5-20Starting and driving
2.Vehicle is not driven regularly and/
or only driven short distances.
In these cases, the battery may need to
be charged to maintain battery health.
REMOTE ENGINE START (if so
equipped)
Vehicles started with the remote engine
start function require the ignition switch
to be placed in the ON position before the
shift lever can be moved from the P (Park)
position. To place the ignition switch in
the ON position, perform the following
steps:
1. Make sure that the Intelligent Key is carried with you.
2. Depress the brake pedal.
3. Push the ignition switch once to the ON position.
For additional information about the
remote engine start function, see “Re-
mote engine start” (P.3-23).
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANS-
MISSION (CVT)
The Continuously Variable Transmission
(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
following pages. Follow these procedures
for maximum vehicle performance and
driving enjoyment.
Engine power may be automatically
reduced 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. After starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving
the shift lever out of the P (Park)
position.
This CVT is designed so that the foot
brake pedal must be depressed
before shifting from P (Park) to any
driving position while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
The shift lever cannot be moved 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 shift lever to a driving
position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal, and then gradually start
the vehicle in motion.
WARNING
.Do not depress the accelerator
pedal while shifting from P (Park)
or N (Neutral) to R (Reverse), D
(Drive), or manual shift mode. Al-
ways depress the brake pedal
until shifting 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 shifting into a
forward or reverse gear before
the engine has warmed up.
. Never shift to either the P (Park)
or R (Reverse) position while ve-
hicle is moving forward and P
(Park) or D (Drive) while the vehi-
cle is reversing. This could cause
an accident or damage the trans-
mission.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-22Starting and driving
brake pedal.
3. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position.
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage,
move the shift lever to the P (Park)
or R (Reverse) position only when the
vehicle is completely stopped.
P (Park):
Use this position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped.
The brake pedal must be depressed and
the shift lever button pushed in to move
the shift lever from N (Neutral) or any
drive position to P (Park). Apply the
parking brake. When parking on a hill,
apply the parking brake first, then move
the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped before
selecting the R (Reverse) position. The
brake pedal must be depressed and the
shift lever button pushed in to move the shift lever from P (Park), N (Neutral) or
any driving position to R (Reverse).
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is en-
gaged. The engine can be started in this
position. You may shift to N (Neutral) and
restart a stalled engine while the vehicle
is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward
driving.
Manual shift mode
When the shift lever is shifted from the D
(Drive) position to the manual shift gate,
the transmission enters the manual shift
mode. Shift ranges can be selected
manually by moving the shift lever up or
down.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range
is displayed on the position indicator in
the meter.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1
?
M2 ?
M3 ?
M4 ?
M5 ?
M6 ?
M7 ?
M8
// / / / / /
.
When shifting up, move the shift lever
to the + (up) side. The transmission
shifts to a higher range.
. When shifting down, move the shift
lever to the − (down) side. The trans-
mission shifts to a lower range.
. Moving the shift lever to the same side
twice will shift the ranges in succes-
sion. However, if this motion is rapidly
done, the second shifting may not be
completed properly.
. When canceling the manual shift
mode, return the shift lever to the D
(Drive) position. The transmission re-
turns to the normal driving mode.
M8 (8th):
Use this position for all normal forward
driving.
However, you need to shift down the
gears manually when accelerating or
passing another vehicle.
M7 (7th), M6 (6th) and M5 (5th):
Use these positions when driving up long
slopes, or for engine braking when driving
down long slopes.
M4 (4th), M3 (3rd) and M2 (2nd) :
Use these positions for hill climbing or
engine braking on downhill grades.
4. Insert the mechanical key and pushdown the shift lock release.
5. Push the shift lever button and move the shift lever to the N (Neutral)
position while holding down the shift
lock release.
Place the ignition switch in the ON posi-
tion. The vehicle may be moved to the
desired location.
Replace the removed shift lock release
cover after the operation.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position, have the CVT system
checked as soon as possible. It is recom-
mended you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
WARNING
If the shift lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position while the
engine is running and the brake
pedal is depressed, the stop lights
may not work. Malfunctioning stop
lights could cause an accident injur-
ing yourself and others.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION (MT)
WARNING
. Do not downshift abruptly on
slippery roads. This may cause a
loss of control.
. Do not over-rev the engine when
shifting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage.
. When the high fluid temperature
protection mode or fail-safe op-
eration occurs, vehicle speed may
be gradually reduced. The re-
duced speed may be lower than
other traffic, which could increase
the chance of a collision. Be
especially careful when driving. If
necessary, pull to the side of the
road at a safe place and allow the
transmission to return to normal
operation, or have it repaired if
necessary.
CAUTION
.Do not rest your foot on the
clutch pedal while driving. This may damage the clutch.
. Fully depress the clutch pedal
before shifting to help prevent
transmission damage.
. Stop your vehicle completely be-
fore shifting into R (Reverse).
. When the vehicle is stopped for a
period of time, for example at a
stop light, shift to N (Neutral) and
release the clutch pedal with the
foot brake applied.
