dually stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and contact a roadside emergency
service to change the tire.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of
alcohol or drugs. Alcohol in the
bloodstream reduces coordination,
delays reaction time and impairs
judgement. Driving after drinking
alcohol increases the likelihood of
being involved in an accident injuring
yourself and others. Additionally, if
you are injured in an accident, alco-
hol can increase the severity of the
injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving.
However, you must choose not to drive
under the influence of alcohol. Every year
thousands of people are injured or killed
in alcohol-related accidents. Although the
local 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 alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t
mix! And that is true for drugs, too (over-
the-counter, prescription, and illegal
drugs). Don’t drive if your ability to oper-
ate your vehicle is impaired by alcohol,
drugs, or some other physical condition.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) DRIVING
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
WARNING
.
Do not drive beyond the perfor-
mance capability of the tires,
even with AWD engaged. Acceler-
ating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking
may cause loss of control.
. Always use the specified tires on
all four wheels. Install tire chains
on the rear wheels when driving
on slippery roads and drive care-
fully.
. This vehicle is not designed for
offroad (rough road) use. Do not
drive on sandy or muddy roads
that tires may get stuck in.
. Do not attempt to raise two
wheels off the ground and shift the transmission to any
position with the engine run-
ning. 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 you inform
test facility personnel that your
vehicle is equipped with AWD
before it is placed on a dynam-
ometer. Using the wrong test
equipment may result in drive-
train damage or unexpected ve-
hicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage
or personal injury.
. When a wheel is off the ground
due to an unlevel surface, do not
spin the wheel excessively.
Starting and driving
5-9
TIGHT CORNER BRAKING PHE-
NOMENONIf the steering wheel is turned more than
half a turn when the vehicle is started
when it is cold, it may be harder to move
the vehicle forward and backward. This
phenomenon is known as the “tight
corner braking phenomenon”.
This phenomenon is unique to AWD
vehicles, and occurs due to a difference
in speeds between the front and rear
wheels while the vehicle is turning. This
does not indicate that there is a malfunc-
tion.
NOTE:
If the tight corner braking phenomenon
occurs, a slipping sound may be heard
from the tires, or a squeaking sound
may be heard from the drive system.Reducing tight corner braking
phenomenonThe tight corner braking phenomenon
can be reduced if the following three
conditions are met:
.Transmission setup switch is set to
Normal mode.
. Vehicle speed is low (less than ap-
proximately 6 MPH (10 km/h)). .
The steering wheel is turned more
than 1/2 turn.
TIRESThis vehicle is equipped with special tires.
When changing the tires, install the de-
signated special tires. Replacing tires as a
set of four with new ones is recom-
mended. However, if a tire is punctured
or damaged, it may be possible to replace
only the damaged tire. Determining
whether one tire or a complete set of
tires should be replaced is based on a
number of factors including tire wear and
condition. Contact your GT-R certified
NISSAN dealer. They can recommend if
an individual tire or a complete set should
be replaced.
NOTICE
If tires other than the designated
tires, tires with large differences in
wear or tires of different sizes are
installed, the AWD performance will
be degraded and the drive mechan-
ism may be damaged.
AWD SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICSThe AWD system automatically distri-
butes the optimal torque to the front
and rear wheels. This provides both the
superior turning performance of a rear
wheel drive vehicle and the traction of a
AWD vehicle.
Electronic control continuously distri-
butes torque to the front and rear wheels
in the range from 0:100 (rear-wheel drive
mode) to 50:50 (all-wheel drive mode) to
match the driving conditions and road
conditions. This allows the engine output
(torque) to be effectively transmitted to
the road surface.
The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) sys-
tem uses various sensors to monitor
driver inputs and vehicle motion. Under
certain driving conditions, the VDC sys-
tem helps to perform the following func-
tions.
.Controls brake pressure to reduce
wheel slip on one slipping drive wheel
so power is transferred to a non
slipping drive wheel on the same axle.
. Controls brake pressure and engine
output to reduce drive wheel slip
based on vehicle speed (traction con-
trol function).
