wheel NISSAN QASHQAI 2017 Owner´s Manual

AWD mode Wheels driven AWD LOCK indicator lightUse conditions
AUTODistribution of torque to the
front and rear wheels changes
automatically, depending on
road conditions encountered
[ratio; 100 : 0/?50 : 50].
This results in improved driv-
ing stability.*1-For driving on paved or
slippery roads
LOCK All-Wheel Drive (AWD) *2*3*
For driving on rough
roads
*1: When the rotation difference between the front
and rear wheels is large, the AWD mode may
change from AUTO to LOCK for a while,
however, this is not a malfunction.
*2: The LOCK mode will change to the AUTO mode
automatically when the vehicle has been driven
at a high speed. The AWD LOCK indicator light
turns off.
*3: The LOCK mode will automatically be cancelled
when the ignition switch is placed in the OFF
position.
.The AWD torque distribution between the
front and rear wheels can be displayed in the
vehicle information display. See “Vehicle
information display” (P.2-18) .
.If the AWD LOCK switch is operated while
accelerating or decelerating, or if the ignition
switch is turned off, you may feel a jolt. This
is normal.
.The oil temperature of the powertrain parts
will increase if the vehicle is continuously
operated under conditions where the differ-
ence in rotation between the front and rear
wheels is large (wheel slip) , such as when
driving the vehicle on rough roads, through
sand or mud, or freeing a stuck vehicle. In
these cases, the master warning light
illuminates and the AWD mode changes to
2WD to protect the powertrain parts. Stop
driving with the engine idling and wait until
the warning light turns off and the AWDreturns to the AUTO mode. If the warning
light remains on, have your vehicle checked
as soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
WARNING
.When driving straight, shift the AWD
LOCK switch to AUTO. Do not oper-
ate the AWD LOCK switch when
making a turn or backing up.
.Do not operate the AWD LOCK
switch with the front wheel spin-
ning.
.Engine idling speed is high while
warming up the engine. Be espe-
cially careful when starting or driv-
ing on slippery surfaces.
.When turning the vehicle in LOCK
mode on paved roads, you may feel
a braking effect. This is a normal
condition of the AWD model.
Starting and driving5-99

5-100Starting and driving
SSD0488
WARNING
.Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They
may ignite and cause a fire.
.Never leave the engine running
while the vehicle is unattended.
.Do not leave children unattended
inside the vehicle. They could un-
knowingly activate switches or con-
trols. Unattended children could
become involved in serious acci-dents.
.To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of
the vehicle and/or its systems, do
not leave children, people who re-
quire the assistance of others or
pets unattended in your vehicle.
Additionally, the temperature inside
a closed vehicle on a warm day can
quickly become high enough to
cause a significant risk of injury or
death to people and pets.
.Safe parking procedures require
that both the parking brake beapplied and the transmission placed
into P (Park) for Continuously Vari-
able Transmission (CVT) model or in
an appropriate gear for Manual
Transmission (MT) model. Failure
to do so could cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly or roll away and
result in an accident.
.Make sure the CVT shift lever has
been pushed as far forward as it can
go and cannot be moved without
depressing the foot brake pedal.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2.Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) models:
Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
Manual Transmission (MT) models:
Move the shift lever to the R (Reverse) gear.
When parking on an uphill grade, place the
shift lever in the 1st gear.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into
the street when parked on a sloping drive
way, it is a good practice to turn the wheels
as illustrated.
.HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:*1
Turn the wheels into the curb and move
the vehicle forward until the curb side
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS

wheel gently touches the curb.
.HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:*2
Turn the wheels away from the curb and
move the vehicle back until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.
.HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
*3
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away from
the center of the road if it moves.
4.Models with Intelligent Key system:
Place the ignition switch in the OFF position.
Models without Intelligent Key system:
Place the ignition switch in the LOCK
position and remove the key.
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.
.When the electric power steering
warning light illuminates with the
engine running, the power assist for
the steering will cease operation.
You will still have control of the
vehicle but the steering will be
harder to operate.
The electric power steering is designed to
provide power assist while driving to operate
the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated repeatedly
or continuously while parking or driving at a very
low speed, the power assist for the steering
wheel will be reduced. This is to prevent
overheating of the electric power steering and
protect it from getting damaged. While the
power assist is reduced, steering wheel opera-
tion will become heavy. When the temperature
of the electric power steering goes down, the
power assist level will return to normal. Avoid
repeating such steering wheel operations thatcould cause the electric power steering to
overheat.
You may hear a noise when the steering wheel is
operated quickly. However, this is not a mal-
function.
If the electric power steering warning light
illuminates while the engine is running, it may
indicate the electric power steering is not
functioning properly and may need servicing.
Have the electric power steering checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service. (See “Electric power steering
warning light” (P.2-12).)
When the electric power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running, the power
assist for the steering will cease operation. You
will still have control of the vehicle. However,
greater steering effort is needed, especially in
sharp turns and at low speeds.
The mode of the Power Steering can be
changed to:
.NORMAL
.SPORT
For more information, see “Vehicle information
display” (P.2-18) .
Starting and driving5-101
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING

5-102Starting and driving
BRAKING PRECAUTIONS
The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at two wheels.
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using engine
vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop the
vehicle by depressing the brake pedal. However,
greater foot pressure on the brake pedal will be
required to stop the vehicle and the stopping
distance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will cause overheating of the
brakes, wearing out the brake pads faster and
reduce gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may
reduce braking performance and could result in
loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
.While driving on a slippery surface,
be careful when braking, accelerat-ing or downshifting. Abrupt braking
or accelerating could cause the
wheels to skid and result in an
accident.
.If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
Braking will be harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result, your
braking distance will be longer and the vehicle
may pull to one side during braking.
To dry brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly tapping the brake pedal to heat-up
the brakes. Do this until the brakes return to
normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at high speeds
until the brakes function correctly.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever the
stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened
or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or
drums/rotors are replaced, in order to assure the
best braking performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
BRAKE ASSIST
When the force applied to the brake pedal
exceeds a certain level, the Brake Assist is
activated generating greater braking force than a
conventional brake booster even with light pedal
force.
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist
braking operation and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. It is the
driver’s responsibility to stay alert, drive
safely and be in control of the vehicle at
all times.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
WARNING
.The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
is a sophisticated device, but it
cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain
vehicle control during braking on
slippery surfaces. Remember that
stopping distances on slippery sur-
faces will be longer than on normal
BRAKE SYSTEM BRAKE ASSIST

surfaces even with ABS. Stopping
distances may also be longer on
rough, gravel or snow covered
roads, or if you are using tire chains.
Always maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Ultimately, the driver is responsible
for safety.
.Tire type and condition may also
affect braking effectiveness.
— When replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all four
wheels.
— When installing a spare tire,
make sure that it is the proper
size and type as specified on the
Tire and Loading Information
label. See“Tire and Loading
Information label”(P.10-10) of
this manual.
— For detailed information, see
“Wheels and tires”(P.8-29) of
this manual.
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) controls
the brakes so the wheels do not lock during hard
braking or when braking on slippery surfaces.
The system detects the rotation speed at eachwheel and varies the brake fluid pressure to
prevent each wheel from locking and sliding. By
preventing each wheel from locking, the system
helps the driver maintain steering control and
helps to minimize swerving and spinning on
slippery surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
Depress the brake pedal with firm steady
pressure, but do not pump the brakes. The
ABS will operate to prevent the wheels from
locking up. Steer the vehicle to avoid obstacles.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping dis-
tances.
Self-test feature
The ABS includes electronic sensors, electric
pumps, hydraulic solenoids and a computer. The
computer has a built-in diagnostic feature that
tests the system each time you start the engine
and move the vehicle at a low speed in forward
or reverse. When the self-test occurs, you may
hear a “clunk” noise and/or feel a pulsation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and does notindicate a malfunction. If the computer senses
a malfunction, it switches the ABS off and
illuminates the ABS warning light on the
instrument panel. The brake system then oper-
ates normally, but without anti-lock assistance.
If the ABS warning light illuminates during the
self-test or while driving, have the vehicle
checked. It is recommended you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
Normal operation
The ABS operates at speeds above 3 to 6 MPH
(5 to 10 km/h) . The speed varies according to
road conditions.
When the ABS senses that one or more wheels
are close to locking up, the actuator rapidly
applies and releases hydraulic pressure. This
action is similar to pumping the brakes very
quickly. You may feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal and hear a noise from under the hood or
feel a vibration from the actuator when it is
operating. This is normal and indicates that the
ABS is operating properly. However, the pulsa-
tion may indicate that road conditions are
hazardous and extra care is required while
driving.
Starting and driving5-103

5-104Starting and driving
The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system
uses various sensors to monitor driver inputs
and vehicle motion. Under certain driving con-
ditions, the VDC system helps to perform the
following functions.
.Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel
slip on one slipping drive wheel so power is
transferred to a non slipping drive wheel on
the same axle.
.Controls brake pressure and engine output
to reduce drive wheel slip based on vehicle
speed (traction control function) .
.Controls brake pressure at individual wheels
and engine output to help the driver maintain
control of the vehicle in the following
conditions:
— understeer (vehicle tends to not follow
the steered path despite increased
steering input)
— oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to
certain road or driving conditions) .
The VDC system can help the driver to maintain
control of the vehicle, but it cannot prevent loss
of vehicle control in all driving situations.
When the VDC system operates, the VDC
warning light
in the instrument panel flashes
so note the following:
.The road may be slippery or the system may
determine some action is required to helpkeep the vehicle on the steered path.
.You may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal
and hear a noise or vibration from under the
hood. This is normal and indicates that the
VDC system is working properly.
.Adjust your speed and driving to the road
conditions.
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the VDC
warning light
illuminates in the instrument
panel. The VDC system automatically turns off.
The VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the VDC
system. The VDC off indicator
illuminates to
indicate the VDC system is off. When the VDC
switch is used to turn off the system, the VDC
system still operates to prevent one drive wheel
from slipping by transferring power to a non
slipping drive wheel. The VDC warning light
flashes if this occurs. All other VDC functions
are off, and the VDC warning lightwill not
flash. The VDC system is automatically reset to
on when the ignition switch is placed in the off
position then back to the on position.
See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warning
light” (P.2-15) and “Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) off indicator light” (P.2-17).
The computer has a built-in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you start the
engine and move the vehicle forward or in
reverse at a slow speed. When the self-testoccurs, 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
improve driving stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed
and be especially careful when driv-
ing and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always 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 recom-
mended for your vehicle or are
extremely deteriorated, the VDC
system may not operate properly.
This could adversely affect vehicle
handling performance, and the VDC
warning light
may illuminate.
.If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are extre-
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM

mely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and the
VDC warning light
may illumi-
nate.
.If engine control related parts are
not NISSAN recommended or are
extremely deteriorated, the VDC
warning light
may illuminate.
.When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked
corners, the VDC system may not
operate properly and the VDC warn-
ing light
may illuminate. Do not
drive on these types of roads.
.When driving on an unstable sur-
face such as a turntable, ferry,
elevator or ramp, the VDC warning
light
may illuminate. This is not
a malfunction. Restart the engine
after driving onto a stable surface.
.If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not
operate properly and the VDC warn-
ing light
may illuminate..The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
Starting and driving5-105

5-106Starting and driving
The chassis control is an electric control module
that includes the following functions:
.Active Trace Control
.Active Engine Brake
.Active Ride Control
ACTIVE TRACE CONTROL
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 Active Trace Control can be set to ON
(enabled) or OFF (disabled) through the Vehicle
Information Display “Settings” page. See “Ve-
hicle information display” (P.2-18) for more
information.
When the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF
switch is used to turn off the VDC system, the
Active Trace Control is also turned off.
JVS0403X
When the Active Trace Control is operated and
the “Chassis Control” mode is selected in the
trip computer, the Active Trace Control graphics
are shown in the vehicle information display.
(See “Trip computer” (P.2-34).)
If the chassis control warning message appears
in the vehicle information display, it may indicate
that the Active Trace Control is not functioning
properly. Have the system checked as soon as
possible. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service. (See “Vehicle
information display warnings and indicators”
(P.2-28) .)
WARNING
The Active Trace Control may not be
effective depending on the driving con-
dition. Always drive carefully and atten-
tively.
When the Active Trace Control is operating, you
may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal and hear
a noise. This is normal and indicates that the
Active Trace Control is operating properly.
Even if the Active Trace Control is set to OFF,
some functions will remain on to assist the driver
(for example, avoidance scenes) .
CHASSIS CONTROL

5-108Starting and driving
ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL
This system senses upper body motion based
on wheel speed information and controls engine
torque and four wheel brake pressure to
enhance ride comfort in effort to restrain
uncomfortable upper body movement. This
system come into effect above 25 MPH (40
km/h) . When the VDC OFF switch is used to
turn off the VDC system, the Active Ride Control
is also turned off.
JVS0398X
When the brake control of the Active Ride
Control is operated and the “Chassis Control”
mode is selected in the trip computer, the Active
Ride Control graphics are shown in the vehicle
information display. See “Trip computer” (P.2-
34) for more information.
If the chassis control warning message appears
in the vehicle information display, it may indicate
that the Active Ride Control is not functioning
properly. Have the system checked as soon as
possible. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
When the Active Ride Control is operating, you
may hear noise and sense slight deceleration.
This is normal and indicates that the Active RideControl is operating properly.

5-110Starting and driving
FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
deicer through the key hole. If the lock becomes
frozen, heat the key before inserting it into the
key hole, or use the Intelligent Key system or the
remote keyless entry key fob.
ANTI-FREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
outside temperature will drop below 328F(08C) ,
check the anti-freeze to assure proper winter
protection. For additional information, see “En-
gine cooling system” (P.8-4) .
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the battery
fluid may freeze and damage the battery. To
maintain maximum efficiency, the battery should
be checked regularly. For additional information,
see “Battery” (P.8-11) .
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be left outside without anti-
freeze, drain the cooling system, including the
engine block. Refill before operating the vehicle.
For details, see “Engine cooling system” (P.8-4) .
TIRE EQUIPMENT
SUMMER tires have a tread designed to provide
superior performance on dry pavement. How-
ever, the performance of these tires will be
substantially reduced in snowy and icy condi-
tions. If you operate your vehicle on snowy or icy
roads, NISSAN recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON tires on all four wheels.
It is recommended you consult a NISSAN dealer
for the tire type, size, speed rating and
availability information.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some U.S. states
and Canadian provinces prohibit their use.
Check local, state and provincial laws before
installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires.
Tire chains may be used. For details, see “Tire
chains” (P.8-36) of this manual.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) model
If you install snow tires, they must also be the
same size, brand, construction and tread pattern
on all four wheels.
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 sturdy, flat board to be placed under the
jack to give it firm support.
.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 (328F, 08C 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 condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shifting too fast, the drive wheels
will lose even more traction.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING