INFANTS
Infants up to at least 1 year old should be
placed in a rear-facing child restraint.
NISSAN recommends that infants be
placed in child restraints that comply with
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
You should choose a child restraint that fits
your vehicle and always follow the manu-
facturer’s instructions for installation and
use.
SMALL CHILDREN
Children that are over 1 year old and weigh
at least 20 lbs. (9 kg) should remain in a
rear-facing child restraint as long as pos-
sible up to the height or weight limit of the
child restraint. Children who outgrow the
height or weight limit of the rear-facing
child restraint and are at least 1 year old
should be secured in a forward-facing child
restraint with a harness. Refer to the manu-
facturer’s instructions for minimum and
maximum weight and height recommen-
dations. NISSAN recommends that small
children be placed in child restraints that
comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. You should choose a
child restraint that fits your vehicle and al-ways follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for installation and use.
LARGER CHILDREN
Children should remain in a forward-facing
child restraint with a harness until they
reach the maximum height or weight limit
allowed by the child restraint manufac-
turer.
Once a child outgrows the height or weight
limit of the harness-equipped forward-
facing child restraint, NISSAN recommends
that the child be placed in a commercially
available booster seat to obtain proper
seat belt fit. For a seat belt to fit properly, the
booster seat should raise the child so that
the shoulder belt is properly positioned
across the chest and the top, middle por-
tion of the shoulder. The shoulder belt
should not cross the neck or face and
should not fall off the shoulder. The lap belt
should lie snugly across the lower hips or
upper thighs, not the abdomen. A booster
seat can only be used in seating positions
that have a three-point type seat belt. The
booster seat should fit the vehicle seat and
have a label certif ying that it complies with
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
A booster seat should be used until the
child can pass the seat belt fit test below:
∙ Are the child’s back and hips against the vehicle seatback?
∙ Is the child able to sit without slouch- ing?
∙ Do the child’s knees bend easily over the front edge of the seat with feet flat
on the floor?
∙ Can the child safely wear the seat belt (lap belt low and snug across the hips
and shoulder belt across mid-chest
and shoulder)?
∙ Is the child able to use the properly ad- justed head restraint/headrest?
∙ Will the child be able to stay in position for the entire ride?
1-26Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
∙ If the Easy-Fill Tire Alert does not op-erate due to TPMS interference, move
the vehicle about 3 f t (1 m) backward
or forward and try again.
If the Easy-Fill Tire Alert is not working, use a
tire pressure gauge.
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS
Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of
vehicles.
They have higher ground clearance than
passenger cars to make them capable of
performing in a variety of on-pavement
and off-road applications. This gives them
a higher center of gravity than ordinary ve-
hicles. An advantage of higher ground
clearance is a better view of the road, allow-
ing you to anticipate problems. However,
they are not designed for cornering at the
same speeds as conventional 2-Wheel
Drive vehicles any more than low-slung
sports cars are designed to perform satis-
factorily under off-road conditions. If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns at high speeds.
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to
operate this vehicle correctly may result in
loss of control or vehicle rollover. In a roll- over crash, an unbelted person is signifi-
cantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
For additional information, refer to “Driving
safety precautions” in this section.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss
of control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times.
Obey all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive
speed, high speed cornering, or sudden
steering maneuvers, because these driving
practices could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle.
As with any vehicle, loss of control could
result in a collision with other vehicles or
objects or cause the vehicle to roll over,
particularly if the loss of control causes
the vehicle to slide sideways.
Be attentive at all times, and avoid driving
when tired. Never drive when under the in-
fluence of alcohol or drugs (including pre-
scription or over-the-counter drugs which may cause drowsiness). Always wear your
seat belt as outlined in the “Safety – Seats,
seat belts and supplemental restraint sys-
tem” section of this manual, and also in-
struct your passengers to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in
collisions and rollovers.
In a rollover crash,
an unbelted or improperly belted person
is significantly more likely to be injured
or killed than a person properly wearing
a seat belt.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
While driving, the right side or lef t side
wheels may unintentionally leave the road
surface. If this occurs, maintain control of
the vehicle by following the procedure be-
low. Please note that this procedure is only
a general guide. The vehicle must be driven
as appropriate based on the conditions of
the vehicle, road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and try to hold a
straight course.
Starting and driving5-9
∙ Failure to operate this vehicle cor-rectly could result in loss of control
and/or a rollover accident.
∙ Always use tires of the same type, size, brand, construction (bias, bias-
belted, or radial), and tread pattern on
all four wheels. Install tire chains on
the front wheels when driving on slip-
pery roads and drive carefully.
∙ Be sure to check the brakes immedi- ately af ter driving in mud or water. For
additional information, refer to “Brake
precautions” in this section.
∙ Avoid parking your vehicle on steep hills. If you get out of the vehicle and it
rolls forward, backward or sideways,
you could be injured.
∙ Whenever you drive off-road through sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent mainte-
nance may be required. For additional
information, refer to “Maintenance
under severe operating conditions” in
the “Maintenance and schedules” sec-
tion of this manual.
WARNING
Do not operate the push-button igni-
tion switch while driving the vehicle ex-
cept in an emergency. (The engine will
stop when the ignition switch is pushed
three consecutive times in less than
1.5 seconds or the ignition switch is
pushed and held for more than 2 sec-
onds.) If the engine stops while the ve-
hicle is being driven, this could lead to a
crash and serious injury. When the ignition switch is pushed without
depressing the brake pedal, the ignition
switch will illuminate.
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or OFF
position, push the ignition switch center:
∙ Once to change to ACC.
∙ Two times to change to ON.
∙ Three times to change to OFF.
