1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER Owners Manual

If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below.
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road away
from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the
parking brake. Shift the manual transmis-
sion into reverse (automatic transmission in
ªPº).
The transfer control lever must
be in the ª2Hº, ª4Hº or ª4Lº position.
Never place the transfer control lever in
the ªNº position. Otherwise, the vehicle
could roll unexpectedly even if the
manual transmission is in gear or the
automatic transmission is in the ªPº
position. This could result in serious
personal injury or property damage.
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to
signal professional road assistance person-nel that you require assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle
and stand in a safe place away from traffic
and clear of the vehicle.
IMake sure that the parking brake is
securely applied and the manual
transmission is shifted into reverse
(automatic transmission in ªPº).
INever change tires when the vehicle
is on a slope, ice or a slippery area.
This is hazardous.
INever change tires if oncoming traffic
is close to your vehicle. Wait for pro-
fessional road assistance.
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocks at both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the flat
tire.
Be sure to block the wheel as the vehicle
may move and could cause personal
injury.
MCE0001
FLAT TIRE
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Getting the spare tire and tools
Remove jacking tools and spare tire from
storage area.Tightening torque of nuts:
48 to 66 ft-lb
(66 to 89 N×m)
Use a suitable padlock.
IDo not insert the jack rod straight as
it is designed to be inserted ob-
liquely.
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IMake sure the rod tip fits in the fitting
portion of the spare tire hanger and
turn the rod.
IBe sure to center the spare tire sus-
pending plate on the wheel and then
lift the spare tire.
Spare tire cover (If so equipped)
The spare tire cover cannot be removed or
attached unless the spare tire is detached from
the spare tire carrier.
1. Attach the cover to the entire periphery of
the inner half and the top part of the spare
tire.
2. Secure the spare tire to the spare tire
carrier as shown in the illustration.
3. Fasten the zip fastener of the spare tire
cover.
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Jacking up and removing wheel
Carefully read the following instructions.
1. On models with 265/70 R15 size tires, put
the adapter stored in the tool bag on the
jack when jacking up the front side.
Do not use the jack adapter for the rear.
2. Place the jack directly under the jack-up
point.
The jack should be used on level firm
ground.
3. Loosen each wheel nut one or two turns byturning counterclockwise with the wheel nut
wrench.
Do not remove the wheel nuts until the tire
is off the ground.
4. Carefully raise the vehicle until the tire
clears the ground. To lift the vehicle, se-
curely hold the jack lever and rod with both
hands as shown above. Remove the wheel
nuts, and then remove the wheel. Do not
remove the brake drum with the wheel.
INever get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by the jack.
IUse the jack provided with your ve-
hicle. Do not use the jack provided
with your vehicle on other vehicles.
The jack is designed only for lifting
your vehicle during a tire change.
IUse the correct jack up points; never
use any other part of the vehicle for
jack support.
INever jack up the vehicle more than
necessary.
INever use blocks on or under the
jack.
IDo not start or run engine while ve-
hicle is on the jack, as it may cause
the vehicle to move. This is especially
true for vehicle with limited slip dif-
ferential carriers.
IDo not allow passengers to stay in
the vehicle while it is on the jack
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Installing wheel
1. Clean any mud or dirt from the surface
between the wheel and hub.
2. Carefully put the wheel on and tighten the
wheel nuts finger tight.
3. With the wheel nut wrench, tighten wheel
nuts alternately and evenly until they are
tight.
4. Lower the vehicle slowly until the tire
touches the ground. Then, with the wheel
nut wrench, tighten the wheel nuts securely
in the sequence as illustrated.
IIncorrect wheel nuts or improperly
tightened wheel nuts can cause the
wheel to become loose or come off.
This could cause an accident.
IDo not use oil or grease on the wheel
studs or nuts. This could cause the
nuts to become loose.
As soon as possible tighten the wheel nuts
to the specified torque with a torque
wrench.
