CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or L (Low).
Always depress the brake pedal until
shif ting is completed. Failure to do so
could cause you to lose control and
have an accident.
• Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
• Never shif t to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is
reversing. This could cause an acci-
dent or damage the transmission.
CAUTION
• Except in an emergency, do not shif t
to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission
in the N (Neutral) position may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
• To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on
an uphill grade, do not hold the ve-
hicle by depressing the accelerator
pedal. The foot brake should be used
for this purpose.
The CVT in your vehicle is electronically
controlled to produce maximum power
and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures
for this transmission are shown on the fol-
lowing pages. Follow these procedures for
maximum vehicle performance and driv-
ing enjoyment.
NOTE:
Engine power may be automatically re-
duced to protect the CVT if the engine
speed increases quickly when driving on
slippery roads or while being tested on
some dynamometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the
shif t lever out of the P (Park) position.
This Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion is designed so that the foot brake
pedal must be depressed before shif t-
ing from P (Park) to any driving posi-
tion while the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
The shif t lever cannot be shif ted out of
the P (Park) position and into any of
the other positions if the ignition
switch is placed in the LOCK or OFF
position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shif t lever to a driving
position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal, and then gradually start the
vehicle in motion.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-17
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or L (Low)
position. Always depress the brake
pedal until shif ting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to
lose control and have an accident.
• Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
• Never shif t to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is
reversing. This could cause an acci-
dent or damage the transmission.CAUTION
• To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on
an uphill grade, do not hold the ve-
hicle by depressing the accelerator
pedal. The foot brake should be used
for this purpose.
• Except in an emergency, do not shif t
to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission
in the N (Neutral) position may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
Shif ting
To move the shif t lever:
Press the buttonOAwhile depress-
ing the brake pedal
Press the buttonOAto shif t
Shif t without pressing the buttonOA
LSD2643
5-18Starting and driving
Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and move the shif t lever from P
(Park) to any of the desired shif t positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shif t le-
ver is in any position while the engine is
not running. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpect-
edly or roll away and result in serious
personal injury or property damage.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the P (Park) position only when the ve-
hicle is completely stopped.
Use the P (Park) shif t lever position when
the vehicle is parked or when starting the
engine. Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped.
The brake pedal should be depressed to
move the shif t lever from N (Neutral) or
any drive position to P (Park). The P (Park) position is automatically en-
gaged if you switch off the ignition.
Apply the parking brake. When parking on a
hill, apply the parking brake first, then move
the shif t lever into the P (Park) position.
R (Reverse)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the R (Reverse) position only when the
vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the R (Reverse) position to back up.
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before selecting the R (Reverse)
position. The brake pedal must be de-
pressed in to move the shif t lever from P
(Park) or the shif t lever button pressed in
from N (Neutral) or any drive position to R
(Reverse).
N (Neutral)
Neither forward nor reverse gear is en-
gaged. The engine can be started in this
position. You may shif t to N (Neutral) and
restart a stalled engine while the vehicle is
moving.
D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving.
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.
Starting and driving5-19
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. 6-10). It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer or a professional towing service.To move the shif t lever, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCK
position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a small (1/8 inch or 3 mm) flat-head
screwdriver, remove the shif t lock re-
lease cover.
• If available, a plastic trim tool can also be used.
4. Insert the rod from the spare tire tool kit into the shif t lock release slot and push
in at an angle (about 45°). A small screw-
driver or small trim tool may also be
used.
•
For additional information, see “NISSAN
Intelligent Key® system” (P. 3-6).
5. Move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
6. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi- tion. Now the vehicle may be moved to
the desired location. 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.
CAUTION
Make sure to take extra care during the
removal of the shif t lock cap as this
part is easily damaged.
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.
LSD2644
5-20Starting and driving
ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE
(switch type)
The electronic parking brake can be ap-
plied or released automatically or by oper-
ating the parking brake switch.
Automatic operation
Under the following conditions, the elec-
tronic parking brake will automatically be
applied and the brake force of the auto-
matic brake hold will be released:
– The braking force is applied by the auto-matic brake hold function for 3 minutes
or longer. – The shif t lever is in the P (Park) position.
– The driver’s seat belt is unfastened.
– The ignition switch is placed in the OFF
position.
– The parking brake is applied manually.
– If a malfunction occurs in the automatic brake hold function.
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
• When the automatic brake hold func-
tion is activated, the electronic park-
ing brake will not be automatically
applied when the engine is stopped
without using the ignition switch (for
example, by engine stalling).
• 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 applied. The electronic park-
ing brake warning light will remain
on for a period of time af ter the driv-
er’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.
• Under the following conditions, the parking brake will automatically be ap-
plied and the brake force of the auto-
matic brake hold will be released:LSD4106
Starting and driving5-23
– The braking force is applied by theautomatic brake hold function for
3 minutes or longer.
– The shif t lever is in the P (Park) position.
– The driver’s seat belt is unfastened.
– The ignition switch is placed in the OFF position.
–
The parking brake is applied manually.– If a malfunction occurs in the auto- matic brake hold function.
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. 2-11).
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. 2-11).
