2011 Nissan Maxima Owner's Manual - Page 340

PARKING BRAKE Accelerator downshift - in D (Drive) position and manual shift mode For passing or hill climbing, depress the accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmission down into lower range, depending on the vehicle speed. 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, see "Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)" in the "Instrument and controls" section. 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. WARNING When the high fluid temperature protection 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 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. 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 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. 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 shift selector 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 accident. Starting and driving 5-17