2012 Nissan Maxima Owner's Manual - Page 337

WARNING Apply the parking brake if the shift selector is in any position while the engine is not running. Failure to do so could cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll away and result in serious personal injury or property damage. P (Park): R (Reverse): DS (Drive Sport): CAUTION To prevent transmission damage, use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when the vehicle is completely stopped. 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 to move the shift selector 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. CAUTION To prevent transmission damage, use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when the vehicle is completely stopped. Use the P (Park) shift selector position when the vehicle is parked or when starting the engine. Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped. The brake pedal should be depressed to move the shift selector 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 selector into the P (Park) position. When the shift selector is shifted from the D (Drive) position to the manual shift gate, the transmission enters the DS (Drive Sport) mode. Moving the shift selector to the DS (Drive Sport) position allows you to enjoy "sporty" driving shift operation on a winding road and feel smooth acceleration or deceleration on a hilly road by moving in a lower gear automatically. When canceling the DS mode, return the shift selector to the D (Drive) position. The transmission returns to the normal driving mode. 5-14 Starting and driving