automatic transmission NISSAN PATHFINDER 2015 R52 / 4.G Owners Manual

Tow mode should be used when pulling a heavy
trailer or hauling a heavy load. Driving the vehicle
in the tow mode with no trailer/load or light
trailer/light load will not cause any damage. How-
ever, fuel economy may be reduced, and the
transmission/engine driving characteristics may
feel unusual.
Press the tow mode switch to activate tow mode.
The indicator light on the tow mode switch illumi-
nates when tow mode is selected. Press the tow
mode switch again to turn tow mode OFF.
Tow mode is automatically canceled when the
ignition switch is placed in the OFF position.For additional information, refer to “Tow mode” in
the “Technical and consumer information” in this
section.
12V OUTLETS
The power outlets are for powering electrical
accessories such as cellular telephones. They
are rated at 12 volt, 120W (10A) maximum.
The front and center console power outlets are
powered only when the ignition switch is in the
ACC or ON position.
LIC2878
Instrument Panel (2 outlets may be if so
equipped)
LIC2391
TOW MODE SWITCH POWER OUTLETS
Instruments and controls2-43

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) in
your vehicle is electronically controlled to pro-
duce maximum power and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for this
transmission are shown on the following pages.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
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 thefoot brake pedal before moving the shift
lever out of the P (Park) position.
This CVT is designed so that the foot
brake pedal must be depressed before
shifting from P (Park) to any driving
position while the ignition switch is in
the ON position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of
the other positions if the ignition
switch is placed in the LOCK, OFF or
ACC position. 2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and
move the shift lever to a driving position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal, and then gradually start the vehicle in
motion.
WARNING
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) , D (Drive) or L (Low)
position. Always depress the brake
pedal until shifting is completed. Fail-
ure 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.
● Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while vehicle is moving. Failure to do so
could cause you to lose control and
have an accident.
CAUTION
● When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. The foot
brake should be used for this purpose.
● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
● 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.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-15

Each time the engine is started, or when the shift
lever is shifted to any position other than D
(Drive) , the Overdrive off mode will be automati-
cally turned off.
Accelerator downshift
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into a lower gear, 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 temperatures 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-safesystem may be activated. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated. For additional information, refer
to “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” in the
“Instrument and controls” section of this
manual. 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 careful
when driving. If necessary, pull to the side
of the road at a safe place and allow the
transmission to return to normal opera-
tion, 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 lever 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
5-18Starting and driving

CAUTION
●NISSAN recommends using Genuine
NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 ONLY in
NISSAN CVTs. Do not mix with other
fluids.
● Do not use Automatic transmission
fluid (ATF) or Manual transmission fluid
in a NISSAN CVT, as it may damage the
CVT. Damage caused by the use of flu-
ids other than as recommended is not
covered under NISSAN’s New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
● Using fluids that are not equivalent to
Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 may
also damage the CVT. Damage caused
by the use of fluids other than as recom-
mended is not covered under NISSAN’s
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
When checking or replacement of CVT fluid is
required, we recommend your NISSAN dealer for
servicing. Check the fluid level in the reservoir.
The fluid level should be checked when the fluid
is cold at fluid temperatures of 32 to 86ºF (0 to
30ºC) . The fluid level can be checked with the
level gauge which is attached to the cap. To
check the fluid level, remove the cap. The fluid
level should be between the MAX
1and MIN2
lines.
If the fluid is below the MIN
2line, add Genuine
NISSAN E-PSF. Remove the cap and fill through
the opening.
CAUTION
● DO NOT OVERFILL.
● Use of a power steering fluid other than
Genuine NISSAN E-PSF will prevent the
power steering system from operating
properly.
● Power steering fluid is poisonous and
should be stored carefully in marked
containers out of the reach of children.
LDI2520
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) FLUID POWER STEERING FLUID
8-12Maintenance and do-it-yourself

●When making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.
● Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling.
Do the following if the trailer begins to sway: 1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to allow the vehicle to coast and steer as
straight ahead as the road conditions allow.
This combination will help stabilize the ve-
hicle.
– Do not correct trailer sway by steering or applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the brakes and pull to the side of the road in a
safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal- anced as described earlier in this section. ●
Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
● Use the Tow Mode or downshift the trans-
mission to a lower gear for engine braking
when driving down steep or long hills. This
will help slow the vehicle without applying
the brakes.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
● Increase your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
● NISSAN recommends that the cruise con-
trol not be used while towing a trailer.
● Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits. ●
Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after
50 miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
● When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
● Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, refer to
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” sec-
tion in this manual.
Tow mode
Using tow mode is recommended when pulling a
heavy trailer or hauling a heavy load. Press the
TOW MODE switch to activate tow mode. The
indicator light on the TOW MODE switch illumi-
nates when tow mode is selected. Press the
TOW MODE switch again to turn tow mode off.
Tow mode is automatically cancelled when the
ignition switch is turned OFF.
Technical and consumer information9-27

