manual transmission NISSAN MAXIMA 2013 A35 / 7.G Owners Manual

Seat belt warning light andchime
The light and chime remind you to fasten your
seat belts. The light illuminates whenever the
ignition switch is placed in the ON or START
position and remains illuminated until the driver’s
seat belt is fastened. At the same time, the chime
sounds for about 6 seconds unless the driver’s
seat belt is securely fastened.
The seat belt warning light may also illuminate if
the front passenger’s seat belt is not fastened
when the front passenger’s seat is occupied. For
7 seconds after the ignition switch is placed in
the ON position, the system does not activate the
warning light for the front passenger.
Refer to “Seat belts” in the “Safety—Seats, seat
belts and supplemental restraint system” section
for precautions on seat belt usage.
Supplemental air bag warninglight
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON or
START position, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light illuminates for about 7 seconds and then
turns off if the SRS air bag systems are opera-
tional. This means the system is operational. If any of the following conditions occur, the air
bags and/or pretensioner systems need servic-
ing and your vehicle must be taken to a NISSAN
dealer:
● The supplemental air bag warning light re-
mains on after approximately 7 seconds.
● The supplemental air bag warning light
flashes intermittently.
● The supplemental air bag warning light does
not come on at all.
Unless checked and repaired, the supplemental
restraint systems (air bag systems) and/or the
pretensioners may not function properly. For ad-
ditional details see “Supplemental restraint sys-
tem” in the “Safety—Seats, seat belts and
supplemental restraint system” section of this
manual.
WARNING
If the supplemental air bag warning light
is on, it could mean that the front air bag,
side air bag, curtain air bag systems
and/or pretensioner systems will not op-
erate in an accident. To help avoid injury
to yourself or others, have your vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
INDICATOR LIGHTS
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) indicator
light
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the light comes on for 2 seconds.
Continuously VariableTransmission (CVT) position
indicator light
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the indicator light shows the shift selec-
tor position. See “Driving the vehicle” in the
“Starting and driving” section of this manual.
Cruise main switch indicatorlight
The light comes on when the cruise control main
switch is pushed. The light goes out when the
main switch is pushed again. When the cruise
main switch indicator light comes on, the cruise
control system is operational.
2-14Instruments and controls

Do not stand on your vehicle to perform
the next steps.
4. At the receiver located on the garage door opener motor in the garage, locate the
“learn” or “smart” button (the name and color
of the button may vary by manufacturer but it
is usually located near where the hanging
antenna wire is attached to the unit) . If there
is difficulty locating the button, reference the
garage door opener’s manual.
5. Press and release the “learn” or “smart” but- ton.
6. Return to the vehicle and firmly press and hold the trained HomeLink® button for two
seconds and release. Repeat the
“press/hold/release” sequence up to 3
times to complete the training process.
HomeLink® should now activate your rolling
code equipped device.
7. If you have any questions or are having diffi- culty programming your HomeLink® but-
tons, refer to the HomeLink® web site at:
www.homelink.com or call 1-800-355-
3515.PROGRAMMING HOMELINK® FOR
CANADIAN CUSTOMERS AND
GATE OPENERS
Canadian radio-frequency laws require transmit-
ter signals to “time-out” (or quit) after several
seconds of transmission – which may not be long
enough for HomeLink® to pick up the signal
during training. Similar to this Canadian law,
some U.S. gate operators are designed to “tim-
eout” in the same manner.
If you live in Canada or you are having difficulties
training a gate operator orgarage door opener
by using the “Training” procedures, replace
“Programming HomeLink®” Step 2with the fol-
lowing:
NOTE:
When programming a garage door opener,
etc., unplug the device during the “cycling”
process to prevent possible damage to the
garage door opener components.
1. See “Programing HomeLink®” step 1 earlier in this section.
2. Using both hands, simultaneously press and hold the desired HomeLink® button and the
hand-held transmitter button. During train-
ing, your hand-held transmitter may auto-
matically stop transmitting. Continue to press and hold the desired HomeLink® but-
ton while you press and re-press (“cycle”)
your hand-held transmitter every two sec-
onds until the frequency signal has been
learned. The HomeLink® indicator light will
flash slowly and then rapidly after several
seconds upon successful training. DO NOT
release until the HomeLink® indicator light
flashes slowly and then rapidly. When the
indicator light flashes rapidly, both buttons
may be released. The rapid flashing indi-
cates successful training.
Proceed with “Programming HomeLink®”
step 3 to complete.
If the device was unplugged during the pro-
gramming procedure, remember to plug it
back in when programming is completed.
OPERATING THE HOMELINK®
UNIVERSAL TRANSCEIVER
The HomeLink® Universal Transceiver, after it is
programmed, can be used to activate the pro-
grammed device. To operate, simply press and
release the appropriate programmed
HomeLink® Universal Transceiver button. The
amber indicator light will illuminate while the sig-
nal is being transmitted.
For convenience, the hand-held transmitter of the
device may also be used at any time.
Instruments and controls2-55

