CVT NISSAN ALTIMA 2014 L33 / 5.G Owners Manual

The high beam indicator light also comes on
when the passing signal is activated.
Malfunction Indicator Light(MIL)
If this indicator light comes on steady or blinks
while the engine is running, it may indicate a
potential emission control malfunction.
The Malfunction Indicator Light may also come
on steady if the fuel-filler cap is loose or missing,
or if the vehicle runs out of fuel. Check to make
sure the fuel-filler cap is installed and closed
tightly, and that the vehicle has at least 3 gallons
(11.4 liters) of fuel in the fuel tank.
After a few driving trips, the
light should
turn off if no other potential emission control
system malfunction exists.
If this indicator light comes on steady for 20 sec-
onds and then blinks for 10 seconds when the
engine is not running, it indicates that the vehicle
is not ready for an emission control system
inspection/maintenance test. See “Readiness for
inspection/maintenance (I/M) test” in the “Tech-
nical and consumer information” section of this
manual. Operation
The Malfunction Indicator Light will come on in
one of two ways:
● Malfunction Indicator Light on steady — An
emission control system malfunction has
been detected. Check the fuel-filler cap if
the LOOSE FUEL CAP warning appears in
the vehicle information display. If the fuel-
filler cap is loose or missing, tighten or install
the cap and continue to drive the vehicle.
The
light should turn off after a few
driving trips. If the
light does not turn
off after a few driving trips, have the vehicle
inspected by a NISSAN dealer. You do not
need to have your vehicle towed to the
dealer.
● Malfunction Indicator Light blinking — An
engine misfire has been detected which may
damage the emission control system. To re-
duce or avoid emission control system dam-
age:
– do not drive at speeds above 45 MPH (72 km/h).
– avoid hard acceleration or deceleration.
– avoid steep uphill grades.
– if possible, reduce the amount of cargo being hauled or towed. The Malfunction Indicator Light may stop blinking
and come on steady. Have the vehicle inspected
by a NISSAN dealer. You do not need to have
your vehicle towed to the dealer.
CAUTION
Continued vehicle operation without hav-
ing the emission control system checked
and repaired as necessary could lead to
poor driveability, reduced fuel economy,
and possible damage to the emission con-
trol system.
Overdrive OFF indicator light (if
so equipped)
QR25DE:
The overdrive off indicator light illuminates when
the overdrive off mode is selected.
VQ35DE:
This light illuminates and then turns off when the
ignition switch is placed to the ON position.
QR25DE and VQ35DE:
For additional information, see “Continuously
Variable Transmission (CVT)” in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
Instruments and controls2-15

Security indicator light
This light blinks when the ignition switch is
placed in the OFF, LOCK or ACC position.
The blinking security indicator light indicates that
the security systems equipped on the vehicle are
operational.
For additional information, see “Security sys-
tems” later in this section.
Side light and headlightindicator light (green)
The side light and headlight indicator light illumi-
nates when the side light or headlight position is
selected. See “Headlight and turn signal switch”
later in this section for further details.
Slip indicator light
This indicator will blink when the VDC system or
the traction control system is operating, thus
alerting that the vehicle is nearing its traction
limits. The road surface may be slippery.
SPORT mode indicator light (ifso equipped)
QR25DE:
This light illuminates and then turns off when the
ignition switch is placed to the ON position, and
when the SPORT mode off is selected.
For additional information, see “Continuously
Variable Transmission (CVT)” in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
Turn signal/hazard indicatorlights
The appropriate light flashes when the turn signal
switch is activated.
Both lights flash when the hazard switch is turned
on.
Vehicle Dynamic Control(VDC) OFF indicator light
This indicator light comes on when the Vehicle
Dynamic Control off switch is pushed to OFF.
This indicates the Vehicle Dynamic Control has
been turned off. Push the Vehicle Dynamic Control off switch
again or restart the engine and the system will be
reactivated. See “Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) system” in the “Starting and driving” sec-
tion of this manual.
The Vehicle Dynamic Control light also comes on
when you push the push-button ignition switch to
the ON position. The light will turn off after about
2 seconds if the system is operational. If the light
stays on or comes on along with the
indi-
cator light while you are driving, have the Vehicle
Dynamic Control system checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
While the Vehicle Dynamic Control system is
operating, you might feel slight vibration or hear
the system working when starting the vehicle or
accelerating, but this is normal.
AUDIBLE REMINDERS
Brake pad wear warning
The disc brake pads have audible wear warnings.
When a disc brake pad requires replacement, it
makes a high pitched scraping sound when the
vehicle is in motion, whether or not the brake
pedal is depressed. Have the brakes checked as
soon as possible if the warning sound is heard.
2-16Instruments and controls

