CHECKING LIGHTS
With all doors closed, apply the parking
brake, fasten the seat belts and place the
ignition switch in the ON position without
starting the engine. The following lights (if
so equipped) will come on:
or,,,,
The following lights (if so equipped) will
come on briefly and then go off:
or,(red) ,,,
,,,,
If any light does not come on or operate in
a way other than described, it may indicate
a burned out bulb and/or a system mal-
function. Have the system checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WARNING LIGHTS
This vehicle has various warning lights that
may illuminate to indicate a potential prob-
lem. For additional information, refer to the
specific light in this section.
orAnti-lock BrakingSystem (ABS)
warning light
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the ABS warning light illuminates
and then turns off. This indicates the ABS is
operational.
If the ABS warning light illuminates while
the engine is running or while driving, it
may indicate the ABS is not functioning
properly. Have the system checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
If an ABS malfunction occurs, the anti-lock
function is turned off. The brake system
then operates normally but without anti-
lock assistance. For additional information,
refer to “Brake system” in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
orBrake warninglight
This light functions for both the parking
brake and the foot brake systems. Parking brake indicator
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, this light comes on when the
parking brake is applied.
Low brake fluid warning light
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the light warns of a low brake fluid
level. If the light comes on while the engine
is running with the parking brake not ap-
plied, stop the vehicle and perform the fol-
lowing:
1. Check the brake fluid level. Add brake fluid as necessary. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Brake fluid” in the “Do-
it-yourself ” section of this manual.
2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have the warning system checked. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
2-14Instruments and controls
5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving..........5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ..............5-2
Three-way catalyst ...........................5-2
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)........................................5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ................5-7
Off-roadrecovery ............................5-7
Rapid air pressure loss .......................5-8
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ...........5-8
Ignition switch (if so equipped) ...................5-9
Continuously Variable Transmission
(if so equipped) ...............................5-9
Manual transmission (if so equipped) ........5-10
Ignition switch positions .....................5-10
Push-button ignition switch (if so equipped) .....5-11
Operating range ............................. 5-12
Push-button ignition switch positions .......5-12
Emergency engine shut off ..................5-13
NISSAN Intelligent Key® battery
discharge ................................... 5-13
NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
(if so equipped) .............................. 5-14
Before starting the engine ......................5-14Starting the engine (models without NISSAN
Intelligent Key® system)
........................5-14
Starting the engine (models with NISSAN
Intelligent Key® system) ........................5-15
Driving the vehicle .............................. 5-16
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) (if so equipped) ........................ 5-16
Manual transmission (if so equipped) ........5-21
Parking brake .................................. 5-23
Cruise control (if so equipped) ..................5-24
Precautions on cruise control ................5-24
Cruise control operations ....................5-24
Break-in schedule .............................. 5-26
Fuel efficient driving tips ........................5-26
Increasing fuel economy .......................5-27
Parking/parking on hills ........................5-28
Power steering ................................. 5-29
Brake system ................................... 5-30
Brake precautions ........................... 5-30
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ..............5-30
Br ak
e Assist ................................. 5-31
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system .........5-32
WARNING
∙ Be sure the parking brake is fully re-leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
∙ Do not release the parking brake from outside the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the shif t lever in place of the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
engaged.
∙ 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. To engage:
Pull the parking brake lever up
A.
To release: 1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Manual transmission models:
Place the shif t lever in the N (Neutral)
position.
Continuously Variable Transmission
models:
Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) po-
sition. 3. While pulling up on the parking brake
lever slightly, press the button
Band
lower the lever completely.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warn- ing light goes out.
WSD0169
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-23
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) or in
an appropriate gear for manual trans-
mission (M/T) models. Failure to do so
could cause the vehicle to move unex-
pectedly or roll away and result in an
accident. Make sure the shif t lever has
been pushed as far forward as it can
go and cannot be moved without de-
pressing the foot brake pedal.
