Nissan Rogue Owners Manual: Driving the vehicle

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (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 reduced 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 the foot 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 (if equipped) 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.

Shifting

After starting the engine, fully depress the brake pedal, push and press the shift lever button and move the shift lever from the P (Park) position to any of the desired shift positions.

P (Park):

Use the P (Park) shift lever 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 shift lever button pushed in to move the shift 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 shift lever into the P (Park) position.

R (Reverse):

Use the R (Reverse) position to back up. Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped before selecting the R (Reverse) position. The brake pedal must be depressed and the shift lever button pushed in to move the shift lever from P (Park), N (Neutral) or any drive 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):

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.

Shift lock release

If the battery charge is low or discharged, the shift lever may not be moved from the P (Park) position even with the brake pedal depressed and the shift lever button pushed. To move the shift lever, perform the following procedure:

1.  Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position.
2.  Apply the parking brake.
3.  Remove the shift lock release cover using a suitable tool.
4.  Push down the shift lock release using a suitable tool.
5. Press the shift lever button and move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shift lock release. The vehicle may be moved to the desired location.

   Replace the removed shift lock release cover after the operation. If the shift lever cannot be moved out of the P (Park) position, have a NISSAN dealer check the CVT system as soon as possible.

Overdrive (O/D) OFF switch

When the O/D OFF switch is pushed with the shift lever in the D (Drive) position, the light in the instrument panel illuminates. For additional information, refer to “Overdrive off indicator light” in the “Instruments 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 indicator light will turn off.

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 automatically turned off.

Accelerator downshift — in D position —

For passing or hill climbing, 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 mode

This transmission has a high fluid temperature protection mode. If the fluid temperature becomes 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 conditions, such as excessive wheel spinning and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe system 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 operating condition. If it does not return to its normal operating condition, have a NISSAN dealer check the transmission and repair if necessary.

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