Nissan Versa: Monitor, climate, audio, phone and voice recognition systems - Driving the vehicle
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Nissan Versa 3rd Gen
WARNING
- Never depress the accelerator pedal while shifting your Nissan Versa from P (Park) or N (Neutral) into R (Reverse), D (Drive), or L (Low).
Always keep the foot brake pedal firmly depressed until the gear shift process is fully completed. Disregarding this safety rule could cause you to experience a sudden loss of vehicle control and result in a severe collision.
- Keep in mind that a cold engine typically runs at a higher idle speed upon startup, so exercise extra caution and care when engaging a forward or reverse gear before the engine has had adequate time to warm up.
- Never shift the transmission into either P (Park) or R (Reverse) while your Nissan Versa is still moving forward, nor into P (Park) or D (Drive) while the vehicle is actively rolling backward. Dangerous actions like this can cause a serious accident or inflict catastrophic mechanical damage on the transmission.
- Avoid downshifting abruptly or aggressively when driving on slippery, icy, or wet roads, as this sudden change in torque may cause an unexpected loss of traction and vehicle control.
CAUTION
- To prevent potential mechanical damage to your vehicle, never attempt to hold your Nissan Versa stationary on an uphill grade by pressing down on the accelerator pedal. The foot brake pedal must always be used for this specific purpose.
- Except under rare emergency circumstances, do not shift the transmission into the N (Neutral) position while the vehicle is in motion.
Coasting down roadways with the transmission placed in the N (Neutral) position can interrupt proper fluid circulation and cause serious, permanent damage to the transmission components.
The advanced Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) engineered into your Nissan Versa is fully electronically controlled to produce optimal power delivery, exceptional fuel efficiency, and seamlessly smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures and shifting techniques for this transmission are outlined on the following pages. Follow these professional guidelines closely to ensure maximum vehicle performance, safety, and long-term driving enjoyment.
NOTE:
Engine power output may be automatically regulated and reduced to protect the CVT if engine rotational speed increases too quickly while driving on slippery road surfaces or during specific dynamometer testing procedures.
Starting the vehicle
WARNING
- Do not depress the accelerator pedal while shifting your Nissan Versa from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or L (Low).
Always depress and hold the foot brake pedal until the gear change is entirely finished. Failing to do so could cause you to lose control of the vehicle and become involved in an accident.
- Because a cold engine operates at an elevated idle speed, exercise heightened caution when shifting into any forward or reverse gear before the powertrain has reached normal operating temperatures.
- Avoid downshifting abruptly on slick or slippery roads, as sudden resistance changes may trigger a loss of directional control.
- Never shift into P (Park) or R (Reverse) while the vehicle is moving forward, nor into P (Park) or D (Drive) while the vehicle is moving in reverse. Such practices can lead to a severe accident or permanent transmission failure.
- Except in an emergency situation, do not shift the transmission into N (Neutral) while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in neutral deprives internal components of proper lubrication and may cause severe internal damage.
CAUTION
To prevent possible damage to your Nissan Versa, when bringing the vehicle to a stop on a steep uphill slope, do not hold the vehicle in place by pressing the accelerator pedal. Always utilize the foot brake pedal for this purpose.
1. After starting the engine, fully depress and hold the foot brake pedal before attempting to move the shift lever out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal firmly depressed while smoothly moving the shift lever into your desired driving gear.
3. Release the foot brake pedal smoothly, and then gradually press the accelerator to start your Nissan Versa moving forward.
4. Bring your Nissan Versa to a complete, full stop before moving the shift lever back into the P (Park) position.
The Continuously Variable Transmission on your Nissan Versa is electronically designed so that the foot brake pedal MUST be fully depressed before you can shift out of P (Park) into any active drive position while the ignition switch is turned to the ON position.
The transmission shift lever on your Nissan Versa cannot be moved out of the P (Park) position and into any of the alternative driving gear positions if the ignition switch is placed in the LOCK, OFF, or AUTO ACC position, or if the physical key has been extracted from the cylinder.
Shifting
To safely move the gear shift lever through its designated positions:
Press the button A while
depressing
the brake pedal
Press the button A to shift
Shift without pressing the
button A
Immediately after starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal and move the shift lever smoothly out of P (Park) and into any of the desired active shift positions.
WARNING
Always apply the mechanical parking brake securely if the shift lever is left in any active gear position while the engine is turned off. Failing to do so could cause your Nissan Versa to move unexpectedly or roll away freely, resulting in serious personal injury or severe property damage.
