TRANSFER CASE SHIFTING PROCEDURES
The part time 4WD system provides 3 positions (2WD, 4H and 4LO), so you can select the desired drive mode according to the driving
conditions.
2WD or 4WD shif t procedure:
4WD shif t
switch positionWheels driven Indicator
Use conditions 4WD shif t procedure
4WD shif t Transfer 4LO position
2WD
Rear wheels
Fordrivingondry,paved
roads (Economy drive) Move the 4WD switch.
2WD <—> 4H
The 4WD shif t indicator will indicate
that the transfer shif t position is
engaged.
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO MOVE
THE SHIFT LEVER TO THE
N (NEUTRAL) POSITION IN THIS
OPERATION. PERFORM THIS
OPERATION WHEN DRIVING
STRAIGHT.
4H
Four wheels
For driving on rocky, sandy
or snow-covered roads
N (Neutral)
*1
May blink N (Neutral) disengages the
automatic transmission
(A/T) mechanical parking
lock, which will allow the
vehicle to roll. Do not leave
the transfer shif t position in
N (Neutral).*2 1. Stop the vehicle.
2. With the brake pedal depressed,
move the shif t lever to the N
(Neutral) position.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, depress and turn the 4WD shif t
switch to 4LO or 4H.
THE TRANSFER CASE DOES NOT
ENGAGE BETWEEN 4H AND 4LO
(OR 4LO TO 4H) UNLESS YOU HAVE
FIRST STOPPED THE VEHICLE,
DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL
AND MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER TO
N (NEUTRAL). *3
4LO
Four wheels
Illuminated For use when maximum
power and traction is
required (for example, on
steep grades or rocky, sandy,
muddy roads)
5-108Starting and driving
*1: Before moving the shif t lever from N (Neutral), wait until the 4LO indicator stays on steady. This indicates that the 4WD shif t procedure is completed and
the transfer gear is correctly set in the 4LO position. If the vehicle is shif ted into gear before the indicator is on steady, the transfer gear may grind , not engage
correctly or stay in the N (Neutral) position.
- If the 4WD vehicle information display warning message illuminates, perform the following procedure to return the transfer case to the correct oper ating
condition.
1. Turn off the engine by placing the ignition switch in the OFF position.
2. Start the engine.
- Check that the 4WD vehicle information display warning message turns off. If the warning message in the vehicle information display stays on, have th e
system checked. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
3. Apply the parking brake, depress the brake pedal and move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position.
4. With the brake pedal depressed, move the 4WD shif t switch to the desired mode.
- Be sure to wait until the transfer gear change completes before shif ting the shif t lever from the N (Neutral) position.
*2: While changing in and out of 4LO, the ignition switch must be in the ON position and the vehicle's engine must be running for a shif t to take place and for the
4WD shif t and 4LO position indicators to be operable. Otherwise, the shif t will not take place and no indicators will be on or flashing.
*3: Make sure the transfer 4LO position indicator turns on when you shif t the 4WD shif t switch to 4LO. The
indicator light will also turn on when 4LO
is selected. For additional information, see “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system” (P. 5-120).
Starting and driving5-109
The transfer case 4WD shif t switch is used
to select either 2WD or 4WD depending on
the driving conditions. There are three
types of drive modes available: 2WD, 4H and
4LO.
The 4WD shif t switch electronically controls
the transfer case operation. Rotate the
switch to move between each mode: 2WD,
4H and 4LO.
To change into or out of 4LO, the vehicle
MUST be stationary, move the shif t lever
to N (Neutral), and depress the brake
pedal. The switch must be pushed and
turned to select 4LO.
WARNING
• When parking, apply the parking
brake before stopping the engine
and make sure that the 4WD shif t in-
dicator is on and the Automatic
Transmission Park (ATP) warning
light goes off. Otherwise, the vehicle
could unexpectedly move even if the
A/T is in the P (Park) position. •
The 4LO indicator must stop blinking
and remain illuminated or turn off
before shif ting the transmission into
gear. If the shif t lever is shif ted from
the N (Neutral) position to any other
gear when the 4LO indicator is blink-
ing, the vehicle may move
unexpectedly.
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 62 mph (100
km/h) 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.
5-110Starting and driving
3The best fuel economy of the past his-
tory will be displayed.
The ECO Drive Report can be set to be ON
or OFF.
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. •
Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park).
Failure to do so could cause the ve-
hicle to move unexpectedly or roll
away and result in an accident. Make
sure the shif t lever has been pushed
as far forward as it can go and cannot
be moved without depressing the
foot brake pedal.
• Never leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.
WSD0050
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
Starting and driving5-115
•Do not leave children unattended in-
side the vehicle. They could unknow-
ingly activate switches or controls or
make the vehicle move. Unattended
children could become involved in
serious accidents.
