NISSAN ALTIMA 2018 Owner´s Manual

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 de-
pressed 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 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. Ds (Drive Sport)
When the shif t lever is moved from the D
(Drive) to Ds (Drive Sport) position, the
transmission enters the DS (Drive Sport)
mode. Moving the shif t lever to the Ds
(Drive Sport) position allows you to enjoy
“sporty” driving shif t operation on a wind-
ing road and feel smooth acceleration or
deceleration on a hilly road by moving in a
lower gear automatically. When canceling
the DS mode, return the shif t lever to the D
(Drive) position. The transmission returns
to the normal driving mode.
Manual shif t mode (if so
equipped)
When the shif t lever is in the Ds (Drive Sport)
position, the transmission is ready for the
manual shif t mode. Shif t ranges can be
selected manually by pulling the right-side
or lef t-side paddle shif ter.
When shif ting up, pull the right side paddle
shif ter (+)
C. The transmission shif ts to the
higher range.
When shif ting down, pull the lef t side
paddle shif ter ()
B. The transmission
shif ts to the lower range.
LSD2086
Starting and driving5-17

When canceling the manual shif t mode, re-
turn the shif t lever to the D (Drive) position.
The transmission returns to the normal
driving mode. When you pull the paddle
shif ter while in the D (Drive) position, the
transmission will shif t to the upper or lower
range temporarily. The transmission will
automatically return to the D (Drive) posi-
tion af ter a short period of time. If you want
to return to the D (Drive) position manually,
pull and hold the paddle shif ter for about
1.5 seconds.
In the manual shif t mode, the shif t range is
displayed on the position indicator in the
meter.
Shif t 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 (1st)
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.
∙ Remember not to drive at high speeds for extended periods of time in lower
than 7 range. This reduces fuel
economy.
When shif ting up
Move the shif t lever to the + (up) side. (Shif ts
to higher range.)
When shif ting down
Move the shif t lever to the (down) side.
(Shif ts to lower range.)
∙ Moving the shif t lever rapidly to the same side twice will shif t the ranges in
succession.
When canceling the manual shif t mode
Return the shif t lever to the D (Drive) posi-
tion to return the transmission to the nor-
mal driving mode. ∙
In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may not shif t to the selected
gear. This helps maintain driving per-
formance and reduces the chance of
vehicle damage or loss of control.
∙ In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may shif t up automatically to
a higher range than selected if the
engine speed is too high. When the
vehicle speed decreases, the trans-
mission automatically shif ts down
and shif ts to 1st gear before the ve-
hicle comes to a stop.
∙ Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) operation is limited to automatic
drive mode when CVT fluid tempera-
ture is extremely low even if manual
shif t mode is selected. This is not a mal-
function. When CVT fluid warms up,
manual mode can be selected.
∙ When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shif t range may upshif t in lower
rpm than usual. This is not a malfunc-
tion.
5-18Starting and driving

Shif t lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged,
the shif t lever may not be moved from the
P (Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the shif t lever button
pressed.
It will be necessary to jump start or have
your battery charged. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Jump starting” in the “In
case of emergency” section of this manual.
Contact a NISSAN dealer or a professional
towing service.To move the shif t lever, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a 3 mm screwdriver, remove the shif t
lock release cover.
∙ If available, a plastic trim tool can also be used.
4. Insert the small screwdriver in the shif t lock release slot and push down.
5. Move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
If the shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have the transmission checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
WARNING
If the shif t lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position while the engine is
running and the brake pedal is de-
pressed, the stop lights may not work.
Malfunctioning stop lights could cause
an accident injuring yourself and
others.
LSD2087
Starting and driving5-19

Overdrive (O/D) OFF mode switch
(if so equipped)
When the O/D OFF mode 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 mode switch again. The
indicator 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) and Ds (Drive Sport), the
overdrive OFF mode will automatically turn
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.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tem-
perature protection mode. If the fluid tem-
perature becomes too high (for example,
when climbing steep grades in high tem-
peratures with heavy loads, such as when
towing a trailer), engine power and, under
some conditions, vehicle speed will be de-
creased automatically to reduce the
chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelera-
tor 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 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 and
wait for 10 seconds. Then push the
switch back to the ON position. The ve-
hicle should return to its normal operat-
ing condition. If it does not return to its
normal operating condition, have the
transmission checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
Overdrive OFF mode
LSD2090
5-20Starting and driving

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.1. To engage, firmly depress the footbrake.
2. To release: ∙ Move the shif t lever to the P (Park)position.
∙ Firmly depress the parking brake pedal and it will release.
∙ Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
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.
LSD2177
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-21

