
•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.
• To avoid raising the center of gravity
excessively, do not exceed the rated
capacity of the roof rack (if so
equipped) and evenly distribute the
load. 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 ve-
hicle 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 (if so
equipped) 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 4WD engaged (if so equipped).
• 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. •
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.
5-12Starting and driving

•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, see “Wet
brakes” (P. 5-118).
• 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, see “Maintenance
under severe operating conditions”
(P. 9-7).
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 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.
When the ignition switch cannot be placed
in the OFF position, proceed as follows:
1. Move the shif t lever to 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 ignition switch cannot be moved
from the LOCK position.
LSD2645
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
Starting and driving5-13

• Make sure the area around the vehicle isclear.
• Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool- ant, brake, 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 the seat belt and ask all passen- gers to do likewise.
• Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
see “Warning lights, indicator lights and
audible reminders” (P. 2-10). 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
cranking the engine, release the accel- erator pedal. Crank the engine with
your foot off the accelerator pedal by
depressing the brake pedal and push-
ing the ignition switch to start the en-
gine. If the engine starts, but fails to
run, repeat the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start, push the ignition switch
to the OFF position and wait 10 seconds
before cranking again, otherwise the
starter could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds af ter starting. Do not race the
engine while warming it up. Drive at a
moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather. In cold
weather, keep the engine running for a
minimum of 2 to 3 minutes before shut-
ting it off. Starting and stopping the en-
gine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, move the shif t lever to the P (Park) position and push the
ignition switch to the OFF position.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving5-17

•Once the automatic brake control
operates, it does not operate again if
the vehicle approaches the same
obstacle.
• The automatic brake control can only
operate for a short period of time.
Therefore, the driver must depress
the brake pedal.
• In the following situations, the RAB
system may not operate properly or
may not function sufficiently:
– The vehicle is driven in bad
weather (rain, fog, snow, etc.).
– The vehicle is driven on a steep
hill.
– The vehicle’s posture is changed
(e.g., when driving over a bump).
– The vehicle is driven on a slippery
road.
– The vehicle is turned sharply by
turning the steering wheel fully.
– Snow chains are used.
– Wheels or tires other than NISSAN
recommended are used.
– The brakes are cold at low ambi-
ent temperatures or immediately
af ter driving has started. –
The braking force becomes poor
due to wet brakes af ter driving
through a puddle or washing the
vehicle.
• Turn the RAB system off in the follow-
ing conditions to prevent the occur-
rence of an unexpected accident re-
sulting from sudden system
operation:
– The vehicle is towed.
– The vehicle is carried on a flatbed
truck.
– The vehicle is on the chassis
dynamometer.
– The vehicle drives on an uneven
road surface.
– The vehicle is towing an object (if
so equipped).
– Suspension parts other than
those designated as Genuine
NISSAN parts are used. (If the ve-
hicle height or the vehicle body in-
clination is changed, the system
may not detect an obstacle
correctly.)
– If the vehicle is using an accessory
like a bike rack, or cargo carrier
that blocks the sensors. •
Excessive noise (e.g., audio system
volume, an open vehicle window) will
interfere with the chime sound, and it
may not be heard.
SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
If the RAB system malfunctions, it will be
turned off automatically, and the RAB sys-
tem warning light will illuminate and the
warning message “System fault See Own-
er’s Manual” in the vehicle information
display.
Action to take
If the warning light illuminates, park the ve-
hicle in a safe location, turn the engine off,
and restart the engine. If the warning light
continues to illuminate, have the RAB sys-
tem checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
NOTE:
If the RAB system cannot be operated
temporarily, the RAB system warning
light blinks.
5-80Starting and driving

