cvt NISSAN MAXIMA 2021 Owner´s Manual

Operation
The MIL will come on in one of two ways:
• MIL on steady — An emission control sys-tem malfunction has been detected.
Check the fuel-filler cap if the Loose Fuel
Cap warning appears in the vehicle infor-
mation display. If the fuel-filler cap is loose
or missing, tighten or install the cap and
continue to drive the vehicle. The
light should turn off af ter a few driving
trips. If thelight does not turn off
af ter a few driving trips, have the vehicle
inspected. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service. You
do not need to have your vehicle towed
to the dealer.
• MIL blinking — An engine misfire has been detected which may damage the emis-
sion control system. To reduce or avoid
emission control system damage:– do not drive at speeds above 45 mph (72 km/h).
– avoid hard acceleration or deceleration.
– avoid steep uphill grades.
– if possible, reduce the amount of cargo being hauled or towed. The MIL may stop blinking and come on
steady. Have the vehicle inspected. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service. You do not need to have
your vehicle towed to the dealer.
CAUTION
Continued vehicle operation without
having the emission control system
checked and repaired as necessary
could lead to poor driveability, reduced
fuel economy, and possible damage to
the emission control system.
Master warning light
The master warning light illuminates
whenever there is an active warning that
can be reviewed in the “warnings review”
content page in the meter, or if there is a
red-level warning being displayed (which
cannot be dismissed). The master warning
light will illuminate red if a red-level warning
is being displayed, or yellow otherwise.
• Push Engine Start Lock Warning
• No Key Detected
• Incorrect Key
• Door/Trunk Open (vehicle stationary)
• Trunk Open (vehicle moving) • Low Washer Fluid
• I-Key System Fault
• Low Tire Pressure
• CVT Warning
• Sonar Parking Sensor Error
• Chassis Control warning (if so equipped)
• Loose Fuel Cap warning
• Traffic Sign Recognition system fault (see
owner’s manual) (if so equipped)
• Driver Attention Alert system fault (if so equipped)
For additional information, see “Vehicle in-
formation display” (P. 2-17).Power steering warning
light
WARNING
• If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the steering will not work.
Steering will be harder to operate.
2-14Instruments and controls

Transmission Shif t Position
indicator
This indicator shows the transmission shif t
position.
CVT Error: See Owner's
Manual
This warning appears when there is a
problem with the CVT system. If this warn-
ing appears, have the system checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB) emergency
warning indicator
This indicator appears along, with an au-
dible warning, when the system detects
the possibility of a forward collision.
For additional information, see “Automatic
Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian
Detection” (P. 5-85).
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)
and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
(RCTA) indicator
This indicator appears when the BSW and
RCTA systems are engaged.For additional information, see “Blind Spot
Warning (BSW)” (P. 5-36) and “Rear Cross
Traffic Alert (RCTA)” (P. 5-45).
Chassis Control System Error: See
Owner’s Manual
This warning appears if the Integrated
Dynamics-control Module detects an error
in the Intelligent Trace Control, Intelligent
Engine Brake, or the Active Ride Control
systems. Have the system checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. For additional infor-
mation, see “Integrated Dynamics-control
Module” (P. 5-115).
Cruise control indicator
This indicator shows the cruise control sys-
tem status.
When cruise control is activated, a green
circle will appear to indicate it is set. The
vehicle information display will also display
the speed the cruise control was set at. If
you accelerate past the set speed, the
speed will blink until you either cancel
cruise control or go back to the set speed. If
cruise control is on and canceled, the
speed will be displayed to show the speed
the vehicle will return to if the resume but-
ton is activated.
Cruise ON
This message appears if thecruise
control switch on the steering wheel is
pressed and Cruise Control Alerts are en-
abled in the vehicle information display.
For additional information, see “Cruise con-
trol” (P. 5-54).
Cruise Target Speed SET
This message will appear if the Cruise Con-
trol system is on when the SET switch is
pushed and the Cruise Control Alerts are
enabled.
For additional information, see “Cruise con-
trol” (P. 5-54).
Currently Unavailable
This message appears when the Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) system is turned
off. The Intelligent Lane Intervention (I-LI)
system will be turned off automatically. For
additional information, see “Vehicle Dy-
namic Control (VDC)” (P. 5-113) and “Intelli-
gent Lane Intervention (I-LI)” (P. 5-30).
Driver Attention Alert -
TakeaBreak?
This alert appears when the system has
detected that the driver may be displaying
fatigue or a lack of attention.
2-30Instruments and controls

