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
person 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 “Safety – Seats, seat
belts and supplemental restraint system”
(P. 1-2), and also instruct 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. 4. When appropriate, slowly release the ac-
celerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the vehicle to follow the road while vehicle
speed is reduced. Do not attempt to
drive the vehicle back onto the road sur-
face until vehicle speed is reduced.
6. When it is safe to do so, gradually turn the steering wheel until both tires return
to the road surface. When all tires are on
the road surface, steer the vehicle to
stay in the appropriate driving lane.
• If you decide that it is not safe to return the vehicle to the road surface based
on vehicle, road or traffic conditions,
gradually slow the vehicle to a stop in
a safe place off the road.
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSS
Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can
occur if the tire is punctured or is damaged
due to hitting a curb or pothole. Rapid air
pressure loss can also be caused by driving
on under-inflated tires.
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the han-
dling and stability of the vehicle, especially
at highway speeds.
Starting and driving5-9
Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by
maintaining the correct air pressure and
visually inspecting the tires for wear and
damage. For additional information, see
“Wheels and tires” (P. 8-33). If a tire rapidly
loses air pressure or “blows-out” while driv-
ing, maintain control of the vehicle by fol-
lowing the procedure below. 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.
WARNING
The following actions can increase the
chance of losing control of the vehicle if
there is a sudden loss of tire air pres-
sure. Losing control of the vehicle may
cause a collision and result in personal
injury.
• The vehicle generally moves or pulls
in the direction of the flat tire.
• Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
• Do not rapidly release the accelerator
pedal.
• Do not rapidly turn the steering
wheel. 1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering
wheel with both hands and try to hold a
straight course.
3. When appropriate, slowly release the ac- celerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe lo- cation off the road and away from traffic
if possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradu- ally stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and contact a roadside emergency service
to change the tire. For additional infor-
mation, see “Changing a flat tire” (P. 6-3).
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the blood-
stream reduces coordination, delays
reaction time and impairs judgement.
Driving af ter drinking alcohol increases
the likelihood of being involved in an
accident injuring yourself and others.
Additionally, if you are injured in an ac-
cident, alcohol can increase the sever-
ity of the injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under
the influence of alcohol. Every year thou-
sands of people are injured or killed in
alcohol-related collisions. Although the lo-
cal 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.
5-10Starting and driving
Remember, drinking and driving don't mix!
That is true for drugs (over-the-counter,
prescription) and illegal drugs, too. Don't
drive if your ability to operate your vehicle is
impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some other
physical condition.
DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Your NISSAN is designed for both normal
and off-road use. However, avoid driving in
deep water or mud as your NISSAN is
mainly designed for leisure use, unlike a
conventional off-road vehicle.
Remember that 2-Wheel Drive models are
less capable than 4-Wheel Drive (4WD)
models for rough road driving and extrica-
tion when stuck in deep snow or mud, or
the like.
Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
• Drive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle
should be seated with their seat belt
fastened. This will keep you and your
passengers in position when driving
over rough terrain. •
Do not drive across steep slopes. In-
stead drive either straight up or
straight down the slopes. Off-road
vehicles can tip over sideways much
more easily than they can forward or
backward.
• Many hills are too steep for any ve-
hicle. If you drive up them, you may
stall. If you drive down them, you may
not be able to control your speed. If
you drive across them, you may roll
over.
• Do not shif t gears while driving on
downhill grades as this could cause
loss of control of the vehicle.
• Stay alert when driving to the top of a
hill. At the top there could be a drop-
off or other hazard that could cause
an accident.
• If your engine stalls or you cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill,
never attempt to turn around. Your
vehicle could tip or roll over. Always
back straight down in R (Reverse)
gear and apply brakes to control your
speed. •
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.
• 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 vehicle 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.
Starting and driving5-11
REMOTE ENGINE START (if so
equipped)
Vehicles started with the Remote Engine
Start require the ignition switch to be
placed in the ON position before the shif t
lever can be moved from the P (Park) posi-
tion. To place the ignition switch in the ON
position, follow these steps:
1. Make sure that the Intelligent Key is onyou.
2. Apply the brake.
3. Push the ignition switch once to the ON position.
For additional information, see “NISSAN In-
telligent Key®” (P. 3-2).