AEB WITH PEDESTRIAN
DETECTION SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations
for the AEB with Pedestrian Detection
system. Failure to operate the vehicle in
accordance with these system limita-
tions could result in serious injury or
death.
• The AEB with Pedestrian Detection
system cannot detect all vehicles or
pedestrians under all conditions.
•
The AEB with Pedestrian Detection
system does not detect the following:
–Pedestrians that are small (for ex-
ample, children), in a sitting posi-
tion, operating toys/skateboards,
on scooters or in wheelchairs, or
not in an upright standing or walk-
ing position.
– Animals of any size.
–Obstacles (for example, cargo or
debris) on the roadway or roadside.
– Oncoming or crossing vehicles.
–Vehicles where the tires are difficult
to see or the shape of the rear of the
vehicle is unclear or obstructed.
– Parked vehicles. •
The AEB with Pedestrian Detection
system has some performance limi-
tations.
– If a stationary vehicle is in the ve-
hicle’s path, the system will not
function when the vehicle ap-
proaches the stationary vehicle at
speeds over approximately 50
mph (80 km/h).
– Pedestrian detection will not
function when the vehicle is
driven at speeds over approxi-
mately 37 mph (60 km/h) or below
approximately 6 mph (10km/h).
• For pedestrians, the AEB with Pedes-
trian Detection system will not issue
the first warning.
• The AEB with Pedestrian Detection
system may not function properly or
detect a vehicle or pedestrians
ahead in the following conditions:
– In poor visibility conditions (such
as rain, snow, fog, dust storms,
sand storms, smoke, and road
spray from other vehicles).
– If dirt, ice, snow, fog or other ma-
terial is covering the radar sensor
area or camera area of the
windshield. –
If a strong light (for example, sun-
light or high beams) enters the
front camera or a sudden change
in brightness occurs (for example,
entering a tunnel or driving in
lightning).
– In dark or dimly lit conditions,
such as at night or in tunnels, in-
cluding cases where your vehi-
cle’s headlights are off or dim, or
the tail lights of the vehicle ahead
are off.
– When the direction of the camera
is misaligned.
– When driving on a steep downhill
slope, on roads with sharp curves,
and/or bumpy or dirt roads.
– If there is interference by other ra-
dar sources.
– When your vehicle’s position or
movement is changed quickly or
significantly (for example, lane
change, turning vehicle, abrupt
steering, sudden acceleration or
deceleration).
Starting and driving5-85

• 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, see “Engine
oil and oil filter recommendations”
(P. 10-7).
WARNING
• 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.
• 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.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 vehicle information dis-
play warning message turns on
when you are driving on dry hard sur-
face roads:
– In the 4H position, shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to 2WD.
– In the 4LO position, stop the ve-
hicle, move 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 vehicle information display
warning message 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 driving5-109

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 100 km/h (62
mph) 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 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 (be-
tween 2WD and 4H) while driving on
steep downhill grades. Use the en-
gine brake and low A/T gears (M1 or
M2) 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 may
blink even when the 4WD shif t switch
is shif ted. Af ter driving for a while
you can change the 4WD transfer
case between 4H and 4LO.
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.
• Place stones or wooden blocks under the tires to free the vehicle.
• Use the Electronic locking rear differential (E-Lock) system (if so equipped). For addi-
tional information, see “Electronic locking
rear differential (E-Lock) system” (P. 5-116). • If it is difficult to free the vehicle, rock the
vehicle back and forth between reverse
and 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
• Do not spin the tires excessively. Tires
will sink deep into the mud, making it
difficult to free the vehicle.
• Avoid shif ting gears with the engine
running at high speeds as this may
cause malfunction.
5-112Starting and driving

The E-Lock system can provide additional
traction and should only be used when a
vehicle has become or is becoming stuck.
This system operates by electronically “lock-
ing” the two rear drive wheels together, al-
lowing them to turn at the same speed. The
system is used when it is not possible to free
a stuck vehicle even when using the 4LO
position (4-Wheel Drive vehicles).
When added traction is required, activate
the E-Lock system by pushing the switch
ON. For additional information, see “Elec-
tronic locking rear differential (E-Lock) sys-
tem switch” (P. 2-50). Once the system fully
engages, the indicator light in the instru-
ment panel will remain on. When the sys-
tem is activated, both rear wheels will en-
gage, providing added traction.
The rear wheels may momentarily slip or
move to engage the system, and the sys-
tem will only engage up to approximately 4
mph (7 km/h). Once the vehicle is free, the
system should be turned off and driving
resumed.
The Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) system is dis-
abled and the ABS light illuminates when
the E-Lock system is on. Also, the Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) system is disabled
and the
indicator light illuminates
when the E-Lock system is on.
WARNING
• Never leave the E-Lock system on
when driving on paved or hard-
surfaced roads. Turning the vehicle
may result in the rear wheels slipping
and result in an accident and per-
sonal injury. Af ter using the E-Lock
system to free the vehicle, turn the
system off.
• Use the E-Lock system only when
freeing a stuck vehicle. Try the 4LO
position before using the E-Lock sys-
tem. Never use the E-Lock system on
a slippery road surface such as snow
or ice surface. Using the E-Lock sys-
tem when driving in these road con-
ditions may cause unexpected
movement of the vehicle during en-
gine braking, accelerating or turning,
which may result in an accident and
serious personal injury.
• Observe the above warnings. Other-
wise, loss of normal steering control
may result. This may result in an ac-
cident and serious personal injury.CAUTION
• Af ter using the E-Lock system, turn
the switch OFF to prevent possible
damage to driveline components
from extended use.
•
Do not drive the vehicle at speeds
faster than 12 mph (20 km/h) when the
system is engaged. Doing so could
damage drivetrain components.
•Do not turn on the E-Lock system
while the tires are spinning. Doing so
could damage drivetrain components.
ELECTRONIC LOCKING REAR
DIFFERENTIAL (E-Lock) SYSTEM (if
so equipped)
5-116Starting and driving