2012 Nissan Maxima Owner's Manual - Page 335

WARNING ● Do not depress the accelerator pedal while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), Ds (Drive Sport) or (M) Manual shift mode. Always depress the brake pedal until shifting 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 shifting into a forward or reverse gear before the engine has warmed up. ● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control. ● Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse) while the vehicle is moving. This could cause an accident. ● Except in an emergency, do not shift to the N (Neutral) position while driving. Doing so can cause a loss of engine braking which may result in a collision, serious personal injury or death. In addition, coasting with the transmission in the N (Neutral) position may cause serious damage to the transmission. CAUTION 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. The CVT in your vehicle is electronically controlled to produce maximum power and smooth operation. The CVT can operate in two different automatic drive modes: ● D (Drive) mode - Move the shift selector to D (Drive), the transmission is in the normal forward automatic driving mode. The position indicator in the meter shows a "D". The D (Drive) mode does not produce a gear change sensation like a traditional automatic transmission. ● Ds (Drive Sport) mode - Move the shift selector over from D (Drive) to the left into the manual shift gate. The position indicator in the meter shows a "Ds". In Ds (Drive Sport) mode, transmission operation changes to ЉSporty" driving shift operation, creating a more aggressive acceleration feeling than the D (Drive) mode and a gear change sensation when the driver accelerates quickly. When the driver selects M (Manual) mode ratio with shift selector or shift paddles (if so equipped) during Ds (Drive Sport) mode operation, the driver must move the shift selector from Ds mode to D mode and back again to re-select Ds (Drive Sport) mode. ● To cancel the Ds mode, return the shift selector to the D (Drive) position. The transmission returns to the automatic drive mode. The CVT can operate in two manual drive modes: ● M (Manual) mode - With the shift selector in the manual shift gate Ds (Drive Sport) mode, M (Manual) mode can be selected by moving the shift selector up (+) or down (-) or using the shift paddles (if so equipped) up (+) or down (-). In M mode, the transmission will produce noticeable upshifts and downshifts. The position indicator in the meter shows a "M". 5-12 Starting and driving