*1: Before moving the shif t lever from N (Neutral), wait until the 4LO indicator stays on steady. This indicates that the 4WD shif t procedureis completed and the transfer gear is correctly set in the 4LO position. If the vehicle is shif ted into gear before the indicator is on steady,
the transfer gear may grind, not engage correctly or stay in the N (Neutral) position.
- If the 4WD vehicle information display warning message illuminates, perform the following procedure to return the transfer case to
the correct operating condition.
1. Turn off the engine by placing the ignition switch in the OFF position.
2. Start the engine.
- Check that the 4WD vehicle information display warning message turns of f. If the warning message in the vehicle information display
stays on, have the system checked. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
3. Apply the parking brake, depress the brake pedal and move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position.
4. With the brake pedal depressed, move the 4WD shif t switch to the desired mode.
- Be sure to wait until the transfer gear change completes before shif ting the shif t lever from the N (Neutral) position.
*2: While changing in and out of 4LO, the ignition switch must be in the ON position and the vehicle’s engine must be running for a shif t to take place and for the 4WD shif t and 4LO position indicators to be operable. Otherwise, the shif t will not take place and no indicators
will be on or flashing.
*3: Make sure the transfer 4LO position indicator turns on when you shif t the 4WD shif t switch to 4LO. The
indicator light will also turn
on when 4LO is selected. For additional information, refer to “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system” in this section.
Starting and driving5-47
The transfer case 4WD shif t switch is used
to select either 2WD or 4WD depending on
the driving conditions. There are three
types of drive modes available: 2WD, 4H and
4LO.
The 4WD shif t switch electronically controls
the transfer case operation. Rotate the
switch to move between each mode: 2WD,
4H and 4LO.
To change into or out of 4LO, the vehicle
MUST be stationary, move the shif t lever
to N (Neutral), and depress the brake
pedal. The switch must be pushed and
turned to select 4LO.
WARNING
∙ When parking, apply the parkingbrake before stopping the engine and
make sure that the 4WD shif t indica-
tor is on and the Automatic Transmis-
sion Park (ATP) warning light goes off.
Otherwise, the vehicle could unex-
pectedly move even if the A/T is in the
P (Park) position. ∙ The 4LO indicator must stop blinking
and remain illuminated or turn off be-
fore shif ting the transmission into
gear. If the shif t lever is shif ted from
the N (Neutral) position to any other
gear when the 4LO indicator is blink-
ing, the vehicle may move
unexpectedly.
CAUTION
∙ Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be-tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
∙ The 4H position provides greater trac- tion. Avoid excessive speed, as it will
cause increased fuel consumption
and higher oil temperatures, and
could damage drivetrain compo-
nents. Speeds over 62 mph
(100 km/h) in 4H is not recommended.
∙ The 4LO position provides maximum power and traction. Avoid raising ve-
hicle speed excessively, as the maxi-
mum speed is approximately 31 mph
(50 km/h).
∙ When driving straight, shif t the 4WD shif t switch to the 2WD or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shif t switch
when making a turn or reversing. ∙ Do not shif t the 4WD shif t switch (be-
tween 2WD and 4H) while driving on
steep downhill grades. Use the engine
brake and low A/T gears (M1 or M2) for
engine braking.
∙ Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch (between 2WD and 4H) with the rear
wheels spinning.
∙ Do not drive on dry hard surface roads in the 4H or 4LO position. Driving on
dry hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO may
cause unnecessary noise and tire
wear. NISSAN recommends driving in
the 2WD position under these
conditions.
∙ The 4WD transfer case may not be shif ted between 4H and 4LO at low
ambient temperatures and the trans-
fer 4LO position indicator may blink
even when the 4WD shif t switch is
shif ted. Af ter driving for a while you
can change the 4WD transfer case be-
tween 4H and 4LO.
When driving on rough roads, ∙ Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
∙ Drive carefully according to the road surface conditions.
5-48Starting and driving
When the vehicle is stuck,∙ Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
∙ Place stones or wooden blocks under the tires to free the vehicle.
∙ Use the Electronic locking rear differen- tial (E-Lock) system (if so equipped). For
additional information, refer to “Elec-
tronic locking rear differential (E-lock)
system” in this section.
