2000 NISSAN PATHFINDER wheel

In order to maintain the appearance of your
vehicle, it is important to take proper care of it.
In the following cases, please wash your ve-
hicle as soon as possible to protect the paint
surface.
IAfter a rainfall to prevent possible damage
from acid rain
IAfter driving on coastal roads
IWhen contaminants such as soot, bird
droppings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs
get on the paint surface
IWhen dust or mud builds up on the surfaceWhenever possible, store or park your vehicle
inside a garage or in a covered area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in a
shady area or protect the vehicle with a body
cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint surface
when putting on or removing the body
cover.
WASHINGWash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty of
water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly using a
mild soap such as Nissan Car Wash, or a
general purpose dish-washing liquid mixed
with clean, lukewarm (never hot) water.
CAUTION
IDo not use strong household soap,
strong chemical detergents, gasoline
or solvents.
IDo not wash the vehicle in direct
sunlight or while the vehicle body is
hot, as the surface may become
water-spotted.IAvoid using tight-napped or rough
cloths, such as washing mitts. Care
must be taken when removing
caked-on dirt or other foreign sub-
stance so that the paint surface is not
scratched or damaged.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of
clean water.
Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors,
hatches and hood are particularly endangered
by the effects of road salt. Therefore, these
areas must be regularly cleaned. Take care
that the drain holes in the lower edge of the
door are open. Spray water under the body
and in the wheel wells to loosen the dirt and
wash away road salt.
A damp chamois can be used to dry the
vehicle to avoid water spots.
WAXINGRegular waxing protects the paintwork and
keeps the finish. After waxing, polishing is
recommended to remove built-up residue and
avoid a ªweatheredº appearance.
Your NISSAN dealer can assist you in choos-
ing the proper product.
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CLEANING EXTERIOR7-2
Appearance and care
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IWax your vehicle only after a thorough
washing. Follow the instructions supplied
with the wax.
IDo not use a wax containing any abrasives,
cutting compounds or cleaners that may
damage the vehicle finish.
IIf the surface does not polish easily, use a
road tar remover and wax again.
Machine compounding or aggressive pol-
ishing on a base coat/clear coat paint finish
may dull the finish or leave swirl marks.REMOVING SPOTSRemove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, in-
sects and tree sap as quickly as possible from
the surface of the paint to avoid lasting dam-
age or staining. Special cleaning products are
available at your NISSAN dealer or any auto-
motive accessories store.UNDERBODYIn areas where road salt is used in winter, it is
necessary to clean the underbody regularly in
order to prevent dirt and salt from building up
and causing corrosion on the underbody and
suspension. Before the winter period and
again in the spring, the underseal must be
checked and, if necessary, re-treated.
GLASSUse glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust
film from the glass surfaces. It is normal for
glass to be coated with a film after the vehicle
is parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner and a
soft cloth will easily remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the window,
do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage the elec-
trical conductors, radio antenna ele-
ments or rear window defogger ele-
ments.ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELSWash regularly, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used. Salt
could discolor the wheel if not removed.CHROME PARTSClean all chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.Occasionally remove loose dust from the inte-
rior trim, plastic parts and seats using a
vacuum cleaner 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 rec-
ommendations. Some fabric protectors con-
tains chemicals that stain or bleach the seat
material.
CAUTION
INever use gasoline, thinner or any
similar material.
IThe leather seats should be regularly
coated with a leather wax like saddle
soap. Never use car wax.
