NISSAN ROGUE 2008 1.G Owners Manual

Black plate (16,1)
5 Starting and driving
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 25
Precautions when starting and driving..................... 5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ......................... 5-2
Three-way catalyst .......................................... 5-2
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ............. 5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ........................... 5-5
On-pavement and off-road driving precautions ...... 5-5
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ...................... 5-6
Driving safety precautions ................................ 5-6
Ignition switch ................................................... 5-8
Intelligent Key system (if so equipped) ................ 5-8
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) .......... 5-10
Steering lock ............................................... 5-10
Key positions .............................................. 5-10
Before starting the engine .................................. 5-11
Starting the engine ........................................... 5-11
Driving the vehicle ............................................ 5-12
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) .......... 5-12
Parking brake .................................................. 5-17
Cruise control ................................................. 5-18
Precautions on cruise control .......................... 5-18
Cruise control operations ............................... 5-19 Break-in schedule
............................................ 5-20
Increasing fuel economy .................................... 5-20
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) (if so equipped) ................ 5-21
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) lock switch operations .... 5-21
AWD warning light ....................................... 5-23
Parking/parking on hills ...................................... 5-24
Electric power steering system ............................ 5-25
Brake system .................................................. 5-25
Braking precautions ...................................... 5-25
Parking brake break-in ................................... 5-26
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ...................... 5-26
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system ................. 5-27
Cold weather driving ......................................... 5-29
Freeing a frozen door lock .............................. 5-29
Anti-freeze .................................................. 5-29
Battery ...................................................... 5-29
Draining of coolant water ............................... 5-29
Tire equipment ............................................ 5-29
Special winter equipment ............................... 5-29
Driving on SNOW or ice ................................ 5-29
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ................. 5-30

Black plate (186,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
WARNING
.Do not leave children or adults who
would normally require the support
of others alone in your vehicle. Pets
should not be left alone either. They
could accidentally injure themselves
or others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on hot,
sunny days, temperatures in a
closed vehicle could quickly become
high enough to cause severe or
possibly fatal injuries to people or
animals.
.Properly secure all cargo with ropes
or straps to help prevent it from
sliding or shifting. Do not place
cargo higher than the seatbacks. In
a sudden stop or collision, unse-
cured cargo could cause personal
injury.EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)
WARNING
.Do not breathe exhaust gases; they
contain colorless and odorless car-
bon monoxide. Carbon monoxide isdangerous. It can cause uncon-
sciousness or death.
.If you suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering the vehicle, drive with
all windows fully open, and have the
vehicle inspected immediately.
.Do not run the engine in closed
spaces such as a garage.
.Do not park the vehicle with the
engine running for any extended
length of time.
.Keep the lift gate closed while
driving, otherwise exhaust gases
could be drawn into the passenger
compartment. If you must drive with
the lift gate open, follow these
precautions:
1. Open all the windows.
2. Set the
air recirculation to off
and the fan control to high to
circulate the air.
.If electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass to a trailer
through the seal on the lift gate or
the body, follow the manufacturer’s
recommendation to prevent carbon
monoxide entry into the vehicle..If a special body, camper or other
equipment is added for recreational
or other usage, follow the manufac-
turer’s recommendation to prevent
carbon monoxide entry into the
vehicle. (Some recreational vehicle
appliances such as stoves, refrig-
erators, heaters, etc. may also gen-
erate carbon monoxide.)
.The exhaust system and body
should be inspected by a qualified
mechanic whenever:
— The vehicle is raised for service.
— You suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering into the passenger
compartment.
— You notice a change in the
sound of the exhaust system.
— You have had an accident invol-
ving damage to the exhaust
system, underbody, or rear of
the vehicle.
THREE-WAY CATALYSTThe three-way catalyst is an emission control
device installed in the exhaust system. Exhaust
gases in the three-way catalyst are burned at
high temperatures to help reduce pollutants.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING
AND DRIVING5-2
Starting and driving

Black plate (187,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
WARNING
.The exhaust gas and the exhaust
system are very hot. Keep people,
animals or flammable materials
away from the exhaust system com-
ponents.
.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.
CAUTION
.Do not use leaded gasoline. Depos-
its from leaded gasoline will ser-
iously reduce the three-way
catalyst’s ability to help reduce ex-
haust pollutants.
.Keep your engine tuned up. Mal-
functions in the ignition, fuel injec-
tion, or electrical systems can cause
overrich fuel flow into the three-way
catalyst, causing it to overheat. Do
not keep driving if the engine mis-
fires, or if noticeable loss of perfor-
mance or other unusual operating
conditions are detected. Have thevehicle inspected promptly by a
NISSAN dealer.
.Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, dama-
ging the three-way catalyst.
.Do not race the engine while warm-
ing it up.
.Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYS-
TEM (TPMS)Each tire, including the spare (if provided) ,
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the proper
tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon aspossible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low
tire pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi-
mately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction indi-
cator is illuminated, the system may not be able
to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle
that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale
after replacing one or more tires or wheels on
your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
Starting and driving
5-3

Black plate (188,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to
continue to function properly.Additional information.The TPMS does not monitor the tire
pressure of the spare tire.
.The TPMS will activate only when the
vehicle is driven at speeds above 16 MPH
(25 km/h) . Also, this system may not detect
a sudden drop in tire pressure (for example a
flat tire while driving) .
.The low tire pressure warning light does not
automatically turn off when the tire pressure
is adjusted. After the tire is inflated to the
recommended pressure, the vehicle must be
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h)
to activate the TPMS and turn off the low tire
pressure warning light. Use a tire pressure
gauge to check the tire pressure.
.Tire pressure rises and falls depending on
the heat caused by the vehicle’s operation
and the outside temperature. Low outside
temperature can lower the temperature of
the air inside the tire which can cause a
lower tire inflation pressure. This may cause
the low tire pressure warning light to
illuminate. If the warning light illuminates in
low ambient temperature, check the tire
pressure for all four tires.
For additional information, see “Low tire pres-sure warning light” in the “2. Instruments and
controls” section and “TIRE PRESSURE MON-
ITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)” in the “6. In case of
emergency” section.
WARNING
.If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull
off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possi-
ble. Driving with under-inflated tires
may permanently damage the tires
and increase the likelihood of tire
failure. Serious vehicle damage
could occur and may lead to an
accident and could result in serious
personal injury. Check the tire pres-
sure for all four tires. Adjust the tire
pressure to the recommended COLD
tire pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light
OFF. If you have a flat tire, replace it
with a spare tire as soon as possi-
ble. (See “FLAT TIRE” in the “6. In
case of emergency” section for
changing a flat tire.).When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel is replaced, the TPMS will not
function and the low tire pressure
warning light will flash for approxi-
mately 1 minute. The light will
remain on after 1 minute. Contact
your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/
or system resetting.
.Replacing tires with those not ori-
ginally specified by NISSAN could
affect the proper operation of the
TPMS.
.Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,
as this may cause a malfunction of
the tire pressure sensors.
CAUTION
.The TPMS may not function properly
when the wheels are equipped with
tire chains or the wheels are buried
in snow.
.Do not place metalized film or any
metal parts (antenna, etc.) on the
windows. This may cause poor re-
ception of the signals from the tire
5-4
Starting and driving

Black plate (189,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
pressure sensors, and the TPMS will
not function properly.
Some devices and transmitters may temporarily
interfere with the operation of the TPMS and
cause the low tire pressure warning light to
illuminate. Some examples are:
.Facilities or electric devices using similar
radio frequencies are near the vehicle.
.If a transmitter set to similar frequencies is
being used in or near the vehicle.
.If a computer (or similar equipment) or a DC/
AC converter is being used in or near the
vehicle.
FCC Notice:
Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules and RSS-210 of Industry Cana-
da.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause un-
desired operation of the device.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND ROLL-
OVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss
of control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey
all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive speed,
high speed cornering, or sudden steering
maneuvers, because these driving practices
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
As with any vehicle, a loss of control could
result in a collision with other vehicles or
objects, or cause the vehicle to rollover,
particularly if the loss of control causes the
vehicle to slide sideways.Be attentive at all
times, and avoid driving when tired. Never drive
when under the influence of alcohol or drugs
(including prescription or over-the-counter
drugs which may cause drowsiness) . Always
wear your seat belt as outlined in the “SEAT
BELTS” in the “1. Safety — Seats, seat belts and
supplemental restraint system” section of this
manual, and also instruct your passengers to do
so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in
collisions and rollovers.In a rollover crash, an
unbelted or improperly belted person issignificantly more likely to be injured or
killed than a person properly wearing a
seat belt.
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD
DRIVING PRECAUTIONSUtility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
They have higher ground clearance than pas-
senger cars to make them capable of performing
in a variety of on-pavement and off-road
applications. This gives them a higher center of
gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of
higher ground clearance is a better view of the
road, allowing you to anticipate problems.
However, they are not designed for cornering
at the same speeds as conventional passenger
cars any more than low-slung sports cars are
designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road
conditions. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers, particularly at high speeds.
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to
operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss
of control or vehicle rollover. Seat belts help
reduce the risk of injury in collisions and
rollovers. In a rollover crash, an unbelted or
improperly belted person is significantly more
likely to be injured or killed than a person
properly wearing a seat belt.
Be sure to read “DRIVING SAFETY PRECAU-
TIONS” later in this section.
Starting and driving
5-5

