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 pulls
in 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 ac-
celerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe lo- cation 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 additional infor-
mation, 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 blood-
stream reduces coordination, delays
reaction time and impairs judgement.
Driving af ter drinking alcohol increases
the likelihood of being involved in an
accident injuring yourself and others.
Additionally, if you are injured in an ac-
cident, alcohol can increase the sever-
ity of the injury. NISSAN is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under
the influence of alcohol. Every year thou-
sands of people are injured or killed in
alcohol-related collisions. Although the lo-
cal laws vary on what is considered to be
legally intoxicated, the fact is that alcohol
affects all people differently and most
people underestimate the effects of alco-
hol.
Remember, drinking and driving don't mix!
That is true for drugs (over-the-counter,
prescription) and illegal drugs, too. Don't
drive if your ability to operate your vehicle is
impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some other
physical condition.
DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Your NISSAN is designed for both normal
and off-road use. However, avoid driving in
deep water or mud as your NISSAN is
mainly designed for leisure use, unlike a
conventional off-road vehicle.
Remember that 2-Wheel Drive models are
less capable than 4-Wheel Drive (4WD)
models for rough road driving and extrica-
tion when stuck in deep snow or mud, or
the like.
5-10Starting and driving
Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
• Drive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle
should be seated with their seat belt
fastened. This will keep you and your
passengers in position when driving
over rough terrain.
• Do not drive across steep slopes. In-
stead drive either straight up or
straight down the slopes. Off-road
vehicles can tip over sideways much
more easily than they can forward or
backward.
• Many hills are too steep for any ve-
hicle. If you drive up them, you may
stall. If you drive down them, you may
not be able to control your speed. If
you drive across them, you may roll
over.
• Do not shif t gears while driving on
downhill grades as this could cause
loss of control of the vehicle.
• Stay alert when driving to the top of a
hill. At the top there could be a drop-
off or other hazard that could cause
an accident. •
If your engine stalls or you cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill,
never attempt to turn around. Your
vehicle could tip or roll over. Always
back straight down in R (Reverse)
gear and apply brakes to control your
speed.
• Heavy braking going down a hill
could cause your brakes to overheat
and fade, resulting in loss of control
and an accident. Apply brakes lightly
and use a low gear to control your
speed.
• Unsecured cargo can be thrown
around when driving over rough ter-
rain. Properly secure all cargo so it
will not be thrown forward and cause
injury to you or your passengers.
• 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.
• 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 4WD engaged.
• For 4WD 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.
Starting and driving5-11
•Do not attempt to test a 4WD
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 4WD
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.
• 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 4WD 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 correctly could
result in loss of control and/or a roll-
over 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 rear 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
“Wet brakes” 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.
• Whenever you drive off-road through
sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent mainte-
nance may be required. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Mainte-
nance schedules” in the
“Maintenance and schedules” sec-
tion 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.
LSD2014
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-12Starting and driving
When the ignition switch is pushed without
depressing the brake pedal, the ignition
switch position will illuminate as follows:
Push 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.
The ignition lock is designed so that the
ignition switch position cannot be placed
in the OFF position until the shif t lever is
moved to the P (Park) position.
When the ignition switch cannot be pushed
toward the OFF position, proceed as fol-
lows:
1. Move the shif t lever into the P (Park)position.
2. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch position will change to the ON
position.
3. Push the ignition switch again to the OFF position. The shif t lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
If the battery of the vehicle is discharged,
the push-button ignition switch cannot
be moved from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for opera-
tion are displayed in the meter. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Vehicle infor-
mation display warnings and indicators” in
the “Instruments and controls” section of
this manual.
OPERATING RANGE
The Intelligent Key functions can only be
used when the Intelligent Key is within the
specified operating range.
When the Intelligent Key battery is almost
discharged or strong radio waves are pres-
ent near the operating location, the Intelli-
gent Key system’s operating range be-
comes narrower and may not function
properly.
LSD2456
Starting and driving5-13
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
will not allow the engine to start without
the use of the registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered
key (for example, when interference is
caused by another registered key, an auto-
mated toll road device or automatic pay-
ment device on the key ring), restart the
engine using the following procedures:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON posi-tion for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately
10 seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the de- vice (which may have caused the inter-
ference) separate from the registered
key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN
recommends placing the registered key on
a separate key ring to avoid interference
from other devices. • Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
• Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool- ant, brake fluid and windshield-washer
fluid as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
• Check that all windows and lights are clean.
• Visually inspect tires for their appearance and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
• Check that all doors are closed.
• Position seat and adjust head restraints/ headrests.
• Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
• Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to do likewise.
• Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
refer to “Warning lights, indicator lights
and audible reminders” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section of this
manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral). P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the shif t lever is in either P
(Park) or N (Neutral).
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi- tion. Depress the brake pedal and push
the ignition switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push
and release the ignition switch while de-
pressing the brake pedal with the igni-
tion switch in any position.
