NISSAN ROGUE 2008 1.G Owners Manual

Black plate (195,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
.Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
.Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid, and window washer fluid as
frequently as possible, or at least whenever
you refuel.
.Check that all windows and lights are clean.
.Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
.Lock all doors.
.Position seat and adjust head restraints.
.Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
.Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
.Check the operation of warning lights when
the ignition key is turned to the ON position.
(See “WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS
AND AUDIBLE REMINDERS” in the “2.
Instruments and controls” section.)1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the selector lever to the P (Park) or N
(Neutral) position. (P is recommended.)
The starter is designed so that it does not
operate unless the selector lever is in either
of the above positions.
3. Crank the enginewith your foot off the
accelerator pedalby turning the ignition
switch to START. Release the switch when
the engine starts. If the engine starts, but
fails to run, repeat the above procedure.
.If the engine is very hard to start in
extremely cold weather or when restart-
ing, depress the accelerator pedal a little
(approximately 1/3 to the floor) and hold
it and then crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine
starts.
.If the engine is very hard to start
because it is flooded, depress the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Crank the engine for 5 - 6
seconds. After cranking the engine,
release the accelerator pedal. Crank
the enginewith your foot off the
accelerator pedalby turning the igni-
tion switch to START. Release the
ignition switch when the engine starts.
If the engine starts, but fails to run,repeat the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start, turn the ignition switch
off and wait 10 seconds before cranking
again, otherwise the starter could be
damaged.
4.Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Do not race the
engine while warming it up. Drive at
moderate speed for a short distance first,
especially in cold weather. In cold weather,
keep the engine running for a minimum of 2 -
3 minutes before shutting it off. Starting and
stopping the engine over a short period of
time may make the vehicle more difficult to
start.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving
5-11

Black plate (196,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANS-
MISSION (CVT)The Continuously Variable Transmission (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 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 vehicle1. After starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal before moving the selector
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 selector lever cannot be moved out
of the P (Park) position and into any of
the other positions if the ignition
switch is turned to the LOCK, OFF or
ACC position or if the key is removed.2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed, push
the selector lever button and move the
selector 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 (Neutral) to R (Reverse) , D
(Drive) , L (Low) or manual shift
mode. Always 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.
.Never shift to P (Park) or R (Re-
verse) while vehicle is moving. Fail-
ure 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 depressing the accelerator pedal.
The foot brake should be used for
this purpose.
.Do not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE5-12
Starting and driving

Black plate (197,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
SSD0664
With manual shift mode
SSD0665
Without manual shift mode
ShiftingTo move the selector lever,
: Push the button while depressing the
brake pedal.: Push the button.: Just move the selector lever.
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal, push the selector lever button and move
the selector lever from the P (Park) position to
any of the desired shift positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the selector
lever is in any position while the engine
is not running. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly
or roll away and result in serious
personal injury or property damage.
If the ignition switch is turned to the OFF or
ACC position for any reason while the selector
lever is in any positions other than the P (Park) ,
the ignition switch cannot be turned to the
LOCK position.
If the ignition switch cannot be turned to the
LOCK position, perform the following steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle isstopped.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position
while depressing the foot brake pedal.
3. Move the selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK
position.
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only
when the vehicle is completely stopped.
P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped.The brake
pedal must be depressed and the selector
lever button pushed in to move the selec-
tor lever from N (Neutral) or any drive
position to P (Park) .Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then move the selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Make sure the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting
Starting and driving
5-13