ENGINE PROTECTION MODE
The engine has an engine protection mode
to reduce the chance of damage if the
coolant temperature becomes too high
(for example, when climbing steep grades
in high temperatures with heavy loads,
such as when towing a trailer). When the
engine temperature reaches a certain
level:
• The engine coolant temperature gauge will move toward the H position.
• Engine power may be reduced.
• The air conditioning cooling function may be automatically turned off for a short
time (the blower will continue to operate).
Engine power and, under some conditions,
vehicle speed will decrease. Vehicle speed
can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the vehicle may not accelerate at
the desired speed. The transmission will
downshif t or upshif t as it reaches pre-
scribed shif t points. You can also shif t
manually.
As driving conditions change and engine
coolant temperature is reduced, vehicle
speed can be increased using the accel-
erator pedal, and the air conditioning cool-
ing function will automatically be turned
back on. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may
also come on if the engine coolant tem-
perature is not reduced or the air condi-
tioning cooling function does not turn back
on. If
only it remains on, you do not need to
have your vehicle towed, but have it in-
spected soon. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service. For
additional information, see “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” (P. 2-20).
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced en-
gine power and vehicle speed. The re-
duced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance
of a collision. Be especially careful
when driving. If the vehicle cannot
maintain a safe driving speed, pull to
the side of the road in a safe area. Allow
the engine to cool and return to normal
operation. For additional information,
see “If your vehicle overheats” (P. 6-12).
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-18Starting and driving
•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.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, please
note that the transmission will be locked in
any of the forward gears according to the
condition.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
This will occur even if all electrical cir-
cuits are functioning properly. In this
case, place the ignition switch in the OFF
position and wait for 3 seconds. Then
place the ignition switch back in the ON
position. The vehicle should return to its
normal operating condition. If it does not
return to its normal operating condition,
have the transmission checked and re-
paired, if necessary. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
WARNING
• Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to
an accident.
• Do not release the parking brake
from outside the vehicle.
• Do not use the shif t lever in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
engaged.
• To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the
vehicle and/or its systems, do not
leave children, people who require
the assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly be-
come high enough to cause a signifi-
cant risk of injury or death to people
and pets.
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-23
LDW SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations
for the LDW system. Failure to follow
the warnings and instructions for
proper use of the LDW system could re-
sult in serious injury or death.
• The system will not operate at
speeds below approximately 37 mph
(60 km/h) or if it cannot detect lane
markers.
• Do not use the LDW system under the
following conditions as it may not
function properly:
– During bad weather (rain, fog,
snow, etc.).
– When driving on slippery roads,
such as on ice or snow.
– When driving on winding or un-
even roads.
– When there is a lane closure due to
road repairs.
– When driving in a makeshif t or
temporary lane.
– When driving on roads where the
lane width is too narrow. –
When driving without normal tire
conditions (for example, tire wear,
low tire pressure, installation of
spare tire, tire chains, nonstan-
dard wheels).
– When the vehicle is equipped with
non-original brake parts or sus-
pension parts.
– When you are towing a trailer or
other vehicle.
• The system may not function prop-
erly under the following conditions:
– On roads where there are multiple
parallel lane markers; lane mark-
ers that are faded or not painted
clearly; yellow painted lane mark-
ers; non-standard lane markers;
or lane markers covered with wa-
ter, dirt, snow, etc.
– On roads where the discontinued
lane markers are still detectable.
– On roads where there are sharp
curves.
– On roads where there are sharply
contrasting objects, such as shad-
ows, snow, water, wheel ruts,
seams or lines remaining af ter road repairs. (The LDW system
could detect these items as lane
markers.)
– On roads where the traveling lane
merges or separates.
– When the vehicle’s traveling direc-
tion does not align with the lane
marker.
– When traveling close to the ve-
hicle in front of you, which ob-
structs the lane camera unit de-
tection range.
– When rain, snow, dirt or an object
adheres to the windshield in front
of the lane camera unit.
– When the headlights are not
bright due to dirt on the lens or if
the aiming is not adjusted
properly.
– When strong light enters the lane
camera unit. (For example, the
light directly shines on the front of
the vehicle at sunrise or sunset.)
– When a sudden change in bright-
ness occurs. (For example, when
the vehicle enters or exits a tunnel
or under a bridge.)
