2020 NISSAN MAXIMA Owner´s Manual

Manual shif t mode
The transmission enters the manual shif t
mode by moving the shif t lever to the lef t
side in the “D” range. You can select the
manual shif t range either by moving the
shif t lever up or down, or by pulling the
right-side or lef t-side paddle shif ter (if so
equipped). To cancel the manual shif t
mode, return the shif t lever to the right D
(Drive) position. The transmission returns
to automatic driving mode.
When the shif t lever is shif ted from D (Drive)
to the manual shif t gate
Awith the vehiclestopped or while driving, the transmission
enters the manual shif t mode. Shif t ranges
can be selected manually. Shif t ranges can
also be selected using the paddle shif ters
(if so equipped) on the steering wheel
B
andC. When you pull the paddle shif ter
while in the D (Drive) position, the transmis-
sion will shif t to the upper or lower range
temporarily. If the paddle shif ters are not
used for about 5–10 seconds, the transmis-
sion will automatically return to the D
(Drive) position. If you want to return to the
D (Drive) position manually, pull and hold
either paddle shif ter for about 1.5 seconds. In the manual shif t mode, the shif t range is
displayed on the position indicator in the
meter. When shif ting 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
M7 (7th)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M6 (6th) and M5 (5th)
Use this position when driving up long
slopes or for engine braking when driving
down long slopes.
M4 (4th), M3 (3rd) and M2 (2nd)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
M1 (1st)
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
sand or mud, or for maximum engine brak-
ing on steep downhill grades.
Manual shif t gate
LSD2359
Paddle shif ters (if so equipped)
LSD2635
Starting and driving5-19

∙ Remember not to drive at high speedsfor extended periods of time in lower
than the 6th range. This reduces fuel
economy.
When shif ting up
Move the shif t lever to the + (up) side. (Shif ts
to higher range.)
When shif ting down
Move the shif t lever to the (down) side.
(Shif ts to lower range.)
∙ Moving the shif t lever rapidly to the same side twice will shif t the ranges in
succession.
∙ The transmission will automatically downshif t the gears. (For example, if you
select the 3rd range, the transmission
will shif t down between the 3rd and 1st
gears.)
When canceling the manual shif t mode
Return the shif t lever to the D (Drive) posi-
tion to return the transmission to the nor-
mal driving mode. ∙
In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may not shif t to the selected
gear. This helps maintain driving per-
formance and reduces the chance of
vehicle damage or loss of control.
∙ When this situation occurs, the Con-
tinuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
position indicator light will blink and
the chime will sound.
∙ In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may shif t up automatically to
a higher range than selected if the
engine speed is too high. When the
vehicle speed decreases, the trans-
mission automatically shif ts down
and shif ts to 1st gear before the ve-
hicle comes to a stop.
∙ CVT operation is limited to automatic drive mode when CVT fluid tempera-
ture is extremely low even if manual
shif t mode is selected. This is not a mal-
function. When CVT fluid warms up,
manual mode can be selected.
∙ When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shif t range may upshif t in lower
rpm than usual. This is not a malfunc-
tion.
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.
It will be necessary to jump start or have
your battery charged. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Jump starting” in the “In
case of emergency” section of this manual.
It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer or a professional towing service.
LSD2360
5-20Starting and driving

To move the shif t lever, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a small (1/8 inch or 3 mm) flat-head
screwdriver, remove the shif t lock re-
lease cover.
∙ If available, a plastic trim tool can also be used.
4. Insert the car key into the shif t lock release slot and press straight down. A
small screwdriver or small trim tool
may also be used.
∙ For additional information, refer to “NISSAN Intelligent Key®” in the “Pre-
driving checks and adjustments”
section of this manual.
5. Move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
6. Push the ignition switch to the ON po- sition to unlock the steering wheel.
Now the vehicle may be moved to the
desired location. If the shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have the transmission checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
CAUTION
Make sure to take extra care during the
removal of the shif t lock cap as this part
is easily damaged.
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 and manual
shif t mode
For passing or hill climbing, depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shif ts
the transmission down into lower range,
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 place the igni-
Starting and driving5-21

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.
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:
Firmly depress the parking
brake.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) po- sition.
3. Firmly depress the parking brake pedal and it will release.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warn- ing light goes out.
LSD2176
PARKING BRAKE
5-22Starting and driving

