1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER key

If you have to tow your vehicle with
four wheels on ground or Towing
with front or rear wheels raised
1. Release the parking brake and move the
gearshift lever to the neutral position (ªNº
position).
On automatic transmission models, to
move the shift lever to neutral (ªNº position),
turn the ignition key to the ªACCº position.
After moving the shift lever to neutral (ªNº
position), be sure to turn the ignition key to
the ªOFFº position.
2. Observe the following restricted towing
speeds and distances.
Automatic transmission model:
ISpeed: Below 30 MPH (50 km/h)
IDistance: Less than 40 miles (65 km)
Manual transmission model:
ISpeed: Below 60 MPH (95 km/h)
IDistance: Less than 500 miles (800 km)
If the speed or distance must necessarily be
greater, remove the front and rear propeller
shafts beforehand to prevent damage to the
transmission.
INever tow your vehicle from the rear
(i.e., backward) with four wheels on
the ground as this may cause serious
and expensive damage to the trans-
mission.
IBe sure to place the transfer case
shift lever into the ª2Hº position and
the transmission shift lever into the
neutral (ªNº) position.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (Freeing a
stuck vehicle)
IUse the towinghookonly, not other parts of
the vehicle. Otherwise, the vehicle body will
be damaged.
IUse the towing hookonlyto free a vehicle
stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.Nevertow
the vehicle for a long distance using only
the towing hook.
SCE0115A
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Z01.2.1/R50-DX

When performing any inspection or mainte-
nance work on your vehicle, always take care
to prevent serious accidental injury to yourself
or damage to the vehicle. The following are
general precautions which should be closely
observed.
IPark the vehicle on a level surface, apply
the parking brake securely and block the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing. For a manual transmission, move
the shift lever to Neutral. For an auto-
matic transmission, move the shift lever
to ªPº (Park).
IBe sure the ignition key is in the ªOFFº
or ªLOCKº position when performing
any replacement or repair.
IDo not work under the engine hood
while it is hot. Always turn off the engine
and wait until it cools down.
IIf you must work with the engine run-
ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans and
fan belts.
IIt is advisable to remove necktie and any
jewelry, such as rings, watch, etc. before
working on your vehicle.
IIf you must run the engine in an en-
closed space such as a garage, be surethere is proper ventilation for exhaust
gases.
INever get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is neces-
sary to work under the vehicle, support
it with safety stands.
IKeep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from fuel and battery.
INever connect or disconnect either the
battery or any transistorized component
connector while the ignition key is on.
IAlways apply the parking brake and
block the wheels to prevent the vehicle
from moving.
IThe fuel filter or fuel lines should be
serviced by a NISSAN dealer because
the fuel lines are under high pressure
even when the engine is off.
IFailure to follow these or other common
sense guidelines may lead to serious
injury or vehicle damage.
IImproperly disposed motor oil and/or
other vehicle fluids can hurt the environ-
ment. Always conform to local regula-
tions for disposal of vehicle fluid.
IAvoid direct contact with used engine
oil.This ªDo-it-yourself operationsº section gives
instructions regarding only those items which
are relatively easy for an owner to perform.
You should be aware that incomplete or im-
proper servicing may result in operating diffi-
culties or excessive emissions, and could af-
fect your warranty coverage.If in doubt about
any servicing, have it done by your NISSAN
dealer.
PRECAUTIONS
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Z01.2.1/R50-DX

1. Perform the following procedure to open
the heater water cock.
ITurn the ignition key from ªOFFº to ªONº.
IMove the heater or air conditioner tem-
perature control dial to the maximum hot
position then turn the ignition key to
ªOFFº.
2. Open the drain valve and radiator cap.
Open the drain plug on the engine block.
3. Open the air release plug to drain the
coolant.4. Flush the cooling system by running fresh
water through the radiator.
5. Close the drain valve and drain plug se-
curely.
6. See the ªTechnical informationº section for
cooling system capacity.
Fill the radiator slowly with the proper mix-
ture of coolant and water. Fill the reservoir
tank slowly up to the ªMAXº level. Then
install the radiator cap and close the air
release plug.
7. Start the engine and warm it up until itreaches normal operating temperature.
Then race the engine 2 or 3 times under no
load.
Watch the coolant temperature gauge for
signs of overheating.
8. Stop the engine. After it completely cools
down, refill the radiator up to the filler
opening. Fill the reservoir tank up the
ªMAXº level.
9. Check the drain valve and drain plug for
any sign of leakage.
SDI0409SDI0410SDI0419
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Z01.2.1/R50-DX

Be sure the ignition key is ªOFFº.
1. Visually inspect each belt for signs of un-
usual wear, cuts, fraying or looseness. If
the belt is in poor condition or loose, have it
replaced or adjusted by your NISSAN
dealer.2. Have the belts checked regularly for condi-
tion and tension in accordance with the
maintenance schedule in this manual.
Be sure the engine and ignition switch
are off and that the parking brake is
engaged securely.
Be sure the ignition key is ªOFFº.
1. Disconnect spark plug cables. Keep track
of the original cable location.
When disconnecting, always hold the
boots Ð not the cables. Mark all cables to
identify their original location.
SDI0424DI0064
DRIVE BELTS SPARK PLUG REPLACEMENT
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Z01.2.1/R50-DX

