warning NISSAN LEAF 2014 1.G Owners Manual

the power switch is placed in the OFF position
then back to the ON position.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you start the EV
(Electric Vehicle) and move the vehicle forward or
in reverse at a slow speed. When the self-test
occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise and/or feel a
pulsation in the brake pedal. This is normal and is
not an indication of a malfunction.
WARNING
• The VDC system is designed to help
the driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving tech-
niques. Reduce vehicle speed and be
especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.• Do not modify the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as shock
absorbers, struts, springs, stabilizer
bars, bushings and wheels are not
NISSAN recommended for your ve-
hicle or are extremely deteriorated the
VDC system may not operate properly.
This could adversely affect vehicle
handling performance, and the
warning may flash ormay il-
luminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and
may
illuminate.
• If traction motor control related parts
are not NISSAN recommended or are
extremely deteriorated, the
may
illuminate.
• When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
warning may illu-
minate. Do not drive on these types of
roads.• When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
warning may illuminate.
This is not a malfunction. Restart the
EV (Electric Vehicle) system after driv-
ing onto a stable surface.
• If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate prop-
erly and the
warning may illumi-
nate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute for
winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
5-24Starting and driving

WARNING
• Never rely solely on the hill start assist
system to prevent the vehicle from
moving backward on a hill. Always
drive carefully and attentively. Depress
the brake pedal when the vehicle is
stopped on a steep hill. Be especially
careful when stopped on a hill on fro-
zen or muddy roads. Failure to prevent
the vehicle from rolling backwards
may result in a loss of control of the
vehicle and possible serious injury or
death.
• The hill start assist system is not de-
signed to hold the vehicle at a stand-
still on a hill. Depress the brake pedal
when the vehicle is stopped on a steep
hill. Failure to do so may cause the
vehicle to roll backwards and may re-
sult in a collision or serious personal
injury.
• The hill start assist may not prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards on a
hill under all load or road conditions.
Always be prepared to depress the
brake pedal to prevent the vehicle
from rolling backwards. Failure to do
so may result in a collision or serious
personal injury.The hill start assist system automatically keeps
the brakes applied to help prevent the vehicle
from rolling backwards in the time it takes the
driver to release the brake pedal and apply the
accelerator when the vehicle is stopped on a hill.
Hill start assist will operate automatically under
the following conditions:
• The shift lever is shifted into D (Drive) , ECO, or
R (Reverse) position.
• The vehicle is stopped completely on a hill by
applying the brake.
The maximum holding time is 2 seconds. After 2
seconds the vehicle will begin to roll back and hill
start assist will stop operating completely.
Hill start assist will not operate when the shift
lever is shifted into D (Drive) , ECO, or R (Re-
verse) position or on a flat and level road.CAUTION
To prevent damage to the Li-ion battery:
Do not store a vehicle in temperatures
below -13°F (-25°C) for over seven days. If
the outside temperature is -13°F (-25°C)
or less, the Li-ion battery may freeze and
it cannot be charged or provide power to
run the vehicle. Move the vehicle to a
warm location.
NOTE:
•Connect the charger to the vehicle and
place the power switch in the OFF posi-
tion when parking the vehicle if tempera-
tures may go below -4°F (-20°C) . This pro-
vides external power to the Li-ion battery
warmer when it operates and does not
discharge the Li-ion battery. Vehicle driv-
ing range is reduced if the Li-ion battery
warmer operates (Li-ion battery tempera-
ture approximately -4°F (-20°C) or colder)
while driving the vehicle. You may need to
charge the Li-ion battery sooner than in
warmer temperatures.
•The Li-ion battery requires more time to
charge when the Li-ion battery warmer
operates.
HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-25

Tire chains may be used. For details, see “Tire
chains” in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items be
carried in the vehicle during winter:
• A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to remove ice
and snow from the windows and wiper blades.
• A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow-drifts.
• Extra window washer fluid to refill the reservoir
tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
• Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain) ,
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip” under
these conditions. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until the road is salted or
sanded.• Whatever the conditions, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating too fast, the
drive wheels will lose even more trac-
tion.
• Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
• Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
• Watch for slippery spots (glare ice) .
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch of
ice is seen ahead, brake before reach-
ing it. Try not to brake while on the ice,
and avoid any sudden steering maneu-
vers.
• Do not use cruise control on slippery
roads.
FREEING A FROZEN CHARGE
PORT LID
When the charge port is frozen, melt the ice using
a hair dryer.
Starting and driving5-27

6 In case of emergency
Roadside assistance program................6-2
Emergency EV (Electric Vehicle) shut off.........6-2
Hazard warning flasher switch...............6-2
Flat tire.............................6-3
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).......6-3
Repairing flat tire.....................6-4
Jump starting.........................6-9If the Li-ion battery becomes completely discharged. .6-11
Push starting.........................6-12
Tools..............................6-12
Towing your vehicle.....................6-13
Towing recommended by NISSAN..........6-13
Vehicle recovery (freeing stuck vehicle).......6-14