• If the engine is very hard to start in extremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to the
floor) and while holding, crank the en-
gine. Release the accelerator pedal
when the engine starts.
• If the engine is very hard to start be- cause it is flooded, depress the accel-
erator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Push the ignition switch to
the ON position to start cranking the
engine. Af ter 5 or 6 seconds, stop
cranking by pushing the ignition
switch to the LOCK position. Af ter
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-16Starting and driving
ENGINE PROTECTION MODE
The engine has an engine protection mode
to reduce the chance of damage if the
coolant temperature becomes too high
(for example, when climbing steep grades
in high temperatures with heavy loads,
such as when towing a trailer). When the
engine temperature reaches a certain
level:
• The engine coolant temperature gaugewill move toward the H position.
• Engine power may be reduced.
• The air conditioning cooling function may be automatically turned off for a short
time (the blower will continue to operate).
Engine power and, under some conditions,
vehicle speed will decrease. Vehicle speed
can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the vehicle may not accelerate at
the desired speed. The transmission will
downshif t or upshif t as it reaches pre-
scribed shif t points. You can also shif t
manually.
As driving conditions change and engine
coolant temperature is reduced, vehicle
speed can be increased using the accel-
erator pedal, and the air conditioning cool-
ing function will automatically be turned
back on. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may
also come on if the engine coolant tem-
perature is not reduced or the air condi-
tioning cooling function does not turn back
on. If
only it remains on, you do not need to
have your vehicle towed, but have it in-
spected soon. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service. For
additional information, refer to “Malfunc-
tion Indicator Light (MIL)” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section of this manual.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced en-
gine power and vehicle speed. The re-
duced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance
of a collision. Be especially careful
when driving. If the vehicle cannot
maintain a safe driving speed, pull to
the side of the road in a safe area. Allow
the engine to cool and return to normal
operation. For additional information,
refer to “If your vehicle overheats” in
the “In case of emergency ” section of
this manual.
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause
serious damage to the engine almost
immediately. Such damage is not cov-
ered by warranty. Turn off the engine as
soon as it is safe to do so.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (A/T)
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive). Always
depress the brake pedal until shif ting
is completed. Failure to do so could
cause you to lose control and have an
accident.
• Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Never shif t to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is
reversing. This could cause an acci-
dent or damage the transmission.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-18Starting and driving
•Except in an emergency, do not shif t
to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission
in the N (Neutral) position may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this pur-
pose.
The A/T in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures
for this transmission are shown on the fol-
lowing pages. Follow these procedures for
maximum vehicle performance and driv-
ing enjoyment.
Starting the vehicle
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive). Always
depress the brake pedal until shif ting
is completed. Failure to do so could
cause you to lose control and have an
accident.
• Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Never shif t to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is
reversing. This could cause an acci-
dent or damage the transmission.
• Except in an emergency, do not shif t
to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission
in the N (Neutral) position may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this pur-
pose.
1. Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the
shif t lever out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shif t lever into a driving
gear.
3. Release the foot brake, then gradually start the vehicle in motion.
The automatic transmission is designed
so the foot brake pedal MUST be de-
pressed before shif ting from P (Park) to
any drive position while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of the
other gear positions if the ignition
switch is placed in the LOCK or OFF posi-
tion.
Starting and driving5-19
Shif ting
To move the shif t lever:
: Shif t while depressing the brake
pedal
: Shif t without depressing the brake
pedal
Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and move the shif t lever out of
the P (Park) position.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shif t le-
ver is in any position while the engine is
not running. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpect-
edly or roll away and result in serious
personal injury or property damage.
If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF or
ACC position for any reason while the ve-
hicle is in N (Neutral), or any D (Drive) posi-
tion, the ignition switch cannot be placed in
the LOCK position. Move the shif t lever to
the P (Park) position, then the ignition
switch can be placed in the LOCK position.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the P (Park) position only when the ve-
hicle is completely stopped.
Use the P (Park) shif t lever position when
the vehicle is parked or when starting the
engine. Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped.
The brake pedal should be depressed to
move the shif t lever from N (Neutral) or
any drive position to P (Park). The P (Park) position is automatically en-
gaged if you switch off the ignition.
Apply the parking brake. When parking on a
hill, apply the parking brake first, then move
the shif t lever into the P (Park) position.
R (Reverse)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the R (Reverse) position only when the
vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the R (Reverse) position to back up.
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before selecting the R (Reverse)
position. The brake pedal must be de-
pressed to move the shif t lever from P
(Park), N (Neutral) or any drive position to
R (Reverse).
N (Neutral)
Neither forward nor reverse gear is en-
gaged. The engine can be started in this
position. You may shif t to N (Neutral) and
restart a stalled engine while the vehicle is
moving.
LSD3703
5-20Starting and driving