Two driving modes can be selected by us-
ing the Drive Mode Selector switch: NOR-
MAL and SPORT.
NOTE:∙ When the Drive Mode Selector switch
selects a mode, the mode may not
switch quickly. This is not a malfunc-
tion.
∙ NORMAL mode is the default drive
mode.
NORMAL MODE
NORMAL mode is recommended for nor-
mal driving and is the default drive mode. If
SPORT mode is selected, then NORMAL
mode is canceled. Press the SPORT mode
button again to return to NORMAL mode.
The SPORT mode indicator in the vehicle
information display, and the indicator light
on the Drive Mode Selector switch will turn
off.
SPORT MODE
The SPORT mode adjusts the engine,
transmission, and steering to enhance
performance. Press the SPORT mode but-
ton to select this driving mode. The SPORT
mode indicator will appear in the vehicle
information display, and the indicator light
on the Drive Mode Selector switch will turn
on.
NOTE:
In the SPORT mode, fuel economy may
be reduced. The TSR system provides the driver with
information about the most recently de-
tected speed limit. The system captures
the road sign information with the multi-
sensing front camera unit
Alocated on
the windshield in front of the inside rear-
view mirror and displays the detected
signs in the vehicle information display. For
vehicles equipped with a navigation sys-
tem, the speed limit displayed is based on a
combination of navigation system data
and live camera recognition. TSR informa-
tion is always displayed at the top of the
vehicle information display if the system is
enabled in the Driver Assistance settings.
Drive Mode Selector switch
LSD3387LSD3425
DRIVE MODE SELECTOR TRAFFIC SIGN RECOGNITION (TSR) (if
so equipped)
Starting and driving5-23

WARNING
The TSR system is only intended to be a
support device to provide the driver
with information. It is not a replacement
for the driver’s attention to traffic con-
ditions or responsibility to drive safely.
It cannot prevent accidents due to care-
lessness. It is the driver’s responsibility
to stay alert and drive safely at all times.
SYSTEM OPERATION
The Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) system
displays the following types of road signs:
ASpeed sign detected (in Canada)
BSpeed sign detected (in USA)
CSpeed sign detected (no speed limit
detected)
D“Do not pass” sign detected
CAUTION
∙ The TSR system is intended as an aid to careful driving. It is the driver’s re-
sponsibility to stay alert, drive safely,
and observe all road regulations that
currently apply, including looking out
for road signs.
LSD3377LSD3378
5-24Starting and driving

∙ The TSR system may not functionproperly under the following
conditions:
– When the road sign is not clearly visible, for example, due to dam-
age or weather conditions.
– When rain, snow or dirt adheres to the windshield in front of the multi-
sensing camera unit.
– When the headlights are not bright due to dirt on the lens or if the aim-
ing is not adjusted properly.
– When strong light enters the cam- era unit. (For example, the light di-
rectly shines on the front of the ve-
hicle at sunrise or sunset.)
– When a sudden change in bright- ness occurs. (For example, when
the vehicle enters or exits a tunnel
or under a bridge.)
– In areas not covered by the naviga- tion system.
– If there are deviations in relation to the navigation, for example due to
changes in the road routing.
– When overtaking buses or trucks with speed stickers.
TURNING THE TRAFFIC SIGN
RECOGNITION (TSR) SYSTEM ON
AND OFF
Perform the following steps to enable or
disable the TSR system.
1. Press the
button until “Settings”
displays in the vehicle information dis-
play and then press the OK button. Use
the
button to select “Driver Assis-
tance.” Then press the OK button.
2. Select “Speed Limit Sign” and press the OK button to turn the system on or off. ∙ Enabling the Speed Limit Sign screen
from the Main Menu selection will also
turn on the Traffic Sign Recognition sys-
tem.
SYSTEM TEMPORARILY
UNAVAILABLE
If the vehicle is parked in direct sunlight
under high temperature conditions (over
approximately 104°F [40°C]) and then
started, the TSR system may be deacti-
vated automatically. The “Unavailable: High
Cabin Temperature” warning message will
appear in the vehicle information display.
Action to take:
When the interior temperature is reduced,
the TSR system will resume operating au-
tomatically.
SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
If the TSR system malfunctions, it will be
turned off automatically and the LDW indi-
cator (orange) will illuminate in the vehicle
information display.
LSD3346
Starting and driving5-25

Action to take:
If the LDW indicator (orange) illuminates in
the display, pull off the road at a safe loca-
tion and stop the vehicle. Turn the engine
off and restart the engine. If the LDW indi-
cator (orange) continues to illuminate,
have the system checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The TSR system uses the same multi-
sensing front camera unit that is used by
the Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system,
located in front of the interior rearview mir-
ror. For additional information, refer to ”Sys-
tem maintenance” in the “Lane Departure
Warning (LDW)” section.
WARNING
Failure to follow the warnings and in-
structions for proper use of the LDW
system could result in serious injury or
death.
∙ This system is only a warning deviceto inform the driver of a potential un-
intended lane departure. It will not
steer the vehicle or prevent loss of
control. It is the driver’s responsibility
to stay alert, drive safely, keep the ve-
hicle in the traveling lane, and be in
control of the vehicle at all times. The LDW system will operate when the ve-
hicle is driven at speeds of approximately
37 mph (60 km/h) and above, and only
when the lane markings are clearly visible
on the road.
The LDW system monitors the lane mark-
ers on the traveling lane using the camera
unit
Alocated above the inside mirror.
The LDW system warns the driver that the
vehicle is beginning to leave the driving
lane with an indicator and a steering wheel
vibration. For additional information, refer
to “LDW system operation” in this section.
LSD3425
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW)
5-26Starting and driving