Black plate (190,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of
alcohol or drugs. Alcohol in the blood-
stream reduces coordination, delays
reaction time and impairs judgement.
Driving after drinking alcohol increases
the likelihood of being involved in an
accident injuring yourself and others.
Additionally, if you are injured in an
accident, alcohol can increase the se-
verity of the injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. However,
you must choose not to drive under the influence
of alcohol. Every year thousands of people are
injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents.
Although the local laws vary on what is
considered to be legally intoxicated, the fact is
that alcohol affects all people differently and
most people underestimate the effects of
alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix! And
that is true for drugs, too (over-the-counter,
prescription, and illegal drugs) . Don’t drive if
your ability to operate your vehicle is impaired by
alcohol, drugs, or some other physical condition.
DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONSYour NISSAN is designed for both normal and
off-road use. However, avoid driving in deep
water or mud as your NISSAN is mainly
designed for leisure use, unlike a conventional
off-road vehicle.
Remember that Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) mod-
els are less capable than All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) models for rough road driving and
extrication when stuck in deep snow, mud, or
the like.
Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
.Drive carefully when off the road
and avoid dangerous areas. Every
person who drives or rides in this
vehicle should be seated with their
seat belt fastened. This will keep
you and your passengers in position
when driving over rough terrain.
.Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead drive either straight up or
straight down the slopes. Off-road
vehicles can tip over sideways much
more easily than they can forward or
backward.
.Many hills are too steep for anyvehicle. If you drive up them, you
may stall. If you drive down them,
you may not be able to control your
speed. If you drive across them, you
may roll over.
.Do not shift ranges while driving on
downhill grades as this could cause
loss of control of the vehicle.
.Stay alert when driving to the top of
a hill. At the top there could be a
drop-off or other hazard that could
cause an accident.
.If your engine stalls or you cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill,
never attempt to turn around. Your
vehicle could tip or roll over. Always
back straight down in R (Reverse)
range. Never back down in N (Neu-
tral) , using only the brake, as this
could cause loss of control.
.Heavy braking going down a hill
could cause your brakes to overheat
and fade, resulting in loss of control
and an accident. Apply brakes
lightly and use a low range to
control your speed.
.Unsecured cargo can be thrown
around when driving over rough
5-6
Starting and driving

Black plate (191,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
terrain. Properly secure all cargo so
it will not be thrown forward and
cause injury to you or your passen-
gers.
.To avoid raising the center of gravity
excessively, do not exceed the rated
capacityoftheroofrack(ifso
equipped) and evenly distribute the
load. Secure heavy loads in the
cargo area as far forward and as
low as possible. Do not equip the
vehicle with tires larger than speci-
fied in this manual. This could cause
your vehicle to roll over.
.Do not grip the inside or spokes of
the steering wheel when driving off-
road. The steering wheel could
move suddenly and injure your
hands. Instead drive with your fin-
gers and thumbs on the outside of
the rim.
.Before operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers
have their seat belts fastened.
.Always drive with the floor mats in
place as the floor may became hot.
.Lower your speed when encounter-
ing strong crosswinds. With a highercenter of gravity, your NISSAN is
more affected by strong side winds.
Slower speeds ensure better vehicle
control.
.Do not drive beyond the perfor-
mance capability of the tires, even
with AWD engaged.
.For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with
the engine running. Doing so may
result in drivetrain damage or un-
expected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle da-
mage or personal injury.
.Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dy-
namometer (such as the dynam-
ometers used by some states for
emissions testing) , or similar equip-
ment even if the other two wheels
are raised off the ground. Make sure
you inform test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with
AWDbeforeitisplacedona
dynamometer. Using the wrong test
equipment may result in drivetrain
damage or unexpected vehiclemovement which could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
.When a wheel is off the ground due
to an unlevel surface, do not spin
the wheel excessively. (AWD mod-
els)
.Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.
.If at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high
speeds. Your vehicle has a higher
center of gravity than a conventional
passenger car. The vehicle is not
designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional passenger
cars. Failure to operate this vehicle
correctly could result in loss of
control and/or a rollover accident.
.Always use tires of the same type,
size, brand, construction (bias, bias-
belted or radial) , and tread pattern
on all four wheels. Install traction
devices on the front wheels when
driving on slippery roads and drive
carefully.
.Be sure to check the brakes imme-
Starting and driving
5-7