Brightness/contrastbutton ........4-9,4-18
Brightness controlInstrument panel ...............2-36
Bulb check/instrument panel ..........2-11
Bulb replacement ................8-26
C
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants . .9-2
Cargoareastoragebin.............2-51
Cargolight....................2-59
Cargo(Seevehicleloadinginformation)....9-13
Car phone or CB radio .............4-116
CD care and cleaning .............4-101
CD changer (See audio system) ........4-69
CD player (See audio system) ......4-75,4-82
Check tire pressure ...............2-27
Child restraints .......1-24,1-25,1-26,1-28
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren) System ..............1-28
Precautions on child
restraints.........1-26,1-33,1-39,1-45
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-31
Child restraint with top tether strap .......1-31
Child safety rear door lock ............3-7
Chimes, audible reminders ...........2-17
Cleaningexteriorandinterior........7-2,7-4
Clock set/adjustment ..............4-16
Clock setting
(models with Navigation System) ........4-10
Clock setting
(models without Navigation System) ....4-4,4-8
C.M.V.S.S. certification label ..........9-11
Cold weather driving ...............5-48
Compact disc (CD) player ........4-75,4-82 Console box
...................2-46
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) . . .5-15 Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid......................8-12
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) .............5-15
Control panel buttons ..............4-10
Brightness/contrast button ......4-9,4-18
Enterbutton...............4-4,4-10
Without navigation system ..........4-4
Controls Audio controls (steering wheel) ......4-102
Heater and air conditioner
controls................4-39,4-45
Coolant Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changingenginecoolant...........8-8
Checking engine coolant level ........8-8
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-5
Corrosion protection ...............7-6
Cruisecontrol ...........5-32,5-32,5-33
Cupholders...................2-48
D
Daytime running light system (Canada only) . .2-36
Defroster switch Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch.....................2-33
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) player .......4-84
Dimensionsandweights.............9-9
Dimmer switch for instrument panel ......2-36
Display controls
(seecontrolpanelbuttons) ........4-4,4-10 Door locks
.....................3-5
Drive belt .....................8-17
Drive positioner, Automatic ...........3-36
Driving Cold weather driving .............5-48
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) .............5-15
Precautions when starting and driving ....5-2
Driving the vehicle ................5-15
Dual head restraint DVD system .......4-104
E
Economy-fuel..................5-36
Emission control information label .......9-11
Emission control system warranty .......9-30
Engine Before
starting the engine ..........5-13
Blockheater.................5-49
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant ...........8-8
Changingengineoil.............8-10
Changing engine oil filter ..........8-11
Checking engine coolant level ........8-8
Checking engine oil level ...........8-9
Engine compartment check locations ....8-6
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-5
Engine cooling system ............8-7
Engineoil ...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . . .9-6
Engine oil pressure warning light ......2-12
Engine oil viscosity ..............9-6
Engine serial number ............9-11
Engine specifications .............9-8
10-2

Starting the engine.............5-14
Engine coolant temperature gauge .......2-5
Enterbutton.................4-4,4-10
Event data recorders ..............9-32
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) .........5-2
Explanation of maintenance items ........8-2
Extendedstorageswitch ............8-23
Eyeglass case ..................2-47
F
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher switch) . .6-2
Flat tire .......................6-3
Floor mat positioning aid .............7-5
Fluid Brake fluid ..................8-13
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid......................8-12
Engine coolant .................8-7
Engine oil ...................8-9
Power steering fluid .............8-12
Windshield-washerfluid...........8-13
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ...........9-11
Foglightswitch .................2-37
Front air bag system
(See supplemental restraint system) ......1-55
Front power seat adjustment ...........1-5
Frontseats.....................1-2
Fuel Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Fuel economy ................5-36
Fuel-filler door and cap ...........3-28 Fuel gauge
...................2-6
Fuel octane rating ...............9-5
Fuel recommendation .............9-4
Loose fuel cap warning ........2-28,3-29
Fuelgauge.....................2-6
Fuses.......................8-21
Fusiblelinks ...................8-22
G
Garage door opener, HomeLink® Universal
Transceiver .........2-60,2-61,2-62,2-63
Gascap .....................3-28
Gauge Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-5
Fuel gauge ...................2-6
Odometer ...................2-4
Speedometer .................2-4
Tachometer ..................2-5
Trip odometer .................2-4
General maintenance ...............8-2
Glovebox.....................2-46
Gloveboxlock..................2-46
H
Hands-free phone system,
Bluetooth®...............4- 116, 4-130
Hazard warning flasher switch ..........6-2
Headlight and turn signal switch ........2-33
Headlight control switch ............2-34
Headlights ....................8-25
Head restraints ..................1-12
Heated seats ............2-38,2-39,2-40 Heated steering wheel
.............2-41
Heater Heater and air conditioner
controls ................4-39,4-45
Heater operation ...........4-40,4-46
Hill descent control system ...........5-46
Hill start assist system ..............5-47
HomeLink® Universal
Transceiver .........2-60,2-61,2-62,2-63
Hood.......................3-22
Hook Luggage
hook................2-50
Horn .......................2-38
I
Ignition Switch Push-Button Ignition Switch ........5-10
Imageviewer...................4-19
Immobilizer system .........2-29,3-4,5-13
Important vehicle information label .......9-11
In-cabin microfilter ................8-18
Increasing fuel economy .............5-36
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders).................2-10,2-15
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror ........3-34
Inside mirror ...................3-33
Instrument brightness control ..........2-36
Instrumentpanel...............0-6,2-2
Instrument panel dimmer switch ........2-36
Intelligent Key system Key operating range ..............3-9
Key operation ................3-10
Mechanical key ................3-3
10-3