In the event of a roadside emergency, Roadside
Assistance Service is available to you. Please
refer to your Warranty Information Booklet (U.S.)
or Warranty & Roadside Assistance Information
Booklet (Canada) for details.To shut off the EV (Electric Vehicle) system in an
emergency situation while driving, perform the
following procedure.
• Rapidly push the power switch 3 consecutive
times in less than 1.5 seconds, or
• Push and hold the power switch for more than 2
seconds.
Push the switch on to warn other drivers when
you must stop or park under emergency condi-
tions. All turn signal lights will flash.
WARNING
• If stopping for an emergency, be sure
to move the vehicle well off the road.
• Do not use the hazard warning flash-
ers while moving on the highway un-
less unusual circumstances force you
to drive so slowly that your vehicle
might become a hazard to other traffic.
• Turn signals do not work when the
hazard warning flasher lights are on.
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMEMERGENCY EV (ELECTRIC
VEHICLE) SHUT OFFHAZARD WARNING FLASHER
SWITCH
6-2In case of emergency

The flasher can be actuated with the power
switch in any position.
Some state laws may prohibit the use of
the hazard warning flasher switch while
driving.TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) . It monitors tire pres-
sure of all tires. When the low tire pressure warn-
ing light is lit, and the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
warning appears on the vehicle information dis-
play, one or more of your tires is significantly
under-inflated. If the vehicle is being driven with
low tire pressure, the TPMS will activate and
warn you of it by the low tire pressure warning
light. This system will activate only when the
vehicle is driven at speeds above 16 MPH
(25 km/h) . For more details, see “Warning/
indicator lights and audible reminders” in the
“Instruments and controls” section and “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)” in the
“Starting and driving” section.
WARNING
• Radio waves could adversely affect
electric medical equipment. Those
who use a pacemaker should contact
the electric medical equipment manu-
facturer for the possible influences be-
fore use.• If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull off
the road to a safe location and stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. Driving
with underinflated tires may perma-
nently damage the tires and increase
the likelihood of tire failure. Serious
vehicle damage could occur and may
lead to an accident and could result in
serious personal injury. Check the tire
pressure for all four tires. Adjust the
tire pressure to the recommended
COLD tire pressure shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light
OFF. If the light still illuminates while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may be flat. If you have a
flat tire, repair it as soon as possible.
• When a wheel is replaced, the TPMS
will not function and the low tire pres-
sure warning light will flash for ap-
proximately 1 minute. The light will re-
main on after 1 minute. Contact a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer as soon
as possible for tire replacement
and/or system resetting.
FLAT TIRE
In case of emergency6-3

• Replacing tires with those not origi-
nally specified by NISSAN could affect
the proper operation of the TPMS.
• If you used the Emergency Tire Sealant
to repair a minor tire puncture, your
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer will also
need to replace the TPMS sensor in
addition to repairing or replacing the
tire.
• NISSAN recommends using only
NISSAN Genuine Emergency Tire Seal-
ant provided with your vehicle. Other
tire sealants may damage the valve
stem seal which can cause the tire to
lose air pressure.
REPAIRING FLAT TIRE
WARNING
•
After using Emergency Tire Sealant to
repair a minor tire puncture, do not
drive the vehicle at speeds faster than
50 MPH (80 km/h) .•
Immediately after using the Emer-
gency Tire Sealant to repair a minor
tire puncture, take your vehicle to a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer to in-
spect, and repair or replace the tire.
The Emergency Tire Sealant cannot
permanently seal a punctured tire.
Continuing operation of the vehicle
without a permanent tire repair can
lead to a crash.
•
If you used the Emergency Tire Sealant
to repair a minor tire puncture, your
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer will also
need to replace the TPMS sensor in
addition to repairing or replacing the
tire.
•
NISSAN recommends using only
NISSAN Genuine Emergency Tire Seal-
ant provided with your vehicle. Other
tire sealants may damage the valve
stem seal which can cause the tire to
lose air pressure.
This vehicle does not have a spare tire. The
emergency tire puncture repair kit (Emergency
Tire Sealant) is supplied with the vehicle insteadof a spare tire. It can be used to temporarily repair
minor tire punctures.
If possible, have the vehicle towed to a facility that
can repair or replace the flat tire. Using the emer-
gency tire puncture repair kit may cause a mal-
function of the tire pressure sensor and cause the
low tire pressure warning light to illuminate.
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions be-
low.
CAUTION
•
To avoid the emergency tire puncture
kit being damaged during storage or
use:
–
Only use the emergency tire punc-
ture repair kit on your vehicle. Do
not use it on other vehicles.
–
Only use the kit to inflate the tires of
your vehicle and to check the vehi-
cle’s tire pressure.
–
Only plug the compressor into a 12-
volt DC car power point.
–
Keep the kit free of water and dirt.
–
Do not disassemble or modify the
kit.
–
Do not drop the kit or allow hard
impacts to the kit.
6-4In case of emergency