• While the electronic parking brake is applied or released, an operating
sound is heard from the lower side of
the rear seat. This is normal and does
not indicate a malfunction.
• When the electronic parking brake is frequently applied and released in a
short period of time, the parking brake
may not operate in order to prevent the
parking brake system from overheat-
ing. If this occurs, operate the elec-
tronic parking brake switch again af ter
waiting approximately 1 minute.
• If the electronic parking brake must be applied while driving in an emergency,
pull up and hold the parking brake
switch. When you release the parking
brake switch, the parking brake will be
released. • While pulling up the electronic parking
brake switch during driving, the park-
ing brake is applied and a chime
sounds. The electronic parking brake
indicator light in the meter and in the
parking brake switch illuminates. This
does not indicate a malfunction. The
electronic parking brake indicator light
in the meter and in the parking brake
switch turns off when the parking
brake is released.
• When pulling the electronic parking brake switch up with the ignition
switch in the OFF or AUTO ACC position,
the parking brake switch indicator
light will continue to illuminate for a
short period of time.
5-24Starting and driving
The automatic brake hold function main-
tains the braking force without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal when
the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or
intersection. As soon as the driver de-
presses the accelerator pedal again, the
automatic brake hold function is deacti-
vated and the braking force is released. The
operating status of the automatic brake
hold can be displayed on the vehicle infor-
mation display. For additional information,
see “Vehicle information display” (P. 2-24).
WARNING
• The automatic brake hold function is
not designed to hold the vehicle on a
steep hill or slippery road. Never use
the automatic brake hold when the
vehicle is stopped on a steep hill or
slippery road. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to move.
• The automatic brake hold warning
may appear in the vehicle informa-
tion display to request that the driver
retake control by depressing the
brake pedal •
When the automatic brake hold func-
tion is activated but fails to maintain
the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal to stop the vehicle. If the
vehicle unexpectedly moves due to
outside conditions, the chime may
sound and automatic brake hold
warning may illuminate in the vehicle
information display.
• Be sure to deactivate the automatic
brake hold function when using a car
wash or towing your vehicle.
• Make sure to place the shif t lever in
the P (Park) position and apply the
parking brake when parking your ve-
hicle, entering or exiting the vehicle,
or loading luggage. Failure to do so
could cause the vehicle to move or
roll away unexpectedly and result in
serious personal injury or property
damage. •
If any of the following conditions
occur, the automatic brake hold
function may not function. Have the
system checked promptly. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. Failure to op-
erate the vehicle in accordance with
these conditions could cause the ve-
hicle to move or roll away unexpect-
edly and result in serious personal in-
jury or property damage.
– A warning message appears in the
vehicle information display.
– The indicator light on the auto-
matic brake hold switch does not
illuminate when the switch is
pushed.
• The automatic brake hold function
will not be activated if the Slip indica-
tor light, electronic parking brake
warning light or master warning light
illuminate and the chassis control
system fault message appears in the
vehicle information display.
•
To maintain the braking force to keep
the vehicle to a standstill, a noise may
be heard. This is not a malfunction.
AUTOMATIC BRAKE HOLD (if so
equipped)
Starting and driving5-25
HOW TO ACTIVATE/DEACTIVATE
THE AUTOMATIC BRAKE HOLD
FUNCTION
For additional information on activating
and deactivating the automatic brake hold
function, refer to the instructions outlined
in this section.
How to activate the automatic
brake hold function
1.With the ignition switch in the ON position,
push the automatic brake hold switch
O1.
The indicator light on the automatic brake
hold switch
O2illuminates.
2. When the automatic brake hold function goes into standby, the automatic brake
hold indicator light (white) illuminates.
To use the automatic brake hold function,
the following conditions need to be met:
• The driver’s seat belt is fastened.
• The electronic parking brake is released.
• The shif t lever is not in the P (Park) position.
• The vehicle is not parked on a steep hill.
NOTE:
The automatic brake hold status recalls
the ON or OFF position when the engine
is turned on or off.
How to deactivate the automatic
brake hold function
While the automatic brake hold function is
activated, push the automatic brake hold
switch to turn off the automatic brake hold
indicator light and deactivate the auto-
matic brake hold function. To deactivate
the automatic brake hold function while
the brake force has been maintained by
the automatic brake hold function, depress
the brake pedal and push the automatic
brake hold switch.
WARNING
Make sure to firmly depress and hold the
brake pedal when turning off the auto-
matic brake hold function while the brake
force is applied. When the automatic brake
hold function is deactivated, the brake
force will be released. This could cause the
vehicle to move or roll away unexpectedly.
Failure to prevent the vehicle from rolling
may result in serious personal injury or
property damage.
HOW TO USE THE AUTOMATIC
BRAKE HOLD FUNCTION
For additional information on using the au-
tomatic brake hold function, refer to the
instructions outlined in this section.
To maintain braking force
automatically
With the automatic brake hold function ac-
tivated and the automatic brake hold indi-
cator light (white) illuminated on the meter,
depress the braking pedal to stop the ve-
hicle. The brake force is automatically
maintained without your foot depressed
on the brake pedal. While the brake hold is
maintained, the automatic brake hold indi-
cator light (green) illuminates on the meter.
LSD4137
5-26Starting and driving