Black plate (198,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
the R (Reverse) position.The brake pedal
must be depressed and the selector lever
button pushed in to move the selector
lever from P (Park) , N (Neutral) or any
driving 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.
L (Low) (if so equipped):
Use this position for maximum engine braking on
steep downhill gradients/climbing steep slopes
and whenever approaching sharp bends. Do not
use the L position in any other circumstances.
SSD0568A
Paddle shifter
Manual shift mode (if so equipped)When the selector lever is shifted from the D
position to the manual shift gate, the transmis-
sion enters the manual shift mode. Shift ranges
can be selected manually by operating the
selector lever or the paddle shifter on the
steering wheel.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is
displayed on the position indicator in the meter.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:M1?
/M2?
/M3?
/M4?
/M5?
/M6.When shifting up, move the selector lever tothe + (up) side or pull the right-side paddle
shifter (+)
*A
. The transmission shifts to a
higher range.
.When shifting down, move the selector lever
to the(down) side or pull the left-side
paddle shifter ()
*B. The transmission
shifts to a lower range.
.Moving the selector lever to the same side
twice or pulling the same paddle shifter
twice will shift the ranges in succession.
However, if this motion is rapidly done, the
second shifting may not be completed
properly.
.When canceling the manual shift mode,
return the selector lever to the D (Drive)
position. The transmission returns to the
normal driving mode.
.When you pull the paddle shifter while in the
D (Drive) position, the transmission will shift
to the upper or lower range temporarily. The
transmission will automatically return to the
D (Drive) position after a short period of
time. If you want to return to the D (Drive)
position manually, pull and hold the paddle
shifter for about 1.5 seconds.
M6 (6th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
5-14
Starting and driving

Black plate (199,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
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 (1st):
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 M6
range. This reduces fuel economy.
.In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected
range. This helps maintain driving per-
formance and reduces the chance of
vehicle damage or loss of control.
.In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down to 1st
gear before the vehicle comes to a
stop. When accelerating again, it is
necessary to shift up to the desired
range..When the CVT fluid temperature is extre-
mely low, the manual shift mode may not
work and automatically shift as a drive mode.
This is not a malfunction. In this case, return
the selector lever to the D position and drive
for a while and then shift to the manual shift
mode.
.When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the
shift range may upshift at a lower engine
speed than usual. This is not a malfunction.
SSD0666
Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch (if so
equipped)When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with the
selector lever in the D (Drive) position, theindicator light in the instrument panel illuminates.
Use the overdrive off mode when you need
improved engine braking.
To turn off the overdrive off mode, push the O/D
OFF switch again. The
indicator light will
turn off.
Each time the engine is started, or when the
selector lever is shifted to any position other
than the D (Drive) position, the overdrive off
mode will be automatically turned off.
Starting and driving
5-15

Black plate (200,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
Accelerator downshift
— In D position —For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, depending
on the vehicle speed.High fluid temperature protection modeThis 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.Fail-safeIf the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel spin-
ning and subsequent hard braking, the
fail-safe system may be activated. The MIL
may illuminate to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. (See “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” in the “2. Instruments
and controls” section.) This will occur even
if all electrical circuits are functioning
properly. In this case, turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position and wait for 10seconds. Then turn the switch back to the
ON position. The vehicle should return to
its normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condi-
tion, have a NISSAN dealer check the
transmission and repair if necessary.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection 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 ne-
cessary, pull to the side of the road at a
safe place and allow the transmission
to return to normal operation, or have it
repaired if necessary.
SSD0667
Shift lock releaseIf the battery charge is low or discharged, the
selector lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the selector lever button pushed.
To move the selector lever, release the shift lock.
The selector lever can be moved to the N
(Neutral) position. However, the steering wheel
will be locked unless the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position. This allows the vehicle to be
moved if the battery is discharged.
To release the shift lock, perform the following
procedure:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK
5-16
Starting and driving

Black plate (201,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
position, and remove the key if it is inserted.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover
*A
using a suitable tool.
4. Push down the shift lock release
*B
using a
suitable tool.
5. Push the selector lever button
*C
and move
the selector lever to the N (Neutral) position
*D
while holding down the shift lock
release.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON position to
unlock the steering wheel. The vehicle may be
moved to the desired location.
Replace the removed shift lock release cover
after the operation.
If the selector lever cannot be moved out of the
P (Park) position, have a NISSAN dealer check
the CVT system as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the selector lever 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. Malfunctioning stop lights could
cause an accident injuring yourself andothers.
WARNING
.Be sure the parking brake is fully
released 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 gear shift 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 acci-
dent.PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving
5-17

