NISSAN MAXIMA 2012 A35 / 7.G Owners Manual

When the ignition switch is pushed without de-
pressing the brake pedal, the ignition switch po-
sition will illuminate as follows:
Push the ignition switch center:● once to change to ACC.
● two times to change to ON.
● three times to return to OFF.
The ignition switch will automatically return to the
LOCK position when any door is either opened or
closed with the switch in the OFF position. The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch position cannot be switched to OFF until
the shift selector is moved to the P (Park) posi-
tion.
When the ignition switch cannot be pushed to-
ward the OFF position, proceed as follows:
1. Move the shift selector into the P (Park) position.
2. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch position will change to the ON position.
3. Push the ignition switch again to the OFF position.
The shift selector can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
If the battery of the vehicle is discharged,
the push-button ignition switch cannot be
moved from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for operation are
displayed on the vehicle information display. See
“Vehicle information display” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position):
The ignition switch can only be locked in this
position.
The ignition switch will be unlocked when it is
pushed to the ACC position while carrying the
Intelligent Key or with the Intelligent Key inserted
in the port.
The ignition switch will lock when any door is
opened or closed with the ignition switched off.
OFF:
The ignition switch is in the OFF position when
the engine is turned off using the ignition switch.
No lights will illuminate on the ignition switch.
ACC (Accessories):
This position activates electrical accessories,
such as the radio, when the engine is not running.
ACC has a battery saver feature that will turn the
ignition switch to the OFF position after 30 min-
utes under the following conditions:
● all doors are closed.
● shift selector is in P (Park) .
LSD2000
5-8Starting and driving

The battery saver feature will be cancelled if any
of the following occur:● any door is opened.
● shift selector is moved out of the P (Park) .
● ignition switch changes position.
ON (Normal operating position):
This position turns on the ignition system and
electrical accessories.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle with the ignition
switch in ACC or ON positions when the
engine is not running for an extended pe-
riod. This can discharge the battery.
EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF
To shut off the engine in an emergency situation
while driving perform the following procedure:
– Rapidly push the push-button ignition switch 3 consecutive times, or
– Push and hold the push-button ignition switch for more than 2 seconds.
NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY™
BATTERY DISCHARGE
If the battery of the Intelligent Key is almost dis-
charged, the guide light
Aof the Intelligent Key
port blinks and the indicator appears on the ve-
hicle information display. See “Vehicle informa-
tion display” in the “Instruments and controls”
section.
In this case, inserting the Intelligent Key into the
port
Ballows you to start the engine. Make sure
the Intelligent Key is placed in the correct direc-
tion: The front side faces upward and the key ring
side faces downward as illustrated. To remove the Intelligent Key from the port, push
the ignition switch to the LOCK position and pull
the Intelligent Key out of the port
C.
WSD0232WSD0233
Starting and driving5-9

NOTE:
The Intelligent Key port does not charge
the Intelligent Key battery. If you see the
low battery indicator, replace the battery as
soon as possible. See “Battery replace-
ment” in the “Maintenance and do-it-
yourself” section.
CAUTION
●Never place anything except the Intelli-
gent Key in the Intelligent Key port. Do-
ing so may cause damage to the
equipment.
● Make sure the Intelligent Key is in the
correct direction when inserting it to
the Intelligent Key port. The engine may
not start if it is in the wrong direction.
● Remove the Intelligent Key from the
Intelligent Key port after the ignition
switch is pushed to the LOCK position.
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer system will not
allow the engine to start without the use of the
registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered key
(for example, when interference is caused by
another registered key, an automated toll road
device or automatic payment device on the key
ring) , restart the engine using the following pro-
cedure:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately 10
seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the device (which may have caused the interference)
separate from the registered key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN rec-
ommends placing the registered key on a sepa-
rate key ring to avoid interference from other
devices. ●
Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
● Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid, and window washer fluid as
frequently as possible, or at least whenever
you refuel.
● Check that all windows and lights are clean.
● Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
● Lock all doors.
● Position seat and adjust head restraints.
● Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
● Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
● Check the operation of warning lights when
the ignition switch is pushed to the ON
position. See “Warning/indicator lights and
audible reminders” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-10Starting and driving

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift selector to P (Park) or N(Neutral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift selector is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position. Depress the brake pedal and push the igni-
tion switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal with the ignition switch in
any position.
● If the engine is very hard to start in ex-
tremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little (ap-
proximately 1/3 to the floor) and while
holding, crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
● If the engine is very hard to start because
it is flooded, depress the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to start cranking the engine. After 5 or
6 seconds, stop cranking by pushing the
ignition switch to LOCK. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal by depressing the
brake pedal and pushing the push-button
ignition switch to start the engine. If the
engine starts, but fails to run, repeat the
above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, push the ignition switch to the
OFF position and wait 10 seconds before
cranking again, otherwise the starter
could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 sec-
onds after starting. Do not race the engine
while warming it up. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather. In cold weather, keep the en-
gine running for a minimum of2-3minutes
before shutting it off. Starting and stopping
the engine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, shift the shift selector to the P (Park) position and push the ignition
switch to the OFF position.
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
LSD0238
STARTING THE ENGINE DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-11