12. Timer Alert – Time for a driver break?
13. Low Outside Temperature
14. Power will turn off to save the battery
15. CVT Error
16. Reminder: Turn OFF headlights
17. Low Oil Pressure
18. Key Registration Complete
19. Tire Pressure Low - Add Air (if so equipped)
20. TPMS Error
21. Remote Start (if so equipped)
22. Loose Fuel Cap
23. I-Key System Error: See Owner’s Manual
No Key Detected
This warning appears when the Intelligent Key is
left outside the vehicle with the ignition switch in
the ON or ACC position. Make sure the Intelli-
gent Key is inside the vehicle.
Key ID Incorrect
This warning appears when the ignition switch is
placed from the OFF position and the Intelligent
Key is not recognized by the system. You cannot
start the engine with an unregistered key.See “NISSAN Intelligent Key®” in “Pre-driving
checks and adjustments” for more information.
Shift to Park
This warning illuminates when the ignition switch
is in the ACC or OFF position and the shift lever
is in any position other than P (Park) position.
Also, a chime sounds when the ignition switch is
in the OFF position.
If this warning illuminates, move the shift lever to
the P (Park) position or start the engine.
For additional information about Intelligent Key,
see “NISSAN Intelligent Key®” in the “Pre-
driving checks and adjustments” section.
Push ignition to OFF
After the Push ignition to OFF warning illumi-
nates, the warning will illuminate if the ignition
switch is placed in the ACC position when the
shift lever is moved to the P (Park) position.
To turn off the Push warning, place the ignition
switch in the ON position and then in the LOCK
position.
Key Battery Low
This indicator illuminates when the Intelligent Key
battery is running out of power.
If this indicator illuminates, replace the battery
with a new one. See “Battery replacement” in the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section.
Engine start operation for Intelligent Key
system
This indicator appears when the battery of the
Intelligent Key is low and when the Intelligent Key
system and the vehicle are not communicating
normally.
If this appears, touch the ignition switch with the
Intelligent Key while depressing the brake pedal.
For more information, see “Intelligent Key battery
discharge” in the “Starting and driving” section.
Release Parking brake
This warning illuminates in the message area of
the vehicle information display when the parking
brake is set and the vehicle is driven.
Low Fuel
This warning illuminates when the fuel level in the
fuel tank is getting low. Refuel as soon as it is
convenient, preferably before the fuel gauge
reaches 0 (Empty) .
There will be a small re-
serve of fuel in the tank when the fuel
gauge needle reaches 0 (Empty) .
Instruments and controls2-25

Low Washer Fluid
This warning illuminates when the windshield-
washer fluid is at a low level. Add windshield-
washer fluid as necessary. See “Windshield-
washer fluid” in the “Maintenance and do-it-
yourself” section of this manual.
Door Open
This warning illuminates when a door has been
opened when the engine is running.
Trunk Open
This warning illuminates when the trunk has been
opened when the engine is running.
Timer Alert – Time for a driver break?
This indicator appears when the set time is
reached. The time can be set up to 6 hours. For
setting the timer, see “Timer alert” in this section.
Low Outside Temperature
This warning appears if the outside temperature
is below 37°F (3°C) . The temperature can be
changed to display in Celsius or Fahrenheit. See
“Temperature” earlier in this section.Power will turn off to save the battery
This warning appears in message area of the
vehicle information display after a period of time if
the shift lever has not moved from the P (Park)
position.
CVT Error: See Owner’s Manual
This warning illuminates when the there is a prob-
lem with the CVT system. If this warning comes
on, have the system checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
Reminder: Turn OFF headlights
This warning appears when the headlights are
left in the ON position when exiting the vehicle.
Place the headlight switch in the OFF or AUTO
position. For additional information, see “Head-
light and turn signal switch” in this section.
Low Oil Pressure
This warning appears in message area of the
vehicle information display if low oil pressure is
detected. This gauge is not designed to indicate
low oil level.
The low oil pressure warning is
not designed to indicate a low oil level. Use
the dipstick to check the oil level. See “Engine oil”
in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section. Key registration complete
This appears when a new Intelligent Key is regis-
tered to the vehicle.
Tire Pressure Low - Add Air warning (if so
equipped)
This warning appears when the low tire pressure
warning light in the meter illuminates and low tire
pressure is detected. The warning appears each
time the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position as long as the low tire pressure warning
light remains illuminated. If this warning appears,
stop the vehicle and adjust the tire pressures of
all 4 tires to the recommended COLD tire pres-
sure shown on the Tire and Loading Information
label. See “Low tire pressure warning light” ear-
lier in this section and “Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)” in the “Starting and driving”
section.
TPMS Error
This warning appears when there is a error with
your TPMS. If this warning comes on, have the
system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
2-26Instruments and controls

