2023 NISSAN ALTIMA engine

L(Low)
Use this position for engine braking on
steep downhill gradients/climbing steep
slopes and whenever approaching sharp
bends. Do not use the L (Low) position in
any other circumstances.
Manual shif t mode (if so
equipped)
When the shif t lever is in the D (Drive) posi-
tion and the drive sport mode switch is
pushed, the transmission is ready for the
manual shif t mode. Shif t ranges can be
selected manually by pulling the right-side
or lef t-side paddle shif ter.
When shif ting up, pull the right side paddle
shif ter (+)
OB. The transmission shif ts to the
higher range.
When shif ting down, pull the lef t side
paddle shif ter (−)
OA. The transmission
shif ts to the lower range. When canceling the manual shif t mode,
push the drive sport mode switch. The
transmission returns to the normal driving
mode. When you pull the paddle shif ter
while in the D (Drive) position with the drive
sport mode switch pushed, the transmis-
sion will shif t to the upper or lower range
temporarily. The transmission will auto-
matically return to the drive sport mode
af ter a short period of time. If you want to
return to the drive sport mode manually,
pull and hold the paddle shif ter for about
1.5 seconds.
In the manual shif t mode, the shif t range is
displayed on the position indicator in the
meter.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
1⇔
2⇔ 3⇔ 4⇔ 5⇔ 6⇔ 7⇔ 8
M8 (8th) and M7 (7th)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M6 (6th) and M5 (5th)
Use this position when driving up long
slopes or for engine braking when driving
down long slopes.
LSD2914
Starting and driving5-21

M4 (4th), M3 (3rd) and M2 (2nd)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
M1 (1st)
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
sand or mud, or for maximum engine brak-
ing on steep downhill grades.
• Remember not to drive at high speeds forextended periods of time in lower than
the 8th range. This reduces fuel economy.
When shif ting up
Use the + (up) side paddle shif ter. (Shif ts to
higher range.)
When shif ting down
Use the − (down) side paddle shif ter. (Shif ts
to lower range.)
When canceling the manual shif t mode
To cancel manual shif t mode, push the
drive sport mode switch on the shif t lever
or press and hold either paddle shif ter.
• In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may not shif t to the selected
gear. This helps maintain driving per-
formance and reduces the chance of
vehicle damage or loss of control. •
In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may shif t up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the en-
gine speed is too high. When the ve-
hicle speed decreases, the transmis-
sion automatically shif ts down and
shif ts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
• Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) operation is limited to automatic
drive mode when CVT fluid temperature
is extremely low even if manual shif t
mode is selected. This is not a malfunc-
tion. When CVT fluid warms up, manual
mode can be selected.
• When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shif t range may upshif t in lower rpm
than usual. This is not a malfunction.
Shif t lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged,
the shif t lever may not be moved from the
P (Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the shif t lever button
pressed.
It will be necessary to jump start or have
your battery charged. For additional infor-
mation, see “Jump starting” (P. 6-17). Con-
tact a NISSAN dealer or a professional tow-
ing service.
LSD2644
5-22Starting and driving

To move the shif t lever, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCKposition.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a 3 mm screwdriver, remove the shif t lock
release cover.
• If available, a plastic trim tool can also be used.
4. Insert the small screwdriver in the shif t lock release slot and push down.
5. Move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
If the shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have the transmission checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.WARNING
If the shif t lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position while the engine is
running and the brake pedal is de-
pressed, the stop lights may not work.
Malfunctioning stop lights could cause
an accident injuring yourself and
others.
Drive sport mode switch
When the drive sport mode switch is
pushed with the shif t lever in the D (Drive)
position, the drive sport mode indicator in
the instrument panel illuminates. For addi-
tional information, see “Drive sport mode
indicator” (P. 2-29) or (P. 2-46)
Use the drive sport mode when you need
improved engine braking.
To turn off the drive sport mode, push the
drive sport mode switch again. The drive
sport mode indicator will turn off.
LSD3250
Drive sport mode
Starting and driving5-23

Each time the engine is started, or when
the shif t lever is shif ted to any position
other than D (Drive), the drive sport mode
will automatically turn off.
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.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tem-
perature protection mode. If the fluid tem-
perature becomes too high (for example,
when climbing steep grades in high tem-
peratures with heavy loads, such as when
towing a trailer), engine power and, under
some conditions, vehicle speed will be de-
creased automatically to reduce the
chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelera-
tor pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed
may be limited.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
may come on to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. For additional infor-
mation, see “Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL)” (P. 2-15). This will occur even if all
electrical circuits are functioning prop-
erly. In this case, place the ignition switch
in the OFF position and wait for 10 sec-
onds. Then push the switch back to the
ON position. The vehicle should return to
its normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condi-
tion, have the transmission checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection mode or fail-safe operation oc-
curs, vehicle speed may be gradually
reduced. The reduced speed may be
lower than other traffic, which could in-
crease the chance of a collision. Be es-
pecially careful when driving. If neces-
sary, pull to the side of the road at a safe
place and allow the transmission to re-
turn to normal operation, or have it re-
paired if necessary.
5-24Starting and driving

