2000 NISSAN FRONTIER warning

example, on slippery boat ramps).
WARNING
Vehicle damage and/or personal injury
resulting from improper towing proce-
dures are not covered by NISSAN war-
ranties. A NISSAN Trailer Towing Guide
(U.S. only) containing information on
trailer towing ability and the special
equipment required may be obtained
from an authorized NISSAN dealer.
Tongue load
Keep the tongue load between 9 to 11
percent of the total trailer load within the
maximum tongue load limits shown in the
following Towing Load/Specification Chart.
If the tongue load becomes excessive, re-
arrange cargo to allow for proper tongue
load.Maximum gross vehicle weight/maximum
gross axle weight
The gross vehicle weight of the towing
vehicle must not exceed the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) shown on the
FMVSS certification label. The gross vehicle
weight equals the combined weight of the
unloaded vehicle, passengers, luggage,
hitch, trailer tongue load and any other
optional equipment. In addition, front or rear
gross axle weight must not exceed the
gross axle weight rating (GAWR) shown on
the FMVSS certification label.
CA0036
10-22Technical and consumer information
ZX

Trailer hitch
Check the towing capacity of your bumper
hitch or receiver-type frame mounted hitch.
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and
trailer. A genuine Nissan trailer hitch is avail-
able from your NISSAN dealer. Make sure
the trailer hitch is securely attached to the
vehicle to help avoid personal injury or
property damage due to sway caused by
crosswinds, rough road surfaces or passing
trucks.
CAUTION
ISpecial hitches which include frame
reinforcements are required for tow-
ing above 2,000 lb (907 kg). Suitable
genuine NISSAN hitches for pickup
trucks and sport utility vehicles are
available at an authorized NISSAN
dealer.
IThe hitch should not be attached to
or affect the operation of the impact-
absorbing bumper.
IDo not use axle-mounted hitches.
IDo not modify the vehicle exhaust
system, brake system, etc. to install
a trailer hitch.ITo reduce the possibility of addi-
tional damage if your vehicle is
struck from the rear, where practical,
remove the hitch and/or receiver
when not in use. Remove receiver
when not in use. After the hitch is
removed, seal the bolt holes to pre-
vent exhaust fumes, water or dust
from entering the passenger com-
partment.
IRegularly check that all trailer hitch
mounting bolts are securely
mounted.
Tire pressures
IWhen towing a trailer, inflate the vehicle
tires to the recommended cold tire pres-
sure indicated on the tire placard (af-
fixed to the inside of the glove box lid).
ITrailer tire condition, size, load rating
and proper inflation pressure should be
in accordance with the trailer and tire
manufacturers' specifications.
Safety chain
Always use suitable safety chains between
your vehicle and the trailer. Safety chainsshould be crossed and should be attached
to the hitch, not to the vehicle bumper or
axle. Be sure to leave enough slack in the
chain to permit turning corners.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights should comply with Federal
and/or local regulations. For assistance in
hooking up trailer lights, contact an autho-
rized NISSAN dealer.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to Federal
and/or local regulations and that it is prop-
erly installed.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system
directly to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tips
IBe 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
10-24Technical and consumer information
ZX

trailer must also pass the other vehicle
before you can safely change lanes.
ITo maintain engine braking efficiency
and electrical charging performance, do
not use fifth gear (manual transmission)
or overdrive (automatic transmission).
IAvoid 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 oil in the
transmission more frequently. For addi-
tional information see the ``Maintenance''
section earlier in this manual.DOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must con-
form to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades.
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
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, rela-
tive 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 C
may have poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your ve-
hicle tires is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hydro-
planing, or peak traction characteristics.
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
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
10-26Technical and consumer information
ZX

minimum required by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, under inflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in combi-
nation, can cause heat build-up and
possible tire failure.Your NISSAN is covered by the following
emission warranties.For US:
1) Emission Defects Warranty
2) Emission Performance Warranty
For Canada
Emission Control System Warranty
Details of these warranties may be found
with other vehicle warranties in your War-
ranty Information and Maintenance Log
Booklet which comes with your NISSAN. If
you did not receive a Warranty Information
and Maintenance Log Booklet, or it be-
comes lost, you may obtain a replacement
by writing to:
INissan North America, Inc.
Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 191
Gardena, CA 90248-0191
INissan Canada Inc.
5290 Orbitor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4Z5If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
injury or death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
(NHTSA)in addition to no-
tifying NISSAN.
If
NHTSAreceives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However,
NHTSAcannot be-
come involved in individual problems be-
tween you, your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact
NHTSA, you may either call the
Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-
9393 (or 366-0123 in the Washington, D.C.
area) or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Depart-
ment of Transportation, Washington, D.C.
20590. You can also obtain other informa-
tion about motor vehicle safety from the
Hotline.
You may notify NISSAN by contacting our
Consumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at
1-800-NISSAN-1.
In Hawaii call (808) 836-0888.
EMISSION CONTROL
SYSTEM WARRANTYREPORTING SAFETY
DEFECTS (US only)
Technical and consumer information10-27
ZX

