ignition NISSAN VERSA 2018 Workshop Manual

CAUTION
∙ Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline will seriously re-
duce the three-way catalyst’s ability
to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
∙ Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich
fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep
driving if the engine misfires, or if no-
ticeable loss of performance or other
unusual operating conditions are de-
tected. Have the vehicle inspected
promptly. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
∙ Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three-way catalyst.
∙ Do not race the engine while warming
it up.
∙ Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended 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 as pos-
sible, 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 efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.Please note that the TPMS is not a substi-
tute for proper tire maintenance, and it is
the driver’s responsibility to maintain cor-
rect tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger illumi-
nation 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 com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illu-
minated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the malfunc-
tion indicator 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, includ-
ing the installation of replacement or alter-
nate tires or wheels on the vehicle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale af ter replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
Starting and driving5-3

DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream
reduces coordination, delays reaction
time and impairs judgement. Driving
af ter drinking alcohol increases the
likelihood of being involved in an acci-
dent injuring yourself and others. Addi-
tionally, if you are injured in an accident,
alcohol can increase the severity of the
injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under the
influence of alcohol. Every year thousands of
people are injured or killed in alcohol-related
collisions. Although the local laws vary on
what is considered to be legally intoxicated,
the fact is that alcohol affects all people dif-
ferently and most people underestimate the
effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix!
That is true for drugs (over-the-counter,
prescription) and illegal drugs, too. Don’t
drive if your ability to operate your vehicle is
impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some other
physical condition.
WARNING
∙ Never remove the ignition key or place
the ignition switch in the LOCK posi-
tion while driving. The steering wheel
will lock. This may cause the driver to
lose control of the vehicle and could
result in serious vehicle damage or
personal injury.
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (if so equipped)
The ignition lock is designed so that the
ignition switch cannot be turned to the
LOCK position until the shif t lever is moved
to the P (Park) position.
∙ When placing the ignition switch in the
LOCK position, make sure that the shif t
lever is in the P (Park) position.
∙ When removing the key from the igni-
tion switch (if it is inserted), make sure
that the shif t lever is in the P (Park) po-
sition.
SSD0392
IGNITION SWITCH
5-8Starting and driving

When the ignition switch cannot be placed
in the LOCK position:
1. Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion.
2. Move the ignition switch slightly in the
ON direction.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK
position.
4. Remove the key if it is inserted in the
ignition switch.
If the ignition switch is placed in the LOCK
position, the shif t lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position.
The shif t lever can be moved if the igni-
tion switch is in the ON position and the
foot brake pedal is depressed.
There is an OFF position
1between the
LOCK and ACC positions. The OFF posi-
tion is indicated by a “1” on the key cylin-
der.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION (if so
equipped)
The ignition switch includes a device that
helps prevent accidental removal of the
key while driving.
The key can only be removed when the
ignition switch is in the LOCK position.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked,
it must be turned about 1/8 of a turn clock-
wise from the straight up position.To lock the steering wheel, place the ig-
nition switch in the LOCK position. Re-
move the key. To unlock the steering
wheel, insert the key and turn it gently
while rotating the steering wheel slightly
right and lef t.
IGNITION SWITCH POSITIONS
LOCK: Normal parking position (0)
OFF: (1)
The engine can be turned off without lock-
ing the steering wheel.
ACC: (Accessories) (2)
This position activates electrical accesso-
ries such as the radio when the engine is
not running.
ON: Normal operating position (3)
This position turns on the ignition system
and the electrical accessories.
START: (4)
This position starts the engine. As soon as
the engine has started, release the key. It
automatically returns to the ON position.
WSD0052
Starting and driving5-9

∙ Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
∙ Check fluid levels such as engine oil,
coolant, brake and clutch fluid (if so
equipped), and windshield-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 appear-
ance and condition. Also check tires for
proper inflation.
∙ Lock all doors.
∙ Position seat and adjust head
restraints/headrests.
∙ Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
∙ Fasten seat belts and ask all passen-
gers to do likewise.
∙ Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
refer to “Warning lights, indicator lights
and audible reminders” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section of this
manual.1. Apply the parking brake.
2.Continuously Variable Transmission
models:
Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral). P (Park) is recommended.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out
of P (Park) and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition key is
turned to the OFF position or if the
key is removed from the ignition
switch.
The starter is designed not to oper-
ate if the shif t lever is in any of the
driving positions.
Manual transmission (M/T) models:
For best practice when operating an
M/T, depressing the clutch before
moving the shif t lever is ideal.
Move the shif t lever to N (Neutral). De-
press the clutch pedal to the floor
while cranking the engine.
The starter is designed not to oper-
ate unless the clutch pedal is fully
depressed.3. Crank the enginewith your foot off
the accelerator pedalby turning the
ignition key to the START position. Re-
lease the key 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 re-
starting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to the
floor) and hold it and then crank the
engine. Release the key and the ac-
celerator pedal when the engine
starts.
∙ If the engine is very hard to start be-
cause it is flooded, depress the accel-
erator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Crank the engine for
5-6 seconds. Af ter cranking the en-
gine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the enginewith your foot off
the accelerator pedalby turning the
ignition key to the START position. Re-
lease the key when the engine starts.
If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedure.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-10Starting and driving