5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving..........5-4
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ..............5-4
Three-way catalyst ...........................5-4
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) .......................................5-5
Avoiding collision and rollover ................5-8
Off-roadrecovery ............................5-9
Rapid air pressure loss .......................5-9
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ..........5-10
Push-button ignition switch ....................5-10
Operating range ............................. 5-11
Push-button ignition switch positions .......5-12
Emergency engine shut off ..................5-13
NISSAN Intelligent Key® battery
discharge ................................... 5-13
NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System .........5-14
Before starting the engine .....................5-14
Starting the engine ............................. 5-14
Remote Engine Start ........................ 5-15
Driving the vehicle .............................. 5-16
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) ........................................ 5-16
Parking brake .................................. 5-21
Drive Mode Selector ............................ 5-21
Normal mode ............................... 5-22
Sport mode ................................. 5-22Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) (if so equipped) . . . 5-22
System operation ........................... 5-23
Turning the Traffic Sign Recognition
(TSR) system on and off .....................5-24
System temporarily unavailable .............5-24
System malfunction ......................... 5-24
System maintenance .......................5-24
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) .................5-25
LDW system operation ......................5-26
How to enable/disable the LDW system .....5-27
LDW system limitations .....................5-28
System temporarily unavailable .............5-29
System malfunction ......................... 5-29
System maintenance .......................5-29
Intelligent Lane Intervention (I-LI)
(if so equipped) ................................. 5-30
I-LI system operation ........................
5-31
How

to enable/disable the I-LI system ......5-32
I-LI system limitations .......................5-33
System temporarily unavailable .............5-34
System malfunction ......................... 5-35
System maintenance .......................5-35
Blind Spot Warning (BSW) .......................5-36
BSW system operation ......................5-37
How to enable/disable the BSW system .....5-38
BSW system limitations .....................5-39

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shif t mode). Always depress
the brake pedal until shif ting is com-
pleted. Failure to do so could cause
you to lose control and have an acci-
dent. It can also damage the vehicle. •
Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
• Never shif t to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is
reversing. This could cause an acci-
dent or damage the transmission.
CAUTION
• Except in an emergency, do not shif t
to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission
in the N (Neutral) position may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
• To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on
an uphill grade, do not hold the ve-
hicle by depressing the accelerator
pedal. The foot brake should be used
for this purpose. The CVT in your vehicle is electronically
controlled to produce maximum power
and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures
for this transmission are shown on the fol-
lowing pages. Follow these procedures for
maximum vehicle performance and driv-
ing 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. Af ter starting the engine, fully depress
the foot brake pedal before moving the
shif t lever out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shif t lever into a driving
gear.
3. Release the parking brake and the foot brake pedal, then gradually start the ve-
hicle in motion.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before shif t- ing the shif t lever to the P (Park) position.
LSD2354
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-16Starting and driving

•When this situation occurs, the Con-
tinuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
position indicator light will blink and
the chime will sound.
• In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may shif t 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 shif ts down and
shif ts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
• CVT operation is limited to automatic drive mode when CVT fluid temperature
is extremely low even if manual shif t
mode is selected. This is not a malfunc-
tion. When CVT fluid warms up, manual
mode can be selected.
• When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shif t range may upshif t in lower rpm
than usual. This is not a malfunction.
Accelerator downshif t
— in D (Drive) position and manual
shif t mode
For passing or hill climbing, depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shif ts
the transmission down into lower range,
depending on the vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tem-
perature protection mode. If the fluid tem-
perature becomes too high (for example,
when climbing steep grades in high tem-
peratures with heavy loads, such as when
towing a trailer), engine power and, under
some conditions, vehicle speed will be de-
creased automatically to reduce the
chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelera-
tor pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed
may be limited.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
may come on to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. For additional infor-
mation, see “Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL)” (P. 2-13). This will occur even if all
electrical circuits are functioning prop-
erly. In this case, place the ignition switch
in the OFF position and wait for 10 sec-
onds. Then place the ignition switch
back in the ON position. The vehicle should return to its normal operating
condition. If it does not return to its nor-
mal operating condition, have the trans-
mission checked and repaired, if neces-
sary. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection mode or fail-safe operation oc-
curs, vehicle speed may be gradually
reduced. The reduced speed may be
lower than other traffic, which could in-
crease the chance of a collision. Be es-
pecially careful when driving. If neces-
sary, pull to the side of the road at a safe
place and allow the transmission to re-
turn to normal operation, or have it re-
paired if necessary.
5-20Starting and driving

•If engine control related parts are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the
indi-
cator light may illuminate.
• When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash. Do not drive on these
types of roads.
• When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash. This is not a malfunction. Re-
start the engine af ter driving onto a
stable surface.
• If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road. The Integrated Dynamics-control Module
is an electric control module that includes
the following functions:
• Intelligent Trace Control
• Intelligent Engine Brake
• Active Ride Control
INTELLIGENT TRACE CONTROL
(I-TC)
This system senses driving based on the
driver’s steering and acceleration/braking
patterns, and controls brake pressure at
individual wheels to aid tracing at corners
and help smooth vehicle response.
The I–TC can be set to ON (enabled) or OFF
(disabled) through the vehicle information
display “Settings” page. For additional infor-
mation, see “Vehicle information display”
(P. 2-17).
When the VDC OFF switch is used to turn off
the VDC system, the I–TC is also turned off.
If the Chassis Control System Error warn-
ing message appears in the vehicle infor-
mation display, it may indicate that the I–TC
is not functioning properly. Have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
WARNING
The I–TC may not be effective depend-
ing on the driving condition. Always
drive carefully and attentively.
When the I–TC is operating, you may feel a
pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a
noise. This is normal and indicates that the
I–TC is operating properly.
Even if the I–TC is set to OFF, some func-
tions will remain on to assist the driver (for
example, avoidance scenes).
INTELLIGENT ENGINE BRAKE (I-EB)
The I–EB function adds subtle deceleration
by controlling the Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) gear ratio, depending
on the cornering condition calculated from
the driver's steering input and plural sen-
sors. This benefit is for easier traceability
and less workload of adjusting speed with
braking at corners.
The I–EB also enhances braking feel by
adding subtle deceleration with the CVT
gear ratio control according to the driver's
brake pedal operation.
INTEGRATED DYNAMICS-CONTROL
MODULE
Starting and driving5-115

CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below:
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road andaway from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking brake. Move the shif t lever to P
(Park).
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to signal professional road assistance
personnel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the ve- hicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
• Make sure the parking brake is se-
curely applied and the Continuously
Variable Transmission (CVT) is
shif ted into P (Park).
• Never change tires when the vehicle
is on a slope, ice or slippery areas.
This is hazardous.
• Never change tires if oncoming traf-
fic is close to your vehicle. Wait for
professional road assistance.
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocks at both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the
flat tire to prevent the vehicle from moving
when it is jacked up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the ve-
hicle may move and result in personal
injury.
LCE2142
A. Blocks
B. Flat tire
6-4In case of emergency

CAUTION
• Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) models cannot be push-
started or tow-started. Attempting
to do so may cause transmission
damage.
• Do not push start this vehicle. The
three-way catalyst may be
damaged. If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by
an extremely high temperature gauge
reading) or if you feel a lack of engine
power, detect abnormal noise, etc., take the
following steps.
WARNING
• Do not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could cause
engine damage or a vehicle fire.
• To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the radia-
tor cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
• Do not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, ap- ply the parking brake and move the shif t
lever to P (Park).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed. 3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator before opening the hood. (If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off
the engine.) Do not open the hood fur-
ther until no steam or coolant can be
seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5. Visually check drive belts for damage or looseness. Also check if the cooling fan
is running. The radiator hoses and radia-
tor should not leak water. If coolant is
leaking, the water pump belt is missing
or loose, or the cooling fan does not run,
stop the engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into con-
tact with, or get caught in, engine belts
or the engine cooling fan. The engine
cooling fan can start at any time.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-11

Two-Wheel Drive models with
Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT)
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flatbed
truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
• Never tow CVT models with the front
wheels on the ground or four wheels
on the ground (forward or back-
ward), as this may cause serious and
expensive damage to the transmis-
sion. If it is necessary to tow the ve-
hicle with the rear wheels raised al-
ways use towing dollies under the
front wheels.
• When towing CVT models with the
rear wheels on the ground or on tow-
ing dollies: –
Place the ignition switch in the
OFF position, and secure the
steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a rope or similar de-
vice. Never secure the steering
wheel by placing the ignition
switch in the LOCK position. This
may damage the steering lock
mechanism (for models with a
steering lock mechanism).
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a
stuck vehicle)
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
• Contact a professional towing ser-
vice to recover the vehicle if you have
any questions regarding the recov-
ery procedure.
• Tow chains or cables must be at-
tached only to main structural mem-
bers of the vehicle.
• Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to
tow or free a stuck vehicle.LCE2369
In case of emergency6-13

8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions.......................8-2
Engine compartment check locations ...........8-3
Engine cooling system ..........................8-4
Checking engine coolant level ................8-5
Changing engine coolant ....................8-5
Engine oil .......................................8-6
Checking engine oil level .....................8-6
Changing engine oil and oil filter ..............8-6
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid ............................................ 8-10
Power Steering Fluid (PSF) .......................8-11
Brake fluid ....................................... 8-11
Windshield-washer fluid ........................8-12
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ...........8-12
Battery......................................... 8-13
Jump starting ............................... 8-15
Drive belt ....................................... 8-15
Spark plugs .................................... 8-16
Replacing spark plugs .......................8-16
Air cleaner ..................................... 8-16
In-cabin microfilter .......................... 8-17Windshield wiper blades
........................8-17
Cleaning .................................... 8-17
Replacing ................................... 8-17
Brakes ......................................... 8-18
Fuses .......................................... 8-19
Engine compartment ....................... 8-19
Passenger compartment ...................8-20
Battery replacement ........................... 8-21
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ......................8-22
Lights .......................................... 8-23
Headlights .................................. 8-23
Front park/turn signal/side marker
light ......................................... 8-23
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-23
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-24
Wheels and tires ............................... 8-26
Tire pressure ................................ 8-26
Tire labeling .................................
8-30
T

ypes of tires ................................ 8-33
Tire chains .................................. 8-34
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-34