If the ignition switch is turned to the OFF or AUTO ACC position for any unexpected reason while the vehicle is operating in N (Neutral) or any forward drive gear, the system will prevent the ignition switch from moving back into the LOCK position. If this safety condition occurs, perform the following recovery steps:
1. Firmly apply the parking brake once the vehicle has been brought to a complete stop.
2. Move the shift lever directly into the P (Park) position to secure the vehicle, which will then allow you to turn the ignition switch into the LOCK position.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent internal transmission damage or premature wear, utilize the P (Park) position only when your Nissan Versa is completely and totally stopped.
Always use the P (Park) shift lever position whenever the vehicle is parked for storage or when you are preparing to start the engine. Make sure the vehicle has come to a complete standstill before shifting. The foot brake pedal must be firmly depressed and the shift lever release button must be pressed inward in order to move the shift lever from N (Neutral) or any drive position into P (Park).
Always apply the parking brake. When parking your Nissan Versa on an incline or hill, engage the parking brake first, and then place the shift lever into the P (Park) position to relieve strain on the transmission.
R (Reverse)
CAUTION
To prevent severe internal transmission damage, use the R (Reverse) position exclusively when the vehicle is completely stopped.
Use the R (Reverse) gear position whenever you need to back up your vehicle.
Ensure that your Nissan Versa is completely stopped before selecting the R (Reverse) position. Reverse travel speed is electronically limited to a maximum of 30 mph (48 km/h). Never exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) while operating in R (Reverse). The foot brake pedal must be fully depressed and the shift lever button pressed in to shift into R (Reverse) from P (Park), N (Neutral), or any other drive position.
N (Neutral)
In this neutral state, neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged with the powertrain.
The engine can be safely started while the gear selector is in this position. You may also shift into N (Neutral) to restart a accidentally stalled engine while the Nissan Versa is still rolling forward.
D (Drive)
Use this primary D position for all standard, everyday forward driving conditions.
L (Low)
Use this specialized L position when you require enhanced engine braking power while descending steep downhill gradients, climbing steep mountain slopes, or when navigating particularly sharp bends and turns. Do not utilize the L (Low) position under any other ordinary driving circumstances.
Shift lock release
If the vehicle battery is completely discharged or critically low, the safety shift lock mechanism may prevent the shift lever from being moved out of the P (Park) position even when you are firmly depressing the foot brake pedal.
To manually override and move the shift lever out of park under these conditions, perform the following procedure:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position and extract the key.
2. Firmly apply the mechanical parking brake.
3. Wrapping a clean protective cloth carefully around the tip of a flathead screwdriver, gently pry open and remove the plastic shift lock release cover.
- If you have one available in your tool kit, a specialized plastic interior trim removal tool can also be used safely to avoid scratching any surrounding console surfaces.
4. Push down the internal mechanical shift lock release mechanism using a suitable slender tool.
5. Press down the button located on the shift lever and move the gear selector out into the N (Neutral) position while holding down the internal shift lock release mechanism.
6. Turn the ignition switch over to the ON position to unlock the steering wheel on your Nissan Versa.
7. Release the mechanical parking brake.
Your Nissan Versa may now be safely pushed or towed to the desired location or staging area.
Carefully snap and replace the removed shift lock release cover back into its original position on the center console after completing the procedure.
If the shift lever persistently refuses to move out of the P (Park) position despite following these steps, have the Continuously Variable Transmission system inspected as soon as possible. It is highly recommended that you schedule a service visit with an authorized NISSAN dealer.
Drive sport mode
When the dedicated drive sport mode switch is pressed while the transmission shift lever is actively placed in the D (Drive) position, the specialized drive sport mode indicator or the SPORT mode indicator light will illuminate and appear on the instrument panel display cluster of your Nissan Versa.
Engage and use the drive sport mode whenever you require enhanced engine braking performance, such as when descending long mountain grades.
To turn off the drive sport mode, simply press the drive sport mode switch once more. The corresponding drive sport mode indicator or SPORT mode indicator light will immediately extinguish and turn off.
Keep in mind that each time you restart the engine, or whenever the shift lever is moved into any gear position other than D (Drive), the drive sport mode will automatically disengage and turn off.
Accelerator downshift - in D (Drive) position -
When you need quick acceleration for safe passing maneuvers or when climbing steep hills, firmly depress the accelerator pedal all the way down to the floorboards. This action commands the system to automatically downshift the transmission into a lower gear ratio, depending on your current vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection mode
Your Nissan Versa transmission is engineered with a built-in high fluid temperature protection mode for maximum reliability. If the transmission fluid temperature climbs excessively high—such as during prolonged driving up steep mountain grades in scorching ambient weather while carrying heavy loads—engine power output and, under specific driving conditions, overall vehicle speed will be automatically reduced to minimize the chance of internal transmission damage. You can still control your vehicle speed using the accelerator pedal, but both engine performance and top vehicle speed may be restricted until temperatures normalize.