Due to legal requirements in some states
and Canadian provinces, your vehicle may
be required to be in the ready condition for
an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of the
emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the ready condition
when it is driven through certain driving
patterns. Usually, the ready condition can
be obtained by ordinary usage of the ve-
hicle.
If a powertrain system component is re-
paired or the battery is disconnected, the
vehicle may be reset to a not ready condi-
tion. Before taking the I/M test, drive the
vehicle through the following pattern to set
the vehicle to the ready condition.
WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic
conditions and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine when the engine coolant
temperature gauge needle points to C.
Allow the engine to idle until the gauge
needle points between the C and H (nor-
mal operating temperature).2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 mph (88
km/h), then quickly release the accelera-
tor pedal completely and keep it released
for at least 6 seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for
a moment, then drive the vehicle at a
speed of 53 to 60 mph (85 to 97 km/h) for
at least 5 minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 mph (55
km/h) and maintain the speed for 20
seconds.
6. Repeat steps four through five least three
times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 mph (88
km/h) and maintain the speed for at least
3 minutes.
8. Stop the vehicle and turn the engine off.
9. Repeat steps one through eight at least
one more time.
If step one through seven interrupted, repeat
the preceding step. Any safe driving mode is
acceptable between steps. Do not stop the
engine until step seven is completed. If you
cannot or do not want to perform the drivingpattern, an authorized NISSAN dealer can
conduct it for you.
Dynamometer testing for Inspection/
Maintenance (I/M) test (US only)
Due to legal requirements in some
states/areas, your vehicle may be tested for
emissions on a dynamometer. The transfer
control lever (if so equipped) MUST be in
the 2H position for I/M testing on a two
wheel dynamometer.
WARNING
IIf the transfer control lever is not in
the 2H position during the dyna-
mometer I/M testing, the vehicle
could come off the dynamometer
and cause serious personal injury
and/or body damage to the vehicle.
ISerious damage will occur to the
4WD system if the transfer control
lever is not in the 2H position
READINESS FOR
INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE
(I/M) TEST (US only)
10-28Technical and consumer information
ZX

11 Index
A
Air bag
Passenger supplemental air bag ON/OFF
switch and light ..................................... 1-15
Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system) ...................................................... 1-10
Air bag warning light .................................. 1-18
Air cleaner housing filter ............................ 8-21
Air conditioner
Air conditioner operation ........................ 4-5
Air conditioner service ............................ 4-9
Air conditioner specification label ....... 10-14
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
lubrication recommendations ................ 10-8
Heater and air conditioner controls ........ 4-3
Air flow charts .............................................. 4-6
Alarm system (See theft warning) ............. 2-14
Anchor point locations ............................... 1-46
Antenna...................................................... 4-28
Anti-lock brake system (ABS).................... 5-29
Anti-lock brake system, rear (R-ABS) ....... 5-30
Anti-lock brake warning light ..................... 2-12
Ashtray (See cigarette lighter and
ashtray) ...................................................... 2-19
Audio system
AM-FM radio with cassette player ........ 4-10
FM-AM radio with compact disc
player ................................................... 4-15AM-FM radio with cassette player and
compact disc player.............................. 4-21
Auto-lock free-running hubs ...................... 5-22
Automatic
Automatic power window switch .......... 2-25
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF)....... 8-13
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 5-8
Transmission selector lever lock
release .................................................. 5-12
B
Battery........................................................ 8-16
Battery replacement (See multi-remote control
system) ........................................................ 3-7
Before starting the engine ........................... 5-8
Belts (See drive belts) ............................... 8-18
Brake
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) .............. 5-29
Anti-lock brake system, rear (R-ABS) .. 5-30
Brake booster ....................................... 8-24
Brake fluid ................................... 10-3, 8-15
Brake light (See stop light) ................... 8-30
Brake pedal .......................................... 8-23
Brake system ........................................ 5-28
Brake warning light ................................. 2-9
Brake wear indicators ................. 2-12, 8-24
Parking brake check ............................. 8-23Parking brake operation ....................... 5-16
Break-in schedule ...................................... 5-20
Bulb check/instrument panel ....................... 2-8
Bulb replacement ....................................... 8-30
C
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants.................................................... 10-2
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) . 10-15
Car phone or CB radio .............................. 4-28
Cassette player (See audio system) ......... 4-10
Check engine indicator light (See malfunction
indicator light) ............................................ 2-12
Child restraint with top tether strap ........... 1-45
Child restraints ........................................... 1-30
Cigarette lighter (accessory) and ashtray . 2-19
Cleaning exterior and interior ...................... 7-2
Clutch
Clutch fluid ............................................ 8-15
Clutch pedal.......................................... 8-25
Cold weather driving .................................. 5-30
Controls
Heater and air conditioner controls ........ 4-3
Coolant
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
Changing engine coolant........................ 8-6
ZX

