2021 NISSAN FRONTIER engine

Manual shif t mode
Move the shif t lever sideways toward the
manual shif t gate to activate the manual
shif t mode, then select “+” or “-” to shif t up or
down. Shif t ranges can be selected manu-
ally.
In the manual shif t mode, the shif t range is
displayed on the position indicator in the
meter. Af ter moving the shif t lever to the
manual shif t gate, the position indicator
varies depending on the gear position and
vehicle speed.Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1
↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6 ↔M7 ↔
M8 ↔M9 ↔D
M9 (Ninth)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6 ↔M7 ↔
M8 ↔M9
M9 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M8 (Eighth)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6 ↔M7 ↔
M8
M8 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M7 (Seventh)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6 ↔M7
M7 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M6 (Sixth)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6
M6 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter
M5 (Fif th)
For driving up or down long slopes where
engine braking would be advantageous.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5
M5 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M4 (Fourth)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4
M4 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
LSD3855

M3 (Third)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1↔M2 ↔M3
M3 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M2 (Second)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1 ↔M2
M2 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M1 (First)
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.
M1 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor on the meter. • Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than
M4 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.)
• 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.)
• Moving the shif t lever rapidly to the same side twice will shif t the ranges in succes-
sion.
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 immediately because of vehicle
speed. The transmission will upshif t or
downshif t when vehicle speed
matches the programmed transmis-
sion shif t points. This helps maintain
driving performance and reduces the
chance of vehicle damage or loss of
control.
• In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission will not upshif t to a higher
gear than is manually selected. When
the vehicle speed decreases, the trans-
mission automatically shif ts down and
shif ts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
Accelerator downshif t
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shif ts
the transmission down into a lower gear,
depending on the vehicle speed.
5-18Starting and driving

3.Use Air Conditioning (A/C) at Higher
Vehicle Speeds
• Below 40 mph (64 km/h), it is more efficient to open windows to cool the
vehicle due to reduced engine load.
• Above 40 mph (64 km/h), it is more efficient to use A/C to cool the vehicle
due to increased aerodynamic drag.
• Recirculating the cool air in the cabin when the A/C is on reduces cooling
load.
4. Drive at Economical Speeds and
Distances
• Observing the speed limit and not ex- ceeding 60 mph (97 km/h) (where le-
gally allowed) can improve fuel effi-
ciency due to reduced aerodynamic
drag.
• Maintaining a safe following distance behind other vehicles reduces unnec-
essary braking.
• Safely monitoring traffic to anticipate changes in speed permits reduced
braking and smooth acceleration
changes.
• Select a gear range suitable to road conditions. 5.
Use Cruise Control
• Using cruise control during highway driving helps maintain a steady speed.
• Cruise control is particularly effective in providing fuel savings when driving
on flat terrains.
6. Plan for the Shortest Route
• Utilize a map or navigation system to determine the best route to save time.
7. Avoid Idling
• Shutting off your engine when safe for stops exceeding 30–60 seconds saves
fuel and reduces emissions.
8. Buy an Automated Pass for Toll Roads
• Automated passes permit drivers to use special lanes to maintain cruising
speed through the toll and avoid stop-
ping and starting. 9.
Winter Warm Up
• Limit idling time to minimize impact to fuel economy.
• Vehicles typically need no more than 30 seconds of idling at start-up to ef-
fectively circulate the engine oil before
driving.
• Your vehicle will reach its ideal operat- ing temperature more quickly while
driving versus idling.
10. Keeping your Vehicle Cool
• Park your vehicle in a covered parking area or in the shade whenever pos-
sible.
• When entering a hot vehicle, opening the windows will help to reduce the
inside temperature faster, resulting in
reduced demand on your A/C system.
5-22Starting and driving

• Keep your engine tuned up.
• Follow the recommended scheduledmaintenance.
• Keep the tires inflated to the correct pres- sure. Low tire pressure increases tire
wear and lowers fuel economy.
• Keep the wheels in correct alignment. Im- proper alignment increases tire wear and
lowers fuel economy.
• For vehicles equipped with
, use 4H
or 4L position only when necessary.
4-Wheel Drive operation lowers fuel
economy.
• Use the recommended viscosity engine oil. For additional information, refer to “En-
gine oil and oil filter recommendations” in
the “Technical and consumer informa-
tion” section of this manual.
CAUTION
• Do not drive the vehicle in the 4H or
4LO position on dry hard surface
roads. Driving on dry, hard surfaces in
4H or 4LO may cause unnecessary
noise, tire wear and increased fuel
consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on
when you are driving on dry hard sur-
face roads:
– In the 4H position, shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to 2–Wheel Drive
(2WD).
– In the 4LO position for automatic
transmission vehicles, stop the
vehicle and shif t the shif t lever to
the N (Neutral) position with the
brake pedal depressed and shif t
the 4WD shif t switch to 2WD.
• If the warning light is still on af ter the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMYUSING 4–WHEEL DRIVE (4WD)
(if so equipped)
Starting and driving5-23

