engine NISSAN GT-R 2014 R35 Manual Online

5-22Starting and driving
When driving the vehicle
WARNING
Do not move the shift lever to the&N
position while driving. Doing so may
result in an accident due to loss of
engine braking. It may also damage the
transmission.
Normal driving:
Drive with the shift lever in the
&Aposition.
The appropriate gear will be automatically
shifted according to the position of the accel-
erator pedal, the driving speed and driving
conditions.
Passing:
.
&Aposition:
Fully depress the accelerator pedal to the floor.
This shifts the transmission down into a lower
gear depending on the vehicle speed. Then
depress the accelerator pedal as needed to
adjust vehicle speed.
.
&Mposition:
Use the paddle shifter to down shift, then fully
depress the accelerator pedal to the floor. Then
depress the accelerator pedal as needed to adjust vehicle speed.
Hill climbing:
.
When the vehicle speed decreases, de-
press the accelerator pedal to the floor with
the shift lever in the
&Aposition. This
automatically shifts the transmission into a
lower gear and maintains this position
depending on the gradient of the hill.
. The system may down shift according to the
accelerator pedal position and the vehicle
speed.
. If the transmission is frequently changing
gears while driving, switch to the
&Mposition
and select the appropriate gear for the
driving conditions.
Driving on a downhill:
.
&Aposition:
The system shifts down according to the degree
of downhills to increase the effectiveness of the
engine brake.
.
&Mposition:
When driving on a long slope, selecting the
&M
position and 4th or 3rd gear will provide gentle
engine braking.
When driving on a steep downhill, selecting the
&Mposition and 2nd or 1st gear will provide
powerful engine braking.
WARNING
. When the shift lever is in the&A
position, the adaptive shift control
system will stay in a low gear in
order to maintain the effectiveness
of the engine brake. However if the
vehicle is traveling too fast depend-
ing on the degree of the slope, you
should shift to the
&Mposition and
use the paddle shifter to shift down.
If you continue to use only the foot
brake, a high load will be applied to
the brake, which may overheat,
reducing its effectiveness. Be sure
to use the engine brake together
with the foot brake. (
“Adaptive
shift control” page 5-19)
. Do not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
NOTICE
When driving in the&Aposition, gear-
shifting will be performed automatically
with the adaptive shift control system
(
“Adaptive shift control” page 5-

19) even on road conditions with con-
tinuous and sudden hills or curves.
However, when the transmission oil
temperature is low immediately after
starting the vehicle or high when enga-
ging in high performance driving, there
may be some cases where the system
cannot control shifting. When this oc-
curs, switch to the
&Mposition and
select a lower gear, depending on the
gradient of the hill.
When stopping the vehicle
Leave the shift lever in the&A↔&Mor&Rposition
and firmly depress the foot brake pedal.
If the vehicle will be stopped for a long period of
time, apply the parking brake and move the shift
lever to the
&Por&Nposition as necessary.
WARNING
. Do not race the engine while the
vehicle is stopped. Doing so may
accelerate the vehicle suddenly and
cause an accident when shifting to a
driving gear.
. While the engine is running, the
propeller shaft that transmits torque from the engine to the transmission
is turning at all times. Crawling or
reaching under the vehicle while the
engine is running may result in
serious injury.
NOTICE
When the vehicle is stopped on a hill,
do not hold the vehicle in place by
depressing the accelerator pedal. Doing
so may cause the clutch to overheat and
result in transmission damage. Use the
brakes to prevent the vehicle from
moving.
When parking the vehicle
WARNING
Follow the instructions below when
parking the vehicle to help prevent the
brake rotor and brake pads from rust-
ing together. Failure to follow the
instructions could cause the rotor and
pads to rust together. If the rotor and
pads rust together, there may be a
popping noise and some vibrationwhen the vehicle is driven, a wheel
may not roll correctly, or the brake pads
could be damaged. If the pads are
damaged, this may reduce the effec-
tiveness of the brake system which
could cause a collision, serious perso-
nal injury or death.
The GT-R uses brake pad materials that have
high metallic content. The brake pad material
helps maintain braking performance in a wide
range of weather and driving conditions.
For the first 3,000 miles (5,000 km) of the
vehicle’s service life, and for the first 3,000 miles
(5,000km) after a brake replacement, the brake
pad to brake rotor clearance is very small. When
parking, apply the parking brake and move the
shift lever to the
&Pposition. Idle the engine for
more than 20 seconds without depressing the
brake pedal. This allows the brake pads to move
away from the rotor so the pad does not contact
the rotor.
Additionally, the brakes must be dry before
parking the vehicle after driving on wet roads or
after washing the vehicle. If the roads are wet,
lightly apply the brakes for a short distance
before parking the vehicle to dry the brakes.
After washing the vehicle, dry the brakes by
driving on a dry road for a few miles and apply
Starting and driving5-23

