1997 NISSAN QUEST change time

nates. When cruising at a low speed
or climbing a gentle slope, you may
feel uncomfortable shift shocks as
the transmission shifts between 3rd
and overdrive repeatedly. In this
case, press the overdrive switch.
The O/D OFF indicator light comes
on at this time.
When driving conditions change, press the
overdrive switch again. The O/D OFF indi-
cator light goes out.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time with the O/D OFF
light illuminated. This reduces the fuel
economy.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, turn the key off and wait 10
seconds before cranking again, other-
wise 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.
STARTING THE ENGINE
4-8
ZX

CAUTION
cOil level should be checked regu-
larly. Operating with an insufficient
amount of oil can damage the en-
gine, and such damage is not cov-
ered by warranty.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches operating
temperature, then turn it off.
3. Place a large drain pan under the drain
plug.
4. Remove the oil filler cap.
5. Remove the drain plug with a wrench and
completely drain the oil.If the oil filter is to be changed, remove
and replace it at this time. See ``Chang-
ing the oil filter'' later in this section.
WARNING
cBe careful not to burn yourself, as
the engine oil is hot.
cProlonged and repeated contact with
used engine oil may cause skin
cancer.
cTry to avoid direct skin contact with
used oil. If skin contact is made,
wash thoroughly with soap or hand
cleaner as soon as possible.
cKeep used engine oil out of reach of
children.
Waste oil must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
6. Clean and re-install the drain plug with a
new washer. Securely tighten the drain
plug with a wrench.
ADI0057
7-6
ZX

Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.For more information regard-
ing brake inspections, see the appropriate
maintenance schedule information in the
``Maintenance schedule'' section of this
manual.Check the brake booster function as fol-
lows:
1. With the engine off, press and release
the brake pedal several times. When
brake pedal movement (distance of
travel) remains 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, turn the
engine off. Keep 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 de-
crease gradually with each depression
as the vacuum is released from the
booster.
If the brakes do not operate properly, see
your NISSAN dealer.
Engine compartment
(headlight fuses)
CAUTION
Never use a fuse of a higher amperage
rating than that specified on the fuse
box cover. This could damage the elec-
trical system or cause a fire.
If a headlight does not come on, check for
an open fuse:
The left headlight (driver's side) fuse is
located in the right-hand fuse box, found in
ADI0583
BRAKE BOOSTER FUSES
7-17
ZX

Care of wheels
cWash the wheels when washing the ve-
hicle to maintain their appearance.
cClean the inner side of the wheels when
the wheel is changed or the underside of
the vehicle is washed.
cDo not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
cInspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause loss
of pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
c
NISSAN recommends waxing the road
wheels to protect against road salt in areas
where it is used during winter.
Spare tire (T-type spare tire)
Observe the following precautions if the
T-type spare tire must be used, otherwise
your vehicle could be damaged or involved
in an accident.
WARNING
cThe T-type spare tire should be used
only for emergency. It should be re-
placed by the standard tire at the
first opportunity.c
Drive carefully while the T-type spare
tire is installed. Avoid sharp turns
and abrupt braking while driving.
cPeriodically check tire inflation pres-
sure, and always keep it at 60 psi
(420 kP, 4.2 bar).
cDo not drive your vehicle at speeds
faster than 50 MPH (80 km/h).
c
When driving on roads covered with
snow or ice, the T-type spare tire
should be used on the rear wheel and
the original tire used on the front
wheels (drive wheels). Use tire chains
only on the front two original tires.
cTire tread of the T-type spare tire will
wear at a faster rate than the original
tire. Replace the T-type spare tire as
soon as the tread wear indicators
appear.
cDo not use the T-type spare tire on
other vehicles.
cDo not use more than one T-type
spare tire at the same time.
cDo not tow a trailer while the T-type
spare tire is installed.
CAUTION
cDo not use tire chains on a T-type
spare tire. Tire chains will not fit
properly on the T-type spare tire and
may cause damage to the vehicle.
cBecause the T-type spare tire is
smaller than the original tire, ground
clearance is reduced. To avoid dam-
age to the vehicle do not drive over
obstacles. Also do not drive the ve-
hicle through an automatic car wash
since it may get caught.
7-29
ZX

Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE and
methanol with or without advertising their
presence. NISSAN does not recommend
the use of fuels of which the oxygenate
content and the fuel compatibility for your
NISSAN cannot be readily determined. If in
doubt, ask your service station manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please
take the following precautions as the usage
of such fuels may cause vehicle perfor-
mance problems and/or fuel system dam-
age.
cThe fuel should be unleaded and have
an octane rating no lower than that
recommended for unleaded gasoline.
cIf an oxygenate-blend, excepting a
methanol blend, is used, it should
contain no more than 10% oxygenate.
(MTBE may, however, be added up to
15%.)
cIf a methanol blend is used, it should
contain no more than 5% methanol
(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). It
should also contain a suitable amount
of appropriate cosolvents and corro-sion inhibitors. If not properly formu-
lated with appropriate cosolvents and
corrosion inhibitors, such methanol
blends may cause fuel system dam-
age and/or vehicle performance prob-
lems. At this time, sufficient data is
not available to ensure that all metha-
nol blends are suitable for use in
NISSAN vehicles.
If any undesirable driveability problems
such as engine stalling and difficult hot-
starting are experienced after using
oxygenate-blend fuels, immediately change
to a non-oxygenate fuel or a fuel with a low
blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during
refueling. Gasoline containing oxygen-
ates can cause paint damage.
Aftermarket fuel additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
any fuel additives (i.e.: fuel injector cleaner,
octane booster, intake valve deposit remov-
ers, etc.) which are sold commercially.
Many of these additives intended for gum,
varnish or deposit removal may contain
active solvents or similar ingredients thatcan be harmful to the fuel system and
engine.
Octane rating tips
In most parts of North America, you should
use unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) num-
ber. However, you may use unleaded gaso-
line with an octane rating as low as 85 AKI
(Anti-Knock Index) in high altitude areas
(over 4,000 ft [1,219 m]) such as: Colorado,
Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming,
northeastern Nevada, southern Idaho,
western South Dakota, western Nebraska,
and the part of Texas which is directly south
of New Mexico.
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than stated above can cause
persistent, heavy ``spark knock.'' (``Spark
knock'' is a metallic rapping noise.) If
severe, this can lead to engine damage. If
you detect a persistent heavy spark
knock even when using gasoline of the
stated octane rating, or if you hear steady
spark knock while holding a steady
speed on level roads, have an authorized
dealer correct the condition. Failure to
correct the condition is misuse of the
vehicle, for which NISSAN is not respon-
sible.
9-3
ZX

affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly
causing vehicle sway. When being
passed by larger vehicles, be prepared
for possible changes in crosswinds that
could affect vehicle handling. If swaying
does occur, firmly grip the steering
wheel, steer straight ahead, and immedi-
ately (but gradually) reduce vehicle
speed. This combination helps to stabi-
lize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the
trailer must also pass the other vehicle
before you can safely change lanes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency
and electrical charging performance, do
not use overdrive.
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in re-
duced braking efficiency.
When towing a trailer, change fluid in the
transmission more frequently. For addi-
tional information see the ``Mainte-
nance'' section earlier in this manual.Department of Transportation (DOT) Qual-
ity Grades: All passenger car tires must
conform to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades.
Treadwear
Treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on tire wear rate when tested under
controlled conditions on specified govern-
ment test courses. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1-1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100. However,
relative tire performance depends on actual
driving conditions, and may vary signifi-
cantly, due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades repre-
sent the tire's ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlled condi-
tions, on specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked with
C may have poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your
vehicle tire's is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and does
not include acceleration, cornering, hy-
droplaning, or peak traction character-
istics.
Temperature A, B and C
Temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C. They represent a tire's resistance to
heat build-up, and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause tire material to degenerate, reducing
tire life. Excessive temperatures can lead to
sudden tire failure. Grade C corresponds to
a performance level which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A
and B represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on laboratory test wheels than the
minimum required by law.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
9-18
ZX