Checking engine coolant level ............... 8-5
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-5
Corrosion protection .................................... 7-4
Cruise control............................................. 5-18
Cup holder ................................................. 2-21
D
Daytime running light system (Canada
only) ........................................................... 2-16
Dimensions and weights .......................... 10-11
Door locks .................................................... 3-2
Drive belts .................................................. 8-18
Driving
Auto-lock free-running hubs ................. 5-22
Cold weather driving............................. 5-30
Driving with automatic transmission ..... 5-14
Driving with manual transmission ......... 5-12
Manual-lock free-running hubs ............. 5-24
Precautions when starting and driving ... 5-2
E
Economy - fuel........................................... 5-20
Emission control information label........... 10-14
Emission control system warranty ........... 10-27
Engine
Before starting the engine ...................... 5-8
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
Changing engine coolant........................ 8-6Changing engine oil.............................. 8-10
Changing engine oil filter...................... 8-12
Checking engine coolant level ............... 8-5
Checking engine oil level ....................... 8-9
Engine compartment check locations .... 8-3
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-5
Engine cooling system ........................... 8-5
Engine oil ................................................ 8-9
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation ................................... 10-6
Engine oil pressure warning light ......... 2-10
Engine oil viscosity ............................... 10-7
Engine serial number ......................... 10-13
Engine specifications ............................ 10-9
Starting the engine ............................... 5-16
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ................. 5-2
F
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher
switch) ........................................................ 2-19
Flat tire ......................................................... 6-2
Floor mat positioning aid ............................. 7-4
Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF)....... 8-13
Brake fluid ................................... 10-3, 8-15
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
Clutch fluid ............................................ 8-15
Engine coolant ........................................ 8-5
Engine oil ................................................ 8-9
Power steering fluid .............................. 8-14Window washer fluid ............................ 8-15
F.M.V.S.S. certification label .................... 10-13
Front seats
Bench...................................................... 1-7
Separate ................................................. 1-2
Fuel
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
Fuel economy ....................................... 5-20
Fuel filler cap ........................................ 3-11
Fuel gauge.............................................. 2-6
Fuel octane rating................................. 10-5
Fuel recommendation ........................... 10-4
Fuses ......................................................... 8-26
G
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-5
Fuel gauge.............................................. 2-6
Odometer ................................................ 2-3
Speedometer .......................................... 2-3
Tachometer ............................................. 2-5
General maintenance .................................. 9-2
H
Hazard warning flasher switch .................. 2-19
Headlight and turn signal switch ............... 2-16
Headlights .................................................. 8-29
Heater
11-2
ZX

Heater and air conditioner controls ........ 4-3
Heater operation ..................................... 4-4
Hood release ............................................... 3-8
Hubs
Auto-lock free-running hubs ................. 5-22
Manual-lock free-running hubs ............. 5-24
I
Ignition switch .............................................. 5-6
Indicator lights and chimes (See warning/
indicator lights and chimes) ......................... 2-8
Inside mirror ............................................... 3-16
Instrument brightness control .................... 2-18
Interior light and cargo light ....................... 2-22
J
Jack
Pantograph type ..................................... 6-5
Jump seat .................................................... 1-9
Jump starting ............................................... 6-8
K
Key ............................................................... 3-2
Keyless entry system (See multi-remote control
system) ........................................................ 3-4L
Labels
Air conditioner specification label ....... 10-14
Emission control information label...... 10-14
Engine serial number ......................... 10-13
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ............... 10-13
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
plate .................................................... 10-12
Warning labels (for SRS)...................... 1-18
Light
Air bag warning light............................. 1-18
Brake light (See stop light) ................... 8-30
Bulb check/instrument panel .................. 2-8
Bulb replacement.................................. 8-30
Headlight and turn signal switch .......... 2-16
Headlights ............................................. 8-29
Interior light and cargo light .................. 2-22
Light bulbs ............................................ 8-29
Passenger supplemental air bag ON/OFF
switch and light ..................................... 1-15
Spotlights (See map light) .................... 2-23
Warning/indicator lights and chimes....... 2-8
Lock
Door locks............................................... 3-2
Power door locks .................................... 3-3
Luggage (See vehicle loading
information) .............................................. 10-15
Luggage rack (See roof rack)...................... 3-9M
Maintenance
General maintenance ............................. 9-2
Inside the vehicle.................................... 9-3
Maintenance precautions ....................... 8-2
Outside the vehicle ................................. 9-2
Periodic maintenance schedules ............ 9-5
Seat belt maintenance.......................... 1-29
Under the hood and vehicle ................... 9-4
Malfunction indicator lamp ......................... 2-12
Manual windows ........................................ 2-23
Manual-lock free-running hubs .................. 5-24
Map light .................................................... 2-23
Meters and gauges ...................................... 2-2
Mirror
Inside mirror.......................................... 3-16
Outside mirror control ........................... 3-15
Outside mirrors ..................................... 3-16
Vanity mirror.......................................... 3-17
Multi-remote control system ........................ 3-4
Multi-remote controller battery
replacement ............................................... 8-27
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating) ...... 10-5
Odometer ..................................................... 2-3
Oil
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
11-3
ZX