5-24Starting and driving
the brakes normally based on traffic and road
conditions.
The metallic brake pads and brake disc rotor
may rust together when the brakes are not
applied:
.If the vehicle is not idled for 20 seconds
without the brakes applied, or if the brakes
are applied when the vehicle is shut off, the
rotor and pads can rust together, even when
the brake pads are dry.
. If the brakes are wet when the vehicle is
parked and the parking brake is applied for a
long time.
Contact a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer if the
brake pads and brake rotor have rusted
together.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the foot brake pedal depressed, apply the parking brake.
3. Move the shift lever to the
&Pposition.
4. Check the shift lever position indicator on the instrument panel to confirm that the
&P
position is selected.
5. Push the ignition switch to stop the engine.
WARNING
Before exiting the vehicle, be sure to
move the shift lever to the&Pposition
and stop the engine. If the engine is
running and the shift lever is not in the
&Pposition, the vehicle may start mov-
ing due to partial engagement of the
clutch or to the effects of gravity on a
slope, or the vehicle may suddenly
accelerate due to accidental operation
of the accelerator pedal, possibly caus-
ing an accident.
The control of the dual clutch transmission,
Bilstein DampTronic®electronically controlled
shock absorbers and Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) can be changed to the desired modes by
operating the setup switches. Select the desired
mode best suited to the driving conditions.
NOTE:
Bilstein DampTronic
®is a registered trade-
mark of ThyssenKrupp Bilstein Suspen-
sion GmbH.
VDC, TRANSMISSION AND
SUSPENSION SETUP SWITCHES

1. Transmission setup switch
2. Suspension setup switch
3. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) setup switch
HOW TO SWITCH THE MODES
Each time the engine is started, all switches are
set to the normal mode. The normal mode is
recommended for normal driving. Move the
VDC, transmission and suspension setup
switches up or down to change the mode when
the engine is running.
: Push and hold the switch for longer than approximately 1 second
: Push the switch
* The selected mode is maintained even if the shift lever is moved between
&Aand&Mposition.
Starting and driving5-25

5-26Starting and driving
NOTICE
.“ESC (Electronic Stability Control)
OFF” indicated on the VDC setup
switch stands for “VDC OFF”.
. When the ignition switch is pushed
to the “ON” position, the indicators
on the setup switches may illumi-
nate briefly, however this is not a
malfunction.
FEATURES OF EACH MODE
Transmission
The transmission mode differs depending on the shift lever position,&Aor&M.
&Aposition:
Set up mode Features
.In addition to the normal mode functions, this mode allows you to achieve higher
engine speed, greater powertrain torque and engine braking.
.With the VDC switch in R mode, the R mode start function can be used. (“R
mode start function” page 5-31)
.When the R mode is selected, the maximum speed is lower than the one in the
normal mode.
Normal (light is off)
.For everyday and performance driving, an appropriate gear position is automatically
selected.
.For long distance driving, this mode helps improve fuel economy by reducing engine
output compared to the normal mode.
.The engine response to accelerator operation changes to be less sensitive to pedal
movement than the normal mode. The engine speed does not change as quickly for
small accelerator pedal position changes.
.This mode controls powertrain torque on snowy roads and slippery surfaces making
starting and driving easier.
.When the SAVE mode is selected, the maximum speed is lower than the one in the
normal mode.

