CAUTION
∙ Do not use leaded gasoline. Depositsfrom leaded gasoline will seriously re-
duce the three-way catalyst’s ability
to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
∙ Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunc- tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich
fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep
driving if the engine misfires, or if no-
ticeable loss of performance or other
unusual operating conditions are de-
tected. Have the vehicle inspected
promptly. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
∙ Avoid driving with an extremely low fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three-way catalyst.
∙ Do not race the engine while warming it up.
∙ Do not push or tow your vehicle to start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as pos-
sible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substi-
tute for proper tire maintenance, and it is
the driver’s responsibility to maintain cor-
rect tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger illumi-
nation of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illu-
minated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the malfunc-
tion indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the installation of replacement or alter-
nate tires or wheels on the vehicle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale af ter replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
Starting and driving5-3
∙ If the low tire pressure warning lightilluminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull off
the road to a safe location and stop
the vehicle as soon as possible. Driv-
ing with under-inflated tires may per-
manently damage the tires and in-
crease the likelihood of tire failure.
Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to an accident and could
result in serious personal injury.
Check the tire pressure for all four
tires. Adjust the tire pressure to the
recommended COLD tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation label to turn the low tire pres-
sure warning light off. If you have a flat
tire, replace it with a spare tire as soon
as possible. (For additional informa-
tion, refer to “Flat tire” in the “In case of
emergency ” section of this manual.) ∙ When replacing a wheel without the
TPMS such as the spare tire, when a
spare tire is mounted or a wheel is
replaced, the TPMS will not function
and the low tire pressure warning
light will flash for approximately
1 minute. The light will remain on af ter
1 minute. Have your tires replaced
and/or TPMS system reset as soon as
possible. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
∙ Replacing tires with those not origi- nally specified by NISSAN could affect
the proper operation of the TPMS.
∙ Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pres-
sure sensors.
CAUTION
∙ The TPMS may not function properlywhen the wheels are equipped with
tire chains or the wheels are buried in
snow. ∙ Do not place metalized film or any
metal parts (antenna, etc.) on the win-
dows. This may cause poor reception
of the signals from the tire pressure
sensors, and the TPMS will not func-
tion properly.
Some devices and transmitters may tem-
porarily interfere with the operation of the
TPMS and cause the low tire pressure
warning light to illuminate.
Some examples are: ∙ Facilities or electric devices using simi- lar radio frequencies are near the ve-
hicle.
∙ If a transmitter set to similar frequen- cies is being used in or near the vehicle.
∙ If a computer (or similar equipment) or a DC/AC converter is being used in or
near the vehicle.
The low tire pressure warning light may
illuminate in the following cases: ∙ If the vehicle is equipped with a wheel and tire without TPMS.
∙ If the TPMS has been replaced and the ID has not been registered.
Starting and driving5-5
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSS
Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can
occur if the tire is punctured or is damaged
due to hitting a curb or pothole. Rapid air
pressure loss can also be caused by driving
on under-inflated tires.
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the han-
dling and stability of the vehicle, especially
at highway speeds.
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
likelihood of being involved in an acci-
dent injuring yourself and others. Addi-
tionally, if you are injured in an accident,
alcohol can increase the severity of the
injury.
5-8Starting and driving
∙ If available, a plastic trim tool can alsobe used.
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 Continuously
Variable Transmission system checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch
When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with
the shif t lever in the D (Drive) position,
the
light in the instrument panel illu-
minates. For additional information, refer
to “Overdrive OFF indicator light” in the “In-
struments and controls” section of this
manual.
Use the overdrive OFF mode when you
need improved engine braking.
To turn off the overdrive OFF mode, push
the O/D OFF switch again. The
indi-
cator light will turn off. Each time the engine is started, or when
the shif t lever is moved to any position
other than D (Drive), the overdrive OFF
mode will be automatically turned off.
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.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the
Continuously Variable Transmission will
not be shif ted into the selected driving po-
sition.
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 andLSD2012
5-20Starting and driving
wait for 10 seconds. Then place the igni-
tion switch back in the ON position. The
vehicle should return to its normal oper-
ating 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.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection mode or fail-safe operation oc-
curs, vehicle speed may be gradually re-
duced. The reduced speed may be lower
than other traffic, which could increase
the chance of a collision. Be especially
careful when driving. If necessary, pull
to the side of the road at a safe place
and allow the transmission to return to
normal operation, or have it repaired if
necessary.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION (if so
equipped)
WARNING
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slipperyroads. This may cause a loss of
control. ∙ Do not over-rev the engine when
shif ting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage.
∙ Do not shif t to the N (Neutral) position while driving. Doing so may result in
an accident due to loss of engine
braking.
CAUTION
∙ Do not rest your foot on the clutchpedal while driving. This may cause
clutch damage.
∙ Fully depress the clutch pedal before shif ting to help prevent transmission
damage.
∙ Stop your vehicle completely before shif ting into R (Reverse).
∙ When the vehicle is stopped with the engine running (for example, at a stop
light), shif t to N (Neutral) and release
the clutch pedal with the foot brake
applied.
Shif ting
To change gears, or when upshif ting or
downshif ting, depress the clutch pedal
fully, shif t into the appropriate gear, then
release the clutch slowly and smoothly.
To ensure smooth gear changes, fully de-
press the clutch pedal before operating the
shif t lever. If the clutch pedal is not fully
depressed before the transmission is
shif ted, a gear noise may be heard. Trans-
mission damage could occur.
Start the vehicle in 1st gear and shif t to 2nd,
3rd, 4th and up to 5th gear in sequence
according to vehicle speed.
SSD0535
Starting and driving5-21
∙ HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB1:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the curb
side wheel gently touches the curb.
∙ HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB
2:
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
3:
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 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 power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may
indicate the power steering system is not
functioning properly and may need servic-
ing. Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
When the power steering warning light illu-
minates with the engine running, there will
be no power assist for the steering, but you
will still have control of the vehicle. At this
time, greater steering effort is required to
operate the steering wheel, especially 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
Starting and driving5-29
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, becareful 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.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the brake shoes and/or drums/rotors are replaced, in order
to assure the best brake performance.
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, but
it 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.
BRAKE SYSTEM
5-30Starting and driving
– When installing a spare tire, makesure 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) 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 abov e3-6mph(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.
Starting and driving5-31