2003 Nissan Altima Owner's Manual - Page 146

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. MANUAL TRANSMISSION WARNING ● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control. ● Do not over-rev the engine when shifting to a lower gear. This may cause a loss of control or engine damage. Fail-safe When the fail-safe operation occurs, the next time the key is turned to the ON position, the light in the instrument cluster of the selected shift position will blink for approximately 8 seconds after the ignition is turned ON. While the vehicle can be driven under these circumstances, please note that the automatic transmission will be locked in third gear. If the vehicle is driven under extreme conditions, such as excessive wheel spinning and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe system may be activated. This will occur even if all electrical circuits are functioning properly. In this case, turn the ignition key OFF and wait for 3 seconds. Then turn the key 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 it if necessary. CAUTION ● Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while driving. This may cause clutch damage. ● Fully depress the clutch pedal before shifting to help prevent transmission damage. ● Stop your vehicle completely before shifting into R (Reverse). ● When the vehicle is stopped with the engine running (for example, at a stop light), shift to N (Neutral) and release the clutch pedal with the foot brake applied. WSD0059 Shifting To change gears, or when upshifting or downshifting, depress the clutch pedal fully, shift into the appropriate gear, then release the clutch slowly and smoothly. You cannot shift directly from 5th gear into R (Reverse). First shift into N (Neutral), then into R (Reverse). If it is difficult to move the shift lever into R (Reverse) or 1 (1st), shift into N (Neutral), then release the clutch pedal. Depress the clutch pedal again and shift into R (Reverse) or 1 (1st). 5-10 Starting and driving