∙ Your vehicle will reach its ideal oper-ating temperature more quickly
while driving versus idling.
10. Keeping your Vehicle Cool
∙ Park your vehicle in a covered parking area or in the shade whenever pos-
sible.
∙ When entering a hot vehicle, opening the windows will help to reduce the
inside temperature faster, resulting in
reduced demand on your A/C sys-
tem. ∙ Keep your engine tuned up.
∙ Follow the recommended scheduled
maintenance.
∙ Keep the tires inflated to the correct pressure. Low tire pressure increases
tire wear and lowers fuel economy.
∙ Keep all the wheels in correct align- ment. Improper alignment increases
tire wear and lowers fuel economy.
∙ Use the recommended viscosity engine oil. For additional information, refer to
“Engine oil and oil filter recommenda-
tions” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual. If any malfunction occurs in the AWD sys-
tem while the engine is running, the master
warning light will come on.
The master warning light may illuminate
while trying to free a stuck vehicle due to
high powertrain oil temperature. The driv-
ing mode may change to 2–Wheel Drive.
AUTO mode may change to LOCK mode
before the warning light illuminates. If the
master warning light illuminates during
operation, stop the vehicle with the engine
idling in a safe place immediately. Then, if
the light turns off af ter a while, you can
continue driving.
A large difference between the diameters
of the front and rear wheels will make the
warning light illuminate. Pull off the road in
a safe area and idle the engine. Check that
all tire sizes are the same, tire pressure is
correct, and the tires are not worn.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (if so
equipped)
Starting and driving5-105
CAUTION
∙ If the warning light remains on af terthe above operation, have your ve-
hicle checked as soon as possible. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
∙ If the warning light comes on while driving, there may be a malfunction in
the AWD system. Reduce the vehicle
speed and have your vehicle checked
as soon as possible. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
∙ The powertrain may be damaged if you continue driving with the warning
light illuminated.
∙ Never drive on dry, hard surface roads in the LOCK mode, as this will overload
the powertrain and may cause a seri-
ous malfunction.
WARNING
∙ For AWD equipped vehicles, do not at-tempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shif t the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with the
engine running. Doing so may result
in drivetrain damage or unexpected
vehicle movement which could result
in serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
∙ Do not attempt to test an AWD equipped vehicle on a 2–wheel dyna-
mometer (such as the dynamometers
used by some states for emissions
testing) or similar equipment even if
the other two wheels are raised off the
ground. Make sure that you inform
the test facility personnel that your
vehicle is equipped with AWD before it
is placed on a dynamometer. Using
the wrong test equipment may result
in drivetrain damage or unexpected
vehicle movement which could result
in serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) LOCK
SWITCH OPERATIONS
The AWD LOCK switch is located on the
lower side of the instrument panel. This
switch is used to select the AUTO or LOCK
mode depending on the driving conditions.
LOCK mode:
The AWD LOCK indicator light will illumi-
nate.
AUTO mode:
The AWD LOCK indicator light will turn off.
LIC2645
5-106Starting and driving
AWD mode Wheels driven AWD LOCK indicator light Use conditionsAUTO Distribution of torque
to the front and rear
wheels changes
automatically, depend-
ing on road conditions
encountered [100:0]
←→
[50:50]. This results
in improved driving
stability. *1 For driving on paved
or slippery roads.
LOCK AWD *2, *3
For driving on rough
roads.
*1 When the rotation difference between the front and rear wheels is large, the AWD mode
may change from AUTO to LOCK for a while; however, this is not a malfunction.
*2 The LOCK mode will change to AUTO mode automatically when the vehicle has been
driven at a high speed. The AWD LOCK indicator light turns off.
*3 LOCK mode will automatically be canceled when the ignition switch is placed in the OFF
position. ∙ The AWD torque distribution between
the front and rear wheels can be dis-
played in the video information display.
∙ If the AWD LOCK switch is operated while accelerating or decelerating, or if
the ignition switch is placed in the OFF
position, you may feel a jolt. This is nor-
mal.
