transmission NISSAN FRONTIER 2000 D22 / 1.G User Guide

Accelerator downshift
In D position
For rapid passing or hill climbing, while
driving fully depress the accelerator pedal to
the floor. This shifts the transmission down
into second gear or first gear, depending on
the vehicle speed.
OVERDRIVE SWITCH
(KA24DE engine)
ON: For typical driving, push the overdrive
switch ON
with the selector lever
in the D (Drive) position. The trans-
mission is upshifted into OVERDRIVE
as the vehicle speed increases.
OVERDRIVE does not engage until the
engine has reached operating tempera-
ture.
OFF: For driving up and down long slopes
where engine braking is necessary,
push the switch OFF
. The indica-tor light in the instrument panel comes
on at this time. When cruising at a low
speed or climbing a gentle slope, you
may feel uncomfortable shift shocks
as the transmission repeatedly shifts
between 3rd and overdrive. In this
case, set the overdrive switch in the
OFF
position.
When driving conditions change, reset the
overdrive switch in the ON
position to
turn the overdrive on. The indicator light
goes out at this time.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time with the overdrive
switch set in the OFF
position. This
reduces fuel economy.
ASD1009
Starting and driving5-13
ZX

OVERDRIVE SWITCH (VG33E
engine)
ON: With the engine running and the se-
lector lever in the D (Drive) position,
the transmission upshifts into OVER-
DRIVE as vehicle speed increases.
OVERDRIVE does not engage until the
engine has reached operating tempera-
ture.
OFF: For driving up and down long slopes
where engine braking is necessary
push the OVERDRIVE switch once.
The O/D OFF indicator light in theinstrument panel comes on at this
time.
When cruising at a low speed or
climbing a gentle slope, you may feel
uncomfortable shift shocks as the
transmission shifts between third gear
and overdrive repeatedly. In this case,
depress the OVERDRIVE switch to
turn the OVERDRIVE off. The O/D
OFF indicator light in the instrument
panel comes on at this time.
When driving conditions change, depress
the overdrive switch to turn the OVER-
DRIVE on.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time with the OVER-
DRIVE off. This reduces fuel economy.
WARNING
IDo not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
IDo not over-rev the engine when
shifting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage.
CAUTION
IDo not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving. This may cause
clutch damage.
IStop your vehicle completely before
shifting into R (Reverse).
IWhen the vehicle is stopped with the
engine running (for example at a
stop light), shift to N (Neutral) and
release the clutch pedal with the foot
brake applied.
ASD1023
DRIVING WITH MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
5-14Starting and driving
ZX

Shifting with manual transmission
To change gears, or when up shifting or
down shifting, depress the clutch pedal fully,
shift into the appropriate gear, then release
the clutch slowly and smoothly.
You cannot shift directly from 5th gear into R
(Reverse). First shift into the N (Neutral)
position, then into R (Reverse).
If it is difficult to move the shift lever into R
(Reverse) or 1st, shift into N (Neutral), then
release the clutch pedal. Depress the clutch
pedal and shift into R (Reverse) or 1st
again.If your vehicle is equipped with 4-wheel
drive, see ``
Transfer case shifting pro-
cedures for four-wheel drive vehicles'' later
in this section.
Suggested up-shift speeds
The folllowing table provides suggested speed
ranges for shifting into a higher gear. These
suggestions relate to fuel economy and vehicle
performance. Actual shift ranges should be
adjusted for specific road conditions, weather
conditions and individual driving habits.
ITwo-wheel drive models and four-wheel
drive models (2H and 4H position):
Shift from MPH (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40)
3rd to 4th 40 (64)
4th to 5th 45 (72)
I4-wheel drive model (4L posi-
tion):
Shift from MPH (km/h)
1st to 2nd 8 (13)
2nd to 3rd 12 (19)
3rd to 4th 20 (32)
4th to 5th 22 (35)
Suggested maximum speed in each
gear
Downshift to a lower gear if the engine is not
running smoothly, or if you need to accelerate.
Do not exceed the maximum suggested speed
(shown below) in any gear. For level road
driving, use the highest gear suggested for that
speed. Always observe posted speed limits,
and drive according to the road conditions,
which will ensure safe operation.
Allowable maximum speed in each gear:
2-wheel drive models MPH (km/h)
1st 30 (48)
2nd 55 (88)
3rd 80 (129)
4th & 5th þ (þ)
4-wheel drive models MPH (km/h)
2H/4H position
1st 25 (40)
2nd 43 (69)
3rd 68 (109)
4th & 5th þ (þ)
4L position
1st 12 (19)
2nd 22 (35)
3rd 30 (48)
4th & 5th þ (þ)
SD1017M
Starting and driving5-15
ZX