•
Do not use the emergency tire punc-
ture repair kit under the following con-
ditions. Contact a NISSAN certified
LEAF dealer or professional road as-
sistance.
–
when the sealant has passed its ex-
piration date (shown on the label
attached to the bottle)
–
when the cut or the puncture is ap-
proximately 0.25 in (6 mm) or longer
–
when the tire sidewall is damaged
–
when the vehicle has been driven
with extremely low tire pressure
–
when the tire has come off the in-
side or the outside of the wheel
–
when the tire wheel is damaged
–
when two or more tires are flat
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and away
from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking
brake.
4. Push the P (Park) position switch on the shift
lever to the P (Park) position.5. Turn off the EV (Electric Vehicle) system.
6. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to
signal professional road assistance personnel
that you need assistance.
7. 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 vehicle is placed into the
P (Park) position.
•
Never repair tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
•
Never repair tires if oncoming traffic is
close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
Getting emergency tire puncture repair
kit
Take out the emergency tire puncture repair kit
located under the cargo area. The repair kit con-
sists of the following items:
1Tire sealant bottle
2Air compressor*
3Speed restriction sticker
* The compressor shape may differ depending on
the models.
In case of emergency6-5

Before using emergency tire puncture
repair kit
• If any foreign object (for example, a screw or
nail) is embedded in the tire, do not remove it.
• Check the expiration date of the sealant (shown
on the label attached to the bottle) . Never use a
sealant whose expiration date has passed.
Repairing tire:
WARNING
Observe the following precautions when
using the tire repair compound.
•
Swallowing the compound is danger-
ous. Immediately drink as much water
as possible and seek prompt medical
assistance.
•
Rinse well with lots of water if the
compound comes into contact with
skin or eyes. If irritation persists, seek
prompt medical attention.
•
Keep the repair compound out of the
reach of children.•
The emergency repair compound may
cause a malfunction of the tire pres-
sure sensors and cause the low tire
pressure warning light to illuminate.
Have the tire pressure sensor replaced
as soon as possible.
1. Take out the speed restriction sticker from the
air compressor, then put it in a location where
the driver can see it while driving.
CAUTION
Do not put the speed restriction label on
the steering wheel pad, the speedometer
or the warning light locations.
6-6In case of emergency

6. Push the power switch to the “ACC” position.
Then turn the compressor switch to the ON
(−) position and inflate the tire up to the
pressure that is specified on the Tire and
Loading Information label affixed to the driv-
er’s side center pillar if possible, or to the
minimum of 26 psi (180 kPa) . Turn the air
compressor off briefly in order to check the
tire pressure with the pressure gauge.
If the tire is inflated to higher than the specified
pressure, lower the tire pressure by releasing
air with the pressure release valve.
NOTE:
The compressor tire pressure gauge may
show a pressure reading of 87 psi (600
kPa) for about 30 seconds while inflat-
ing the tire. The pressure gauge is indi-
cating the pressure inside the sealant
can. When the sealant has been injected
into the tire the pressure gauge will drop
and indicate actual tire pressure.
WARNING
To avoid serious personal injury while
using the emergency tire puncture repair
kit:
•Securely tighten the compressor hose
to the tire valve. Failure to do so can
cause the sealant to spray into the air
and get into your eyes or on the skin.
•Do not stand directly beside the dam-
aged tire while it is being inflated be-
cause of the risk of the rupture. If there
are any cracks or bumps, turn the com-
pressor off immediately.
If the tire pressure does not increase to26 psi
(180 kPa) within 10 minutes, the tire may
be seriously damaged andthe tire cannotbe repaired with this tire repair kit.Con-
tact a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.
7. When the tire pressure is at the specified
amount, turn the air compressor off. If the tire
cannot be inflated to the specified amount,
the air compressor can be turned off at the
minimum of 26 psi (180 kPa) . Remove the
power plug from the power outlet and quickly
remove the hose from the tire valve. Attach the
protective cap and valve cap. Properly stow
the emergency tire puncture repair kit in the
cargo area.
CAUTION
To avoid serious personal injury when
stowing the emergency tire puncture re-
pair kit:
•Keep the sealant bottle screwed into
the compressor. Failure to do so can
cause the sealant to spray into the air
and get into your eyes or on the skin.
8. Immediately drive the vehicle for 10 minutes
or 2 miles (3 km) at a speed below 50 MPH
(80 km/h) .
9. After driving, make sure that the air compres-
sor switch is in the OFF position, then screw
the hose securely onto the tire valve. Check
6-8In case of emergency