Starting and driving5-25
5-26Starting and driving
SSD0552
Shifting
To change gears, or when upshifting or
downshifting, fully depress the clutch
pedal, shift into the appropriate gear,
then slowly and smoothly release the
clutch pedal.
To ensure smooth gear changes, be sure
to fully depress the clutch pedal before
operating the shift lever. If the clutch
pedal is not fully depressed before the
transmission is shifted, a gear noise may
be heard. Transmission damage could
occur.
Start the vehicle in 1st gear and shift to
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gear in
sequence according to vehicle speed.To back up, pull the shift lever ring
upward and then move it to the R
(Reverse) gear after stopping the vehicle
completely.
The shift lever ring returns to its original
position when the shift lever is moved to
the N (Neutral) position.
If it is difficult to move the shift lever into
the R (Reverse) or 1st gear, shift to the N
(Neutral) position, and then release the
clutch pedal once. Fully depress the
clutch pedal again and shift into the R
(Reverse) or 1st gear.Suggested maximum speed in
each gear
Downshift to a lower gear if the engine is
not running smoothly, or if you need to
accelerate.
Do not exceed the maximum suggested
speed (shown below) in any gear. For level
road driving, use the highest gear sug-
gested for that speed. Always observe
posted speed limits, and drive according
to the road conditions, which will ensure
safe operation. Do not over-rev the en-
gine when shifting to a lower gear as it
may cause engine damage or loss of
vehicle control.
Gear
MPH (km/h)
1st 28 (46)
2nd 50 (81)
3rd 70 (112)
4th 90 (145)
5th —
6th —
SSD0488
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.
. Never leave the engine running
while the vehicle is unattended.
. Do not leave children unattended
inside the vehicle. They could
unknowingly activate switches
or controls. Unattended children
could become involved in serious
accidents. .
To help avoid risk of injury or
death through unintended opera-
tion of the vehicle and/or its
systems, do not leave children,
people who require the assis-
tance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle.
Additionally, the temperature in-
side a closed vehicle on a warm
day can quickly become high
enough to cause a significant risk
of injury or death to people and
pets.
. Safe parking procedures require
that both the parking brake be
applied and the transmission placed into P (Park) for Continu-
ously Variable Transmission (CVT)
model or in an appropriate gear
for Manual Transmission (MT)
model. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unex-
pectedly or roll away and result in
an accident.
. Make sure the CVT shift lever has
been pushed as far forward as it
can go and cannot be moved
without depressing the foot
brake pedal.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) models:
Move the shift lever to the P (Park)
position.
Manual Transmission (MT) models:
Move the shift lever to the R (Reverse)
gear. When parking on an uphill grade,
place the shift lever in the 1st gear.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from roll- ing into the street when parked on a
sloping drive way, it is a good practice
to turn the wheels as illustrated.
.HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
Starting and driving5-127
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
5-136Starting and driving
WARNING
.Never rely solely on the hill start
assist system to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving backward on a
hill. Always drive carefully and
attentively. Depress the brake
pedal when the vehicle is stopped
on a steep hill. Be especially care-
ful when stopped on a hill on
frozen or muddy roads. Failure
to prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards may result in a loss of
control of the vehicle and possi-
ble serious injury or death.
. The hill start assist system is not
designed to hold the vehicle at a
standstill on a hill. Depress the
brake pedal when the vehicle is
stopped on a steep hill. Failure to
do so may cause the vehicle to
roll backwards and may result in
a collision or serious personal
injury.
. The hill start assist system may
not prevent the vehicle from roll-
ing backwards on a hill under all
load or road conditions. Always
be prepared to depress the brake
pedal to prevent the vehicle from
rolling backwards. Failure to do so may result in a collision or
serious personal injury.
The hill start assist system automatically
keeps the brakes applied to help prevent
the vehicle from rolling backwards in the
time it takes the driver to release the
brake pedal and apply the accelerator
when the vehicle is stopped on a hill.
The hill start assist system will operate
automatically under the following condi-
tions:
. The transmission is shifted to a for-
ward or reverse gear.
. The vehicle is stopped completely on a
hill by applying the brake.
The maximum holding time is 2 seconds.
After 2 seconds the vehicle will begin to
roll back and the hill start assist system
will stop operating completely.
The hill start assist system will not
operate when the transmission is shifted
to the N (Neutral) or P (Park) position (CVT
models) or on a flat and level road.
When the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
warning light illuminates in the meter, the
hill start assist system will not operate.
(See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
warning light” (P.2-17).)
WAF0072X
The RSS sounds a tone to inform the
driver of obstacles near the rear bumper.
When the “Display” key is on, the sonar
view will automatically appear in the
touchscreen display. An additional view
of the sonar status will appear in the
vehicle information display for reference.
WARNING
. The RSS is a convenience but it is
not a substitute for proper park-
ing.
. The driver is always responsible
for safety during parking and
HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM REAR SONAR SYSTEM (RSS)