1. Apply the parking brake.
2.Automatic transmission:
Move the selector lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral). P (Park) is preferred.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of
P (Park) and into any of the other gear
positions if the ignition key is turned
to OFF or if the key is removed from
the ignition switch.
The starter is designed not to operate
if the selector lever is in one of the
driving positions.
Manual transmission:
Move the gearshift lever to N (Neutral),
and fully depress the clutch pedal to the
floor while starting the engine.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully de-
pressed.
3.With your foot off the accelerator
pedal,turn the ignition key to START.
Release the key when the engine starts.
If the engine starts, but fails to run, repeat
the above procedure.IIf the engine is very hard to start in
extremely cold or hot weather, depress
the accelerator pedal fully and hold it
to help start the engine.
IIn the summer, when restarting the
engine within 30 minutes after it has
been stopped, keep the accelerator
pedal fully depressed while starting.
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, other-
wise the starter could be damaged.
4.Warm-up
Always allow the engine to idle for at
least 30 seconds after starting. Drive at a
moderate speed for a short distance first,
especially in cold weather.
WARNING
IBe sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving. Failure to do
so can cause brake failure and lead
to an accident.
IDo not release the parking brake
from outside the vehicle.
IDo not use the gear shift in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully en-
gaged.
I
Do not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the park-
ing brake and cause an accident.
STARTING THE ENGINE PARKING BRAKE OPERATION
5-16Starting and driving
ZX

To apply:pull the lever out.
To release:
1. Firmly apply foot brake.
2. Manual transmission models:
Place the gearshift in the N (Neutral)
position.
Automatic transmission models:
Move the shift selector lever to the P
(Park) position.
3. While pulling out on the parking brake
lever slightly, push and hold the releasebutton, turn the lever and push it in
completely.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out.
ASD1010
Starting and driving5-17
ZX

Precautions
IThe cruise indicator light in the instru-
ment panel may blink when the cruise
control main switch is turned ON while
pushing the RES/ACCEL, COAST/SET,
or CANCEL switch. To properly set the
cruise control system, perform the follow-
ing steps in the order indicated.
IIf the cruise control system malfunctions,
it cancels automatically. The CRUISE
light in the instrument panel then blinks to
warn the driver.
IIf the cruise light blinks, turn the cruisecontrol main switch off and have the
system checked by an authorized NIS-
SAN dealer.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control when
driving under the following conditions:
IWhen it is not possible to keep the
vehicle at a set speed.
IIn heavy traffic or in traffic that var-
ies in speed.
IOn winding or hilly roads.IOn slippery roads (rain, snow, ice,
etc.).
IIn very windy areas.
Doing so could cause a loss of vehicle
control and result in an accident.
CAUTION
On manual transmission models, do
not shift into N (Neutral) without de-
pressing the clutch pedal when the
cruise control is set. Should this occur,
depress the clutch pedal and turn the
main switch off immediately. Failure to
do so may cause engine damage.
The cruise control allows driving at a fixed
speed between 30 and 90 MPH (48 and 145
km/h) without keeping your foot on the
accelerator pedal.
To turn on the cruise control,push the
main switch on. The CRUISE CONT indica-
tor light comes on.
To set at cruising speed,accelerate your
vehicle to the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it. The
CRUISE light in the instrument panel comes
ASD1020
CRUISE CONTROL
(if so equipped)
5-18Starting and driving
ZX

on. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle maintains the set speed.
To pass another vehicle,depress the ac-
celerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle returns to the previously
set speed.
IThe vehicle may not maintain the set
speed when going up or down steep
hills. If this happens, drive without the
cruise control.
To cancel the preset speed,use one of the
following three methods:
a) Push the CANCEL button; the CRUISE
light in the instrument panel goes out.
b) Tap the brake pedal; the CRUISE light
goes out.
c)
Turn the main switch off. Both the CRUISE
CONT and CRUISE lights go out.
The cruise control is automatically can-
celled and the CRUISE light goes out if:
Iyou depress the brake pedal while push-
ing the RES/ACCEL set switch.
Ithe vehicle slows down more than 8 MPH
(13 km/h) below the set speed.Iyou depress the clutch pedal (manual
transmission), or move the shift lever to
the N (Neutral) position (automatic trans-
mission).
To reset at a faster cruising speed,use
one of the following three methods:
a) Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push
and release the COAST/SET switch.
b) Push and hold the RES/ACCEL set
switch. When the vehicle attains the
speed you desire, release the switch.
c)
Push, and release the RES/ACCEL set
switch. Each time you do this, the set
speed increases by about 1 MPH (1.6
km/h).
To reset at a slower cruising speed,use
one of the following three methods:
a) Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push
the COAST/SET switch and release it.
b) Push and hold the COAST/SET switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle
slows down to the desired speed.
c) Push, and release the COAST/SETswitch. Each time you do this, the set
speed decreases by about 1 MPH (1.6
km/h).
To resume the preset speed,push and
release the RES/ACCEL switch. The ve-
hicle returns to the last set cruising speed
when the vehicle speed is over 30 MPH (48
km/h).
Starting and driving
5-19
ZX

