SMALL CHILDREN
Children that are over 1 year old and weigh
at least 20 lbs. (9 kg) should remain in a
rear-facing child restraint as long as pos-
sible up to the height or weight limit of the
child restraint. Children who outgrow the
height or weight limit of the rear-facing
child restraint and are at least 1 year old
should be secured in a forward-facing child
restraint with a harness. Refer to the manu-
facturer’s instructions for minimum and
maximum weight and height recommen-
dations. NISSAN recommends that small
children be placed in child restraints that
comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. You should choose a
child restraint that fits your vehicle and al-
ways follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for installation and use.
LARGER CHILDREN
Children should remain in a forward-facing
child restraint with a harness until they
reach the maximum height or weight limit
allowed by the child restraint manufac-
turer.Once a child outgrows the height or weight
limit of the harness-equipped forward-
facing child restraint, NISSAN recommends
that the child be placed in a commercially
available booster seat to obtain proper
seat belt fit. For a seat belt to fit properly, the
booster seat should raise the child so that
the shoulder belt is properly positioned
across the chest and the top, middle por-
tion of the shoulder. The shoulder belt
should not cross the neck or face and
should not fall off the shoulder. The lap belt
should lie snugly across the lower hips or
upper thighs, not the abdomen. A booster
seat can only be used in seating positions
that have a three-point type seat belt. The
booster seat should fit the vehicle seat and
have a label certif ying that it complies with
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
A booster seat should be used until the
child can pass the seat belt fit test below:
• Are the child’s back and hips against the
vehicle seatback?
• Is the child able to sit without slouching?
• Do the child’s knees bend easily over the front edge of the seat with feet flat on the
floor? • Can the child safely wear the seat belt (lap
belt low and snug across the hips and
shoulder belt across mid-chest and
shoulder)?
• Is the child able to use the properly ad- justed head restraint/headrest?
• Will the child be able to stay in position for the entire ride?
1-26Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS
Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of
vehicles.
They have higher ground clearance than
passenger cars to make them capable of
performing in a variety of on-pavement
and off-road applications. This gives them
a higher center of gravity than ordinary ve-
hicles. An advantage of higher ground
clearance is a better view of the road, allow-
ing you to anticipate problems. However,
they are not designed for cornering at the
same speeds as conventional 2-Wheel
Drive vehicles any more than low-slung
sports cars are designed to perform satis-
factorily under off-road conditions. If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns at high speeds.
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to
operate this vehicle correctly may result in
loss of control or vehicle rollover. In a roll-
over crash, an unbelted person is signifi-
cantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
For additional information, refer to “Driving
safety precautions” in this section.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss
of control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times.
Obey all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive
speed, high speed cornering, or sudden
steering maneuvers, because these driving
practices could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle.
As with any vehicle, loss of control could
result in a collision with other vehicles or
objects or cause the vehicle to roll over,
particularly if the loss of control causes
the vehicle to slide sideways.
Be attentive at all times, and avoid driving
when tired. Never drive when under the in-
fluence of alcohol or drugs (including pre-
scription or over-the-counter drugs which
may cause drowsiness). Always wear your
seat belt as outlined in the “Safety – Seats,
seat belts and supplemental restraint sys-
tem” section of this manual, and also in-
struct your passengers to do so. Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in
collisions and rollovers.
In a rollover crash,
an unbelted or improperly belted person
is significantly more likely to be injured
or killed than a person properly wearing
a seat belt.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
While driving, the right side or lef t side
wheels may unintentionally leave the road
surface. If this occurs, maintain control of
the vehicle by following the procedure be-
low. Please note that this procedure is only
a general guide. The vehicle must be driven
as appropriate based on the conditions of
the vehicle, road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and try to hold a
straight course.
4. When appropriate, slowly release the ac- celerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
Starting and driving5-9
•Secure heavy loads in the cargo area
as far forward and as low as possible.
Do not equip the vehicle with tires
larger than specified in this manual.
This could cause your vehicle to roll
over.
• Do not grip the inside or spokes of
the steering wheel when driving off-
road. The steering wheel could move
suddenly and injure your hands. In-
stead drive with your fingers and
thumbs on the outside of the rim.
• Before operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers
have their seat belts fastened.
• Always drive with the floor mats in
place as the floor may become hot.
• Lower your speed when encounter-
ing strong crosswinds. With a higher
center of gravity, your NISSAN is more
affected by strong side winds. Slower
speeds ensure better vehicle control.
• Do not drive beyond the perfor-
mance capability of the tires, even
with AWD engaged. •
For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt 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 per-
sonal injury.
• Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dyna-
mometer (such as the dynamom-
eters used by some states for emis-
sions testing) or similar equipment
even if the other two wheels are
raised off the ground. Make sure you
inform test facility personnel that
your vehicle is equipped with AWD
before it is placed on a dynamom-
eter. Using the wrong test equipment
may result in drivetrain damage or
unexpected vehicle movement
which could result in serious vehicle
damage or personal injury.
• When a wheel is off the ground due to
an unlevel surface, do not spin the
wheel excessively.
• Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control. •
If at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high
speeds. Your NISSAN vehicle has a
higher center of gravity than a pas-
senger car. The vehicle is not de-
signed for cornering at the same
speeds as passenger cars.
