1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the selector lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral). (P preferred.)
The shift lever cannot be moved out of
P and into any of the other gear posi-
tions under the following conditions:
cThe ignition key is turned to the
OFF position.
cThe ignition key is turned to the ON
position without depressing the
foot brake pedal.
The starter is designed not to operate
if the selector lever is in one of the
driving positions.
3. Crank the enginewith your foot off the
accelerator pedalby turning the ignition
key to START. Release the key when the
engine starts. If the engine starts, but
fails to run, repeat the above procedure.
Ð If the engine is very hard to start in
extremely cold or hot weather, de-
press the accelerator pedal and hold it
to help start the engine.Ð In the summer, when restarting the
engine within 30 minutes after it has
been stopped, keep the accelerator
pedal slightly depressed while start-
ing.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, wait 10 seconds before crank-
ing again, otherwise the starter could
be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Drive at moderate
speeds for a short distance first, espe-
cially in cold weather.To apply:Firmly depress the parking brake.
To release:Pull the release lever. Before
driving, be sure the parking brake warning
light goes out.
ASD0012
STARTING THE ENGINE PARKING BRAKE
OPERATION
4-8
ZX
During the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km),
follow these recommendations for the future
reliability and fuel economy of your new
vehicle. Failure to follow these recommen-
dations may result in vehicle damage or
shortened engine life.
cDo not drive over 55 MPH (90 km/h) and
do not run the engine over 4,000 rpm.
Avoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow.
cDo not accelerate at full throttle in any
gear.
cAvoid quick starts.
cAvoid hard braking as much as possible.
cDo not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km).cAccelerate slowly and smoothly. Main-
tain cruising speeds with a constant ac-
celerator position.
cDrive at moderate speeds on the high-
way. Driving at high speed lowers fuel
economy.
cAvoid unnecessary stopping and brak-
ing. Maintain a safe distance behind
other vehicles.
cUse a proper gear range which suits road
conditions. On level roads, shift into high
gear as soon as possible.
cAvoid unnecessary engine idling.cKeep your engine tuned up.
cFollow the recommended periodic main-
tenance schedule.
cKeep the tires inflated at the correct
pressure. Low pressure increases tire
wear and waste fuel.
cKeep the front wheels in correct align-
ment. Improper alignment causes not
only tire wear but also lower fuel
economy.
cAir conditioner operation lowers fuel
economy. Use the air conditioner only
when necessary.
cWhen cruising at highway speeds, it is
more economical to use the air condi-
tioner and leave the windows closed to
reduce drag.
SD1001M
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE INCREASING FUEL
ECONOMY
4-11
ZX
may dull the finish or leave swirl marks.
Removing spots
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust,
insects, and tree sap as quickly as possible
from the surface of the paint to avoid lasting
damage or staining. Special cleaning prod-
ucts are available at your NISSAN dealer or
any automotive accessory store.
Underbody
In areas where road salt is used in winter,
the underbody must be cleaned regularly.
This prevents dirt and salt from building up
and causing underbody and suspension
corrosion. Before the winter period and
again in the spring, the underseal must be
checked and, if necessary, re-treated.
Cleaning glass
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and
dust film from the glass surfaces. It is nor-
mal for glass to become coated with a film
after the vehicle is parked in the hot sun.
Glass cleaner and a soft cloth easily remove
this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dow, do not use sharp-edged tools,
abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based
disinfectant cleaners. They could dam-
age electrical conductors or rear win-
dow defogger elements.
Cleaning alloy wheels
Wash regularly, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used.
Salt could discolor the wheel if not removed.
Chrome parts
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a
non-abrasive chrome polish to maintain the
finish.
Plastic parts
Plastic parts can be cleaned with a mild
soap solution. If the dirt cannot be easily
removed, use a plastic cleaner. Do not use
solvents.
Cleaning interior
Occasionally remove loose dust from the
interior trim and seats using a vacuumcleaner or soft brush. Wipe the vinyl and
leather surfaces with a clean, soft cloth
dampened in mild soap solution, then wipe
clean with a dry, soft cloth. Before using any
fabric protector, read the manufacturer's
recommendations. Some fabric protectors
contain chemicals that may stain or bleach
the seat material.
CAUTION
cNever use benzine, thinner, or any
similar material.
cLeather seats should be regularly
coated with a leather wax like saddle
soap. Never use car wax.
cNever use fabric protectors unless
recommended by the manufacturer.
Front floor mat positioning aid
This model includes a front floor mat
bracket to act as a floor mat positioning aid.
NISSAN floor mats, specially designed for
your vehicle, incorporate grommets. To in-
stall, simply position the mat using the floor
mat bracket hook through the floor mat
grommet hole while centering the mat in the
floor pan contour.
6-3
ZX
The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be a little
different. When refilling, follow the procedure instructed in the ``Do-it-yourself
operations'' section to determine the proper refill capacity.