WARNING
Failure to follow the warnings and in-
structions for proper use of the BSW
system could result in serious injury or
death.
∙ The BSW system is not a replacementfor proper driving procedures and is
not designed to prevent contact with
vehicles or objects. When changing
lanes, always use the side and rear
mirrors and turn and look in the direc-
tion your vehicle will move to ensure it
is safe to change lanes. Never rely
solely on the BSW system.
The BSW system helps alert the driver of
other vehicles in adjacent lanes when
changing lanes. The BSW system uses radar sensors
1
installed near the rear bumper to detect
other vehicles in an adjacent lane.
The radar sensors can detect vehicles on
either side of your vehicle within the detec-
tion zone shown as illustrated. This detec-
tion zone starts from the outside mirror of
your vehicle and extends approximately
10 f t (3.0 m) behind the rear bumper, and
approximately 10 f t (3.0 m) sideways.
LSD2475
Detection zone
SSD1030
BLIND SPOT WARNING (BSW) (if so
equipped)
5-22Starting and driving

1. Side BSW/RCTA Indicator Light
2. BSW/RCTA Indicator
BSW SYSTEM OPERATION
The BSW system operates above approxi-
mately 20 mph (32 km/h).
If the radar sensors detect a vehicle in the
detection zone, the side BSW/RCTA indica-
tor light (1) illuminates. If the turn signal is
then activated, the system chimes (twice)
and the side BSW/RCTA indicator light
flashes. The side BSW/RCTA indicator light
continues to flash until the detected ve-
hicle leaves the detection zone.
The side BSW/RCTA indicator light illumi-
nates for a few seconds when the ignition
switch is placed in the ON position.
The brightness of the side BSW/RCTA indi-
cator light is adjusted automatically de-
pending on the brightness of the ambient
light.
If a vehicle comes into the detection zone
af ter the driver activates the turn signal,
then only the side BSW/RCTA indicator light
flashes and no chime sounds. For addi-
tional information, refer to “BSW driving
situations” in this section.
LSD2476
Starting and driving5-23

The BSW system automatically turns on
every time the engine is started, as long as
it is activated using the settings menu on
the vehicle information display.
LSD2477
5-24Starting and driving

HOW TO ENABLE/DISABLE THE
BSW SYSTEM
Perform the following steps to enable or
disable the BSW system.1. Press the
button until “Settings”
displays in the vehicle information dis-
play. Use the
button to select
“Driver Assistance.” Then press the EN-
TER button.
2. Select “Driving Aids” and press the EN- TER button.
3. Select “Blind Spot” and press the ENTER button.
4. Use the ENTER button to turn the sys- tem on or off.
NOTE: ∙ When enabling/disabling the system,
the system will retain current set-
tings even if the engine is restarted.
∙ The RCTA system (if so equipped) is
integrated into the BSW system.
There is not a separate selection in
the vehicle information display for
the RCTA system. When the BSW is
disabled, the RCTA system is also dis-
abled. ∙
When the BSW system is turned on,
the BSW/RCTA indicator (white) in the
vehicle information display illumi-
nates.
BSW SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations
for the BSW system. Failure to operate
the vehicle in accordance with these
system limitations could result in seri-
ous injury or death.
∙ The BSW system cannot detect all ve- hicles under all conditions.
∙ The radar sensors may not be able to detect and activate BSW when certain
objects are present such as:
– Pedestrian, bicycles, animals.
– Vehicles such as motorcycles, low height vehicles, or high ground
clearance vehicles.
– Oncoming vehicles.
– Vehicles remaining in the detec- tion zone when you accelerate
from a stop. – A vehicle merging into an adjacent
lane at a speed approximately the
same as your vehicle.
– A vehicle approaching rapidly from behind.
– A vehicle which your vehicle over- takes rapidly.
– A vehicle that passes through the detection zone quickly.
– When overtaking several vehicles in a row, the vehicles af ter the first
vehicle may not be detected if they
are traveling close together.
∙ The radar sensors’ detection zone is designed based on a standard lane
width. When driving in a wider lane,
the radar sensors may not detect ve-
hicles in an adjacent lane. When driv-
ing in a narrow lane, the radar sensors
may detect vehicles driving two lanes
away.
∙ The radar sensors are designed to ig- nore most stationary objects, how-
ever objects such as guardrails, walls,
foliage and parked vehicles may oc-
casionally be detected. This is a nor-
mal operation condition.
Starting and driving5-25

∙ The following conditions may reducethe ability of the radar to detect other
vehicles:
– Severe weather
– Road spray
– Ice/frost/dirt build-up on the vehicle
∙ Do not attach stickers (including transparent material), install accesso-
ries or apply additional paint near the
radar sensors. These conditions may
reduce the ability of the radar to de-
tect other vehicles.
∙ Excessive noise (for example, audio system volume, open vehicle window)
will interfere with the chime sound,
and it may not be heard.
BSW DRIVING SITUATIONS
Indicator
on
Indicator
off
Indicator
flashing
Another vehicle approaching
from behind
Illustration 1: The side BSW/RCTA indicator
light illuminates if a vehicle enters the de-
tection zone from behind in an adjacent
lane.
Illustration 1 – Approaching from behind
LSD2299
5-26Starting and driving