Wheel nut tightening torque:
87 to 108 ft-lb (118 to 147 N×m)
Adjust tire pressure to the COLD pressure.
COLD pressure:
After vehicle has been parked for three
hours or more or driven less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
COLD tire pressures are shown on the tire
placard affixed to the glove box lid.
Retighten the wheel nuts when the vehicle
has been run for 600 miles (1,000 km) after
installing the aluminum wheel.
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5. Securely store the spare tire and jacking
equipment in the vehicle.
Always make sure that the spare tire and
jacking equipment are properly secured
after use. Such items can become dan-
gerous projectiles in an accident or sud-
den stop.
If you try to start your engine with a booster
battery, follow the instructions and precautions
below:
IIf done incorrectly, jump starting can
lead to a battery explosion, resulting
in severe injury or death. It could also
damage your vehicle.
IExplosive hydrogen gas is always
present in the vicinity of the battery.
Keep all sparks and flames away from
it.
IDo not allow battery fluid to come
into contact with eyes, skin, cloth or
painted surfaces. Battery fluid is a
corrosive sulphuric acid solution
which can cause severe burns. If the
fluid should come into contact with
anything, immediately flush the con-
tacted area with water.
IKeep battery out of the reach of chil-
dren.
IThe booster battery must be rated at
12 volts. Use of an improperly rated
battery can damage your vehicle.IWhenever working on or near a bat-
tery, always wear suitable eye protec-
tors (e.g., goggles or industrial safety
spectacles) and remove rings, metal
bands, or any other metal jewelry. Do
not lean over battery when jump-
starting.
IDo not attempt to jump start a frozen
battery. It could explode and cause
serious injury.
IYour vehicle has an automatic engine
cooling fan. It could come on at any
time. Keep hands and other objects
away from it.
JUMP STARTING
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Always follow the instructions below
exactly. Failure to do so could result in
damage to the charging system and
cause personal injury.
1. Position the two vehicles to bring their
batteries into close proximity to each other
if the booster battery is in another vehicle.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.
2. Apply parking brakes. Move the shift lever
to ªNeutral positionº (On automatic trans-mission models, move the lever to ªPº).
Switch off all unnecessary electrical sys-
tems (light, heater, air conditioner, etc.).
3. Remove vent caps on the battery (if so
equipped). Cover the battery with an old
cloth to reduce explosion hazard.
4. Connect jumper cables in the sequence as
illustrated.
IAlways connect positive (+) to posi-
tive (+) and negative (þ) to body
ground, engine lift bracket, etc. (not
to the battery).
IMake sure that cables do not touch
any moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that clamps do not con-
tact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the other vehicle and let
it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the other vehicle
at about 2,000 rpm, and start your engine in
the normal manner.
Do not keep starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine
does not start right away, turn the key
off and wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying
again.
7. After starting your engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the posi-
tive cable.
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped). Be
sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.
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IAutomatic transmission models can-
not be started by pushing. This may
cause transmission damage.
IThree-way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing
since the three-way catalyst may be
damaged.
INever try to start the vehicle by tow-
ing it; when the engine starts, the
forward surge could cause the ve-
hicle to collide with the tow vehicle.
If your vehicle is overheating indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading, or
if you feel a lack of engine power, detect
abnormal noise, etc., take the following steps:
IDo not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
ITo avoid the danger of being burned,
never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the radia-
tor cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
IDo not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the gearshift
lever to the neutral position (automatic
transmission to ªPº).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner switch. Open all
the windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to ªmaximumhotº and fan control to ªhigh speedº.
3. If engine overheating is caused by climbing
a long hill on a hot day, run the engine at a
fast idle (approximately 1,500 rpm) until the
temperature gauge indication returns to
normal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. Wait until no
steam or coolant can be seen before pro-
ceeding.
5. Open the engine hood.
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leaking,
the cooling fan belt is missing or loose or
the cooling fan does not run, stop the
engine.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
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