2000 NISSAN MAXIMA engine

Ia shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow-
drifts.
Iextra window washer fluid to refill the res-
ervoir tank.DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
IWet ice (32ÉF, 0ÉC and freezing rain),
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have a lot less traction or grip under
these conditions. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until the road is salted or
sanded.
IWhatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shifting too fast, the drive wheels will
lose even more traction.
IAllow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
IAllow greater following distances on
slippery roads.IWatch for slippery spots (glare ice).
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch
of ice is seen ahead, brake before
reaching it. Try not to brake while
actually on the ice, and avoid any
sudden steering maneuvers.
IDo not use cruise control on slippery
roads.
ISnow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep snow
clear of the exhaust pipe and from
around your vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)An engine block heater to assist extreme cold
temperature starting is available through your
NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
Do not use your heater with an un-
grounded electrical system or two-pronged (cheater) adapters. You can be
injured by an electrical shock if you use
an ungrounded connection.
5-22
Starting and driving
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CHANGING A FLAT TIREIf you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below.Stopping the vehicle1. Safely move the vehicle off the road away
from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the
parking brake. Shift the manual transmis-
sion into R (Reverse) position (automatic
transmission in P (Park) position).
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic, and to
signal professional road assistance person-
nel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle
and stand in a safe place, away from traffic
and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
IMake sure that the parking brake is
securely applied and the manual
transmission is shifted into R (Re-verse), or the automatic transmission
into P (Park).
INever change tires when the vehicle
is on a slope, ice or slippery areas.
This is hazardous.
INever change tires if oncoming traffic
is close to your vehicle. Wait for pro-
fessional road assistance.
Blocking wheelsPlace suitable blocks at both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the flat
tire to prevent the vehicle from rolling when it is
jacked up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the vehicle
may move and could cause personal
injury.
MCE0001
FLAT TIRE6-2
In case of emergency
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The jack should be used on level firm
ground.
2. Loosen each wheel nut one or two turns by
turning counterclockwise with the wheel nut
wrench.Do not remove the wheel nuts
until the tire is off the ground.
3. 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 tire.
WARNING
INever get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by the jack.
IUse only the jack provided with your
vehicle to lift the vehicle. 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 vehicles with limited slid dif-
ferential carriers.
IDo not allow passengers to stay in
the vehicle while it is on the jack.
CE1092
In case of emergency
6-5
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Stowing the damaged tire and toolsSecurely store the spare tire and jacking
equipment in the vehicle.
WARNING
IAlways make sure that the spare tire
and jacking equipment are properly
secured after use. Such items can
become dangerous projectiles in an
accident or sudden stop.
IThe T-type spare tire and small sizespare tire are designed for emer-
gency use. See ªTires and wheelsº in
the ª8. Do-it-yourselfº section.To start your engine with a booster battery, the
instructions and precautions below must be
followed.
WARNING
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
the battery.
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
children.
SCE0040
JUMP STARTING
In case of emergency
6-7
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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 (for example, goggles or indus-
trial safety spectacles) and remove
rings, metal bands, or any other jew-
elry. Do not lean over the 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.
WARNING
Always follow the instructions below.
Failure to do so could result in damage
to the charging system and cause per-
sonal injury.
1. If the booster battery is in another vehicle,
position the two vehicles to bring their bat-
teries into close proximity to each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.
2. Apply parking brake. Move the shift lever tothe N (Neutral) position (On automatic
transmission models, move the selector
lever to the P (Park) position). Switch off all
unnecessary electrical systems (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.
SCE0154A
6-8
In case of emergency
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CAUTION
IAlways connect positive (+) to posi-
tive (+) and negative (þ) to body
ground (for example, strut mounting
bolt, etc. Ð not to the battery).
IMake sure that cables do not touch
moving parts in the engine compart-
ment and that clamps do not contact
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.
CAUTION
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.
CAUTION
IAutomatic transmission models can-
not be push started. 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.PUSH STARTING
In case of emergency
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WARNING
IDo not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
ITo avoid the danger of being scalded,
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.
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:
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the shift lever
to the N (Neutral) position (automatic trans-
mission to the P (Park) position).
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 maximum hot
and fan control to high speed.
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.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check if the cooling fan is running.
The radiator hoses and radiator should not
leak water.
If coolant is leaking or the cooling fan does
not run, stop the engine.
WARNING
IBe careful not to allow your hands,
hair, jewelry or clothing to come into
contact with, or to get caught in the
cooling fan, or drive belt.
IThe engine cooling fan can start at
any time when the coolant tempera-
ture is high.
7. After the engine cools down, check the
coolant level in the reservoir tank with the
engine running. Add coolant to the reservoir
tank if necessary. Have your vehicle re-
paired at the nearest NISSAN dealer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS6-10
In case of emergency
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8 Do-it-yourselfMaintenance precautions .......................................... 8-2
Engine compartment check locations ....................... 8-4
Engine cooling system .............................................. 8-5
Checking engine coolant level .................................. 8-5
Changing engine coolant .......................................... 8-6
Engine oil .................................................................. 8-7
Checking engine oil level .......................................... 8-7
Changing engine oil .................................................. 8-8
Changing engine oil filter .......................................... 8-9
Automatic transmission fluid ................................... 8-10
Temperature conditions for checking ...................... 8-10
Power steering fluid ................................................ 8-11
Brake and clutch fluid ............................................. 8-12
Window washer fluid ............................................... 8-12
Battery ..................................................................... 8-13
Drive belts ............................................................... 8-15
Spark plugs ............................................................. 8-15
Replacing spark plugs ............................................. 8-16
Air cleaner ............................................................... 8-17
Windshield wiper blades ......................................... 8-18Cleaning .................................................................. 8-18
Replacement ........................................................... 8-19
Parking brake and brake pedal ............................... 8-20
Checking parking brake .......................................... 8-20
Checking brake pedal ............................................. 8-20
Brake booster .......................................................... 8-21
Clutch pedal ............................................................ 8-21
Fuses....................................................................... 8-21
Engine compartment ............................................... 8-22
Passenger compartment ......................................... 8-23
Multi-remote controller battery replacement ........... 8-24
Lights ....................................................................... 8-25
Headlights ............................................................... 8-26
Exterior and interior lights ....................................... 8-27
Tires and wheels ..................................................... 8-32
Tire pressure ........................................................... 8-32
Types of tires .......................................................... 8-32
Tire chains............................................................... 8-33
Changing tires and wheels...................................... 8-34
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