The electronic parking brake is automati-
cally released as soon as the vehicle starts
and the accelerator pedal is depressed
with the driver’s seat belt fastened.
WARNING
Before leaving the vehicle, move the
shif t lever to the P (Park) position and
check that the electronic parking brake
warning light is illuminated to confirm
that the electronic parking brake is ap-
plied. The electronic parking brake
warning light will remain on for a pe-
riod of time af ter the driver’s door is
locked.
CAUTION
When parking in an area where the out-
side temperature is below 32°F (0°C),
the parking brake, if applied, may
freeze in place and may be difficult to
release.
For safe parking, it is recommended
that you place the shif t lever in the P
(Park) position and securely block the
wheels.
NOTE:
• To keep the electronic parking brake released af ter the engine is turned off,
place the ignition switch in the OFF po-
sition, depress the brake pedal and
push down the parking brake switch
before opening the driver’s door.
• If a malfunction occurs in the elec- tronic parking brake system (for ex-
ample, due to battery discharge), it is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer.
• If the shif t lever is moved to the P (Park) position when the brake force is main-
tained by the automatic brake hold
function, the electronic parking brake
will apply automatically.
• If the driver’s seat belt is unfastened when the brake force is maintained by
the automatic brake hold function, the
electronic parking brake will apply
automatically.
• If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF position when the brake force is
maintained by the automatic brake
hold function, the electronic parking
brake will apply automatically.
Manual operation
The electronic parking brake will not be au-
tomatically applied if the engine is stopped
without using the ignition switch (for ex-
ample, by engine stalling). In such a case,
you have to apply the parking brake
manually.
To apply: Pull the switch up
O1. The indica-
tor light
OAwill illuminate.
To release: With the ignition switch in the
ON position, depress the brake pedal and
push the switch down
O2. The indicator
light
OAwill turn off.
Before driving, check that the electronic
parking brake indicator light (
or PARK)
goes out. For additional information, see
“Warning lights, indicator lights and audible
reminders” (P. 2-9).
NOTE:
• A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven without releasing the parking
brake. For additional information, see
“Warning lights, indicator lights and
audible reminders” (P. 2-9).
5-26Starting and driving

–When a sudden change in bright-
ness occurs. (For example, when
the vehicle enters or exits a tunnel
or under a bridge.)
– If there are deviations in relation
to the navigation, for example due
to changes in the road routing.
– When overtaking buses or trucks
with speed stickers.
TURNING THE TRAFFIC SIGN
RECOGNITION (TSR) SYSTEM ON
AND OFF
Perform the following steps to enable or
disable the TSR system.
1. Press the
button until “Settings” dis-
plays in the vehicle information display.
Use the
button to select “Driver As-
sistance.” Then press the OK button.
2. Select “Speed Limit Sign” and press the OK button to turn the system on or off.
SYSTEM TEMPORARILY
UNAVAILABLE
If the vehicle is parked in direct sunlight
under high temperature conditions (over
approximately 104°F [40°C]) and then
started, the TSR system may be deacti-
vated automatically. The “Unavailable: High
Cabin Temperature” warning message will
appear in the vehicle information display.
Action to take:
When the interior temperature is reduced,
the TSR system will resume operating
automatically.
SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
If the TSR system malfunctions, it will be
turned off automatically and the system
“Malfunction” warning message will appear
in the vehicle information display.
Action to take:
If the TSR “Malfunction” message appears,
pull off the road at a safe location and stop
the vehicle. Turn the engine off and restart
the engine. If the TSR “Malfunction” mes-
sage continues to appear, have the system
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
LSD3243
5-32Starting and driving

SYSTEM TEMPORARILY
UNAVAILABLE
If the vehicle is parked in direct sunlight
under high temperature conditions (over
approximately 104°F [40°C]) and then
started, the LDW system may be deacti-
vated automatically and the following
message will appear in the vehicle infor-
mation display: “Unavailable: High Cabin
Temperature” or “Not available High cabin
temperature”.
When the interior temperature is reduced,
the LDW system will resume operating
automatically.
The LDW system is not designed to warn
under the following conditions:
• When you operate the lane change signaland change traveling lanes in the direc-
tion of the signal. (The LDW system will
become operable again approximately 2
seconds af ter the lane change signal is
turned off.)
• When the vehicle speed lowers to less than approximately 37 mph (60 km/h).
Af ter the above conditions have finished
and the necessary operating conditions
are satisfied, the LDW functions will resume.
SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
If the LDW system malfunctions, it will can-
cel automatically and “Not Available Sys-
tem Malfunction” or “System fault” will ap-
pear in the vehicle information display. If
“Not Available System Malfunction” or “Sys-
tem fault” appears in the vehicle informa-
tion display, pull off the road to a safe loca-
tion and stop the vehicle. Place the shif t
lever in the P (Park) position and the ignition
switch in the OFF position and restart the
engine/motor. If “Not Available System Mal-
function” or “System fault” continues to ap-
pear in the vehicle information display,
have the system checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The lane camera unitO1for the LDW sys-
tem is located above the inside mirror. To
keep the proper operation of the LDW sys-
tem and prevent a system malfunction, be
sure to observe the following:
• Always keep the windshield clean.
• Do not attach a sticker (including trans- parent material) or install an accessory
near the camera unit.
LSD3484
Starting and driving5-39

I-LI SYSTEM OPERATION
1Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
indicator
2Intelligent Lane Intervention (I-LI) indi-
cator (if so equipped)
3ProPILOT Assist switch (for vehicles
with ProPILOT Assist)
The I-LI system operates above approxi-
mately 37 mph (60 km/h). When the vehicle
approaches either the lef t or the right side
of the traveling lane, the steering wheel will
vibrate and the LDW indicator (orange) on
the instrument panel will blink to alert the
driver. Then, the I-LI system will automati-
cally apply the brakes for a short period of
time to help assist the driver to return the
vehicle to the center of the traveling lane.
To turn on the I-LI system, push the ProPI-
LOT Assist switch (for vehicles with ProPI-
LOT Assist) on the steering wheel af ter
starting the engine/motor. The I-LI indica-
tor on the instrument panel will illuminate.
Push the ProPILOT Assist switch again to
turn off the I-LI system. The I-LI indicator will
turn off.
LSD3309
Starting and driving5-41