USING 4–WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) (if so equipped)
WARNING
• For 4WD equipped vehicles, do not attempt to raise two wheels off the ground and shift the transmission to any drive or reverse position with the engine running. Doing so may result in drivetrain damage or unexpected vehicle movement which could result in serious vehicle damage or per- sonal injury.
• Do not attempt to test a 4WD equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dyna- mometer (such as the dynamom- eters used by some states for emis- sions testing), or similar equipment even if the other two wheels are raised off the ground. Make sure you inform test facility personnel that your vehicle is equipped with 4WD before it is placed on a dynamom- eter. Using the wrong test equipment may result in drivetrain damage or unexpected vehicle movement which could result in serious vehicle damage or personal injury.
CAUTION
• Do not drive the vehicle in the 4H or 4LO position on dry hard surface roads. Driving on dry, hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO may cause unnecessary noise, tire wear and increased fuel consumption. If the 4WD vehicle information dis- play warning message turns on when you are driving on dry hard sur- face roads: –
In the 4H position, shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
– In the 4LO position, stop the vehicle, move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position with the brake pedal depressed, and shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
• If the vehicle information display warning message is still on after the above operation, have your vehicle checked as soon as possible. It is rec- ommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
TRANSFER CASE SHIFTING PROCEDURES The part time 4WD system provides 3 posi- tions (2WD, 4H and 4LO), so you can select the desired drive mode according to the driving conditions.
2WD or 4WD shift procedure: 4WD Shift
Switch Position Wheels Driven Indicator Use conditions 4WD shift procedure4WD shift Transfer 4LO position 2WD
Rear wheels For driving on dry, paved roads (Economy drive)
Move the 4WD switch. 2WD <—> 4H 4WD shift indicator will indicate that the transfer shift position is engaged. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER 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 shift position in N (Neutral).*2
1. Stop the vehicle. 2. With the brake pedal depressed, move the
shift lever to the N (Neutral) position. 3. With the brake pedal depressed,depress
and turn the 4WD shift 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 re- quired (for example, on steep grades or rocky, sandy, muddy roads)
*1: Before moving the shift lever from N (Neutral), wait until the 4LO indicator stays on steady. This indicates that the 4WD shift procedure is completed and the transfer gear is correctly set in the 4LO position. If the vehicle is shifted into gear before the indicator is on steady, the transfer gear may grind, not engage correctly or stay in the N (Neutral) position.
- If the 4WD vehicle information display warning message illuminates, perform the following procedure to return the transfer case to correct operating condition. 1. Turn off the engine by placing the ignition switch in the OFF position. 2. Start the engine.
- Check that the 4WD vehicle information display warning message turns off. If the warning message in the vehicle informa- tion display stays on, have the system checked. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service. 3. Apply the parking brake, depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position.
Starting and driving
4. With the brake pedal depressed, move the 4WD shift switch to the desired mode. - Be sure to wait until the transfer gear change completes before shifting the shift lever from the N (Neutral) position. *2: While changing in and out of 4LO, the ignition switch must be in the ON position and the vehicle's engine must be running for a shift to take place and for the 4WD shift and 4LO position indicators to be op- erable. Otherwise, the shift will not take place and no indicators will be on or flashing. *3: Make sure the transfer 4LO position in- dicator turns on when you shift the 4WD shift switch to 4LO. The indicator light will also turn on when 4LO is selected. For additional information, see “Vehicle Dy- namic Control (VDC) system” (P. 5-123). When the 4LO position is selected, the VDC system is disabled and the VDC off indica- tor light illuminates, see “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF indicator light”(P. 2-19). The transfer case 4WD shift 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 shift 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 shift 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 shift 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 be- fore shifting the transmission into gear. If the shift lever is shifted from the N (Neutral) position to any other gear when the 4LO indicator is blinking, the vehicle may move unexpectedly.
CAUTION •
Never shift the 4WD shift 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, shift the 4WD shift switch to the 2WD or 4H position. Do not move the 4WD shift switch when making a turn or reversing.
Do not shift the 4WD shift 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 shift switch (between 2WD and 4H) with the rear wheels spinning.
Starting and driving 5-113
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 shifted between 4H and 4LO at low ambient temperatures and the transfer 4LO position indicator may blink even when the 4WD shift switch is shifted. After driving for a while you can change the 4WD transfer case between 4H and 4LO.
When driving on rough roads: • Set the 4WD shift switch to 4H or 4LO. • Drive carefully according to the road sur-
face conditions. When the vehicle is stuck: • Set the 4WD shift 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. 5-117).
• 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 shifting gears with the engine running at high speeds as this may cause malfunction.
4WD shift switch operations • Shift the 4WD shift switch to either the
2WD, 4H or 4LO position, depending on driving conditions.
If the 4WD shift 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 shifts or engages. This is not abnormal.
Starting and driving
CAUTION •
When driving straight, shift the 4WD
shift switch to the 2WD or 4H posi- tion. Do not move the 4WD shift switch when making a turn or reversing.
Do not shift the 4WD shift 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 shift switch with the rear wheels spinning.
Before placing the 4WD shift 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 shift the 4WD shift switch be- tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
4WD shift indicator The 4WD shift indicator is located in the vehicle information display. The indicator should turn off within one second after placing the ignition switch in the ON position. While the engine is running, the 4WD shift indicator will illuminate the position se- lected by the 4WD shift switch. •
The 4WD shift indicator may come on
while shifting from one drive mode to the other. When the shifting is com- pleted, the 4WD shift indicator will stay on.
• If the 4WD vehicle information display warning message comes on, the 4WD shift indicator goes out.
CAUTION If the 4WD shift indicator indication changes to 2WD when the 4WD shift switch is shifted to the 4H position at low ambient temperatures, the 2WD mode may be being engaged due to malfunctioning drive system. If the in- dicator does not return to normal and the 4WD vehicle information display warning message comes on, have the system checked. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Starting and driving 5-115
Warning message Warning message Warning message comes on when:
Vehicle information display
4WD Error: See Owner’s Manual
There is a malfunction in the 4–Wheel Drive system
FRT & RR tire size difference: See Owner’s Manual The difference in wheel rotation is large
The 4WD warning message is located in the meter. The 4WD warning message comes on when the ignition switch is placed in the ON position. It turns off soon after the engine is started. If any malfunc- tion occurs in the 4WD system when the ignition switch is ON, the warning message will either remain illuminated or blink. If the 4WD warning message comes on, the 4WD shift indicator goes out. A large difference between the diameters of front and rear wheels will make the warning message blink slowly (about once per two seconds). Shift the 4WD shift switch into 2WD and do not drive fast.
CAUTION
•If the warning message comes on during operation or rapidly after stopping the vehicle for a while, have your vehicle checked as soon as pos- sible. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
•Shifting between 4H and 4LO is not recommended when the 4WD warning message turns on.
•When the warning message comes on, the 2WD mode may be engaged even if the 4WD shift switch is in 4H. Be especially careful when driving. If corresponding parts are malfunc- tioning, the 4WD mode will not be en- gaged even if the 4WD shift switch is shifted.
•Do not drive the vehicle in the 4H or 4LO position on dry hard surface roads. Driving on dry, hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO may cause unnecessary noise, tire wear and increased fuel consumption. If the 4WD warning message turns on when you are driving on dry hard sur- face roads:
– In the 4H position, shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
– In the 4LO position, stop the vehicle, move the automatic trans- mission shift lever to the N (Neu- tral) position with the brake pedal depressed, and shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
•If the warning message is still on af- ter the above operation, have your vehicle checked as soon as possible. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
•The transfer case may be damaged if you continue driving with the warning message on.
Download Manual