5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ..................5-2
Three-way catalyst ..............................5-2
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ..........5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ....................5-6
Off-road recovery ...............................5-6
Rapid air pressure loss ..........................5-7
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ................5-7
Push-Button Ignition Switch ........................5-8
Operating range ................................5-9
Push-button ignition switch positions .............5-9
Emergency engine shut off .....................5-10
NISSAN Intelligent Key® battery discharge .......5-10
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system .............5-11
Before starting the engine ......................... 5-11
Starting the engine ............................... 5-12
Remote start (if so equipped) ...................5-12
Driving the vehicle ................................ 5-13
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) ........5-13
Parking brake .................................... 5-19
Blind Spot Warning (BSW) System / Lane
Departure Warning (LDW) System (if so equipped) . . 5-19 BSW system operation ........................ 5-20BSW driving situations
......................... 5-22
LDW system operation ......................... 5-24
BSW/LDW temporary disabled status ...........5-25
BSW/LDW automatic deactivation ..............5-25
Camera unit maintenance ......................5-26
Cruise control (if so equipped) .....................5-26
Precautions on cruise control ...................5-26
Cruise control operations .......................5-26
Break-in schedule ................................ 5-28
Fuel efficient driving tips ........................... 5-28
Increasing fuel economy ........................... 5-29
Parking/parking on hills ............................ 5-30
Power steering ................................... 5-31
Brake system .................................... 5-31
Brake precautions ............................. 5-31
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) .................5-32
V

ehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system .............5-33
Cold weather driving .............................. 5-35
Freeing a frozen door lock ......................5-35
Anti-freeze .................................... 5-35
Battery ....................................... 5-35
Draining of coolant water .......................5-35
Tire equipment ................................ 5-35

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) , D (Drive) , Ds (Drive
Sport) or manual shift mode (if so
equipped) . Always depress the brake
pedal until shifting is completed. Fail-
ure 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.
● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
● Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving. This could
cause an accident.
CAUTION
● 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.
● When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. The foot
brake should be used for this purpose.
The CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and smooth
operation.
The CVT can operate in two different automatic
drive modes: ● D (Drive) mode - Move the shift lever to D
(Drive) , the transmission is in the normal
forward automatic driving mode. The posi-
tion indicator in the meter shows a “D”. The
D (Drive) mode does not produce a gear
change sensation like a traditional automatic
transmission. ●
Ds (Drive Sport) mode - Move the shift lever
from D (Drive) to the to Ds (Drive Sport) . The
position indicator in the meter shows a “Ds”.
In Ds (Drive Sport) mode, transmission op-
eration changes to Sporty” driving shift op-
eration, creating a more aggressive accel-
eration feeling than the D (Drive) mode and a
gear change sensation when the driver ac-
celerates or when using the shift paddles (if
so equipped) . During Ds (Drive Sport) mode
operation, the driver must move the shift
lever from Ds mode to D mode and back
again to re-select Ds (Drive Sport) mode.
● To cancel the Ds mode, return the shift lever
to the D (Drive) position. The transmission
returns to the automatic drive mode.
The CVT can operate in two manual drive modes: ● M (Manual) mode (if so equipped) - With the
shift lever in the Ds (Drive Sport) mode,
using the shift paddles (if so equipped) up
(+) or down (–) produces noticeable up-
shifts and downshifts. The position indicator
in the meter shows a “M”.
● To Ds (Drive Sport) mode return the shift
lever to the D (Drive) mode.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-13

