.When washing the vehicle using a
high-pressure washer, do not apply
direct washer pressure on the sonar
sensors. This may cause a malfunction
of the sonar sensors.
CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000
km), follow these recommendations
to obtain maximum engine perfor-
mance and ensure the future relia-
bility and economy of your new
vehicle. Failure to follow these re-
commendations may result in shor-
tened engine life and reduced engine
performance.
. Avoid driving for long periods at con-
stant speed, either fast or slow. Do not
run the engine over 4,000 rpm.
. Do not accelerate at full throttle in any
gear.
. Avoid quick starts.
. Avoid hard braking as much as possi-
ble.
. Do not tow a trailer for the first 500
miles (800 km). Your engine, axle or
other parts could be damaged. Follow these easy-to-use Fuel Efficient
Driving Tips to help you achieve the most
fuel economy from your vehicle.
1. Use smooth accelerator and brake
pedal application.
.Avoid rapid starts and stops..Use smooth, gentle accelerator andbrake application whenever possi-
ble.
.Maintain constant speed whilecommuting and coast whenever
possible.
2. Maintain constant speed.
.Look ahead to try and anticipate and minimize stops.
.Synchronizing your speed with traf-fic lights allows you to reduce your
number of stops.
.Maintaining a steady speed canminimize red light stops and im-
prove fuel efficiency.
3. Use air conditioning (A/C) at higher vehicle speeds.
.Below 40 MPH (64 km/h), it is moreefficient 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 aerody-
namic drag.
Starting and driving5-149
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE FUEL EFFICIENT DRIVING TIPS
5-150Starting and driving
.Recirculating the cool air in thecabin when the A/C is on reduces
cooling load.
4. Drive at economical speeds and dis- tances.
.Observing the speed limit and notexceeding 60 MPH (97 km/h)
(where legally allowed) can improve
fuel efficiency due to reduced aero-
dynamic drag.
.Maintaining a safe following dis-tance behind other vehicles re-
duces unnecessary braking.
.Safely monitoring traffic to antici- pate changes in speed permits
reduced braking and smooth accel-
eration changes.
.Select a gear range suitable to roadconditions.
5. Use cruise control.
.Using cruise control during highway driving helps maintain a steady
speed.
.Cruise control is particularly effec-tive 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 cruis-
ing speed through the toll and
avoid stopping and starting.
9. Winter warm up.
.Limit idling time to minimize impact to fuel economy.
.Vehicles typically need no morethan 30 seconds of idling at start-
up to effectively circulate the en-
gine oil before driving.
.Your vehicle will reach its ideal
operating temperature more
quickly while driving versus idling.
10. Keeping your vehicle cool.
.Park your vehicle in a covered parking area or in the shade when-
ever possible.
.When entering a hot vehicle, open- ing the windows will help to reduce
the inside temperature faster, re-
sulting in reduced demand on your
A/C system. .
Keep your engine tuned up.
. Follow the recommended scheduled
maintenance.
. Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure. Low tire pressure increases
tire wear and lowers fuel economy.
. Keep the wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment increases tire
wear and lowers fuel economy.
. Use the recommended viscosity en-
gine oil. (See “Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation” (P.10-6).)
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
If any malfunction occurs in the Intelligent
4x4 system while the engine is running,
warning messages appear in the vehicle
information display.
WAF0642X
If the “AWD Error” warningappears,
there may be a malfunction in the In-
telligent 4x4 system. Reduce vehicle
speed and have your vehicle checked by
a NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.
The “AWD High Temp. Stop vehicle” (high
temperature) warning
appears when
the oil temperature of the powertrain parts increases due to the difference in
rotation between the front and rear
wheels is large (wheel slip), such as when
driving on rough roads, driving through
sand or mud, or freeing a stuck vehicle. If
this warning is displayed, stop the vehicle
with the engine idling, as soon as it is safe
to do so. In these cases, the AWD changes
to 2WD to protect the powertrain parts.
Then if the warning turns off, you can
continue AWD driving.
The “Tire Size Incorrect” warning
may
appear if there is a large difference
between the diameters of front and rear
wheels and tires. Pull off the road in a safe
area, with the engine idling. Check that all
tire sizes, brand, construction and tread
pattern are the same, that the tire pres-
sures are correct and that the tires are
not excessively worn. If you have any
problems, change tires or adjust tire
pressures correctly. Do not select the
SNOW or OFF-ROAD mode with the Drive
Mode Selector and do not drive fast.
If any warning message continues to be
displayed, have your vehicle checked by a
NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.
Starting and driving5-151
INTELLIGENT 4X4 (if so equipped)
5-152Starting and driving
WARNING
.For AWD equipped vehicles, do
not attempt to raise two wheels
off the ground and shift the
transmission to any drive or re-
verse position with the engine
running. Doing so may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected
vehicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage
or personal injury.
. Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2–wheel
dynamometer (such as the dy-
namometers used by some
states for emissions testing) or
similar equipment even if the
other two wheels are raised off
the ground. Make sure that you
inform the test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with
AWD before it is placed on a
dynamometer. Using the wrong
test equipment may result in
drive train damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle
damage or personal injury.
CAUTION
.Do not operate the engine on a
free roller when any of the wheels
raised.
