Continuously Variable Transmission (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 selector 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 selector 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, OFF or ACC position.

2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift selector 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 L (Low) position. Always 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 P (Park) or R (Reverse) while vehicle is moving. Failure to do so could cause you to lose control and have an accident.

CAUTION

● 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.

● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control.

● Except in an emergency, do not shift to the N (Neutral) position while driving.

Coasting with the transmission in the N (Neutral) position may cause serious damage to the transmission

Shifting

Press the button A while depressing the brake pedal
Press the button A to shift
Shift without pressing A button

After starting the engine, fully depress the brake pedal, push the press the shift selector button and move the shift selector from the P (Park) position to any of the desired shift positions.

WARNING

Apply the parking brake if the shift selector is in any position while the engine is not running. Failure to do so could cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll away and result in serious personal injury or property damage.

CAUTION

Use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when the vehicle is completely stopped.

P (Park):

CAUTION

To prevent transmission damage, use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when the vehicle is completely stopped.

Use the P (Park) shift selector 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 selector button pushed in to move the shift selector 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 selector into the P (Park) position.

R (Reverse):

CAUTION

To prevent transmission damage, use the P (Park) or 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 depressed and the shift selector button pushed in to move the shift selector 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 shift 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.

Shift lock release

If the battery charge is low or discharged, the shift selector may not be moved from the P (Park) position even with the brake pedal depressed and the shift selector button pushed. To move the shift selector, perform the following procedure:

1. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover A using a suitable tool.
4. Push down the shift lock release B using a suitable tool.
5. Press the shift selector button C and move the shift selector to the N (Neutral) position D while holding down the shift lock release.

The vehicle may be moved to the desired location. Replace the removed shift lock release cover after the operation. If the shift selector cannot be moved out of the P (Park) position, have a NISSAN dealer check the CVT system as soon as possible.

WARNING

If the shift selector 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 injuring yourself and others.

Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch (if so equipped)

When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with the shift selector in the D (Drive) position, the light in the instrument panel illuminates. See “Overdrive off indicator light” in the “Instruments and controls” section of this manual.

Use the Overdrive off mode when you need improved engine braking.

To turn off the Overdrive off mode, push the O/D OFF switch again. The indicator light will turn off.

Each time the engine is started, or when the shift selector is shifted to any position other than D (Drive), the Overdrive off mode will be automatically turned off.

Accelerator downshift — in D position —

For passing or hill climbing, depress the accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmission down into a lower gear, depending on the vehicle speed.

High fluid temperature protection mode

This transmission has a high fluid temperature protection mode. If the fluid temperature becomes too high (for example, when climbing steep grades in high temperature with heavy loads, such as when towing a trailer), engine power and, under some conditions, vehicle speed will be decreased automatically to reduce the chance of transmission damage. Vehicle speed can be controlled with the accelerator 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 MIL may come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is activated, see “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” in the “Instrument and controls” section.

This will occur even if all electrical circuits are functioning properly. In this case, place the ignition switch in the OFF position and wait for 10 seconds. 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 condition, have a NISSAN dealer check the transmission and repair if necessary.

WARNING

When the high fluid temperature protection mode or fail-safe operation occurs, vehicle speed may be gradually reduced.

The reduced 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.