2023 NISSAN SENTRA Owners Manual

OFF
The ignition switch is in the OFF position
when the engine is turned off using the
ignition switch. No lights will illuminate on
the ignition switch.
AUTO ACC:
With the vehicle in the P (Park) position, the
Intelligent Key with you, and the ignition
switch placed from the ON to the OFF po-
sition, the radio can still be used for a period
of time, or until the driver’s door is opened.
Af ter a period of time, functions such as
radio, navigation, and Bluetooth® Hands-
Free Phone System may be restarted by
pressing the “POWER button/VOLUME con-
trol knob” or the key fob unlock button. For
additional information, see the “Monitor, cli-
mate, audio, phone and voice recognition
systems” section of this manual.
EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF
To shut off the engine in an emergency
situation while driving, perform the follow-
ing procedure:
• Rapidly push the ignition switch threeconsecutive times in less than 1.5 sec-
onds, or
• Push and hold the ignition switch for more than 2 seconds.
NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY®
BATTERY DISCHARGE
If the battery of the NISSAN Intelligent Key®
is discharged or environmental conditions
interfere with the Intelligent Key operation,
start the engine according to the following
procedure:
1. Place the shif t lever in the P (Park) position.
2. Firmly apply the foot brake.
3. Touch the ignition switch with the Intel- ligent Key as illustrated. (A chime will
sound.) Af ter step 3 is performed, when the igni-
tion switch is pushed without depress-
ing the brake pedal, the ignition switch
position will change to the ON position.
4. Push the ignition switch while depress- ing the brake pedal within 10 seconds
af ter the chime sounds. The engine will
start.
NOTE:
• When the ignition switch is pushed tothe ON position or the engine is started
by the above procedure, the Intelligent
Key battery discharge indicator ap-
pears in the vehicle information dis-
play even when the Intelligent Key is
inside the vehicle. This is not a mal-
function. To turn off the Intelligent Key
battery discharge indicator, touch the
ignition switch with the Intelligent Key
again.
• If the Intelligent Key battery discharge indicator appears, replace the battery
as soon as possible. For additional in-
formation, see “Battery replacement”
(P. 8-23).
SSD0860
Starting and driving5-13

NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
will not allow the engine to start without
the use of the registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered
key (for example, when interference is
caused by another registered key, an auto-
mated toll road device or automatic pay-
ment device on the key ring), restart the
engine using the following procedure:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON posi-tion for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately
10 seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the de- vice (which may have caused the inter-
ference) separate from the registered
key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN
recommends placing the registered key on
a separate key ring to avoid interference
from other devices. • Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
• Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool- ant, brake and clutch fluid (if so equipped),
and windshield-washer fluid as fre-
quently as possible, or at least whenever
you refuel.
• Check that all windows and lights are clean.
• Visually inspect tires for their appearance and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
• Lock all doors.
• Position seat and adjust head restraints/headrests.
• Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
• Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to do likewise.
• Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
see “Warning lights, indicator lights and
audible reminders” (P. 2-9). 1. Apply the parking brake.
2.
Continuously Variable Transmission
model:
Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral). P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate
if the shif t lever is in any of the driving
positions.
Manual Transmission (M/T) model:
Move the shif t lever to N (Neutral). De-
press the clutch pedal to the floor.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully
depressed.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi- tion. Depress the brake pedal and the
clutch pedal (if so equipped) and push
the ignition switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push
and release the ignition switch while de-
pressing the brake pedal with the igni-
tion switch in any position.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-14Starting and driving

• If the engine is very hard to start inextremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to the
floor) and while holding, crank the en-
gine. Release the accelerator pedal
when the engine starts.
•
If the engine is very hard to start be-
cause it is flooded, depress the accel-
erator pedal all the way to the floor and
hold it. Push the ignition switch to the
ON position to start cranking the engine.
Af ter 5 or 6 seconds, stop cranking by
pushing the ignition switch to the LOCK
position. Af ter cranking the engine, re-
lease the accelerator pedal. Crank the
engine with your foot off the accelerator
pedal by depressing the brake pedal
and pushing the ignition switch to start
the engine. If the engine starts, but fails
to run, repeat the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start, push the ignition switch
to the OFF position and wait 10 seconds
before cranking again, otherwise the
starter could be damaged. 4.
Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds af ter starting. Do not race the
engine while warming it up. Drive at a
moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather. In cold
weather, keep the engine running for a
minimum of2-3minutes before shut-
ting it off. Starting and stopping the en-
gine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, with the Intelligent Key inside the vehicle, move the shif t
lever to the P (Park) position or to N (Neu-
tral) and apply the parking brake (M/T)
and push the ignition switch to the OFF
position.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situa-
tions that can lead to potential battery
discharge and potential no-start con-
ditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of elec- tronic accessories that consume bat-
tery power when the engine is not
running (phone chargers, GPS, DVD
players, etc.). 2. The 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 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 on you.
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).
Starting and driving5-15

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) (if so
equipped)
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)
(if so equipped). Always depress the
brake pedal until shif ting is com-
pleted. 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
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)
(if so equipped). Always depress the
brake pedal until shif ting is com-
pleted. 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.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-16Starting and driving

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.
1. Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the
shif t lever out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shif t lever into a driving
gear.
3. Release the foot brake, then gradually start the vehicle in motion.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before mov- ing the shif t lever into the P (Park)
position. The Continuously Variable Transmission
is designed so the foot brake pedal MUST
be depressed before shif ting from P
(Park) to any drive position while the ig-
nition switch is in the ON position.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park) and into any of the other gear po-
sitions if the ignition switch is placed in
the LOCK, OFF or AUTO ACC position.
To move the shif t lever:
Press the buttonOAwhile de-
pressing the brake pedal
Press the buttonOAto shif t
Shif t without pressing the button
OA
LSD3738
Starting and driving5-17

Shif ting
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.
If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF or
AUTO ACC position for any reason while the
vehicle is in N (Neutral), or any drive position,
the ignition switch cannot be placed in the
LOCK position. If this occurs, perform the
following steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the ve- hicle is stopped.
2. Move the shif t lever to P (Park) to park the vehicle and place the ignition switch
in the LOCK position.
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 must be de-
pressed and the shif t lever button
pressed in to move the shif t 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 place
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 and the shif t lever button
pressed in to move the shif t lever from P
(Park), 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) (if so equipped)
Use this position for maximum engine
braking on steep downhill gradients/
climbing steep slopes and whenever ap-
proaching sharp bends. Do not use the L
(Low) position in any other circumstances.
5-18Starting and driving

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. 6-9). It is rec-
ommended that you contact 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 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.
6. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi- tion to unlock the steering wheel. 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.
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.
LSD3739
Starting and driving5-19

Drive sport mode switch
To select the drive sport mode, push the
drive sport mode switch with the shif t lever
in the D (Drive) position.
The drive sport mode indicator in the ve-
hicle information display illuminates next
to the Transmission Shif t Position indicator.
To turn off the drive sport mode, push the
drive sport mode switch again. The drive
sport mode indicator will turn off. When the
shif t lever is shif ted to any position other
than D (Drive), the drive sport mode will be
automatically turned off.OFF position:
For normal driving and fuel economy, use
the OFF position.
ON position:
For driving up or down long slopes where
engine braking is necessary, or for powerful
acceleration, use the ON position. The
transmission will automatically select a dif-
ferent gear ratio, allowing the engine to
provide high output.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time with the drive
sport mode in the ON position. This re-
duces fuel economy.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. 2-11). 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 and
repaired, if necessary. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
LSD2647
5-20Starting and driving