*1: Before moving the shif t lever from N (Neutral), wait until the transfer 4LO position indicator light stays on steady. This indicates that the 4WD shif t procedure
is completed and the transfer gear is correctly set in the 4LO position. If the vehicle is shif ted into gear before the indicator is on steady, the transf er gear
may grind, not engage correctly or stay in the neutral position.
- If the 4WD warning light illuminates, perform the following procedure to return the transfer case to correct operating condition.
1. Turn off the engine by placing the ignition switch in the OFF position.
2. Start the engine.
- Check that the 4WD warning light turns off. If the 4WD warning light illuminates, have the system checked. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dea ler
for this service.
3. Apply the parking brake, depress the brake pedal and move the shif t lever to N (Neutral) position.
4. With the brake pedal depressed, move the 4WD shif t switch to the desired mode.
- Be sure to wait until the transfer gear change completes before shif ting the shif t lever from the N (Neutral) position.
*2: While changing in and out of 4LO, the ignition switch must be in the ON position and the vehicle's engine must be running for a shif t to take place and for the indicator lights (4WD shif t and 4LO position indicator) to be operable. Otherwise, the shif t will not take place and no indicator lights will be on o r flashing.
*3: Make sure the transfer 4LO position indicator light turns on when you shif t the 4WD shif t switch to 4LO. The
indicator light will also turn on when 4LO
is selected. For additional information, refer to “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system” in this section.
When the 4LO position is selected, the VDC system is disabled and the VDC off indicator light illuminates, refer to “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) off indicator
light” in the “Instruments and controls” section of this manual.
Starting and driving5-25

The transfer case 4WD shif t switch is used
to select either 2WD or 4WD depending on
the driving conditions. There are three
types of drive modes available, 2WD, 4H and
4LO.
The 4WD shif t switch electronically controls
the transfer case operation. Rotate the
switch to move between each mode, 2WD,
4H and 4LO.
To change into or out of 4LO, the vehicle
MUST be stationary, move the shif t lever
to N (Neutral), and depress the brake
pedal. The switch must be depressed
and turned when changing into or out of
4LO.
WARNING
• When parking, apply the parking
brake before stopping the engine
and make sure that the 4WD shif t in-
dicator light is on and the ATP warn-
ing light goes off. Otherwise, the ve-
hicle could unexpectedly move even
if the A/T is in the P (Park) position. •
The transfer 4LO position indicator
light must stop blinking and remain
illuminated or turn off before shif ting
the transmission into gear. If the shif t
lever is shif ted from the N (Neutral)
position to any other gear when the
transfer 4LO position indicator light
is blinking, the vehicle may move
unexpectedly.
CAUTION
• Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be-
tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
• The 4H position provides greater
traction. Avoid excessive speed, as it
will cause increased fuel consump-
tion and higher oil temperatures, and
could damage drivetrain compo-
nents. Speeds over 62 mph (100
km/h) in 4H is not recommended.
• The 4LO position provides maximum
power and traction. Avoid raising ve-
hicle speed excessively, as the maxi-
mum speed is approximately 31 mph
(50 km/h).
•
When driving straight, shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to the 2WD or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shif t switch
when making a turn or reversing.
• Do not shif t the 4WD shif t switch (be-
tween 2WD and 4H) while driving on
steep downhill grades. Use the en-
gine brake and low gears 2 (Second
gear) or 1 (Low gear), for engine
braking.
• Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch
(between 2WD and 4H) with the rear
wheels spinning.
• Do not drive on dry hard surface
roads in the 4H or 4LO position. Driv-
ing on dry hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO
may cause unnecessary noise and
tire wear. NISSAN recommends driv-
ing in the 2WD position under these
conditions.
• The 4WD transfer case may not be
shif ted between 4H and 4LO at low
ambient temperatures and the
transfer 4LO position indicator light
may blink even when the 4WD shif t
switch is shif ted. Af ter driving for a
while you can change the 4WD trans-
fer case between 4H and 4LO.
5-26Starting and driving

When driving on rough roads:
• Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
• Drive carefully according to the road sur-face conditions.
When the vehicle is stuck:
• Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
• Use the Electronic Locking Rear Differen- tial (E-Lock) system (if so equipped). Turn
the switch ON while the vehicle is station-
ary and apply the throttle to try to free the
vehicle.
• If it is difficult to free the vehicle, rock the vehicle back and forth between R (Re-
verse) and D (Drive) gears.
• If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, place stones or wooden blocks under the tires.
Then try the recovery procedures above.
Tire chains may be effective.
CAUTION
• When driving straight, shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to the 2WD or 4H posi-
tion. Do not move the 4WD shif t
switch when making a turn or
reversing.
• Do not shif t the 4WD shif t switch
while driving on steep downhill
grades. Use the engine brake and low
automatic transmission gears (M1 or
M2) for engine braking.
• Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch
with the rear wheels spinning.
• Before placing the 4WD shif t switch
in the 4H position from 2WD, ensure
the vehicle speed is less than 62 mph
(100 km/h). Failure to do so can dam-
age the 4WD system.
• Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be-
tween 4LO and 4H while driving.

4WD shif t indicator light
The 4WD shif t indicator light is located in
the odometer display.
The light should turn off within 1 second
af ter placing the ignition switch in the ON
position.
While the engine is running, the 4WD shif t
indicator light will illuminate the position
selected by the 4WD shif t switch.
•The 4WD shif t indicator light may blink
while shif ting from one drive mode to
the other. When the shif ting is com-
pleted, the 4WD shif t indicator light will
come on. • If the 4WD warning light comes on, the
4WD shif t indicator light goes out.
Warning light Comes on or
blinks when:
Comes on There is a mal-
function in the 4–Wheel Drive system
Blinks slowly The difference
in wheel rota- tion is large
The 4WD warning light is located in the me-
ter.
The 4WD warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is placed in the ON position.
It turns off soon af ter the engine is started.
If any malfunction occurs in the 4WD sys-
tem when the ignition switch is ON, the
warning light will either remain illuminated
or blink.
LSD0147
5-28Starting and driving