∙ 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
∙ Keep the engine at idling speed whileshif ting from the N (Neutral) position
to any driving position.
∙ 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.
Starting the vehicle
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 to a drive po-
sition.
3. Release the parking brake, the foot brake pedal, and then gradually start
the vehicle in motion.
The automatic transmission is designed
so the foot brake pedal MUST be de-
pressed before shif ting from P (Park) to
any drive position while the ignition
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 turned to
the LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the
keyisremoved.
CAUTION
∙ Depress the foot brake pedal - Shif t-
ing the shif t lever to D (Drive), R (Re-
verse), 2 or 1 without depressing the
foot brake pedal causes the vehicle to
move slowly when the engine is run-
ning. Make sure the foot brake pedal is
depressed fully and the vehicle is
stopped before shif ting the shif t
lever.
∙ Make sure of the shif t lever position- Make sure the shif t lever is in the de-
sired position. D (Drive), 2 and 1 are
used to move forward and R (Reverse)
to back up.
∙ Warm up the engine. Due to the higher idle speeds when the engine is cold,
extra caution must be exercised when
shif ting the shif t lever into the driving
position immediately af ter starting
the engine. To move the shif t lever:
Press the buttonAwhile depressing
the brake pedal.
Press the buttonA.
Just move the shif t lever.
LSD2005
5-10Starting and driving
Shif ting
WARNING
∙ Apply the parking brake if the shif tlever is in any position while the en-
gine is not running. Failure to do so
could cause the vehicle to move unex-
pectedly or roll away and result in se-
rious personal injury or property
damage.
∙ If the shif t lever cannot be moved from the P (Park) position while the
engine is running and the brake pedal
is depressed, the stop lights may not
work. Malfunctioning stop lights
could cause an accident injuring your-
self and others.
Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal, press the shif t lever but-
ton and move the shif t lever out of the P
(Park) position.
If the ignition switch is in the OFF or ACC
position for any reason while the shif t lever
is in any position other than the P (Park)
position, the ignition switch cannot be
turned to the LOCK position. If the ignition 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 ignition switch in the ON po- sition while depressing the foot brake
pedal.
3. Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) po- sition.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the P (Park) position only when the ve-
hicle is completely stopped.
Use the P (Park) position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped. The
brake pedal must be depressed 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 move the shif t le-
ver 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. The brake pedal must be de-
pressed and the shif t lever button
pressed to move the shif t lever from P
(Park), N (Neutral) or any drive position to
R (Reverse).
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.
Starting and driving5-11
2 (Second gear)
Use this position for hill climbing or engine
braking on downhill grades.
1 (Low gear)
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
sand or mud, or for maximum engine brak-
ing on steep downhill grades.
Do not shif t into the gears when the vehicle
speed exceeds the following limits, other-
wise the engine may over-rev and cause
engine damage.
Shif t Lever position
12
50 km/h (31 mph) 95 km/h (59 mph)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 into the LOCK position and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shif t lock release cover us- ing a suitable tool. 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 automatic trans-
mission system checked as soon as pos-
sible. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
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.
LSD2006
5-12Starting 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
to prevent one drive wheel from slipping by
transferring power to a non slipping drive
wheel. The
indicator light flashes if
this occurs. All other VDC functions are off
and the
indicator light will not flash.
The VDC system is automatically reset to
on when the ignition switch is placed in the
off position then back to the on position.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle for-
ward or in reverse at a slow speed. When
the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to help the 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.
BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the front and rear wheels
depending on the radius of the turn.
5-26Starting and driving
Push the switch on to warn other drivers
when you must stop or park under emer-
gency conditions. All turn signal lights flash.
WARNING
∙ If stopping for an emergency, be sureto move the vehicle well off the road.
∙
Do not use the hazard warning flashers
while moving on the highway unless
unusual circumstances force you to
drive so slowly that your vehicle might
become a hazard to other traffic.
∙ Turn signals do not work when the hazard warning flasher lights are on. The flashers will operate with the ignition
switch placed in any position.
Some jurisdictions may prohibit the use
of the hazard warning flasher switch
while driving.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below:
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking brake. Shif t the automatic
transmission (if so equipped) to P (Park)
or the manual transmission (if so
equipped) to R (Reverse).
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to signal professional road assis-
tance personnel that you need assis-
tance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the ve- hicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
LIC0394
HAZARD WARNING FLASHER SWITCH FLAT TIRE
6-2In case of emergency