Capacity (Approximate)
Recommended Specifications
US
measureImp
measureLiter
Fuel 20 gal 16-5/8 gal 75.7Unleaded gasoline with an octane rat-
ing of at least 87 AKI (RON 91)(1)
Engine oil (Refill)
With oil filter 4-1/4 qt 3-1/2 qt 4.0
API SG or SH and Energy Conserving II (2)
API Certification Mark (2)Without oil filter 3-7/8 qt 3-1/8 qt 3.6
Cooling system
With reservoir tank
With rear heater 12-3/4 qt 10-5/8 qt 12.1
Anti-freeze coolant
(Ethylene glycol base)
Without rear heater 11-3/8 qt 9-3/8 qt 10.7
Reservoir 3/4 qt 5/8 qt 0.7
Automatic transaxle fluidNissan matic `D' (Continental U.S. and
Alaska) or Genuine Nissan Automatic
Transmission Fluid (Canada).(3)
Power steering fluid
Refill to the proper oil level
according to the instructions in the
``Do-it-yourself operations''
section.Type F automatic transmission fluid or
equivalent
Brake fluidGenuine NISSAN Brake Fluid(4) or
equivalent
DOT 3 (US FMVSS No. 116)
Multi-purpose grease Ð Ð Ð NLGI No. 2 (Lithium complex)
Air conditioning system refrigerantÐ Ð Ð HFC-134a (R-134a)(5)(1): For further details, see ``Fuel recommendation''.
(2): For further details, see ``Recommended SAE engine oil viscosity''.
(3):
DexronTIII/MerconTor equivalent may also be used. Outside the Continental United States and
Alaska contact a Nissan dealership for more information regarding suitable fluids, including recom-
mended brand(s) of DexronTIII/MerconTor DexronTIIE/MerconTAutomatic Transmission Fluid.
(4): Available in mainland U.S.A. through your NISSAN dealer.
(5): For further details, see ``Air conditioner specification label''.
FUEL RECOMMENDATION
All models are designed to operate on
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index)
number (Research octane number 91).
CAUTION
Using a fuel other than that specified
could adversely affect the emission
control devices and systems, and
could also affect warranty coverage.
Under no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, since this will
damage the three way catalyst.
Reformulated gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing re-
formulated gasolines. These gasolines are
specially designed to reduce vehicle emis-
sions. NISSAN supports efforts towards
cleaner air and suggests that you use refor-
mulated gasoline when available.
CAPACITIES AND RECOMMENDED
FUEL/LUBRICANTS
9-2
ZX
cOverloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle. Failures caused by
overloading are not covered by your
warranty.
Your new vehicle was designed to be used
primarily to carry passengers and cargo.
Remember that towing a trailer places ad-
ditional loads on your vehicle's engine, drive
train, steering, braking and other systems.
Information on trailer towing ability and the
special equipment required should be ob-
tained from your NISSAN dealer. He can
obtain aNISSAN Towing Guidefor you.
Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is a cargo
van model.Maximum load limits
Maximum trailer loads
Never allow the total trailer load to exceed
3,500 lbs (1,588 kg). The total trailer load
equals trailer weight plus its cargo weight.
Towing loads greater than 3,500 lbs (1,588
kg) or using improper towing equipment
could adversely affect vehicle handling,
braking and performance.
cAll towing above 1,000 lbs (454 Kg)
requires the use of trailer brakes.
cNISSAN recommends the use of a tan-
dem axle trailer whenever towing above
3,000 lbs (1,361 Kg).
cA sway control device is recommended
for all towing above 2,000 lbs (907 Kg).
Sway control devices are not offered by
NISSAN. See a professional trailer/hitch
outlet for a properly designed sway con-
trol device for your trailer.
The Gross Combined Weight should not
exceed 8,000 lbs (3,628 kg). The Gross
Combined Weight is the total weight of the
tow vehicle with all occupants, cargo and
fuel tanks, PLUS the total weight of the
trailer and all its cargo. This weight should
TI1011M
TRAILER TOWING
9-13
ZX
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to Federal
and/or local regulations and it is properly
installed.
CAUTION
Never connect a trailer brake system
directly to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tips
cBe certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded and/or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive the vehicle
if it has an abnormal nose-up or nose-
down condition; check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspension
or other possible causes of either condi-
tion.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shifts while driving.
cBe certain your rear view mirrors conform
to all federal, state or local regulations. If
not, install any mirrors required for towing
before driving the vehicle.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding
of the vehicle's behavior, you should prac-
tice turning, stopping and backing up in an
area which is free from traffic. Steering,
stability, and braking performance are
somewhat different than under normal driv-
ing conditions.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
c
Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.
cAlways drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
cAlways block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if
you must do so, first block the wheels
and apply the parking brake, and then
move the transmission gearshift lever
into the P (Park) position. If you move the
shift lever to the P (Park) position before
blocking the wheels and applying the
parking brake, transmission damage
could occur.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lowergear and use the engine braking effect.
When ascending a long grade, downshift
the transmission to a lower gear and
reduce speed to reduce chances of en-
gine overloading and/or overheating.
cIf the engine coolant rises to an ex-
tremely high temperature when the air
conditioning system is on, turn the air
conditioner off. Coolant heat can be ad-
ditionally vented by opening the win-
dows, switching the fan control dial to
high and setting the temperature control
dial to the WARM position.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.
cAvoid towing a trailer for the first 500
miles (800 km) of the vehicle's life.
cHave your vehicle serviced more often
than at intervals specified in the recom-
mended Maintenance Schedule.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels
will be closer to the inside of the turn than
your vehicle wheels. To compensate for
this, make a larger than normal turning
radius during the turn.
cCrosswinds and rough roads adversely
9-17
ZX