SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
∙To clean the seat belt webbing, apply
a mild soap solution or any solution rec-
ommended for cleaning upholstery or
carpet. Then wipe with a cloth and allow
the seat belts to dry in the shade. Do not
allow the seat belts to retract until they
are completely dry.
∙ If dirt builds up in the shoulder belt
guide of the seat belt anchors, the
seat belts may retract slowly. Wipe the
shoulder belt guide with a clean, dry
cloth.
∙ Periodically check to see that the seat
belt and the metal components, such
as buckles, tongues, retractors, flexible
wires and anchors, work properly. If
loose parts, deterioration, cuts or other
damage on the webbing is found, the
entire seat belt assembly should be re-
placed.
WARNING
Do not allow children to play with the
seat belts. Most seating positions are
equipped with Automatic Locking Re-
tractor (ALR) mode seat belts. If the seat
belt becomes wrapped around a child’s
neck with the ALR mode activated, the
child can be seriously injured or killed if
the seat belt retracts and becomes
tight. This can occur even if the vehicle
is parked. Unbuckle the seat belt to re-
lease the child. If the seat belt cannot be
unbuckled or is already unbuckled, re-
lease the child by cutting the seat belt
with a suitable tool (such as a knife or
scissors) to release the seat belt.
Children need adults to help protect
them. They need to be properly re-
strained.
In addition to the general information in
this manual, child safety information is
available from many other sources, includ-
ing doctors, teachers, government traffic
safety offices, and community organiza-
tions. Every child is different, so be sure to
learn the best way to transport your child. There are three basic types of child re-
straint systems:
∙ Rear-facing child restraints
∙ Forward-facing child restraints
∙ Booster seats
The proper restraint depends on the child’s
size. Generally, infants up to about 1 year
and less than 20 lbs. (9 kg) should be placed
in rear-facing child restraints. Forward-
facing child restraints are available for chil-
dren who outgrow rear-facing child re-
straints and are at least 1 year old. Booster
seats are used to help position a vehicle
lap/shoulder belt on a child who can no
longer use a forward-facing child restraint.
WARNING
Infants and children need special pro-
tection. The vehicle’s seat belts may not
fit them properly. The shoulder belt may
come too close to the face or neck. The
lap belt may not fit over their small hip
bones. In an accident, an improperly fit-
ting seat belt could cause serious or fa-
tal injury. Always use appropriate child
restraints.
CHILD SAFETY
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-27
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 slouch- ing?
∙ 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? If you answered no to any of these ques-
tions, the child should remain in a booster
seat using a three-point type seat belt. NOTE:
Laws in some communities may follow
different guidelines. Check local and
state regulations to confirm your child is
using the correct restraint system before
traveling.
WARNING
Never let a child stand or kneel on any
seat and do not allow a child in the
cargo area. The child could be seriously
injured or killed in a sudden stop or
collision.
LRS2690
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-29
Maintenance
The maintenance menu allows the user to
set reminders for various vehicle mainte-
nance items.
WARNING
The tire replacement indicator is not a
substitute for regular tire checks, in-
cluding tire pressure checks. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Changing
wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-yourself ”
section of this manual. Many factors in-
cluding tire inflation, alignment, driving
habits and road conditions affect tire
wear and when tires should be re-
placed. Setting the tire replacement in-
dicator for a certain driving distancedoes not mean your tires will last that
long. Use the tire replacement indicator
as a guide only and always perform
regular tire checks. Failure to perform
regular tire checks, including tire pres-
sure checks could result in tire failure.
Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to a collision, which could
result in serious personal injury or
death.
Menu item
Result
Service This indicator appears when the customer set distance is reached for checking or replacing maintenance items
other than the engine oil, oil filter and tires. Other maintenance items can include such things as air filter or tire
rotation. You can set or reset the distance for checking or replacing the items. You can set or reset the distance
for service type items.
For scheduled maintenance items and intervals, refer to the “Maintenance and schedules” section of this manual.
Tire This indicator appears when the customer set distance is reached for replacing tires. You can set or reset the dis-
tance for replacing tires.
Other This indicator appears when the customer set distance is reached for checking or replacing maintenance items
other than the engine oil, oil filter and tires. Other maintenance items can include such things as air filter or tire
rotation. The distance for checking or replacing the items can be set or reset.
Instruments and controls2-25
∙ If the Easy-Fill Tire Alert does not op-erate due to TPMS interference, move
the vehicle about 3 f t (1 m) backward
or forward and try again.
If the Easy-Fill Tire Alert is not working, use a
tire pressure gauge.
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.
Starting and driving5-7
∙ 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 slip-
pery 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
system” in this section.
∙ Avoid parking your vehicle on steep hills. If you get out of the vehicle and it
rolls forward, backward or sideways,
you could be injured.
∙ Whenever you drive off-road through sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent mainte-
nance may be required. For additional
information, refer to “Severe driving
conditions” in the “Maintenance and
schedules” section of this manual.WARNING
Do not operate the push-button igni-
tion switch while driving the vehicle ex-
cept in an emergency. (The engine will
stop when the ignition switch is pushed
three consecutive times in quick suc-
cession or the ignition switch is pushed
and held for more than 2 seconds.) If the
engine stops while the vehicle is being
driven, this could lead to a crash and
serious injury.
When the ignition switch is pushed without
depressing the brake pedal, the ignition
switch will illuminate.
Push the ignition switch center:∙ Once to change to ACC.
∙ Two times to change to ON.
∙ Three times to return to OFF.
The ignition switch will automatically re-
turn to the LOCK position when any door is
either opened or closed with the switch in
the OFF position.
LSD2014
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
Starting and driving5-11
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 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, 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.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-73
– When replacing tires, install thespecified 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.
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.
5-74Starting 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 driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways 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 deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator light may flash or
both the
andindicator
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 system
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 operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or both the
andindicator 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 the
andindi-
cator 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 operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or both the
andindicator lights may illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
5-76Starting and driving