid pressure to pre-
vent each wheel from locking and sliding.
By preventing each wheel from locking, the
system helps the driver maintain steering
control and helps to minimize swerving
and spinning on slippery surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
Depress the brake pedal with firm steady
pressure, but do not pump the brakes. The Anti-lock Braking System will operate to
prevent the wheels from locking up. Steer
the vehicle to avoid obstacles.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping
distances.
Self-test feature
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) in-
cludes electronic sensors, electric pumps,
hydraulic solenoids and a computer. The
computer has a built-in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you start
the engine and move the vehicle at a low
speed in forward or reverse. When the self-
test occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise
and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal.
This is normal and does not indicate a mal-
function. If the computer senses a mal-
function, it switches the ABS off and illumi-
nates the ABS warning light on the
instrument panel. The brake system then
operates normally but without anti-lock
assistance.
If the ABS warning light illuminates during
the self-test or while driving, have the ve-
hicle checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Normal operation
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) oper-
ates at speeds abov
e5-10km/h (3 -
6 mph). The speed varies according to road
conditions.
When the ABS senses that one or more
wheels are close to locking up, the actuator
rapidly applies and releases hydraulic pres-
sure. This action is similar to pumping the
brakes very quickly. You may feel a pulsa-
tion in the brake pedal and hear a noise
from under the hood or feel a vibration
from the actuator when it is operating. This
is normal and indicates that the ABS is op-
erating properly. However, the pulsation
may indicate that road conditions are haz-
ardous and extra care is required while
driving.
BRAKE ASSIST
When the force applied to the brake pedal
exceeds a certain level, the Brake Assist is
activated generating greater braking force
than a conventional brake booster even
with light pedal force.
5-24Starting and driving
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to helpthe driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed and
be especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.
∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen- sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator light may flash.
∙ If brake related parts such as brake pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and
the
indicator light may
illuminate. ∙ If engine control related parts are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the
indica-
tor light may illuminate.
∙ When driving on extremely inclined surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or the
indicator light
may illuminate. Do not drive on these
types of roads.
∙ When driving on an unstable surface such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash or the
indicator light may
illuminate. This is not a malfunction.
Restart the engine af ter driving onto
a stable surface.
∙ If wheels or tires other than the NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash and the
indicator light
may illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer through the key hole. If the lock
becomes frozen, heat the key before in-
serting it into the key hole or use the re-
mote keyless entry key fob (if so equipped).
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 0°C (32°F),
check the antifreeze to assure proper win-
ter protection. For additional information,
refer to “Engine cooling system” in the “Do-
it-yourself ” section of this manual.
BATTERY
This vehicle is equipped with a sealed
maintenance free battery. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
service.
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be lef t outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, includ-
ing the engine block. Refill before operating
the vehicle. For additional information, refer
to “Changing engine coolant” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-27