Black plate (192,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
diately after driving in mud or water.
See “BRAKE SYSTEM” later in this
section for wet brakes.
.Avoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle
and it rolls forward, backward or
sideways, you could be injured.
.Whenever you drive off-road
through sand, mud or water as deep
as the wheel hub, more frequent
maintenance may be required. See
the maintenance information in the
“NISSAN Service and Maintenance
Guide”.
.Spinning the front wheels on slip-
pery surfaces may cause the AWD
warning light to flash and the AWD
system to automatically switch from
the AWD mode to the 2WD mode.
This could reduce traction. Be espe-
cially careful when towing a trailer.
(AWD models)
SSD0669
INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM (if so
equipped)The Intelligent Key system can operate the
ignition switch without taking the key out from
your pocket or purse. The operating environment
and/or conditions may affect the Intelligent Key
system operation.
CAUTION
.Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key
with you when operating the vehi-
cle.
.Never leave the Intelligent Key in-
side the vehicle when you leave thevehicle.
.If the vehicle battery is discharged,
the ignition switch cannot be moved
from the LOCK position and if the
steering lock is engaged, the steer-
ing wheel cannot be moved. Charge
the battery as soon as possible. See
“JUMP STARTING” in the “6. In case
of emergency” section.IGNITION SWITCH
5-8
Starting and driving

Black plate (193,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
SSD0436
Operating rangeThe Intelligent Key functions can only be used
for starting the engine when the Intelligent Key is
within the specified operating range
*1.
When the Intelligent Key battery is almost
discharged or strong radio waves are present
near the operating location, the Intelligent Key
system’s operating range becomes narrower
and may not function properly.
If the Intelligent Key is within the operating
range, it is possible for anyone, even someone
who does not carry the Intelligent Key, to turn
the ignition switch to start the engine.
.The cargo area is not included in theoperating range, but the Intelligent Key may
function.
.If the Intelligent Key is placed on the
instrument panel, inside the glove box or
door pocket, the Intelligent Key may not
function.
.If the Intelligent Key is placed near the door
or window outside the vehicle, the Intelligent
Key may function.
SSD0392
Without Intelligent Key system
SSD0437A
With Intelligent Key system
Starting and driving
5-9

Black plate (194,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANS-
MISSION (CVT)The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch cannot be turned to the LOCK position
until the selector lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
.When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, make sure that the selector
lever is in the P (Park) position.
.When removing the key from the ignition
switch (if it is inserted) , make sure that the
selector lever is in the P (Park) position.
When the ignition switch cannot be turned to
the LOCK position:
1. Move the selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
2. Turn the ignition switch slightly in the ON
direction.
3. TurntheignitionswitchtotheLOCK
position.
4. Remove the key, if it is inserted in the ignition
switch.
If the ignition switch is turned to the LOCK
position, the selector lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position. The selector lever can
be moved if the ignition switch is in the ON
position with the foot brake pedal depressed.The OFF position
*1
is between the LOCK and
ACC positions, although it is not marked on the
ignition switch.
STEERING LOCK
To lock steering wheel1. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK
position.
2. Remove the key, if it is inserted in the ignition
switch.
3. Turn the steering wheel 1/6 of a turn
clockwise from the straight up position.To unlock steering wheel1. Insert the key into the ignition switch, if
necessary.
2. Gently turn the ignition switch while rotating
the steering wheel slightly right and left.KEY POSITIONS
LOCK (0)Except for the Intelligent Key equipped
model:
The key can only be removed from the ignition
switch at this position.
The steering lock can only be locked at this
position.For the Intelligent Key equipped model:
PUSH OFF -
The steering lock can only be locked at this
position.
PUSH ON -
The ignition switch will be unlocked while
carrying the Intelligent Key.
OFF (1)The engine is turned off with the steering wheel
unlocked.ACC (2)The electrical accessory power activates without
the engine turned on.ON (3)The ignition system and the electrical accessory
power activate without the engine turned on.START (4)The engine starter activates and the engine will
start. The ignition switch, when released, will
automatically turn to the ON position.
CAUTION
As soon as the engine has started,
release the ignition switch immediately.
5-10
Starting and driving