NISSAN VERSA 2018 Owners Manual

∙ Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
∙ Check fluid levels such as engine oil,
coolant, brake and clutch fluid (if so
equipped), and windshield-washer fluid
as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
∙ Check that all windows and lights are
clean.
∙ Visually inspect tires for their appear-
ance 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 passen-
gers to do likewise.
∙ Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
refer to “Warning lights, indicator lights
and audible reminders” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section of this
manual.1. Apply the parking brake.
2.Continuously Variable Transmission
models:
Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral). P (Park) is recommended.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out
of P (Park) and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition key is
turned to the OFF position or if the
key is removed from the ignition
switch.
The starter is designed not to oper-
ate if the shif t lever is in any of the
driving positions.
Manual transmission (M/T) models:
For best practice when operating an
M/T, depressing the clutch before
moving the shif t lever is ideal.
Move the shif t lever to N (Neutral). De-
press the clutch pedal to the floor
while cranking the engine.
The starter is designed not to oper-
ate unless the clutch pedal is fully
depressed.3. Crank the enginewith your foot off
the accelerator pedalby turning the
ignition key to the START position. Re-
lease the key when the engine starts. If
the engine starts, but fails to run, repeat
the above procedure.
∙ If the engine is very hard to start in
extremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to the
floor) and hold it and then crank the
engine. Release the key and the ac-
celerator 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. Crank the engine for
5-6 seconds. Af ter cranking the en-
gine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the enginewith your foot off
the accelerator pedalby turning the
ignition key to the START position. Re-
lease the key when the engine starts.
If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedure.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-10Starting and driving

CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start, turn the key off and wait
10 seconds before cranking again, oth-
erwise the starter could be damaged.
4. 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.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery dis-
charge and potential no-start conditions
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.
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).
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 re-
versing. This could cause an accident
or damage the transmission.
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slippery
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.
∙ 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 se-
rious damage to the transmission.
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.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-11

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).
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.
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slippery
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 re-
versing. This could cause an accident
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 se-
rious damage to the transmission.
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.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before
moving 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 ACC position or if the
keyisremoved.
5-12Starting and driving

To move the shif t lever:
Press the buttonAwhile depressing
the brake pedal
Press the buttonAto shif t
Shif t without pressing the buttonA
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 lever
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 in-
jury 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 drive position,
the key cannot be turned to the LOCK po-
sition and be removed from the ignition
switch. If this occurs, perform the following
steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the ve-
hicle is stopped.
2. Move the shif t lever into P (Park) to park
the vehicle and place the ignition
switch in the LOCK position to remove
the key.
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 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. R (Reverse) speed is limited to
30 mph (48 km/h). Do not exceed 30 mph
(48 km/h) in the R (Reverse) position.The
brake pedal must be depressed 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).LSD2013
Starting and driving5-13

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)
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.
Shif t lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shif t lever
may not be moved from the P (Park) posi-
tion even with the foot brake pedal de-
pressed.
To move the shif t lever, perform the follow-
ing procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK
position and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a
screwdriver, remove the shif t lock re-
lease cover.∙ If available, a plastic trim tool can also
be used.
4. Push down the shif t lock release using
a suitable tool.
5. Press the shif t lever button
Aand
move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral)
position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
6. Place the ignition switch in the ON po-
sition to unlock the steering wheel.
7. Release the parking brake.
The vehicle may be moved to the desired
location.
Replace the removed shif t lock release
cover af ter the operation.
If the shif t lever cannot be moved out of the
P (Park) position, have the Continuously
Variable Transmission system checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
LSD2011
5-14Starting and driving

Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch
When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with
the shif t lever in the D (Drive) position,
the
light in the instrument panel illu-
minates. For additional information, refer
to “Overdrive OFF indicator light” in the “In-
struments 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
indi-
cator light will turn off.Each time the engine is started, or when
the shif t lever is shif ted to any position
other than D (Drive), the overdrive OFF
mode will be automatically turned off.
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, the
Continuously Variable Transmission will
not be shif ted into the selected driving po-
sition.
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, refer to “Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL)” in the “Instruments and con-
trols” section of this manual. This will oc-
cur even if all electrical circuits are func-
tioning properly. In this case, place the
ignition switch in the OFF position andwait for 10 seconds. Then place the igni-
tion switch back in the ON position. The
vehicle should return to its normal oper-
ating condition. If it does not return to its
normal operating condition, have the
transmission checked and repaired, if
necessary. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection mode or fail-safe operation oc-
curs, vehicle speed may be gradually re-
duced. 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.
LSD2012
Starting and driving5-15

MANUAL TRANSMISSION (if so
equipped)
WARNING
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
∙ Do not over-rev the engine when
shif ting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage.
∙ Do not shif t to the N (Neutral) position
while driving. Doing so may result in
an accident due to loss of engine
braking.
CAUTION
∙ Do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving. This may cause
clutch damage.
∙ Fully depress the clutch pedal before
shif ting to help prevent transmission
damage.
∙ Stop your vehicle completely before
shif ting into R (Reverse).
∙ When the vehicle is stopped with the
engine running (for example, at a stop
light), shif t to N (Neutral) and release
the clutch pedal with the foot brake
applied.
Shif ting
To change gears, or when upshif ting or
downshif ting, depress the clutch pedal
fully, shif t into the appropriate gear, then
release the clutch slowly and smoothly.
To ensure smooth gear changes, fully de-
press the clutch pedal before operating the
shif t lever. If the clutch pedal is not fully
depressed before the transmission is
shif ted, a gear noise may be heard. Trans-
mission damage could occur.
Start the vehicle in 1st gear and shif t to 2nd,
3rd, 4th and up to 5th gear in sequence
according to vehicle speed.
SSD0535
5-16Starting and driving

On the manual transmission, you cannot shif t
directly from 5th gear into R (Reverse). First
shif t into N (Neutral), then into R (Reverse).
The shif t lever ring returns to its original
position when the shif t lever is moved to
the N (Neutral) position.
If it is difficult to move the shif t lever into R
(Reverse) or 1 (1st), shif t into N (Neutral), then
release the clutch pedal. Depress the
clutch pedal again and shif t into R (Re-
verse) or 1 (1st).
Suggested up-shif t speeds
The following are suggested vehicle
speeds for shif ting into a higher gear.
These suggestions relate to fuel economy
and vehicle performance. Actual upshif t
speeds will vary according to road condi-
tions, the weather and individual driving
habits.
For normal acceleration in low altitude ar-
eas (less than 4,000 f t [1219 m]):
GEAR CHANGE mph (km/h)
1st to 2nd 9 (14)
2nd to 3rd 12 (19)
3rd to 4th 21 (34)
4th to 5th 28 (45)
5th —
For quick acceleration in low altitude areas
and high altitude areas (over 4,000 f t
[1219 m]):
Gear change mph (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40)
3rd to 4th 40 (64)
4th to 5th 45 (72)
5th —
Suggested maximum speed in
each gear
Downshif t to a lower gear if the engine is
not running smoothly, or if you need to ac-
celerate.
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 engine
when shif ting to a lower gear as it may
cause engine damage or loss of vehicle
control.
GEAR mph (km/h)
1st 28 (46)
2nd 52 (83)
3rd 76 (122)
4th 103 (166)
5th —
Starting and driving5-17

WARNING
∙ Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
∙ Do not release the parking brake from
outside the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the shif t lever in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
engaged.
∙ To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the
vehicle and/or its systems, do not
leave children, people who require the
assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly be-
come high enough to cause a signifi-
cant risk of injury or death to people
and pets.To engage:Pull the parking brake lever up
A.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2.Manual transmission models:
Place the shif t lever in the N (Neutral)
position.
Continuously Variable Transmission
models:
Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) po-
sition.3. While pulling up on the parking brake
lever slightly, press the button
Band
lower the lever completely.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warn-
ing light goes out.
WSD0169
PARKING BRAKE
5-18Starting and driving

PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE
CONTROL
1. CANCEL switch
2. ACCEL/RES switch
3. COAST/SET switch
4. ON/OFF switch
∙ If the cruise control system malfunc-
tions, it cancels automatically.
∙ To properly set the cruise control sys-
tem, use the following procedures.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control when driv-
ing under the following conditions:
∙ When it is not possible to keep the
vehicle at a set speed.
∙ In heavy traffic or in traffic that varies
in speed.
∙ On winding or hilly roads.
∙ On slippery roads (rain, snow, ice, etc.).
∙ In very windy areas.
Doing so could cause a loss of vehicle
control and result in an accident.
CAUTION
On manual transmission models, do not
shif t into N (Neutral) without depress-
ing the clutch pedal when the cruise
control is set. Should this occur, depress
the clutch pedal and turn the ON/OFF
switch off immediately. Failure to do so
may cause engine damage.
CRUISE CONTROL OPERATIONS
The cruise control allows driving at a speed
between 25 - 89 mph (40 - 144 km/h) with-
out keeping your foot on the accelerator
pedal.
To turn on the cruise control,push the
ON/OFF switch. The CRUISE indicator light
in the instrument panel comes on.
To set cruising speed,accelerate the ve-
hicle to the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it. The
CRUISE indicator light in the instrument
panel comes on. Take your foot off the ac-
celerator pedal. Your vehicle maintains the
set speed.
∙To pass another vehicle,depress the
accelerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle returns to the previ-
ously set speed.
∙ The vehicle may not maintain the set
speed when going up or down steep
hills. If this happens, drive without the
cruise control.
LSD2430
CRUISE CONTROL (if so equipped)
Starting and driving5-19