5-30Starting and driving
The vehicle-to-vehicle distance control
mode is designed to maintain a selected
distance from the vehicle in front of you
and can reduce the speed to match a
slower vehicle ahead. The system will de-
celerate the vehicle as necessary and if the
vehicle ahead comes to a stop, the vehicle
decelerates to a standstill. However, the ICC
system can only apply up to 40% of the
vehicle’s total braking power.
This system should only be used when traf-
fic conditions allow vehicle speeds to re-
main fairly constant or when vehicle
speeds change gradually. If a vehicle
moves into the traveling lane ahead or if a
vehicle traveling ahead rapidly decelerates,
the distance between vehicles may be-
come closer because the ICC system can-
not decelerate the vehicle quickly enough.
If this occurs, the ICC system will sound a
warning chime and blink the system dis-
play to notif y the driver to take necessary
action.
The system will cancel and a warning
chime will sound if the speed is below ap-
proximately 15 mph (25 km/h) and a vehicle
is not detected ahead. The system will also
disengage when the vehicle goes above
the maximum set speed.For additional information, see “Approach
warning” (P. 5-62).
The following items are controlled in the
vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode:
• When there are no vehicles traveling
ahead, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance
control mode maintains the speed set by
the driver. The set speed range is be-
tween approximately 20 and 90 mph (30
and 144 km/h).
• When there is a vehicle traveling ahead, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control
mode adjusts the speed to maintain the
distance, selected by the driver, from the
vehicle ahead. If the vehicle ahead comes
to a stop, the vehicle decelerates to a
standstill within the limitations of the sys-
tem. The system will cancel once it judges
a standstill with a warning chime.
• When the vehicle traveling ahead has moved out from its lane of travel, the
vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
accelerates and maintains vehicle speed
up to the set speed. The ICC system does not control vehicle
speed or warn you when you approach
stationary and slow moving vehicles. You
must pay attention to vehicle operation to
maintain proper distance from vehicles
ahead when approaching toll gates or traf-
fic congestion.
Starting and driving5-55
Approach warning
If your vehicle comes closer to the vehicle
ahead due to rapid deceleration of that ve-
hicle or if another vehicle cuts in, the sys-
tem warns the driver with the chime and
ICC system display. Decelerate by depress-
ing the brake pedal to maintain a safe ve-
hicle distance if:
• The chime sounds.
• The vehicle ahead detection indicatorblinks.
The warning chime may not sound in
some cases when there is a short distance
between vehicles. Some examples are:
• When the vehicles are traveling at the same speed and the distance between
vehicles is not changing.
• When the vehicle ahead is traveling faster and the distance between vehicles is
increasing.
• When a vehicle cuts in near your vehicle.
The warning chime will not sound when:
• The vehicle approaches other vehicles that are parked or moving slowly.
• The accelerator pedal is depressed, over- riding the system.
NOTE:
The approach warning chime may sound
and the system display may blink when
the ICC sensor detects objects on the
side of the vehicle or on the side of the
road. This may cause the ICC system to
decelerate or accelerate the vehicle. The
ICC sensor may detect these objects
when the vehicle is driven on winding
roads, narrow roads, hilly roads, or when
entering or exiting a curve. In these
cases you will have to manually control
the proper distance ahead of your
vehicle.
Also, the sensor sensitivity can be affected
by vehicle operation (steering maneuver or
driving position in the lane) or traffic or ve-
hicle condition (for example, if a vehicle is
being driven with some damage).
Automatic cancellation
A chime sounds under the following condi-
tions and the control is automatically can-
celed:
• When the vehicle ahead is not detectedand your vehicle is traveling below the
speed of 15 mph (25 km/h)
• When the system judges the vehicle is at a standstill • When the shif t lever is not in the D (Drive)
position, Manual mode or L (Low) range.
• When the parking brake system is applied
• When the VDC system is turned off
• When VDC operates
• When distance measurement becomes impaired due to adhesion of dirt or ob-
struction to the sensor
• When a wheel slips
• When the radar signal is temporarily interrupted
VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE DISTANCE
CONTROL MODE LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations
for the ICC system. Failure to operate
the vehicle in accordance with these
system limitations could result in seri-
ous injury or death.
• The ICC system is primarily intended
for use on straight, dry, open roads
with light traffic. It is not advisable to
use the ICC system in city traffic or
congested areas.
5-62Starting and driving