• Failure to operate this vehicle cor-
rectly could result in loss of control
and/or a rollover accident.
• Always use tires of the same type,
size, brand, construction (bias, bias-
belted, or radial), and tread pattern
on all four wheels. Install tire chains
on the front wheels when driving on
slippery roads and drive carefully.
• Be sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately af ter driving in mud or water.
For additional information, refer to
“Brake precautions” in this section.
• Avoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and
it rolls forward, backward or side-
ways, you could be injured.
5-12Starting and driving
•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 in-
formation” 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 dis-
tances.
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.
5-130Starting and driving
When the VDC OFF switch is used to turn off
the system, the VDC system still operates
to prevent one drive wheel from slipping by
transferring power to a non-slipping drive
wheel. The
indicator light flashes if this
occurs. All other VDC functions are off and
the
indicator light will not flash.
The VDC system is automatically reset to
on when the ignition switch is placed in the
OFF position then back to the ON position.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle for-
ward or in reverse at a slow speed. When
the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
• The VDC system is designed to help
the 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 driv-
ing and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always 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 deterio-
rated, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly. This could adversely af-
fect vehicle handling performance,
and the
indicator light may flash
or both theandindicator
lights may illuminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC sys-
tem may not operate properly and
both the
and theindicator
lights may illuminate.
• If engine control related parts are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, both the
andindicator lights may
illuminate. •
When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or both theandindicator lights may 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 both theandindica-
tor lights may illuminate. This is not a
malfunction. Restart the engine af ter
driving onto a stable surface.
• If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or both theandindicator lights may illuminate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
RISE-UP AND BUILD-UP
The system gradually adjusts braking
power during normal braking to help pro-
vide an enhanced brake feel.
5-132Starting and driving
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 help
the 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 driv-
ing and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always 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 deterio-
rated, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly. This could adversely af-
fect vehicle handling performance,
and the
indicator light may flash
or both theandindicator
lights may illuminate. •
If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC sys-
tem may not operate properly and
both the
and theindicator
lights may illuminate.
• If engine control related parts are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, both the
andindicator lights may
illuminate.
• When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or both theandindicator lights may 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 both theandindica-
tor lights may illuminate. This is not a
malfunction. Restart the engine af ter
driving onto a stable surface. •
If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or both theandindicator lights may illuminate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
Starting and driving5-133
FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer through the key hole. If the lock
becomes frozen, heat the key before in-
serting it into the key hole, or use the
NISSAN Intelligent Key®.
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32°F (0°C),
check the antifreeze to assure proper win-
ter protection. For additional information,
refer to “Engine cooling system” in the “Do-
it-yourself ” section of this manual.
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the
battery fluid may freeze and damage the
battery. To maintain maximum efficiency,
the battery should be checked regularly.
For additional information, refer to “Battery”
in the “Do-it-yourself ” section of this
manual.
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be lef t outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, includ-
ing the engine block. Refill before operating
the vehicle. For additional information, referto “Changing engine coolant” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed to
provide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance of
these tires will be substantially reduced
in snowy and icy conditions. If you oper-
ate your vehicle on snowy or icy roads,
NISSAN recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON TIRES on all four
wheels. It is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for the tire type, size,
speed rating and availability information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, studded tires may be used. However,
some U.S. states and Canadian prov-
inces prohibit their use. Check local,
state and provincial laws before install-
ing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires.
3. Tire chains may be used. For additional information, refer to “Tire chains” in the
“Do-it-yourself ” section of this manual.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
• A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to re-move ice and snow from the windows
and wiper blades.
• A sturdy, flat board to be placed under the jack to give it firm support.
• A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow- drif ts.
• Extra washer fluid to refill the windshield- washer fluid reservoir.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
• Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain),
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip” un-
der these conditions. Try to avoid
driving on wet ice until the road is
salted or sanded.
• Whatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shif ting too fast, the drive wheels will
lose even more traction.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-137
Always refer to the illustrations for the cor-
rect placement and jack-up points for your
specific vehicle model and jack type.
Carefully read the caution label attached
to the jack body and the following in-
structions.
1. Loosen each wheel nut 1 or 2 turns byturning counterclockwise with the wheel
nut wrench. Do not remove the wheel
nuts until the tire is off the ground. 2. Place the jack directly under the jack-up
point as illustrated so the top of the jack
contacts the vehicle at the jack-up point.
Align the jack head between the 2
notches in the front or the rear as
shown. Also fit the groove of the jack
head between the notches as shown.
The jack should be used on firm and
level ground.
3. To lif t the vehicle, securely hold the jack lever and rod with both hands. Carefully
raise the vehicle until the tire clears the
ground. Remove the wheel nuts, and
then remove the tire.Installing the spare tire
The spare tire is designed for emergency
use. For additional information, refer to
“Wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-yourself ”
section of this manual.
1. Clean any mud or dirt from the surfacebetween the wheel and hub.
2. Carefully put the spare tire on and tighten the wheel nuts finger tight.
3. With the wheel nut wrench, tighten wheel nuts alternately and evenly in the
sequence illustrated (
OA,OB,OC,OD,OE)
until they are tight.
SCE0002WCE0056
6-8In case of emergency