. Controls brake pressure at individual
wheels and engine output to help the
driver maintain control of the vehicle
in the following conditions:
— understeer (vehicle tends to not
follow the steered path despite
increased steering input)
— oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving condi-
tions).
The VDC system can help the driver to
maintain control of the vehicle, but it
cannot prevent loss of vehicle control in
all driving situations.
When the VDC system operates, the VDC
warning light
in the meter flashes so note the following:
.
The road may be slippery or the
system may determine some action
is required to help keep the vehicle on
the steered path.
. You may feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal and hear a noise or vibration
from under the hood. This is normal
and indicates that the VDC system is
working properly.
. Adjust your speed and driving to the
road conditions.
. The VDC mode can be changed using
the VDC setup switch. (
“VDC,
transmission and suspension setup
switches” page 5-25)
(
“Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
warning light” page 2-34,
“Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) off indicator light”
page 2-33)
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
VDC warning light
illuminates in the
meter. The VDC system automatically
turns off.
The VDC setup switch is used to turn off
the VDC system. The VDC off indicator
illuminates to indicate the VDC sys-
tem is off.
When the VDC setup switch is used to
turn off the system, the VDC system still
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC) SYSTEM
wheels will lose even more trac-
tion.
. Allow more stopping distance
under these conditions. Braking
should be started sooner than on
dry pavement.
. Allow greater following distances
on slippery roads.
. Watch for slippery spots (glare
ice). These may appear on an
otherwise clear road in shaded
areas. If a patch of ice is seen
ahead, brake before reaching it.
Try not to brake while on the ice,
and avoid any sudden steering
maneuvers.
. Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads.
. Snow can trap dangerous ex-
haust gases under your vehicle.
Keep snow clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around your vehi-
cle.
NOTE:
When driving on snow, select the SAVE
mode with the setup switch. By select-
ing the SAVE mode, the engine output is
controlled appropriately for snow or slippery road surfaces. This enables
the vehicle to start or accelerate
smoothly.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)Engine block heaters are used to assist
with cold temperature starting.
The engine block heater should be used
when the outside temperature is 20°F
(−7°C) or lower.To use the engine block heater1. Turn the engine off.
2. Plug the engine block heater cord into
a grounded 3-wire, 3-pronged exten-
sion cord.
3. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) protected,
grounded 110-volt AC (VAC) outlet.
4. The engine block heater must be plugged in for at least 2 - 4 hours,
depending on outside temperatures,
to properly warm the engine coolant.
Use an appropriate timer to turn the
engine block heater on.
5. Before starting the engine, unplug and properly store the cord to keep it
away from moving parts.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device
designed specifically for vehicle recovery.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for the recovery device.Rocking a stuck vehicleIf your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control(VDC) system and select SAVE mode
with the transmission setup switch.
(
“VDC, transmission and suspen-
sion setup switches” page 5-25)
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the vehicle is clear of obstruc-
tions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear an area around the front tires.
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and backward.
.
Shift back and forth between theand
and
mounted shift indicator have a gen-
uine leather finish that requires
proper care and maintenance.
(
Shift lock releaseIf the battery charge is low or discharged,
the shift lever may not be moved from the
position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the shift lever button
pushed.
To move the shift lever, perform the
following procedure.
1. Push the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock cover using a suitable tool wrapped with a cloth.
4. Push down the shift lock as illustrated. 5. Push the shift lever button and move
the shift lever to the
position while
holding down the shift lock.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to unlock the steering wheel. Now
the vehicle may be moved to the desired
location.
If the battery is discharged completely,
the steering wheel cannot be unlocked.
Do not move the vehicle with the steering
wheel locked.
NOTICE
If the shift lever cannot be moved
out of the
position after perform-
ing the shift lock release procedure,
it is recommended you immediately
have the vehicle inspected by a GT-R
certified NISSAN dealer.
Adaptive shift controlThe adaptive shift control system auto-
matically operates when the transmission
is in the
position and selects an
appropriate gear depending on the road
conditions such as uphill, downhill or
curving roads.Starting and driving
5-19
The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) sys-
tem uses various sensors to monitor
driver inputs and vehicle motion. Under
certain driving conditions, the VDC sys-
tem helps to perform the following func-
tions.