MEMORY STORAGE FUNCTION
Two positions for the driver’s seat, steering col-
umn, and outside mirrors can be stored in the
automatic drive positioner memory. Follow these
procedures to use the memory system.1. Set the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) shift selector to the P (Park) position.
2. Place the ignition in the ON position.
3. Adjust the driver’s seat, steering column, and outside mirrors to the desired positions
by manually operating each adjusting
switch. For additional information, see
“Seats” in the “Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system” section and
“Outside mirrors” in this section.
During this step, do not place the ignition
switch in any position other than ON.
4. Push the SET switch and, within 5 seconds, push the memory switch (1 or 2) .
The indicator light for the pushed memory
switch will come on and stay on for approxi-
mately 5 seconds after pushing the switch.
After the indicator light goes off, the se-
lected positions are stored in the selected
memory (1 or 2) .
If a new memory is stored in the same memory
switch, the previous memory will be deleted.Linking a keyfob to a stored memory
position
Each keyfob can be linked to a stored memory
position (memory switch 1 or 2) with the follow-
ing procedure. 1.
Follow the steps for storing a memory position.
2. While the indicator light for the memory switch being set is illuminated for 5 sec-
onds, press the
button on the keyfob.
The indicator light will blink. After the indica-
tor light goes off, the keyfob is linked to that
memory setting. With the ignition switch placed in the OFF posi-
tion, press the
button on the keyfob. The
driver’s seat and outside mirrors will move to the
memorized position.
NOTE:
If a new memory position is saved to the
memory switch, the keyfob automatically
re-links.
Confirming memory storage
● Place the ignition switch in the ON position
and push the SET switch. If the main memory
has not been stored, the indicator light will
come on for approximately 0.5 seconds.
When the memory has stored the position,
the indicator light will stay on for approxi-
mately 5 seconds.
● If the battery cable is disconnected, or if the
fuse opens, the memory storage function will
be canceled and must be restarted before a
stored memory position can be set again.
Drive the vehicle over 25 MPH (40 km/h) to
restart the memory storage function. You
can also restart the memory storage function
using the following procedure.
1. Connect the battery cable or replace the fuse.
LRS2009
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-29

NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as:1. Installation or extended use of electronic accessories that consume battery power
when the engine is not running (Phone char-
gers, GPS, DVD players, etc.)
2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/or only driven short distances. In these cases, the
battery may need to be charged to maintain
battery health.
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
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.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
LSD0238
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-12Starting and driving

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”. ●
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.
Starting and driving5-13

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.
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-
WSD0243
Starting and driving5-15

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. 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.
LSD0193
5-16Starting and driving

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.
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.
WSD0236
Starting and driving5-17

WARNING
●Never remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap when the engine is hot.
Wait until the engine and radiator cool
down. Serious burns could be caused
by high pressure fluid escaping from
the radiator. See precautions in “If your
vehicle overheats” found in the “In case
of emergency” section of this manual.
● The radiator is equipped with a pres-
sure type radiator cap. To prevent en-
gine damage, use only a genuine
NISSAN radiator cap.
CAUTION
● Never use any cooling system additives
such as radiator sealer. Additives may
clog the cooling system and cause
damage to the engine, transmission
and/or cooling system. ●
When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted
to provide antifreeze protection to -34°
F (-37° C) . If additional freeze protec-
tion is needed due to weather where
you operate your vehicle, add Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant
(blue) concentrate following the direc-
tions on the container. If an equivalent
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is
used, follow the coolant manufacturer’s
instructions to maintain minimum anti-
freeze protection to -34° F (-37° C) . The
use of other types of coolant solutions
other than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent
may damage the engine cooling
system. ●
The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 105,000 miles (168,000 km) or
7 years. Mixing any other type of cool-
ant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) , includ-
ing Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green) , or the use
of non-distilled water will reduce the
life expectancy of the factory-fill cool-
ant. Refer to the Nissan Service and
Maintenance Guide for more details.
8-8Maintenance and do-it-yourself

The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be slightly different. When refilling, follow the procedure
described in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section to determine the proper refill capacity.
Capacity (Approximate)Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
US measure Imp measure Liter
Fuel 20 gal16-5/8 gal 75.6 Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 91 AKI (RON 96) *1
Engine oil *7 Drain and RefillWith oil filter change 5-1/8 qt 4-1/4 qt 4.8
Engine oil with API Certification Mark *2, *3
Viscosity SAE 5W-30 *2, *3
Without oil filter change 4-3/4 qt 4 qt 4.5
Cooling system With reservoir 2-3/8 gal 2 gal 9.0Pre-diluted Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent
CVT fluid See a NISSAN dealer for service. Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2 *4
Power steering fluid (PSF) Refill to the proper level according to the instructions in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section. Genuine NISSAN PSF or equivalent.*8
Brake fluid Genuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid *5 or equivalent DOT 3
Multi-purpose grease —— —NLGI No. 2 (Lithium Soap base)
Air conditioning system refrigerant — ——HFC-134a (R-134a) *6
Air conditioning system oil —— —Genuine NISSAN A/C System Oil Type S or equivalent *6
Windshield-washer fluid 1-1/4 gal 1 gal4.5Genuine NISSAN Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Antifreeze or
equivalent
*1: For further details, see “Fuel recommendation” in this section.
*2: For further details, see “Engine oil and oil filter recommendation” in this section.
*3: NISSAN recommends Genuine NISSAN Ester Engine Oil available at a NISSAN dealer.
*4: Use only Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2. Using transmission fluid other than Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2 will damage the CVT, which is not covered by
the NISSAN new vehicle limited warranty.
*5: Available in mainland USA through a NISSAN dealer.
*6: For further details, see “Air conditioner system refrigerant and oil recommendations” in this section.
*7: For further details, see “Engine Oil” in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of this manual.
*8: DEXRON™ VI type ATF may also be used.
CAPACITIES AND RECOMMENDED
FUEL/LUBRICANTS
9-2Technical and consumer information