∙ Never leave the engine running while the vehicle is unattended. ∙ Do not leave children unattended in-
side the vehicle. They could unknow-
ingly activate switches or controls or
make the vehicle move. Unattended
children could become involved in se-
rious accidents.
∙ 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. M/T models:
Place the shif t lever in the R (Reverse)
position. When parking on an uphill
grade, place the shif t lever in 1st gear.
SSD0488
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
5-28Starting and driving
Continuously Variable Transmission
models:
Move the shif t lever into the P (Park)
position.
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
1:
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, 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.
BRAKE SYSTEM
5-30Starting and driving
∙ 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 the light still
illuminates while driving af ter adjust-
ing the tire pressure, a tire may be flat
or the TPMS may be malfunctioning. If
you have a flat tire, replace it with a
spare tire as soon as possible. If no tire
is flat and all tires are properly in-
flated, have the vehicle checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. ∙ When replacing a wheel without the
TPMS such as the spare tire, the TPMS
will not function and the low tire pres-
sure warning light will flash for ap-
proximately 1 minute. The light will re-
main on af ter 1 minute. Have your
tires replaced and/or TPMS system
reset as soon as possible. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for these services.
∙ 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.
∙ Replacing tires with those not origi- nally specified by NISSAN could affect
the proper operation of the TPMS.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below:
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers. 3. Park on a level surface and apply the
parking brake. Shif t the manual trans-
mission into R (Reverse) or the Continu-
ously Variable Transmission (CVT) into
P (Park).
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to signal professional road assis-
tance personnel that you need assis-
tance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the ve- hicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
∙ Make sure the parking brake is se-curely applied and the manual trans-
mission is shif ted into R (Reverse), or
the Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion (CVT) into P (Park).
∙ Never change tires when the vehicle is on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
∙ Never change tires if oncoming traffic is close to your vehicle. Wait for pro-
fessional road assistance.
In case of emergency6-3
In order to maintain the appearance of
your vehicle, it is important to take proper
care of it.
To protect the paint surfaces, wash your
vehicle as soon as you can:∙ Af ter a rainfall to prevent possible dam- age from acid rain.
∙ Af ter driving on coastal roads.
∙ When contaminants such as soot, bird droppings, tree sap, metal particles or
bugs get on the paint surface.
∙ When dust or mud builds up on the sur- face.
Whenever possible, store or park your ve-
hicle inside a garage or in a covered area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in
a shady area or protect the vehicle with a
body cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint sur-
face when putting on or removing the
body cover.WASHING
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty
of water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly us-
ing a mild soap, a special vehicle soap or
general purpose dishwashing liquid mixed
with clean, lukewarm (never hot) water.
CAUTION
∙ Do not use car washes that use acid in the detergent. Some car washes, es-
pecially brushless ones, use some
acid for cleaning. The acid may react
with some plastic vehicle compo-
nents, causing them to crack. This
could affect their appearance, and
also could cause them not to function
properly. Always check with your car
wash to confirm that acid is not used.
∙ Do not wash the vehicle with strong household soap, strong chemical de-
tergents, gasoline or solvents.
∙ Do not wash the vehicle in direct sun- light or while the vehicle body is hot,
as the surface may become
water-spotted. ∙ Avoid using tight-napped or rough
cloths, such as washing mitts. Care
must be taken when removing
caked-on dirt or other foreign sub-
stances so the paint surface is not
scratched or damaged.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of
clean water.
Inside edges, seams and folds on the
doors, hatches and hood are particularly
vulnerable to the effects of road salt. There-
fore, these areas must be cleaned regularly.
Take care that the drain holes in the lower
edge of the door are open. Spray water
under the body and in the wheel wells to
loosen the dirt and wash away road salt.
A damp chamois can be used to dry the
vehicle to avoid water spots.
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface
and helps retain new vehicle appearance.
Polishing is recommended to remove
built-up wax residue and to avoid a weath-
ered appearance before re-applying wax.
A NISSAN dealer can assist you in choosing
the proper product.
CLEANING EXTERIOR
7-2Appearance and care