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 (M) Manual shift mode. Al-
ways depress the brake pedal until
shifting is completed. Failure 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.
● Except in an emergency, do not shift to
the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Doing so can cause a loss of engine
braking which may result in a collision,
serious personal injury or death. In ad-
dition, coasting with the transmission
in the N (Neutral) position may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
CAUTION
When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by depress-
ing 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 selector 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 se-
lector over from D (Drive) to the left into the
manual shift gate. The position indicator in
the meter shows a “Ds”. In Ds (Drive Sport)
mode, transmission operation changes to
Sporty” driving shift operation, creating a
more aggressive acceleration feeling than
the D (Drive) mode and a gear change sen-
sation when the driver accelerates quickly.
When the driver selects M (Manual) mode
ratio with shift selector or shift paddles (if so
equipped) during Ds (Drive Sport) mode
operation, the driver must move the shift
selector from Ds mode to D mode and back
again to re-select Ds (Drive Sport) mode.
● To cancel the Ds mode, return the shift se-
lector to the D (Drive) position. The trans-
mission returns to the automatic drive mode.
The CVT can operate in two manual drive modes: ● M (Manual) mode - With the shift selector in
the manual shift gate Ds (Drive Sport) mode,
M (Manual) mode can be selected by mov-
ing the shift selector up (+) or down (–) or
using the shift paddles (if so equipped) up
(+) or down (–) . In M mode, the transmission
will produce noticeable upshifts and down-
shifts. The position indicator in the meter
shows a “M”.
5-12Starting and driving

●Temporary M (Manual) shift mode - With the
shift selector in the D (Drive) mode and if the
shift paddle is moved + (up) or - (down) , the
transmission will temporarily switch to the M
(Manual) mode. If the shift paddles are not
used after5-10seconds, the transmission
will return to the D (Drive) mode.
● To cancel the M (Manual) mode and return to
the D (Drive) mode, press and hold either
shift paddle for3-5seconds.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
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 the foot brake pedal before moving the shift
selector out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift selector 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 selector 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 selector 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 selector:
Press the button while depressing the
brake pedal
Press the button to shift
Shift without pressing button
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift selector from P (Park) to
any of the desired shift positions.
WSD0242
Starting and driving5-13

WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shift selec-
tor 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 selector 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 selector 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 selector
into the P (Park) position. 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 depressed to move the shift
selector from P (Park) , N (Neutral) or any
drive position to R (Reverse) .
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged. The
engine can be started in this position. You may
shift 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 shift selector is shifted from the D
(Drive) position to the manual shift gate, the
transmission enters the DS (Drive Sport) mode.
Moving the shift selector to the DS (Drive Sport)
position allows you to enjoy “sporty” driving shift
operation on a winding road and feel smooth
acceleration or deceleration on a hilly road by
moving in a lower gear automatically. When can-
celing the DS mode, return the shift selector to
the D (Drive) position. The transmission returns to
the normal driving mode.
5-14Starting and driving

Manual shift mode
When the shift selector is in the Ds (Drive Sport)
position, the transmission is ready for the manual
shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manu-
ally by moving the shift selector up or down, or
pulling the right-side or left-side paddle shifter.
To cancel the Ds mode, return shift selector to the
D (Drive) position. The transmission returns to
automatic driving mode.
When the shift selector is shifted from D (Drive)
to the manual shift gate
Awith the vehicle
stopped or while driving, the transmission enters
the manual shift mode. Shift ranges can be se-
lected manually. Shift ranges can also be se- lected using the shift paddles (if so equipped) on
the steering wheel
BandC. In the manual shift
mode, the shift range is displayed on the position
indicator in the meter. When shifting the shift
selector to the manual shift gate, the position
indicator displays 1 (first) up to 6 (sixth) depend-
ing on vehicle speed.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
1⇔ 2⇔ 3⇔ 4⇔ 5⇔ 6
M6 (6th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds. 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 6
range. This reduces fuel economy.
When shifting up:
Move the shift selector to the + (up) side. (Shifts
to higher range.)
When shifting down:
Move the shift selector to the (down) side.
(Shifts to lower range.)
● Moving the shift selector rapidly to the same
side twice will shift the ranges in succession.
WSD0243LSD0193
Starting and driving5-15

When canceling the manual shift mode:
Return the shift selector 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.
Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
shift selector may not be moved from the P (Park)
position even with the brake pedal depressed
and the shift selector button pressed.
It will be necessary to jump start or have your
battery charged, see “Jump starting” in the “In
case of emergency” section. Contact your
NISSAN dealer or a professional towing service.
To move the shift selector, complete the following
procedure:
1. Press the ignition switch to the LOCK posi- tion. 2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip ofa3mm
screwdriver, remove the shift lock release
cover.
● If available, a plastic trim tool can also be
used.
4. Insert the small screwdriver in the shift lock release slot and push down.
5. Move the shift selector to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shift lock
release.
6. Push the ignition switch to the ON position to unlock the steering wheel. Now the ve-
hicle may be moved to the desired location.
If the shift selector cannot be moved out of P
(Park) , have a NISSAN dealer check the trans-
mission as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the shift selector cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position while the engine is
running and the brake pedal is depressed,
the stop lights may not work. Malfunction-
ing stop lights could cause an accident
injuring yourself and others.
WSD0236
5-16Starting and driving

Accelerator downshift
— in D (Drive) position and manual
shift mode
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into lower range, depending on the
vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid temperature
protection mode. If the fluid temperature be-
comes too high (for example, when climbing
steep grades in high temperature with heavy
loads, such as when towing a trailer) , engine
power and, under some conditions, vehicle
speed will be decreased automatically to reduce
the chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed may be
limited.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated, see “Malfunction Indicator Light(MIL)” in the “Instrument and controls” sec-
tion. This will occur even if all electrical
circuits are functioning 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 vehicle should return to its normal op-
erating condition. If it does not return to its
normal operating condition, have a
NISSAN dealer check the transmission and
repair if necessary.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion mode or fail-safe operation occurs,
vehicle speed may be gradually reduced.
The reduced speed may be lower than
other traffic, which could increase the
chance of a collision. Be especially care-
ful when driving. If necessary, pull to the
side of the road at a safe place and allow
the transmission to return to normal op-
eration, or have it repaired if necessary.
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 shift selector in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully engaged.
● Do not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the parking
brake and cause an accident.
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-17