INever use fabric protectors unless
recommended by the manufacturer.CLEANING INTERIOR
Appearance and care
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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 ................................................ 8-12
Brake and clutch fluid ............................................. 8-12
Brake fluid ............................................................... 8-12
Clutch fluid .............................................................. 8-13
Window washer fluid ............................................... 8-13
Window washer fluid reservoir ................................ 8-13
Battery ..................................................................... 8-14
Jump starting........................................................... 8-15
Drive belts ............................................................... 8-15
Spark plugs ............................................................. 8-16
Replacing spark plugs ............................................. 8-16Air cleaner ............................................................... 8-17
Windshield wiper blades ......................................... 8-18
Cleaning .................................................................. 8-18
Replacement ........................................................... 8-18
Parking brake and brake pedal ............................... 8-19
Checking parking brake .......................................... 8-19
Checking brake pedal ............................................. 8-19
Brake booster .......................................................... 8-20
Clutch pedal ............................................................ 8-21
Checking clutch pedal ............................................. 8-21
Fuses....................................................................... 8-21
Engine compartment ............................................... 8-21
Passenger compartment ......................................... 8-22
Multi-remote controller battery replacement ........... 8-22
Lights ....................................................................... 8-24
Headlights ............................................................... 8-25
Wheels and tires ..................................................... 8-28
Tire pressure ........................................................... 8-28
Types of tires .......................................................... 8-29
Tire chains............................................................... 8-30
Changing wheels and tires...................................... 8-30
Clutch housing drain ................................... 8-34
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When performing any inspection or mainte-
nance work on your vehicle, always take care
to prevent serious accidental injury to yourself
or damage to the vehicle. The following are
general precautions which should be closely
observed.
WARNING
IPark the vehicle on a level surface,
apply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving. For a manual
transmission, move the shift lever to
Neutral. For an automatic transmis-
sion, move the selector lever to the P
(Park) position.
IBe sure the ignition key is in the OFF
or LOCK position when performing
any replacement or repair.
IIf you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, clothing,
hair and tools away from moving fans
belts and any other moving parts.
IIt is advisable to secure or remove
any loose clothing and any jewelry,such as rings, watches, etc. before
working on your vehicle.
IAlways wear eye protection when-
ever you work on your vehicle.
IIf you must run the engine in an
enclosed space such as a garage, be
sure there is proper ventilation for
exhaust gases to escape.
INever get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is nec-
essary to work under the vehicle,
support it with safety stands.
IKeep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from fuel and battery.
IYour vehicle is equipped with an au-
tomatic engine cooling fan. It may
come on at any time without warning,
even if the ignition key is in the OFF
position and the engine is not run-
ning. To avoid injury, always discon-
nect the negative battery cable before
working near the fan.
IOn gasoline engine models with themultiport fuel injection (MFI) system,
the fuel filter or fuel lines should be
serviced by a NISSAN dealer because
the fuel lines are under high pressure
even when the engine is off.
CAUTION
IDo not work under the engine hood
while it is hot. Turn off the engine and
wait until it cools down.
INever connect or disconnect either
the battery or any transistorized com-
ponent connector while the ignition
key is on.
INever leave the engine or the auto-
matic transmission related compo-
nent harness connector discon-
nected while the ignition key is on.
IAvoid direct contact with used engine
oil. Improperly disposed motor oil and/
or other vehicle fluids can hurt the
environment. Always conform to lo-
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS8-2
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If you have a flat tire, see ªFlat tireº in the
ª6. In case of emergencyº section.TIRE PRESSURE
Maximum inflation pressureDo not exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sures shown on the side wall of the tire.Tire inflation pressurePeriodically check the tire pressure (including
spare). Incorrect tire pressure may adversely
affect tire life and vehicle handling. Tire pres-
sure should be checked when tires are COLD.
Tires are considered COLD after the vehicle
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WHEELS AND TIRES
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has been parked for three or more hours, or
driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km). COLD tire
pressures are shown on the tire placard affixed
to the inside of the glove box lid.
WARNING
IImproperly inflated tires can fail sud-
denly and cause an accident.
IThe vehicle capacity weight is indi-
cated on the tire placard. Do not load
your vehicle beyond this capacity.
Overloading your vehicle may result
in reduced tire life, unsafe operating
conditions due to premature tire fail-
ure, or unfavorable handling charac-
teristics and could also lead to a
serious accident. Loading beyond the
specified capacity may also result in
failure of other vehicle components.
IBefore taking a long trip, or whenever
you have loaded your vehicle heavily,
use a tire pressure gauge to ensure
that the tire pressure is at the speci-
fied level.IDo not drive your vehicle over 85
MPH (140 km/h) unless it is equipped
with high speed capability tires. Driv-
ing faster than 85 MPH (140 km/h)
may result in tire failure, loss of con-
trol and possible injury.