∙ The oil temperature of the powertrain parts will increase if the vehicle is con-
tinuously operated under conditions
where the difference in rotation be-
tween the front and rear wheels is large
(wheel slip), such as when driving the
vehicle on rough roads or through sand
or mud or freeing a stuck vehicle. In
these cases, the master warning light
illuminates and the AWD mode
changes to 2–Wheel Drive to protect the
powertrain parts. Stop driving with the
engine idling and wait until the warning
light turns off and the AWD returns to
the AUTO mode. If the warning light re-
mains on, have your vehicle checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
Starting and driving5-107
WARNING
∙ When driving straight, shif t the AWDLOCK switch to AUTO. Do not operate
the AWD LOCK switch when making a
turn or backing up.
∙ Do not operate the AWD LOCK switch with the front wheel spinning.
∙ Engine idling speed is high while warming up the engine. Be especially
careful when starting or driving on
slippery surfaces.
∙ When turning the vehicle in LOCK mode on paved roads, you may feel a
braking effect. This is a normal condi-
tion of the AWD model.
WARNING
∙ Do not stop or park the vehicle overflammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.
∙
Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park). Fail-
ure to do so could cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly or roll away and re-
sult in an accident. Make sure the shif t
lever has been pushed as far forward as
it can go and cannot be moved without
depressing the foot brake pedal.
∙ Never leave the engine running while the vehicle is unattended.
∙ To help avoid risk of injury or death through unintended operation of the
vehicle and/or its systems, do not
leave children, people who require the
assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly be-
come high enough to cause a signifi-
cant risk of injury or death to people
and pets.
WSD0050
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
5-108Starting and driving
For additional information, refer to “Power
steering warning light” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using
engine vacuum. If the engine stops, you
can stop the vehicle by depressing the
brake pedal. However, greater foot pres-
sure on the brake pedal will be required to
stop the vehicle and stopping distance will
be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake pads faster, and reduce
gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent
the brakes from overheating, reduce speed
and downshif t to a lower gear before going
down a slope or long grade. Overheated
brakes may reduce braking performance
and could result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
∙ While driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshif ting. Abrupt braking or ac-
celerating could cause the wheels to
skid and result in an accident.
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned off while driving, the power as-
sist for the brakes will not work. Brak-
ing will be harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven
through water, the brakes may get wet. As
a result, your braking distance will be lon-
ger and the vehicle may pull to one side
during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake
pedal to heat up the brakes. Do this until
the brakes return to normal. Avoid driving
the vehicle at high speeds until the brakes
function correctly.
BRAKE SYSTEM
5-110Starting and driving
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 above3-6mph(5-
10 km/h). 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.
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist
braking operation and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. It is the
driver’s responsibility to stay alert, drive
safely and be in control of the vehicle at
all times. The VDC system uses various sensors to
monitor driver inputs and vehicle motion.
Under certain driving conditions, the VDC
system helps to perform the following
functions:
∙ Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel slip on one slipping drive wheel
so power is transferred to a non-
slipping drive wheel on the same axle.
∙ Controls brake pressure and engine output to reduce drive wheel slip based
on vehicle speed (traction control func-
tion).
∙ Controls brake pressure at individual wheels and engine output to help the
driver maintain control of the vehicle in
the following conditions:
– Understeer (vehicle tends to not fol- low the steered path despite in-
creased steering input)
– Oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving conditions)
The VDC system can help the driver to
maintain control of the vehicle, but it can-
not prevent loss of vehicle control in all driv-
ing situations.
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM
5-112Starting and driving
∙ If engine control related parts are notNISSAN 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 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 illuminate. This is not a mal-
function. Restart the hybrid system
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 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 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
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
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 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 illuminate. This is not a mal-
function. Restart the hybrid system
af ter driving onto a stable surface.
5-114Starting and driving
∙ If wheels or tires other than theNISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road. The chassis control is an electric control
module that includes the following func-
tions:
∙ Intelligent Trace Control
∙ Intelligent Engine Brake
∙ Active Ride Control
INTELLIGENT TRACE CONTROL
(I-TC)
This system senses driving based on the
driver’s steering and acceleration/braking
patterns, and controls brake pressure at
individual wheels to aid tracing at corners
and help smooth vehicle response.
The I-TC can be set to on (enabled) or off
(disabled) through the vehicle information
display “Settings” page. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Vehicle information dis-
play” in the “Instruments and controls” sec-
tion of this manual.
When the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
OFF switch is used to turn off the VDC sys-
tem, the I-TC is also turned off.
CHASSIS CONTROL
Starting and driving5-115