.Controls brake pressure to reduce
wheel slip on one slipping drive wheel
so power is transferred to a non
slipping drive wheel on the same axle.
. Controls brake pressure and engine
output to reduce drive wheel slip
based on vehicle speed (traction con-
trol function).
. Controls brake pressure at individual
wheels and engine output to help the
driver maintain control of the vehicle
in the following conditions:
— understeer (vehicle tends to not
follow the steered path despite
increased steering input)
— oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving condi-
tions).
The VDC system can help the driver to
maintain control of the vehicle, but it
cannot prevent loss of vehicle control in
all driving situations.
When the VDC system operates, the VDC
warning light
in the meter flashes so note the following:
.
The road may be slippery or the
system may determine some action
is required to help keep the vehicle on
the steered path.
. You may feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal and hear a noise or vibration
from under the hood. This is normal
and indicates that the VDC system is
working properly.
. Adjust your speed and driving to the
road conditions.
. The VDC mode can be changed using
the VDC setup switch. (
“VDC,
transmission and suspension setup
switches” page 5-25)
(
“Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
warning light” page 2-34,
“Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) off indicator light”
page 2-33)
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
VDC warning light
illuminates in the
meter. The VDC system automatically
turns off.
The VDC setup switch is used to turn off
the VDC system. The VDC off indicator
illuminates to indicate the VDC sys-
tem is off.
When the VDC setup switch is used to
turn off the system, the VDC system still
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC) SYSTEM
Check the coolant level in the pressurized
coolant reservoir. Adjust the level so that
the fluid is between the MAX and MIN
markings. For the coolant, use genuine
NISSAN Long Life coolant or equivalent.
(On delivery of new vehicle, the reservoir
is filled to the MIN level. Be sure to
replenish approximately 3/8 US quart
(0.3 to 0.4 liter) of coolant.)
NOTICE
Do not overfill the coolant. This may
increase the pressure in the cooling
system and cause coolant leaks.
To maximize vehicle performance, the
coolant mixture ratio should be a combi-
nation of 30% coolant antifreeze and 70%
demineralized or distilled water for max-
imum cooling system performance re-
gardless of ambient temperatures.
If ambient temperatures are anticipated
below 5°F (−15°C), make sure a proper
mixture ratio of 50% antifreeze and 50%
demineralized or distilled water mix is
used.Engine and powertrainThe information and specifications in
this section apply only when engaging in performance driving.
.
Check the engine, transmission, differ-
ential and under the vehicle for oil and
coolant leaks.
. Inspect the areas surrounding of the
catalytic converter for heat deteriora-
tion.
. Always perform the transmission
setting. After that, adjust the clutch
clearance so that the clearance is less
than the clearance used for daily
driving. Your GT-R certified NISSAN
dealer has the necessary information
and equipment to set the clutch
clearance to the correct specification.
The clearance used for daily driving
increases clutch heat generated dur-
ing Performance Driving. This leads to
an increase in temperature of the
transmission oil. In addition, a more
direct shifting feel can be obtained by
reducing the clutch clearance for
Performance Driving. The clutch clear-
ance should be reset to the daily
driving specification after Perfor-
mance Driving. It is recommended
you see a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer
for information.
NOTICE
Failure to have the clutch properly
adjusted before performance driving
may cause the transmission oil tem-
perature to increase which may
cause transmission damage.
. Inspect and confirm the clearance
between the exhaust finisher and rear
bumper is more than 0.24 in (6 mm)
(up/down) and more than 0.20 in (5
mm) (left/right).
. Inspect the dust boot of the drive
shaft universal joint for cracks or
damage.Suspension and wheel alignmentThe information and specifications in
this section apply only when engaging
in performance driving.
.Check the steering and suspension
system and other links for loose and/
or damaged parts.
. Measure and adjust the wheel align-
ment. (
“Wheel alignment” page
GTR-10) It is recommended you con-
tact a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer to
adjust the wheel alignment to the
recommended setting for high perfor-