CAUTION
Do not drive on dry hard surface roads
in four-wheel drive. Driving on dry hard
surfaces in 4H or 4L may cause unnec-
essary noise, tire wear, and increased
fuel consumption. NISSAN recom-
mends driving in the 2H position under
these conditions.
WARNING
IWhen parking the vehicle, apply the
parking brake and always make sure
to shift the transfer control lever into
the 2H, 4H or 4L position.
IDo not leave the transfer control le-
ver in the N (Neutral) position. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could roll unex-
pectedly even if the manual
transmission is in gear or the auto-
matic transmission is in the P (Park)
position.
IFailure to engage the transfer con-
trol lever in 2H, 4H, or 4L could result
in the vehicle moving unexpectedly,
resulting in serious personal injury
or property damage.2HÐ (2WD, high range) Only the rear
wheels are driven. Use for driving under the
same conditions as standard 2WD vehicles
or state dynamometer I/M testing.
4HÐ (4WD, high range) Four wheels are
driven. Use when driving on roads where it
is difficult to drive in the 2H position (i.e.,
driving at normal speeds on snow covered,
icy, wet, muddy or sandy roads).
4LÐ (4WD, low range) Four wheels are
driven. Use when climbing or descending
steep hills, or during hard driving in sand,
mud or deep snow. The 4L position provides
maximum power and traction. Avoid raising
vehicle speed excessively, as the maximum
speed is approximately 30 MPH (48 km/h).
NÐ No wheels are driven. Always keep the
transfer lever out of the N (Neutral) position.
Shift the lever quickly and smoothly when
moving across the N (Neutral) position with
the vehicle stopped.
Your NISSAN is equipped with one of two
4WD systems, auto-lock free-running hubs
or manual-lock free-running hubs.
ASD1022
TRANSFER CASE
SHIFTING PROCEDURES FOR
4-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES
Starting and driving5-21
ZX

CAUTION
Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted
or radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Failure to do so may result in a
circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and may
damage the transmission, transfer
case and differential gears.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recom-
mended that all four tires be replaced with
tires of the same size, brand, construction
and tread pattern. The tire pressure and
wheel alignment should also be checked
and corrected as necessary. Contact an
authorized NISSAN dealer.
Snow tires
If you install snow tires, they must also be
the same size, brand, construction and
tread pattern on all four wheels.
Tire inflation pressure
Periodically check the pressure in all tires,
including the spare, with a gauge. Adjust to
the specified pressure if necessary. Tirepressures are shown on the tire placard
affixed to the glove box.
Tire chain
Tire chains must be installed only on the
rear wheels and not on the front wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved roads
which are clear of snow. Driving with chains
in such conditions can cause damage to the
various mechanisms of the vehicle due to
some overstress. When driving on clear
paved roads, be sure to change to 2WD.
TIRES OF FOUR-WHEEL
DRIVE
5-26Starting and driving
ZX

WARNING
IDo not park the vehicle over flam-
mable materials such as dry grass,
waste paper or rags. They may ignite
and cause a fire.
I
The transfer control lever
must be in the 2H, 4H or 4L position
and the parking brake set to prevent
the vehicle from rolling.
INever place the transfer control le-
ver in the N (Neutral) position. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could roll unex-pectedly even if the manual trans-
mission is in gear or the automatic
transmission is in the P (Park) posi-
tion. This could result in serious in-
jury or property damage.
ISafe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and
the transmission placed into P (Park)
for automatic transmission models
or in an appropriate gear for manual
transmissions models. Failure to do
so could cause the vehicle to move
unexpectedly or roll away and resultin an accident. Make sure the shift
lever has been pushed as far forward
as it can go and cannot be moved
without depressing the button at the
end of the lever.
INever leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
I
Do not leave children unattended in-
side the vehicle. They could unknow-
ingly activate switches or controls.
Unattended children could become
involved in serious accidents.
IIf the ATP lamp is ON, this indicates
that the automatic transmission P
(park) position will not function and
the transfer control lever is in the N
(neutral) position. Failure to engage
the transfer control lever in the 2H,
4H or 4L position could result in the
vehicle moving unexpectedly, result-
ing in serious personal injury or
property damage.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2.Manual transmission models:
Place the gearshift lever in the R (Re-MSD0002
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
Starting and driving5-27
ZX