. The power train may be damaged
if you continue driving with the
“AWD Error” warning on.
. If the warning message remains
on after the above operation,
have your vehicle checked as
soon as possible. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
. If the “AWD Error” warning ap-
pears while driving, there may be
a malfunction in the AWD system.
Reduce the vehicle speed and
have your vehicle checked as
soon as possible. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
When the vehicle is in the P (Park) posi-
tion, the operation noise may be heard
from the lower part of the vehicle. This is
not a malfunction.
SSD0488
WARNING
.Do not stop or park the vehicle
over flammable materials such as
dry grass, waste paper or rags.
They may ignite and cause a fire.
. Never leave the engine running
while the vehicle is unattended.
. Do not leave children unattended
inside the vehicle. They could
unknowingly activate switches
or controls. Unattended children
could become involved in serious
accidents. .
To help avoid risk of injury or
death through unintended opera-
tion of the vehicle and/or its
systems, do not leave children,
people who require the assis-
tance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle.
Additionally, the temperature in-
side a closed vehicle on a warm
day can quickly become high
enough to cause a significant risk
of injury or death to people and
pets.
. Safe parking procedures require
that both the parking brake be
applied and the transmission placed into P (Park). Failure to
do so could cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly or roll away
and result in an accident.
. Make sure the shift lever cannot
be moved without depressing the
foot brake pedal.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Push the park button to shift to the P (Park) position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from roll- ing into the street when parked on a
sloping drive way, it is a good practice
to turn the wheels as illustrated.
.HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
.HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
Turn the wheels away from the
curb and move the vehicle back
until the curb side wheel gently
touches the curb.
.HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
Turn the wheels toward the side of
the road so the vehicle will move
away from the center of the road if
it moves.
Starting and driving5-153
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
5-154Starting and driving
4. Place the ignition switch in the OFFposition.
WARNING
.If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the
power assist for the steering will
not work. Steering will be harder
to operate.
. When the electric power steering
warning light illuminates with the
engine running, the power assist
for the steering will cease opera-
tion. You will still have control of
the vehicle but the steering will
be harder to operate.
The electric power steering is designed to
provide power assist while driving to
operate the steering wheel with light
force.
When SPORT mode is selected, the steer-
ing wheel effort is moderately increased
for a sporty feel. (See “SPORT mode” (P.5-
33).)
When the steering wheel is operated
repeatedly or continuously while parking
or driving at a very low speed, the power
assist for the steering wheel will be
reduced. This is to prevent overheating
of the electric power steering and protect
it from getting damaged. While the power assist is reduced, steering wheel opera-
tion will become heavy. If the steering
wheel operation is still performed, the
electric power steering may stop and the
electric power steering warning light
will illuminate. In a safe location, stop the
engine and place the ignition switch in
the OFF position. When the temperature
of the electric power steering goes down,
the power assist level will return to
normal. Avoid repeating such steering
wheel operations that could cause the
electric power steering to overheat.
You may hear a noise when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the electric power steering warning
light illuminates while the engine is run-
ning, it may indicate the electric power
steering is not functioning properly and
may need servicing. Have the electric
power steering checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service. (See “Electric power steer-
ing warning light” (P.2-17).)
When the electric power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine running,
the power assist for the steering will
cease operation. You will still have control
of the vehicle. However, greater steering
effort is needed, especially in sharp turns
and at low speeds.
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
BRAKING PRECAUTIONS
The brake system has two separate
hydraulic circuits. If one circuit malfunc-
tions, you will still have braking at two
wheels.
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 the stopping dis-
tance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This will cause over-
heating of the brakes, wearing out the
brake pads faster and reduce gas mile-
age.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent
the brakes from overheating, reduce
speed and downshift 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 sur-
face, be careful when braking,
accelerating or downshifting.
Abrupt braking or accelerating
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 assist for the brakes will
not work. Braking 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
longer and the vehicle may pull to one
side during braking.
To dry brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly tapping 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 pads when-
ever the stopping effect of the parking
brake is weakened or whenever the
parking brake pads and/or calipers/ro-
tors are replaced, in order to assure the
best braking performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual. It is recommended you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Starting and driving5-155
BRAKE SYSTEM
5-156Starting and 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.
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to
assist braking operation and is not a
collision warning or avoidance de-
vice. It is the driver’s responsibility to
stay alert, drive safely and be in
control of the vehicle at all times.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
WARNING
.The Anti-lock Braking System
(ABS) is a sophisticated device,
but it cannot prevent accidents
resulting from careless or dan-
gerous driving techniques. It can
help maintain vehicle control dur-
ing braking on slippery surfaces.
Remember that stopping dis-
tances on slippery surfaces will
be longer than on normal sur- faces even with ABS. Stopping
distances 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
affect 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 Informa-
tion label. See “Tire and Load-
ing Information label” (P.10-11)
of this manual.
— For detailed information, see “Wheels and tires” (P.8-25) of
this manual.
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) con-
trols 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 prevent each
wheel from locking and sliding. By pre- venting 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 ABS 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 ABS includes electronic sensors, elec-
tric 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 malfunc-
tion. If the computer senses a malfunc-
BRAKE ASSIST