Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by
maintaining the correct air pressure and
visually inspecting the tires for wear and
damage. For additional information, refer
to “Wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-yourself ”
section of this manual. If a tire rapidly loses
air pressure or “blows-out” while driving,
maintain control of the vehicle by following
the procedure below. Please note that this
procedure is only a general guide. The ve-
hicle must be driven as appropriate based
on the conditions of the vehicle, road and
traffic.
WARNING
The following actions can increase the
chance of losing control of the vehicle if
there is a sudden loss of tire air pres-
sure. Losing control of the vehicle may
cause a collision and result in personal
injury.
∙ The vehicle generally moves or pullsin the direction of the flat tire.
∙ Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
∙ Do not rapidly release the accelerator pedal.
∙ Do not rapidly turn the steering wheel. 1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering
wheel with both hands and try to hold a
straight course.
3. When appropriate, slowly release the accelerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe location off the road and away from
traffic if possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradu- ally stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and contact a roadside emergency
service to change the tire. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Changing a
flat tire” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this manual.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream
reduces coordination, delays reaction
time and impairs judgement. Driving af-
ter drinking alcohol increases the likeli-
hood of being involved in an accident in-
juring yourself and others. Additionally, if
you are injured in an accident, alcohol can
increase the severity of the injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under the
influence of alcohol. Every year thousands of
people are injured or killed in alcohol-related
collisions. Although the local laws vary on
what is considered to be legally intoxicated,
the fact is that alcohol affects all people dif-
ferently and most people underestimate the
effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix!
That is true for drugs (over-the-counter,
prescription) and illegal drugs, too. Don’t
drive if your ability to operate your vehicle is
impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some other
physical condition.
Starting and driving5-11
DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Your NISSAN is designed for both normal
and off-road use. However, avoid driving in
deep water or mud as your NISSAN is
mainly designed for leisure use, unlike a
conventional off-road vehicle.
Remember that 2-Wheel Drive (2WD) mod-
els are less capable than All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) models for rough road driving and
extrication when stuck in deep snow or
mud, or the like.
Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
∙ Spinning the front wheels on slipperysurfaces may cause the AWD warning
message to display and the AWD sys-
tem to automatically switch from the
AWD to the 2WD mode. This could re-
duce the traction. Be especially care-
ful when towing a trailer (AWD
models). ∙ Drive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle
should be seated with their seat belt
fastened. This will keep you and your
passengers in position when driving
over rough terrain.
∙ Do not drive across steep slopes. In- stead drive either straight up or
straight down the slopes. Off-road ve-
hicles can tip over sideways much
more easily than they can forward or
backward.
∙ Many hills are too steep for any ve- hicle. If you drive up them, you may
stall. If you drive down them, you may
not be able to control your speed. If
you drive across them, you may roll
over.
∙ Do not shif t gears while driving on downhill grades as this could cause
loss of control of the vehicle.
∙ Stay alert when driving to the top of a hill. At the top there could be a drop-
off or other hazard that could cause
an accident. ∙ If your engine stalls or you cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill, never
attempt to turn around. Your vehicle
could tip or roll over. Always back
straight down in the R (Reverse) gear
and apply brakes to control your
speed.
∙ Heavy braking going down a hill could cause your brakes to overheat and
fade, resulting in loss of control and
an accident. Apply brakes lightly and
use a low gear to control your speed.
∙ Unsecured cargo can be thrown around when driving over rough ter-
rain. Properly secure all cargo so it will
not be thrown forward and cause in-
jury to you or your passengers.
∙ To avoid raising the center of gravity excessively, do not exceed the rated
capacity of the roof rack (if so
equipped) and evenly distribute the
load.
∙ Secure heavy loads in the cargo area as far forward and as low as possible.
Do not equip the vehicle with tires
larger than specified in this manual.
This could cause your vehicle to roll
over.
5-12Starting and driving
WARNING
Do not operate the push-button igni-
tion switch while driving the vehicle ex-
cept in an emergency. (The NISSAN
PURE DRIVE® Hybrid System will turn off
when the ignition switch is pushed
three consecutive times in quick suc-
cession or the ignition switch is pushed
and held for more than 2 seconds.) If the
hybrid system stops while the vehicle 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.
Push the ignition switch center:∙ Once to change to ON.
∙ Two times to change to OFF.
The ignition switch will automatically re-
turn to the LOCK position when any door is
either opened or closed with the switch in
the OFF position. The ignition lock is designed so that the
ignition switch position cannot be
switched to the OFF position until the shif t
lever is moved to the P (Park) position.
When the ignition switch cannot be pushed
toward the OFF position, proceed as fol-
lows:
1. Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) posi- tion.
2. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch will change to the ON position.
3. Push the ignition switch again to the OFF position.
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.
LSD2729
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-14Starting and driving
(Af ter step 3 is performed, when the
ignition switch is pushed without de-
pressing the brake pedal, the ignition
switch position will change to ON.)
4. Push the ignition switch while depress- ing the brake pedal within 10 seconds
af ter the chime sounds. The hybrid
system will start.
NOTE: ∙ When the ignition switch is pushed to
the ON position or the hybrid system
is started by the above procedure, the
Intelligent Key battery discharge in-
dicator appears in the vehicle infor-
mation display even when the Intelli-
gent Key is inside the vehicle. This is
not a malfunction. To turn off the In-
telligent Key battery discharge indi-
cator, touch the ignition switch with
the Intelligent Key again.
