2023 NISSAN TITAN automatic transmission

ENGINE PROTECTION MODE
The engine has an engine protection mode
to reduce the chance of damage if the
coolant temperature becomes too high
(for example, when climbing steep grades
in high temperatures with heavy loads,
such as when towing a trailer). When the
engine temperature reaches a certain
level:
• The engine coolant temperature gaugewill move toward the H position.
• Engine power may be reduced.
• The air conditioning cooling function may be automatically turned off for a short
time (the blower will continue to operate).
Engine power and, under some conditions,
vehicle speed will decrease. Vehicle speed
can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the vehicle may not accelerate at
the desired speed. The transmission will
downshif t or upshif t as it reaches pre-
scribed shif t points. You can also shif t
manually.
As driving conditions change and engine
coolant temperature is reduced, vehicle
speed can be increased using the accel-
erator pedal, and the air conditioning cool-
ing function will automatically be turned
back on. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may
also come on if the engine coolant tem-
perature is not reduced or the air condi-
tioning cooling function does not turn back
on. If
only it remains on, you do not need to
have your vehicle towed, but have it in-
spected soon. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service. For
additional information, see “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” (P. 2-22).
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced en-
gine power and vehicle speed. The re-
duced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance
of a collision. Be especially careful
when driving. If the vehicle cannot
maintain a safe driving speed, pull to
the side of the road in a safe area. Allow
the engine to cool and return to normal
operation. For additional information,
see “If your vehicle overheats” (P. 6-12).
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause
serious damage to the engine almost
immediately. Such damage is not cov-
ered by warranty. Turn off the engine as
soon as it is safe to do so.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (A/T)
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive). 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.
• 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
5-18Starting and driving

•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.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this
purpose.
The A/T in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled 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.
Starting the vehicle
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive). 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle 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.
The automatic transmission is designed
so the foot brake pedal MUST be de-
pressed before shif ting from P (Park) to
any drive position while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of the
other gear positions if the ignition
switch is placed in the LOCK or OFF
position.
Starting and driving5-19

Shif ting
To move the shif t lever:
: Shif t while depressing the brake
pedal
: Shif t without depressing the brake
pedal
Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and move the shif t lever out of
the P (Park) position.
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
ACC position for any reason while the ve-
hicle is in N (Neutral), or any D (Drive) posi-
tion, the ignition switch cannot be placed in
the LOCK position. Move the shif t lever to
the P (Park) position, then the ignition
switch can be placed 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 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 switch.
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 be-
fore selecting the R (Reverse) position. The
brake pedal must be depressed 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 engaged.
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.
LSD3703
5-20Starting and driving

Manual shif t mode
When the manual shif t mode switch is
pushed while driving, the transmission en-
ters the manual shif t mode. Shif t ranges
can be selected manually.
In the manual shif t mode, the shif t range is
displayed on the position indicator in the
meter. Af ter pushing the manual shif t
mode switch, the position indicator varies
depending on the gear position and ve-
hicle speed.•
In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may not shif t to the selected
gear immediately because of vehicle
speed. The transmission will upshif t or
downshif t when vehicle speed
matches the programmed transmis-
sion shif t points. This helps maintain
driving performance and reduces the
chance of vehicle damage or loss of
control.
• In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission will not upshif t to a higher
gear than is manually selected. When
the vehicle speed decreases, the trans-
mission automatically shif ts down and
shif ts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6 ↔M7 ↔
M8 ↔M9 ↔D
M9 (Ninth)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6 ↔M7 ↔
M8 ↔M9
M9 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M8 (Eighth)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6 ↔M7 ↔M8
M8 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M7 (Seventh)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6 ↔M7
M7 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M6 (Sixth)
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5 ↔M6
M6 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter
M5 (Fif th)
For driving up or down long slopes where
engine braking would be advantageous.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4 ↔M5
M5 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
LSD2457
Starting and driving5-21

M4 (Fourth)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1↔M2 ↔M3 ↔M4
M4 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M3 (Third)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1 ↔M2 ↔M3
M3 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M2 (Second)
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
Shif t ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
M1 ↔M2
M2 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor in the meter.
M1 (First)
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.
M1 will be displayed on the position indica-
tor on the meter.
• Remember not to drive at high speeds for extended periods of time in lower than
M4 range. This reduces fuel economy.
When shif ting up
Push the shif t switch to the + (up) side.
(Shif ts to higher range.)
When shif ting down
Push the shif t switch to the − (down) side.
(Shif ts to lower range.)
• The transmission will automatically downshif t the gears. (For example, if you
select the 3rd range, the transmission will
shif t down between the 3rd and 1st
gears.)
• Pushing the shif t switch rapidly will shif t the ranges in succession.
When canceling the manual shif t mode
Press and hold the +(UP) button to return
the transmission to the normal driving
mode.
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.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, please
note that the transmission will be locked in
any of the forward gears according to the
condition.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
This will occur even if all electrical cir-
cuits are functioning properly. In this
case, place the ignition switch in the OFF
position and wait for 3 seconds. Then
place the ignition switch back in the ON
position. The vehicle should return to its
normal operating condition. If it does not
return to its normal operating condition,
have the transmission checked and re-
paired, if necessary. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
5-22Starting and driving

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 posi-
tionWheels
driven Indicator
Use conditions 4WD shif t procedure
4WD shif t Transfer 4LO
position
2WD Rear
wheels
For driving on dry, 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 LE-
VER 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 BE-
TWEEN 4H AND 4LO (OR 4LO TO 4H) UNLESS
YOU HAVE FIRST STOPPED THE VEHICLE, DE-
PRESSED 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)
5-106Starting and driving

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.
5-108Starting and driving

When driving on rough roads,
• Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
• Drive carefully according to the road sur-face conditions.
When the vehicle is stuck,
• Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
• Place stones or wooden blocks under the tires to free the vehicle.
• Use the Electronic locking rear differential (E-Lock) system (if so equipped). For addi-
tional information, see “Electronic locking
rear differential (E-lock) system” (P. 5-111).
• If it is difficult to free the vehicle, rock the vehicle back and forth between reverse
and drive gears.
• If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, place stones or wooden blocks under the tires.
Then try the recovery procedures above.
Tire chains may be effective.
CAUTION
• Do not spin the tires excessively. Tires
will sink deep into the mud, making it
difficult to free the vehicle.
• Avoid shif ting gears with the engine
running at high speeds as this may
cause malfunction.
4WD shif t switch operations
• Shif t the 4WD shif t switch to either the 2WD, 4H or 4LO position, depending on
driving conditions.
• If the 4WD shif t switch is operated
while making a turn, accelerating or
decelerating or if the ignition switch is
placed in the OFF position while in the
4H or 4LO, you may feel a jolt. This is not
abnormal.
• You may hear some noise as the sys-
tem shif ts or engages. This is not
abnormal.
CAUTION
• 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
while driving on steep downhill
grades. Use the engine brake and low
automatic transmission gears (M1 or
M2) for engine braking.
• Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch
with the rear wheels spinning.
• Before placing the 4WD shif t switch
in the 4H position from 2WD, ensure
the vehicle speed is less than 62 mph
(100 km/h). Failure to do so can dam-
age the 4WD system.
• Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be-
tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
LSD2463
Starting and driving5-109