Starting the vehicle
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or L (Low).
Always depress the brake pedal until
shif ting 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 shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
∙ Do not downshif t abruptly on slippery
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 re-
versing. This could cause an accident
or damage the transmission
∙ 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 se-
rious damage to the transmission.
CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, 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.
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 foot brake, then gradually
start the vehicle in motion.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before
moving the shif t lever into the P (Park)
position.
The Continuously Variable Transmission
is designed so the foot brake pedal MUST
be depressed before shif ting from P
(Park) to any drive position while the ig-
nition switch is in the ON position.The shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park) and into any of the other gear po-
sitions if the ignition switch is placed in
the LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the
keyisremoved.
5-12Starting and driving

To move the shif t lever:
Press the buttonAwhile depressing
the brake pedal
Press the buttonAto shif t
Shif t without pressing the buttonA
Shif ting
Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and move the shif t lever from P
(Park) to any of the desired shif t positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shif t 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 in-
jury or property damage.
If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF or
ACC position for any reason while the ve-
hicle is in N (Neutral), or any drive position,
the key cannot be turned to the LOCK po-
sition and be removed from the ignition
switch. If this occurs, perform the following
steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the ve-
hicle is stopped.
2. Move the shif t lever into P (Park) to park
the vehicle and place the ignition
switch in the LOCK position to remove
the key.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the P (Park) position only when the ve-
hicle is completely stopped.Use the P (Park) shif t lever position when
the vehicle is parked or when starting the
engine. Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped.The brake pedal must be de-
pressed and the shif t lever button
pressed to move the shif t 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 place
the shif t lever into the P (Park) position.
R (Reverse)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use
the R (Reverse) position only when the
vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the R (Reverse) position to back up.
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before selecting the R (Reverse)
position. R (Reverse) speed is limited to
30 mph (48 km/h). Do not exceed 30 mph
(48 km/h) in the R (Reverse) position.The
brake pedal must be depressed and the
shif t lever button pressed in to move the
shif t lever from P (Park), N (Neutral) or
any drive position to R (Reverse).LSD2013
Starting and driving5-13

N (Neutral)
Neither forward nor reverse gear is en-
gaged. The engine can be started in this
position. You may shif t 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)
Use this position for engine braking on
steep downhill gradients/climbing steep
slopes and whenever approaching sharp
bends. Do not use the L (Low) position in
any other circumstances.
Shif t lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shif t lever
may not be moved from the P (Park) posi-
tion even with the foot brake pedal de-
pressed.
To move the shif t lever, perform the follow-
ing procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK
position and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a
screwdriver, remove the shif t lock re-
lease cover.∙ If available, a plastic trim tool can also
be used.
4. Push down the shif t lock release using
a suitable tool.
5. Press the shif t lever button
Aand
move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral)
position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
6. Place the ignition switch in the ON po-
sition to unlock the steering wheel.
7. Release the parking brake.
The vehicle may be moved to the desired
location.
Replace the removed shif t lock release
cover af ter the operation.
If the shif t lever cannot be moved out of the
P (Park) position, have the Continuously
Variable Transmission system checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
LSD2011
5-14Starting and driving

Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch
When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with
the shif t lever in the D (Drive) position,
the
light in the instrument panel illu-
minates. For additional information, refer
to “Overdrive OFF indicator light” in the “In-
struments and controls” section of this
manual.
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
indi-
cator light will turn off.Each time the engine is started, or when
the shif t lever is shif ted to any position
other than D (Drive), the overdrive OFF
mode will be automatically turned off.
Accelerator downshif t
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shif ts
the transmission down into a lower gear,
depending on the vehicle speed.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the
Continuously Variable Transmission will
not be shif ted into the selected driving po-
sition.
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, refer to “Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL)” in the “Instruments and con-
trols” section of this manual. This will oc-
cur even if all electrical circuits are func-
tioning properly. In this case, place the
ignition switch in the OFF position andwait for 10 seconds. Then place the igni-
tion switch back in the ON position. The
vehicle should return to its normal oper-
ating condition. If it does not return to its
normal operating condition, have the
transmission checked and repaired, if
necessary. 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 re-
duced. 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 operation, or have it repaired if
necessary.
LSD2012
Starting and driving5-15

∙ HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB1:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the curb
side 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. 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 as-
sist for the steering will not work.
Steering will be harder to operate.
∙ When the power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine run-
ning, there will be no power assist for
the steering. You will still have control
of the vehicle, but the steering will be
harder to operate. Have the power
steering system checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assist while driving to oper-
ate the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power as-
sist for the steering wheel will be reduced.
This is to prevent overheating of the power
steering system and protect it from getting
damaged. While the power assist is re-
duced, steering wheel operation will be-
come heavy. When the temperature of the
power steering system goes down, the
power assist level will return to normal.
Avoid repeating such steering wheel op-erations that could cause the power steer-
ing system to overheat.
You may hear a sound when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may
indicate the power steering system is not
functioning properly and may need servic-
ing. Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
When the power steering warning light illu-
minates with the engine running, there will
be no power assist for the steering, but you
will still have control of the vehicle. At this
time, greater steering effort is required to
operate the steering wheel, especially in
sharp turns and at low speeds.
For additional information, refer to “Power
steering warning light” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
POWER STEERING
5-24Starting and driving

prevent one drive wheel from slipping by
transferring power to a non-slipping drive
wheel. The
indicator flashes if this oc-
curs. All other VDC functions are off and
the
indicator will 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.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle for-
ward or in reverse at a slow speed. When
the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to help
the driver maintain 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 driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator light may flash or
illuminate.
∙ If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and
the
indicator light may
illuminate.
∙ 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 operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or illuminate. 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 or illuminate. This is not a mal-
function. Restart 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 operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for
winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the front and rear wheels
depending on the radius of the turn.
5-28Starting and driving