• 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. 1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to the P (Park)
position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into traffic when parked on an incline, it
is a good practice to turn the wheels as
illustrated.
• HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB
OA:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
• HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB
OB:
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
OC:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it moves.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position. The power assisted steering uses a hy-
draulic pump, driven by the engine, to as-
sist steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks,
you will still have control of the vehicle.
However, much greater steering effort is
needed, especially in sharp turns and at
low speeds.
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.
POWER STEERING
5-116Starting and driving
The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake pads faster, and reduce
gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent
the brakes from overheating, reduce speed
and downshif t 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 surface,
be careful when braking, accelerat-
ing or downshif ting. 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 lon-
ger and the vehicle may pull to one side
during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing 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 shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drums/rotors are replaced,
in order to assure the best braking
performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
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 addi-
tional information, see “Tire and
Loading Information label” (P. 8-35).
– For additional information, see
“Wheels and tires” (P. 8-33)
BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-117
When the vehicle is stopped on a hill, the hill
start assist system automatically keeps
the brakes applied. This helps prevents the
vehicle from rolling backward in the time it
takes the driver to release the brake pedal
and apply the accelerator when the vehicle
is stopped on a hill.
Hill start assist will operate automatically
under the following conditions:
• The shif t lever is shif ted to a forward orreverse gear.
• The vehicle is stopped completely on a hill by applying the brake.
The maximum holding time is 2 seconds.
Af ter 2 seconds the vehicle will begin to roll
back and hill start assist will stop operating
completely.
Hill start assist will not operate when the
shif t lever is shif ted into N (Neutral) or P
(Park) or on a flat and level road. When the
indicator light illuminates in the meter,
the hill start assist system will not operate. The front and rear sonar system sounds a
tone to inform the driver of obstacles near
the bumper.
When the “DISPLAY” key is ON, the sonar
view will automatically appear in the meter.WARNING
• The front and rear sonar system is a
convenience but it is not a substitute
for proper parking. •
The driver is always responsible for
safety during parking and other ma-
neuvers. Always look around and
check that it is safe to do so before
parking.
• Read and understand the limitations
of the front and rear sonar system as
contained in this section. The colors
of the corner sonar indicator and the
distance guide lines in the front/rear
view indicate different distances to
the object.
• Inclement weather or ultrasonic
sources such as an automatic car
wash, a truck's compressed-air
brakes or a pneumatic drill may af-
fect the function of the system; this
may include reduced performance or
a false activation.
• This function is designed as an aid to
the driver in detecting large station-
ary objects to help avoid damaging
the vehicle.
• The system is not designed to pre-
vent contact with small or moving
objects. Always move slowly. The
system will not detect small objects
below the bumper, and may not de-
tect objects close to the bumper or
on the ground.
LSD3731
FRONT AND REAR SONAR SYSTEM (if
so equipped)
5-124Starting and driving
SONAR LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations
for the sonar system. Failure to operate
the vehicle in accordance with these
system limitations could result in seri-
ous injury or death.
• The driver is always responsible for
safety during parking and other ma-
neuvers. Always turn and look back
before backing up. The sonar system
is not a substitute for proper
procedures.
• Read and understand the limitations
of the sonar system as contained in
this section. Inclement weather may
affect the function of the sonar sys-
tem; this may include reduced per-
formance or a false activation.
• This system is not designed to pre-
vent contact with small or moving
objects.
• The system is designed as an aid to
the driver in detecting large station-
ary objects to help avoid damaging
the vehicle. The system will not de-
tect small objects below the bumper,
and may not detect objects close to
the bumper or on the ground. •
The system is deactivated at speeds
above 6 mph (10 km/h). It is reacti-
vated at lower speeds.
• Inclement weather or ultrasonic
sources such as an automatic car
wash, a truck’s compressed-air
brakes or a pneumatic drill may af-
fect the function of the system; this
may include reduced performance or
a false activation.
• The system is not designed to pre-
vent contact with small or moving
objects. Always move slowly. The
system will not detect small objects
below the bumper or on the ground.
• The system may not detect the fol-
lowing objects: fluff y objects such as
snow, cloth, cotton, glass-wool, etc.;
thin objects such as rope, wire and
chain, etc.; or wedge-shaped objects.
• The system may not detect objects
at speeds above 3 mph (5 km/h) and
may not detect certain angular or
moving objects.
• The system is deactivated at speeds
above 6 mph (10 km/h) and is reacti-
vated at lower speeds.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The sonar sensorsO1are located on the
front and rear bumpers. Always keep the
area near the sonar sensors clean.
The sonar sensors may be blocked by tem-
porary ambient conditions such as splash-
ing water, mist or fog.
The blocked condition may also be caused
by objects such as ice, frost or dirt ob-
structing the sonar sensors.
Check for and remove objects obstructing
the area around the sonar sensors.
LSD2471
5-128Starting and driving