Fail-safe
When the electronic fail-safe operation mode is triggered, the Continuously Variable Transmission will temporarily restrict shifting into certain selected driving positions.
If your Nissan Versa is driven under extreme, harsh conditions—such as severe wheel spinning followed by sudden, hard braking—the built-in fail-safe system may be automatically activated.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on the dashboard may illuminate to indicate that the fail-safe operational mode has been engaged. This warning can happen even if all underlying electrical wiring circuits and sensors are functioning properly.
If you experience this, turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and wait patiently for 10 full seconds to allow the system to fully reset.
Next, turn the ignition switch back to the ON position. Your Nissan Versa should resume its normal operating condition. If it fails to return to normal performance, have the transmission system thoroughly inspected and repaired if necessary.
It is strongly recommended that you visit an authorized NISSAN dealer to perform this diagnostic service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protection mode or the automated fail-safe operation is active, your vehicle speed may decrease gradually and unexpectedly. Traveling at a reduced speed that is significantly lower than surrounding traffic could dramatically increase the risk of a rear-end collision. Exercise extreme caution while driving under these conditions. If necessary, safely pull off the road into a secure location and allow the transmission time to cool down and return to normal operation, or have the vehicle professionally repaired if the issue persists.
Manual transmission Nissan Versa sedan
WARNING
- Never downshift abruptly or aggressively when driving your Nissan Versa on slick, icy, or wet roads. Doing so may cause an unexpected loss of tire traction and vehicle control.
- Do not over-rev the engine when selecting a lower gear ratio. Pushing the engine past its safe RPM limits during a downshift may cause a sudden loss of control or inflict severe internal engine damage.
- Do not shift the transmission into the N (Neutral) position while the vehicle is in motion. Coasting in neutral eliminates helpful engine braking and may result in a serious accident.
CAUTION
- Never rest your left foot on the clutch pedal while driving down the road. Constant light pressure can cause premature clutch wear, overheating, and permanent clutch component damage.
- Always depress the clutch pedal fully to the floor before changing gears to help prevent internal transmission wear and gear grinding.
- Bring your Nissan Versa to a complete, full stop before attempting to shift the transmission into R (Reverse).
- When your vehicle is temporarily stopped with the engine running—such as when waiting at a red traffic light—shift the transmission into N (Neutral) and release the clutch pedal completely while keeping the foot brake applied.
Shifting
To change gears smoothly during upshifting or downshifting, depress the clutch pedal down completely, select the appropriate gear cleanly, and then release the clutch pedal slowly and smoothly.
To ensure flawless gear changes in your Nissan Versa, always fully depress the clutch pedal before operating the gear shift lever. If the clutch pedal is not completely depressed prior to shifting, an audible gear grinding noise may be heard, and internal transmission damage could occur over time.
Always start the vehicle moving in 1st gear, then shift sequentially into 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and up to 5th gear according to your current vehicle speed and road conditions.
On this manual transmission setup, a safety gate prevents you from shifting directly from 5th gear into R (Reverse).
You must first shift the lever cleanly into N (Neutral), and then across into R (Reverse).
The shift lever centering mechanism automatically returns the lever to its neutral staging position when moved into N (Neutral).
If you ever find it difficult to push the shift lever smoothly into R (Neutral) or 1st gear, shift back into N (Neutral) and release the clutch pedal briefly. Then, depress the clutch pedal down again and select R (Reverse) or 1st gear.
Suggested up-shift speeds
The following guidelines outline suggested vehicle speeds for shifting into a higher gear.
These recommendations are designed to optimize fuel economy and maximize vehicle performance. Actual upshift speeds will naturally vary depending on changing road conditions, weather, and individual driving habits.
For normal, everyday acceleration in low altitude areas (less than 4,000 ft [1219 m] ):
For quick acceleration in low altitude areas and when driving in high altitude regions (over 4,000 ft [1219 m] ):
Suggested maximum speed in each gear
Always downshift to a lower gear if the engine is running rough or sputtering, or if you need immediate power to accelerate safely.
Do not exceed the maximum suggested speed limits (shown below) while operating in any given gear. When cruising on level roads, use the highest recommended gear for that speed to save fuel. Always obey posted speed limits and drive according to prevailing road conditions to ensure safe operation. Never over-rev the engine when downshifting, as doing so can cause permanent engine damage or a sudden loss of vehicle control.