The shif t lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
If the battery of the vehicle is discharged,
the ignition switch cannot be moved
from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for opera-
tion are displayed on the vehicle informa-
tion display. For additional information, re-
fer to “Vehicle information display” in the
“Instruments and controls” section of this
manual.
LSD2014
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
Starting and driving5-13
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drums/rotors are replaced,
in order to assure the best braking perfor-
mance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
WARNING
∙ The ABS is a sophisticated device, butit cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain ve-
hicle control during braking on slip-
pery surfaces. Remember that stop-
ping distances on slippery surfaces
will be longer than on normal sur-
faces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if you
are using tire chains. Always maintain
a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you. Ultimately, the driver is
responsible for safety. ∙ Tire type and condition may also af-
fect braking effectiveness.
– When replacing tires, install the specified 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) includes
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 for-
ward 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 malfunction. If the
computer senses a malfunction, it switches
the ABS off and illuminates the ABS warning
light on the instrument panel. The brake sys-
tem then operates normally, but without
anti-lock assistance.
Starting and driving5-131
∙ When driving on extremely inclinedsurfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or both the
andindicator lights 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 both the
andindi-
cator lights 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 or both the
andindicator lights may illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
RISE-UP AND BUILD-UP
The system gradually adjusts braking
power during normal braking to help pro-
vide an enhanced brake feel.
BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the four wheels depending
on the radius of the turn.
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 or
both the
andindicator
lights may illuminate.
∙ 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 both
the
and theindicator lights
may illuminate.
∙ If engine control related parts are not NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, both the
andindicator lights may
illuminate.
5-134Starting and driving
∙ When driving on extremely inclinedsurfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or both the
andindicator lights 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 both the
andindi-
cator lights 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 or both the
andindicator lights may illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
WARNING
∙ Never rely solely on the hill start assistsystem to prevent the vehicle from
moving backward on a hill. Always
drive carefully and attentively. De-
press the brake pedal when the ve-
hicle is stopped on a steep hill. Be es-
pecially careful when stopped on a hill
on frozen or muddy roads. Failure to
prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards may result in a loss of control of
the vehicle and possible serious injury
or death.
∙ The hill start assist system is not de- signed to hold the vehicle at a stand-
still on a hill. Depress the brake pedal
when the vehicle is stopped on a
steep hill. Failure to do so may cause
the vehicle to roll backwards and may
result in a collision or serious personal
injury.
∙ The hill start assist may not prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards on
a hill under all load or road conditions.
Always be prepared to depress the
brake pedal to prevent the vehicle
from rolling backwards. Failure to do
so may result in a collision or serious
personal injury. When the vehicle is stopped on a hill, the hill
start assist system automatically keeps
the brakes applied. This helps prevent the
vehicle from rolling backward in the time it
takes the driver to release the brake pedal
and apply the accelerator.
Hill start assist will operate automatically
under the following conditions:
∙ The shif t lever is moved to a forward or reverse gear.
∙ The vehicle is stopped completely on a hill by applying the brake.
∙ The hill grade is above 10%.
The maximum holding time is two sec-
onds. Af ter two seconds the vehicle will be-
gin to roll back and hill start assist will stop
operating completely.
Hill start assist will not operate when the
shif t lever is moved to N (Neutral) or P (Park)
or on a flat and level road.
HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-135
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
NISSAN Intelligent Key®.
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32°F (0°C),
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
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the
battery fluid may freeze and damage the
battery. To maintain maximum efficiency,
the battery should be checked regularly.
For additional information, refer to “Battery”
in the “Do-it-yourself ” section of this
manual.
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.
TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed toprovide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance
of these tires will be substantially re-
duced in snowy and icy conditions. If
you operate your vehicle on snowy or
icy roads, NISSAN recommends the use
of MUD & SNOW or ALL SEASON TIRES
on all four wheels. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for the tire
type, size, speed rating and availability
information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, studded tires may be used. However,
some U.S. states and Canadian prov-
inces prohibit their use. Check local,
state and provincial laws before install-
ing studded tires. Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires.
3. Tire chains may be used. For additional information, refer to “Tire chains” in the
“Do-it-yourself ” section of this manual.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
∙ A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to re- move ice and snow from the windows
and wiper blades.
∙ A sturdy, flat board to be placed under the jack to give it firm support.
∙ A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow- drif ts.
∙ Extra washer fluid to refill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
5-138Starting and driving
Always refer to the illustrations for the cor-
rect placement and jack-up points for your
specific vehicle model and jack type.
Carefully read the caution label attached
to the jack body and the following in-
structions.1. Loosen each wheel nut 1 or 2 turns by turning counterclockwise with the
wheel nut wrench. Do not remove the
wheel nuts until the tire is off the
ground. 2. Place the jack directly under the
jack-up point as illustrated so the top
of the jack contacts the vehicle at the
jack-up point. Align the jack head be-
tween the 2 notches in the front or the
rear as shown. Also fit the groove of the
jack head between the notches as
shown.
The jack should be used on firm and
level ground.
3. To lif t the vehicle, securely hold the jack lever and rod with both hands. Carefully
raise the vehicle until the tire clears the
ground. Remove the wheel nuts, and
then remove the tire.Installing the spare tire
The spare tire is designed for emergency
use. For additional information, refer to
“Wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-yourself ”
section of this manual.
1. Clean any mud or dirt from the surface between the wheel and hub.
2. Carefully put the spare tire on and tighten the wheel nuts finger tight.
3. With the wheel nut wrench, tighten wheel nuts alternately and evenly in the
sequence illustrated (
A,B,C,D,E)
until they are tight.
SCE0002WCE0056
6-8In case of emergency