LARGER CHILDREN
Children should remain in a forward-facing
child restraint with a harness until they reach
the maximum height or weight limit allowed
by the child restraint manufacturer.
Once a child outgrows the height or weight
limit of the harness-equipped forward-
facing child restraint, NISSAN recommends
that the child be placed in a commercially
available booster seat to obtain proper
seat belt fit. For a seat belt to fit properly, the
booster seat should raise the child so that
the shoulder belt is properly positioned
across the chest and the top, middle por-
tion of the shoulder. The shoulder belt
should not cross the neck or face and
should not fall off the shoulder. The lap belt
should lie snugly across the lower hips or
upper thighs, not the abdomen.
A booster seat can only be used in seating
positions that have a three-point type seat
belt. The booster seat should fit the vehicle
seat and have a label certif ying that it com-
plies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. Once the child has
grown so the shoulder belt is no longer on
or near the face and neck and the lap beltcan be positioned properly across the
lower hips or upper thighs, use the seat belt
without the booster seat.
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 slouching?
• 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.
LRS2690
Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-27
– The identification code of the tirepressure sensor is not registered to
the system.
– The battery of the tire pressure sen- sor is low.
• If the Easy-Fill Tire Alert does not oper- ate 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 rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a per-
son wearing a seat belt.
For additional information, see “Driving
safety precautions” (P. 5-11).
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 person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person 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 driving5-9
•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
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 ve-
hicle in front of you. Ultimately, the
driver is responsible for safety.
• Tire type and condition may also af-
fect 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 Information label. For ad-
ditional information, see “Tire and
Loading Information label”
(P. 10-14). –
For additional information, see
“Wheels and tires” (P. 8-30).
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.
Starting and driving5-119
•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 deterio-
rated, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly. This could adversely af-
fect vehicle handling performance,
and the
indicator light may flash
or theindicator light may
illuminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC sys-
tem may not operate properly and
both the
andindicator
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 oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or theindicator
light 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 theindicator light 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 oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or theindicator
light may illuminate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the four wheels depending
on the radius of the turn.
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 driv-
ing and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always 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 deterio-
rated, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly. This could adversely af-
fect vehicle handling performance,
and the
indicator light may flash
or theindicator light may
illuminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC sys-
tem may not operate properly and
both the
and theindicator
lights may illuminate.
5-122Starting and driving
•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 oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or theindicator
light 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 theindicator light 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 oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or theindicator
light may illuminate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
WARNING
• Never rely solely on the hill descent
control system to control vehicle
speed when driving on steep down-
hill grades. Always drive carefully and
attentively when using the hill de-
scent control system and decelerate
the vehicle speed by depressing the
brake pedal if necessary. Be espe-
cially careful when driving on frozen,
muddy or extremely steep downhill
roads. Failure to control vehicle
speed may result in a loss of control
of the vehicle and possible serious
injury or death.
• The hill descent control may not con-
trol the vehicle speed on a hill under
all load or road conditions. Always be
prepared to depress the brake pedal
to control vehicle speed. Failure to do
so may result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
The hill descent control system helps
maintain vehicle speed when driving under
15-21 mph (25-35 km/h) on steeper down-
hill grades. Hill descent control is useful
when engine braking alone in 4H or 4L can-
not control vehicle speed. Hill descent con-
trol applies the vehicle brakes to control vehicle speed allowing the driver to con-
centrate on steering while reducing the
burden of brake and accelerator operation.
• When additional braking is required on
steep downhill roads, activate the hill de-
scent control system by pushing the
switch on. For additional information, see
“Hill descent control switch” (P. 2-49).
• Once the system is activated, the indica- tor light will remain on in the instrument
panel. For additional information, see “Hill
descent control system ON indicator
light” (P. 2-15).
If the accelerator or brake pedal is de-
pressed while the hill descent control sys-
tem is on, the system will stop operating
temporarily. As soon as the accelerator or
brake pedal is released, the hill descent
control system begins to function again if
the hill descent control operating condi-
tions are fulfilled.
For the best results, when descending
steep downhill grades, the hill descent con-
trol switch should be on and the shif t lever
in 2 (Second gear) or 1 (Low gear) for engine
braking.
HILL DESCENT CONTROL SYSTEM (if
so equipped)
Starting and driving5-123
Do not attach stickers (including transpar-
ent material), install accessories or apply
additional paint near the sonar sensors.
Do not strike or damage the area around
the sonar sensors. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer if the area around
the sonar sensors is damaged due to a
collision.FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer through the key hole. If the lock
becomes frozen, heat the key before in-
serting it into the key hole or use the re-
mote keyless entry key fob (if so equipped).
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32°F (0°C),
check the antifreeze to assure proper win-
ter protection. For additional information,
see “Engine cooling system” (P. 8-4).
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the
battery fluid may freeze and damage the
battery. To maintain maximum efficiency,
the battery should be checked regularly.
For additional information, see “Battery”
(P. 8-14).
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be lef t outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, includ-
ing the engine block. Refill before operating
the vehicle. For additional information, see
“Changing engine coolant” (P. 8-5).
TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed toprovide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance of
these tires will be substantially reduced
in snowy and icy conditions. If you oper-
ate your vehicle on snowy or icy roads,
NISSAN recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON TIRES on all four
wheels. It is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for the tire type, size,
speed rating and availability information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, studded tires may be used. However,
some U.S. states and Canadian prov-
inces prohibit their use. Check local,
state and provincial laws before install-
ing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires.
3. Tire chains may be used. For additional information, see “Tire chains” (P. 8-38).
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-129
Always refer to the illustration for the cor-
rect placement and jack-up points for your
specific vehicle model and jack type.
Carefully read the caution label attached
to the jack body and the following in-
structions.1. Loosen each wheel nut 1 or 2 turns by
turning counterclockwise with the wheel
nut wrench. Do not remove the wheel
nuts until the tire is off the ground. 2. Place the jack directly under the jack-up
point as illustrated so the top of the jack
contacts the vehicle at the jack-up point.
Align the jack head under the arrow
stamped on the side of the frame or rear
as shown.
The jack should be used on firm and
level ground.
WCE0152
In case of emergency6-9