&Mposition:
Set up modeFeatures
.This mode allows you to shift gears quickly and directly..This mode will not allow the transmission to automatically upshift even when the
engine speed reaches the red zone. Do not rev the engine into the red zone.
.With the VDC switch in R mode, the R mode start function can be used. (“R
mode start function” page 5-31)
Normal (light is off)
.For everyday and performance driving, any gear position can be selected..This mode will allow the transmission to automatically upshift even when the engine
speed is about to reach the red zone.
.For long distance highway driving, this mode improves fuel economy by reducing
engine output compared to the normal mode.
.The engine response to accelerator operation changes to be less sensitive to pedal
movement than the normal mode. The engine speed does not change as quickly for
small accelerator pedal position changes.
.This mode controls powertrain torque on snowy roads and slippery surfaces making
starting and driving easier.
.This mode allows the transmission to automatically upshift even when the engine
speed is about to reach the red zone.
.When the SAVE mode is selected, the maximum speed is lower than the one in the
normal mode.
NOTICE
. When the engine speed approaches
the red zone, shift to a higher gear
or reduce the engine speed. Operat-
ing the engine in the red zone may
cause serious engine damage.
. Quickest shifting in the R mode with
the transmission in the
&Mposition
is available when the engine speed
is high. However, the transmission
may shift more slowly when the
engine speed is low.
Starting and driving5-27

5-30Starting and driving
See your 2014 Warranty Information Booklet for
important related information and warranty
coverage exclusions. See also section 2 (page
“Transmission warning light” page 2-30)
and section 5 (page“Vehicle Dynamic
Control (VDC) system” page 5-49) of this
Owner’s Manual, “Transmission Clutch Tem-
perature High” and “Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) System” for important additional related
information.
The turbocharger system uses engine oil for
lubrication and cooling of its rotating compo-
nents. The turbocharger turbine turns at extre-
mely high speeds and it can get very hot. It is
essential to maintain a supply of oil flowing
through the turbocharger system. Therefore, a
sudden interruption of oil supply may cause a
malfunction in the turbocharger.
To ensure prolonged life and performance of the
turbocharger, it is essential to perform the
following maintenance procedure:
. Change your engine oil according to the
recommended intervals shown in the sepa-
rate Service and Maintenance Guide. Use
only the recommended engine oil.
. If the engine had been operating at high
engine speed for an extended period of time,
let it idle for a few minutes prior to shut-
down.
. Do not accelerate your engine to high
engine speed immediately after start.
NOTICE
.This vehicle includes spark plugs
that are designed for high perfor-
mance. For this reason, if the engine
is repeatedly started and stopped over a short time, the spark plugs
may become fouled, making the
engine difficult to start. To prevent
diminished starting performance,
avoid starting and stopping the
engine repeatedly during a short
period of time.
NOTE:
. When the vehicle is delivered, the
engine oil level is 0.39 in (10 mm)
below the H mark on the engine oil
dipstick for optimum high performance
driving. The engine oil can be filled up
to the H mark if not engaging in
performance driving.
. Because of the high performance char-
acteristics of the GT-R engine, more
frequent oil level inspections are ne-
cessary. Check the oil level every 1,800
miles (3,000km) and adjust as neces-
sary. Also, change the engine oil based
on the driving conditions. For the
information regarding oil replacement
intervals, refer to the 2014 NISSAN
GT-R Service and Maintenance Guide.
. Some amount of oil is consumed by
your engine under normal operating
TURBOCHARGER SYSTEM