∙ If it is difficult to free the vehicle, rock the vehicle back and forth between reverse
and drive gears.
∙ If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, place stones or wooden blocks under the
tires. Then try the recovery procedures
above. Tire chains may be effective.
CAUTION
∙ Do not spin the tires excessively. Tireswill sink deep into the mud, making it
difficult to free the vehicle.
∙ Avoid shif ting gears with the engine running at high speeds as this may
cause malfunction.
4WD shif t switch operations
∙ Shif t the 4WD shif t switch to either the
2WD, 4H or 4LO position, depending on
driving conditions.
∙ If the 4WD shif t switch is operated
while making a turn, accelerating or
decelerating or if the key switch is
turned off while in the 4H or 4LO, you
may feel a jolt. This is not abnormal.
∙ You may hear some noise as the sys-
tem shif ts or engages. This is not ab-
normal.
CAUTION
∙ When driving straight, shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to the 2WD or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shif t switch
when making a turn or reversing.
∙ Do not shif t the 4WD shif t switch while driving on steep downhill
grades. Use the engine brake and low
automatic transmission gears (M1 or
M2) for engine braking.
∙ Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch with the rear wheels spinning.
∙ Before placing the 4WD shif t switch in the 4H position from 2WD, ensure the
vehicle speed is less than 62 mph
(100 km/h). Failure to do so can dam-
age the 4WD system.
∙ Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be- tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
LSD2463
Starting and driving5-49
– In the 4H position, shif t the 4WDshif t switch to 2WD.
– In the 4LO position, stop the ve- hicle, move the automatic trans-
mission shif t lever to the N (Neu-
tral) position with the brake pedal
depressed, and shif t the 4WD shif t
switch to 2WD.
∙ If the warning message is still on af ter the above operation, have your ve-
hicle checked as soon as possible. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
∙ The transfer case may be damaged if you continue driving with the warning
message on. The E-Lock system can provide additional
traction and should only be used when a
vehicle has become or is becoming stuck.
This system operates by electronically
“locking” the two rear drive wheels to-
gether, allowing them to turn at the same
speed. The system is used when it is not
possible to free a stuck vehicle even when
using the 4LO position (4-Wheel Drive ve-
hicles).
When added traction is required, activate
the E-Lock system by pushing the switch
on. For additional information, refer to
“Electronic locking rear differential (E-Lock)
system switch” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual. Once the
system fully engages, the indicator light in
the instrument panel will remain on. When
the system is activated, both rear wheels
will engage, providing added traction.
The rear wheels may momentarily slip or
move to engage the system, and the sys-
tem will only engage up to approximately
4 mph (7 km/h). Once the vehicle is free, the
system should be turned off and driving
resumed.
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) is dis-
abled and the ABS warning light illumi-
nates when the E-Lock system is on.WARNING
∙ Never leave the E-Lock system on
when driving on paved or hard-
surfaced roads. Turning the vehicle
may result in the rear wheels slipping
and result in an accident and personal
injury. Af ter using the E-Lock system
to free the vehicle, turn the system off.
∙ Use the E-Lock system only in an emergency when it is not possible to
free a stuck vehicle even when using
4LO. Never use the E-Lock system on a
slippery road surface such as snow or
ice surface. Using the E-Lock system
when driving in these road conditions
may cause unexpected movement of
the vehicle during engine braking, ac-
celerating or turning, which may re-
sult in an accident and serious per-
sonal injury.
∙ Observe the above warnings. Other- wise, loss of normal steering control
may result. This may result in an acci-
dent and serious personal injury.
ELECTRONIC LOCKING REAR
DIFFERENTIAL (E-Lock) SYSTEM (if
so equipped)
5-52Starting and driving
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
result in an accident. Make sure the
shif t lever has been pushed as far for-
ward 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.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) po- sition.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into 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.
WSD0050
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
5-54Starting and driving
∙ HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NOCURB
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. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position. The power assisted steering uses a hy-
draulic pump, driven by the engine, to as-
sist steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks,
you will still have control of the vehicle.
However, much greater steering effort is
needed, especially in sharp turns and at
low speeds.
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the steering will not work. Steering will
be harder to operate. The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
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.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-55
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.
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.
5-56Starting and driving
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 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.
Starting and driving5-57