Nissan Altima (L34) 2019-2024 Owners Manual: Shift lock release

If the battery charge is low or discharged, the shift lever may not be moved from the P (Park) position even with the brake pedal depressed and the shift lever button pressed.

It will be necessary to jump start or have your battery charged. For additional information, see "Jump starting". Contact a NISSAN dealer or a professional towing service.

To move the shift lever, complete the following procedure:

1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCK position.

2. Apply the parking brake.

3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a 3 mm screwdriver, remove the shift lock release cover.

• If available, a plastic trim tool can also be used.

4. Insert the small screwdriver in the shift lock release slot and push down.

5. Move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shift lock release.

If the shift lever cannot be moved out of P (Park), have the transmission checked as soon as possible. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.

WARNING

If the shift lever cannot be moved from the P (Park) position while the engine is running and the brake pedal is depressed, the stop lights may not work.

Malfunctioning stop lights could cause an accident injuring yourself and others.

Drive sport mode

Drive sport mode switch

When the drive sport mode switch is pushed with the shift lever in the D (Drive) position, the drive sport mode indicator in the instrument panel appears. For additional information, see "Drive sport mode indicator".

Use the drive sport mode when you need improved engine braking.

To turn off the drive sport mode, push the drive sport mode switch again. The drive sport mode indicator will turn off.

Each time the engine is started, or when the shift lever is shifted to any position other than D (Drive), the drive sport mode will automatically turn off.

Accelerator downshift - in D (Drive) 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.

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 temperatures 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.

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 Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is activated. For additional information, see "Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)". 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 the transmission checked. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.

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.