conditions, and oil consumption by
itself does not necessarily indicate
any malfunction. If your rate of oil
consumption increases suddenly or
without explanation, NISSAN recom-
mends that you have your vehicle
inspected by a GT-R certified NISSAN
dealer.This function enables the driver to start accel-
eration from a stop by selecting R mode with the
VDC and transmission setup switch. The engine
output will be maintained at approximately 4,000
rpm. When using the R mode or the R mode
start function, always use proper seating posi-
tion and follow the safety instructions in Section
1 of this manual.
WARNING
.Failure to follow the warnings and
instruction for the use of this fea-
ture may cause a loss of vehicle
control or a collision which may lead
to serious personal injury or death:
. Make sure to drive carefully within
legal limits.
. Only use this function when you can
guarantee that it is safe to do so,
based on the surrounding traffic
conditions.
. Do not use this function on slippery
or wet roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control and could result in
an accident.
. The R mode start function has been
developed not only for controlling the engine, transmission and VDC
system, but also the settings of the
suspension and tires. Therefore, any
modification of the vehicle may
disrupt the vehicle’s balance. This
will not only reduce the optimum
performance of the vehicle but may
also cause damage to powertrain
components, including the trans-
mission.
NOTICE
.
When the temperature of the engine
coolant and transmission oil is high
or low, the function cannot be used.
The temperature range in which the
R mode start function can be used:
— Engine coolant: 1408F - 2128F
(608C - 1008C)
— Transmission oil: 1408F - 2668F (608C - 1308C)
. If the R mode start function is used
4 times consecutively, the function
may be disabled and cannot be
turned on to protect the vehicle
system. While the function is dis-
Starting and driving5-31
R MODE START FUNCTION

5-32Starting and driving
abled, the warning light illuminates.
When the warning light illuminates,
perform cool down driving.
(
“Cool down” page GTR-13)
When the warning light turns off,
the function can be used again.
. The performance of start may vary
depending on the amount of wheel
spin ,or increase and decrease of
the engine output in response to the
outside temperature. (This vehicle
was set up according to the road
surface conditions of the straight
sections of the Sendai Highland
Raceway course in Japan at 598F
(158C) .)
. For safety reasons, VDC control may
activate automatically when driving
on a slippery road surface, such as a
wet road, in order to apply the
brakes or limit the engine output.
. Frequent use of the R mode start
function increases the load on the
powertrain related parts such as the
clutch and transmission compared
to normal driving. In particular, the
clutch will wear out more quickly.
HOW TO USE R MODE START
FUNCTION
1. Move the shift lever to the&Aor&Mposition.
2. Select the R mode with the transmission setup switch. (
“VDC, transmission and
suspension setup switches” page 5-24)
3. Select the R mode with the VDC setup switch.
4. Depress the brake pedal firmly with your left foot and keep depressing the brake pedal.
5. Depress the accelerator pedal quickly to the floor with your right foot while the brake
pedal is depressed. The engine speed will
increase to approximately 4,000 rpm and
will be maintained.
6. Within 3 seconds after depressing the accelerator pedal, release the brake pedal.
WARNING
.Be sure the parking brake is fully
released 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 gear shift in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
engaged.
. Do not leave children unattended in
PARKING BRAKE

5-34Starting and driving
PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE CON-
TROL
.If the cruise control system malfunctions, it
will cancel automatically. The SET indicator
will blink and the cruise control system
warning will appear to warn the driver.
(
“Cruise control system warning” page
2-40)
. If the engine coolant temperature becomes
excessively high, the cruise control system
will be canceled automatically.
. If the SET indicator blinks, turn the cruise
control main switch off and contact a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer.
. The SET indicator may sometimes blink
when the cruise control main switch is
turned on while pushing the RESUME/
ACCELERATE, SET/COAST or CANCEL
switch. To properly set the cruise control
system, perform the steps below in the order
indicated.
STEERING-WHEEL-MOUNTED
CONTROLS
1. MAIN switch
Turns cruise control ON/OFF.
2. SET/COAST switch (pressed down) Lowers the set vehicle speed.
3. RESUME/ACCELERATE switch (pressed up) Raises the set vehicle speed.
4. CANCEL switch
Cancels cruise control.