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
1. After starting the engine, fully depress thefoot brake pedal before moving the shift
lever out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift lever into a driving gear.
3. Release the foot brake, then gradually start the vehicle in motion.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before shifting the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
The CVT is designed so the foot brake
pedal MUST be depressed before shifting
from P (Park) to any drive position while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park) and into any of the other gear posi-
tions if the ignition switch is pushed to the
LOCK position. To move the shift lever:
Press the buttonAwhile depressing the
brake pedal
Press the buttonAto shift
Shift without pressing buttonA
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift lever from P (Park) to
any of the desired shift positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shift 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 injury or
property damage.
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 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 shift 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 move the shift lever into the P
(Park) position.
LSD2085
5-14Starting and driving

When canceling the manual shift mode, return
the shift lever to the D (Drive) position. The trans-
mission returns to the normal driving mode.
When you pull the paddle shifter (if so equipped)
while in the D (Drive) position, the transmission
will shift to the upper or lower range temporarily.
The transmission will automatically return to the D
(Drive) position after a short period of time. If you
want to return to the D (Drive) position manually,
pull and hold the paddle shifter for about 1.5 sec-
onds.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is dis-
played on the position indicator in the meter.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
1⇔2⇔ 3⇔ 4⇔ 5⇔ 6⇔ 7
M7 (7th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
M6 (6th) and M5 (5th):
Use this position when driving up long slopes, or
for engine braking when driving down long
slopes.
M4 (4th) , M3 (3rd) and M2 (2nd):
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on downhill
grades. M1 (First):
Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly
or driving slowly through deep snow, sand or
mud, or for maximum engine braking on steep
downhill grades.
● Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than 7
range. This reduces fuel economy.
When shifting up:
Move the shift lever to the + (up) side. (Shifts to
higher range.)
When shifting down:
Move the shift lever to the (down) side. (Shifts
to lower range.)
● Moving the shift lever rapidly to the same
side twice will shift the ranges in succession.
When canceling the manual shift mode:
Return the shift lever to the D (Drive) position to
return the transmission to the normal driving
mode. ● In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving perfor-
mance and reduces the chance of ve-
hicle damage or loss of control. ●
In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may shift up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the en-
gine speed is too high. When the ve-
hicle speed decreases, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down and
shifts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
● CVT operation is limited to automatic drive
mode when CVT fluid temperature is ex-
tremely low even if manual shift mode is
selected. This is not a malfunction. When
CVT fluid warms up, manual mode can be
selected.
● When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the
shift range may upshift in lower rpm than
usual. This is not a malfunction.
5-16Starting and driving

4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and tosignal professional road assistance person-
nel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in a safe place, away from traffic
and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
●Make sure the parking brake is securely
applied and the CVT is shifted into P
(Park) .
● Never change tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
● Never change tires if oncoming traffic is
close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocks1at both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire
2to prevent the vehicle from moving when it is
jacked up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the vehicle
may move and result in personal injury.
Getting the spare tire and tools
Open the trunk. Lift the luggage floor. Remove
the wheel nut wrench
1and the jack2from the
from the storage cover
3. Then remove the
storage cover
3to access the spare tire.
WCE0044LCE2046
6-4In case of emergency

CAUTION
●Do not push start this vehicle. The
three-way catalyst may be damaged.
● Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) models cannot be push-started or
tow-started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage. If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading) , or if
you feel a lack of engine power, detect abnormal
noise, etc. take the following steps.
WARNING
●
Do not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause engine
damage or a vehicle fire.
●
To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while the
engine is still hot. When the radiator cap
is removed, pressurized hot water will
spurt out, possibly causing serious injury.
● Do not open the hood if steam is com-
ing out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply the parking brake and move the shift lever to
P (Park) .
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the windows, move the heater or air conditioner
temperature control to maximum hot and fan
control to high speed.
3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. (If steam or cool- ant is escaping, turn off the engine.) Do not
open the hood further until no steam or
coolant can be seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the en-
gine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5.
Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leaking, the
water pump belt is missing or loose, or the
cooling fan does not run, stop the engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or the
engine cooling fan. The engine cooling fan
can start at any time.
6.
After the engine cools down, check the coolant
level in the engine coolant reservoir tank with
the engine running. Add coolant to the engine
coolant reservoir tank if necessary. Have your
vehicle repaired at a NISSAN dealer.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
6-10In case of emergency