Black plate (202,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
SPA2331
To apply:Fully depress the parking brake pedal*1.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake
*2.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal
*1
and
the parking brake will be released.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out.
PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE CON-
TROL.If the cruise control system malfunctions, it
will cancel automatically. The SET indicator
light on the meter panel will then blink to
warn the driver.
.If the engine coolant temperature becomes
excessively high, the cruise control system
will cancel automatically.
.If the SET indicator light blinks, turn the
cruise control main switch off and have the
system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
.The SET indicator light may blink when the
cruise control main switch is turned ON
while pushing the RESUME/ACCELERATE,
SET/COAST or CANCEL switch. To prop-
erly set the cruise control system, perform
the following procedures.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control when
driving under the following conditions:
.when it is not possible to keep the
vehicle at a set speed
.in heavy traffic or in traffic that
varies in speed
.on winding or hilly roads.on slippery roads (rain, snow, ice,
etc.)
.in very windy areas
Doing so could cause a loss of vehicle
control and result in an accident.CRUISE CONTROL
5-18
Starting and driving

Black plate (203,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
SSD0668
1. RESUME/ACCELERATE switch
2. SET/COAST switch
3. CANCEL switch
4. MAIN (ON·OFF) switchCRUISE CONTROL OPERATIONSThe cruise control allows driving at a speed
between 25 to 89 MPH (40 to 144 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator
pedal.
To turn on the cruise control,push the MAIN
switch on. The CRUISE indicator light will
illuminate.
To set cruising speed,accelerate the vehicle
to the desired speed, push the SET/COASTswitch and release it. (The SET indicator light in
the instrument panel will illuminate.) Take your
foot off the accelerator pedal. Your vehicle will
maintain the set speed.
.To pass another vehicle,depress the
accelerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle will return to the previously
set speed.
.The vehicle may not maintain the set speed
on winding or hilly roads. If this happens,
drive without the cruise control.
To cancel the preset speed,use one of the
following methods:
a) Push the CANCEL switch. The SET indica-
tor light will turn off.
b) Tap the brake pedal. The SET indicator light
will turn off.
c) Turn the MAIN switch off. Both the CRUISE
and SET indicator lights will turn off.
.If you depress the brake pedal while pushing
the RESUME/ACCELERATE or SET/
COAST switch and reset at the cruising
speed, the cruise control will disengage.
Turn the MAIN switch off once and then turn
it on again.
.The cruise control will automatically cancel if
the vehicle slows more than 8 MPH (12km/h) below the set speed.
.If you move the selector lever to the N
(Neutral) position, the cruise control will be
canceled.
To reset at a faster cruising speed,use one
of the following methods:
.Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push and
release the SET/COAST switch.
.Push and hold the RESUME/ACCELERATE
switch. When the vehicle attains the desired
speed, release the switch.
.Push, then quickly release the RESUME/
ACCELERATE switch. Each time you do
this, the set speed will increase by about 1
MPH (1.6 km/h) .
To reset at a slower cruising speed,use one
of the following methods:
.Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push the
SET/COAST switch and release it.
.Push and hold the SET/COAST switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle slows
down to the desired speed.
.Push, then quickly release the SET/COAST
switch. Each time you do this, the set speed
will decrease by about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h) .
Starting and driving
5-19

Black plate (204,1)
Model "S35-D" EDITED: 2007/ 12/ 19
To resume the preset speed,push and
release the RESUME/ACCELERATE switch.
The vehicle will resume the last set cruising
speed when the vehicle speed is over 25 MPH
(40 km/h) .
CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) ,
follow these recommendations to ob-
tain maximum engine performance and
ensure the future reliability and econo-
my of your new vehicle. Failure to
follow these recommendations may
result in shortened engine life and
reduced engine performance.
.Avoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow. Do not run the
engine over 4,000 rpm.
.Do not accelerate at full throttle in any gear.
.Avoid quick starts.
.Avoid hard braking as much as possible.
.Do not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km) . Your engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged..Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Maintain
cruising speeds with a constant accelerator
position.
.Drive at moderate speeds on the highway.
Driving at high speed lowers fuel economy.
.Avoid unnecessary stopping and braking.
Keep a safe distance behind other vehicles.
.Select a gear range suitable to road condi-
tions.
.Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
.Keep your engine tuned up.
.Follow the recommended periodic mainte-
nance schedule.
.Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure. Low tire pressure increases tire
wear and lowers fuel economy.
.Keep the wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment increases tire wear and
lowers fuel economy.
.Air conditioner operation lowers fuel econ-
omy. Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.
.When cruising at highway speeds, it is more
economical to use the air conditioner and
leave the windows closed to reduce drag.BREAK-IN SCHEDULE INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
5-20
Starting and driving