∙ If the Intelligent Key battery dis-
charge indicator appears, replace the
battery as soon as possible. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Battery
replacement” in the “Do-it-yourself ”
section of this manual.NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
will not allow the hybrid system to start
without the use of the registered key.
If the hybrid system fails to start using a
registered key (for example, when interfer-
ence is caused by another registered key,
an automated toll road device or auto-
matic payment device on the key ring), re-
start the hybrid system using the following
procedure:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON po- sition for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately
10 seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the hybrid system while hold- ing the device (which may have caused
the interference) separate from the
registered key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN
recommends placing the registered key on
a separate key ring to avoid interference
from other devices. ∙ Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
∙ Check fluid levels such as engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, 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.
∙ Check that all doors are closed.
∙ 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 ignition switch is placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
refer to “Warning lights, indicator lights
and audible reminders” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section of this
manual.
BEFORE STARTING THE NISSAN
PURE DRIVE® HYBRID SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-17
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shif t mode). Always depress
the brake pedal until shif ting is com-
pleted. Failure to do so could cause
you to lose control and have an
accident.
∙ Cold engine idle speed is high, so use caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
∙ Never shif t to either the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is re-
versing. This could cause an accident
or damage the transmission.
CAUTION
∙ 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.
∙ Except in an emergency, do not shif t to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission in
the N (Neutral) position may cause se-
rious damage to the transmission.
The CVT in your vehicle is electronically
controlled to produce maximum power
and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures
for this transmission are shown on the fol-
lowing pages. Follow these procedures for
maximum vehicle performance and driv-
ing enjoyment.
Engine power may be automatically re-
duced to protect the CVT if the engine
speed increases quickly when driving on
slippery roads or while being tested on
some dynamometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. Af ter starting the hybrid system, fully depress the foot brake pedal before
moving the shif t lever out of the P (Park)
position.
This Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion is designed so that the foot
brake pedal must be depressed be-
fore shif ting from P (Park) to any driv-
ing position while the ignition 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 ignition
switch is placed in the LOCK or OFF
position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shif t lever to a driving
position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal, and then gradually start
the vehicle in motion.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-19
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or M
(Manual shif t mode) position. Always
depress the brake pedal until shif ting
is completed. Failure to do so could
cause you to lose control and have an
accident.
∙ Cold engine idle speed is high, so use caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
∙ Never shif t to either the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is re-
versing. This could cause an accident
or damage the transmission.
CAUTION
∙ 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.
∙ Except in an emergency, do not shif t to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission in
the N (Neutral) position may cause se-
rious damage to the transmission.
Shif ting
Af ter starting the hybrid system, fully de-
press the brake pedal, press the shif t lever
button and move the shif t lever from the P
(Park) position to any of the desired shif t
positions.
LSD2691
5-20Starting and driving
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shif t lever
is in any position while the hybrid sys-
tem is not running. Failure to do so
could cause the vehicle to move unex-
pectedly or roll away and result in seri-
ous personal injury or property
damage.
CAUTION
Use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position
only when the vehicle is completely
stopped.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the P (Park) position only when the ve-
hicle is completely stopped.
Use the P (Park) shif t lever position when
the vehicle is parked or when starting the
hybrid system. Make sure the vehicle is
completely stopped. The brake pedal
must be depressed and the shif t lever
button pressed in to move the shif t lever
from N (Neutral) or any drive position to P
(Park). Apply the parking brake. When park- ing on a hill, apply the parking brake first,
then move the shif t lever to 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 hybrid system can be started in
this position. You may shif t to N (Neutral)
and restart a stalled hybrid system while
the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving.
Manual shif t mode
When the shif t lever is in the manual shif t
gate, the transmission is ready for the
manual shif t mode. Shif t ranges can be
selected manually by moving the shif t le-
ver up or down. To cancel manual shif t
mode, return the shif t lever to the D (Drive)
position. The transmission returns to auto-
matic driving mode.
When the shif t lever is shif ted from D (Drive)
to the manual shif t gate with the vehicle
stopped or while driving, the transmission
enters the manual shif t mode. Shif t ranges
can be selected manually. In the manual
shif t mode, the shif t range is displayed on
the position indicator in the meter. When
moving the shif t lever to the manual shif t
gate, the position indicator displays 1 (1st)
up to 7 (7th) depending on vehicle speed.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
1⇔ 2⇔ 3⇔ 4⇔ 5⇔ 6⇔ 7
7 (7th)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
Starting and driving5-21
Shif t lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged,
the shif t lever may not be moved from the
P (Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the shif t lever button
pressed. To move the shif t lever, perform
the following procedure:1. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position.
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 and move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position
while holding down the shif t lock re-
lease. The vehicle may be moved to the
desired location. Replace the removed
shif t lock release cover af ter the opera-
tion. If the shif t lever cannot be moved
out of the P (Park) position, have the
Continuously Variable Transmission
system checked as soon as possible. It
is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.WARNING
If the shif t lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position while the engine is
running and the brake pedal is de-
pressed, the stop lights may not work.
Malfunctioning stop lights could cause
an accident injuring yourself and others.
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.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tem-
perature protection mode. If the fluid tem-
perature becomes too high (for example,
when climbing steep grades in high tem-
peratures with heavy loads, such as when
towing a trailer), engine power and, under
some conditions, vehicle speed will be de-
creased automatically to reduce the
chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelera-
tor pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed
may be limited.
Fail-safe
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 and
wait for 10 seconds. Then push the
LSD2756
Starting and driving5-23