2. Remove spark plugs with a spark plug
wrench.
Be sure to use the correct wrench to
remove the plugs. An incorrect wrench
can cause damage.
3. Check each new spark plug gap with a
feeler gauge. Correct it as required.
4. Install spark plugs.
When installing a plug, turn it in two or
three turns by hand and then tighten with a
spark plug wrench. Be careful not to over-
tighten it.
Tightening torque:
14 to 22 ft-lb (20 to 29 N×m)
5. Reconnect the spark plug cables to their
original positions.VG33E engine models
Be sure the ignition key is ªOFFº.
1. Disconnect spark plug cables. Keep track
of the original cable location.
When disconnecting, always hold the
boots Ð not the cables. Mark all cables to
identify their original location.
2. Remove spark plugs with a spark plug
DI0065SDI0390
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Z01.2.1/R50-DX

Check the brake booster function with the
following steps:
1. With the engine off, press and release the
brake pedal several times. When brake
pedal movement (distance of travel) re-
mains the same from one pedal application
to the next, continue on to the next step.
2. While depressing the brake pedal, start the
engine. The pedal height should drop a
little.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the
engine. Keeping the pedal depressed for
about 30 seconds, the pedal height should
not change.
4. Run the engine for one minute without
depressing the brake pedal, then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times. The
pedal travel distance will decrease gradu-
ally with each depression as the vacuum is
released from the booster.
If the brakes do not operate properly, have the
brake checked by your NISSAN dealer.Press the pedal by hand and be sure the free
travel is within the above limit. If free travel is
out of the range shown above, see your NIS-
SAN dealer.
Engine compartment (Headlight
fuses)
If any electrical equipment does not operate,
check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition key and the headlight
switch are ªOFFº.
2. Open the engine hood.
3. Remove the fusible link cover.
4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller.
5. If the fuse is open, replace it with a new
fuse.
DI0070-BSDI0395
BRAKE BOOSTER CLUTCH PEDAL FUSES
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Z01.2.1/R50-DX

Never use a fuse of higher amperage rating
than that specified on the fuse box cover.
6. If a new fuse opens again, have the elec-
trical system checked and repaired by your
NISSAN dealer.
Passenger compartment
If any electrical equipment does not operate,
check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition key and the headlight
switch are ªOFFº.
2. Pull to open the fuse box cover/coin tray.
3. Pull the fuse box cover/coin tray horizon-
tally to remove it.
4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller.
5. If the fuse is open, replace it with a new
fuse.Never use a fuse of higher amperage rating
than that specified on the fuse box cover.
6. If a new fuse opens again, have the elec-
trical system checked and repaired by your
NISSAN dealer.
SDI0447
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Z01.2.1/R50-DX

Driving with manual transmission ............. 4-10
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions .................................................. 4-3
Precautions when driving .......................... 4-23
Precautions when starting and driving ........ 4-2
E
Economy hints ................................................ 4-15
Emission control information label .................. 9-14
Emission control system warranty .................. 9-20
Engine ............................................................. 9-10
Before starting the engine ........................... 4-6
Changing engine coolant ............................ 7-5
Changing engine oil .................................... 7-8
Checking engine oil level ............................ 7-7
Engine coolant temperature gauge ............. 1-4
Engine cooling system ................................ 7-4
Engine oil..................................................... 7-7
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation .......................................... 9-6
Engine serial number ................................ 9-13
Starting the engine .................................... 4-11
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ...................... 4-2
Explanation of maintenance items.................. 8-10
F
Flat tire .............................................................. 5-2
Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid ....................... 7-9
Brake and clutch fluid................................ 7-11
Power steering fluid................................... 7-11
Window washer fluid ................................. 7-12F.M.V.S.S. certification label........................... 9-14
Front fog light switch ...................................... 1-19
Front seats ...................................................... 2-12
Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .............................................. 9-2
Fuel filler cap ............................................. 2-11
Fuel filler lid lock ....................................... 2-10
Fuel gauge .................................................. 1-5
Fuel recommendation.................................. 9-4
Fuses .............................................................. 7-20
G
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge ............. 1-4
Fuel gauge .................................................. 1-5
Meters and gauges ..................................... 1-3
General maintenance ....................................... 8-2
Glasses case .................................................. 1-23
Glove box lock ................................................ 2-10
H
Hazard warning flasher switch........................ 1-19
Head restraint ................................................. 2-15
Headlight and turn signal switch..................... 1-15
Headlights ....................................................... 7-22
Heated seat (If so equipped) .......................... 1-20
Heater and air conditioner ................................ 3-3
Heater operation ........................................ 3-4, 3-8
Hood release .................................................... 2-9I
If your vehicle is ever stolen ........................... 1-33
If your vehicle overheats .................................. 5-9
Ignition switch ................................................... 4-4
Inside mirror .................................................... 2-38
Inspection light ................................................ 1-30
Instrument brightness control ......................... 1-18
Integrated HomeLink
TMtransmitter
(If so equipped)............................................... 1-31
Interior light ..................................................... 1-29
J
Jump starting ........................................... 5-7, 7-13
K
Key .................................................................... 2-2
L
Light
Air bag warning light ................................. 2-22
Cigarette lighter and ash trays .................. 1-21
Front fog light switch ................................. 1-19
Headlight and turn signal switch ............... 1-15
Headlights.................................................. 7-22
Inspection light .......................................... 1-30
Interior light................................................ 1-29
Light bulbs ................................................. 7-22
Other lights ................................................ 7-23
Spot light ................................................... 1-30
Vanity mirror light ...................................... 1-30
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Z01.2.1/R50-DX