TYPES OF TIRES
CAUTION
When changing or replacing tires, be
sure all four tires are of the same type
(i.e., summer, all season or snow) and
construction. Your NISSAN dealer may
be able to help you with information
about tire type, size, speed rating and
availability. Replacement tires may have
a lower speed rating than the factory
equipped tires, and may not match the
potential maximum vehicle speed. Never
exceed the maximum speed rating of the
tire.
All season tiresNISSAN specifies all season tires on some
models to provide good performance for use
all year around, including snowy and icy road
conditions. All season tires are identified by
ALL SEASON and/or M&S on the tire sidewall.
Snow tires have better snow traction than all
season tires and may be more appropriate in
some areas.Summer tiresNISSAN specifies summer tires on some mod-
els to provide superior performance on dry
roads. Summer tire performance in snow and
ice will be substantially reduced. Summer tires
do not have the tire traction rating M&S on the
tire sidewall.
If you operate your vehicle in snowy or icy
conditions, NISSAN recommends the use of
SNOW or ALL SEASON tires on all four
wheels.Snow tiresIf snow tires are needed, it is necessary to
select tires equivalent in size and load rating to
the original equipment tires. If you do not, it
can adversely affect the safety and handling of
your vehicle.
Generally, snow tires will have lower speed
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ratings than factory equipped tires and may
not match the potential maximum vehicle
speed. Never exceed the maximum speed
rating of the tire.
If you install snow tires on four wheel drive
models, they must also be the same size,
brand, construction and tread pattern on all
four wheels.
If you operate your vehicle in snowy or icy
conditions, NISSAN recommends the use of
SNOW or ALL SEASON tire on all four wheels.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some provinces
and states prohibit their use. Check local, state
and provincial laws before installing studded
tires. Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow tires.TIRE CHAINSUse of tire chains is prohibited according to
location. Check the local laws before installing
tire chains. When installing tire chains, make
sure they are of proper size for the tires on
your vehicle and are installed according to the
chain manufacturer's suggestions.Use only
SAE class S chains.Other types may dam-
age your vehicle. Use chain tensioners when
recommended by the tire chain manufacturerto ensure a tight fit. Loose end links of the tire
chain must be secured or removed to prevent
the possibility of whipping action damage to
the fenders or underbody. If possible, avoid
fully loading your vehicle when using tire
chains. In addition, drive at a reduced speed.
Otherwise, your vehicle may be damaged
and/or vehicle handling and performance may
be adversely affected.
Never install tire chains on small size spare
tires.
Do not use tire chains on dry roads.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
rear wheels and not on the front wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved roads
which are clear of snow. Driving with chains in
such conditions can cause damage to the
various mechanisms of the vehicle due to
some overstress. When driving on clear paved
roads, be sure to change to 2WD.
CHANGING WHEELS AND TIRES
Tire rotationNISSAN recommends that tires be rotated
every 7,500 miles (12,000 km). However, the
timing for tire rotation may vary according to
your driving habits and road surface condi-
tions.
See ªFlat tireº in the ª6. In case of emergencyº
section for tire replacing procedures.
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Wheel nut tightening torque:
87 to 108 ft-lb (118 to 147 N×m)
WARNING
IAfter rotating the tires, adjust the tire
pressure.
IRetighten the wheel nuts after the
vehicle has been driven for 600 miles
(1,000 km) (also in cases of a flat tire,
etc.).
IDo not include small size spare tire in
the tire rotation.
Tire wear and damage
WARNING
ITires should be periodically in-
spected for wear, cracking, bulging or
objects caught in the tread. If exces-
sive wear, cracks, bulging or deep
cuts are found, the tire should be
replaced.
IThe original tires have a built-in tread
wear indicator. When the wear indica-tor is visible, the tire should be re-
placed.
IImproper service for a small size
spare tire may result in serious per-
sonal injury. If it is necessary to re-
pair the small size spare tire, contact
your NISSAN dealer.
Replacing wheels and tiresWhen replacing a tire, use the same size,
speed rating and load carrying capacity as
originally equipped. See ªSpecificationsº in the
ª10. Technical and consumer informationº sec-
tion for tires and wheels.
WARNING
IThe use of tires other than those
recommended or the mixed use of
tires of different brands, construction
(bias, bias-belted or radial), or tread
patterns can adversely affect the ride,
braking, handling, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, tire chain
clearance, speedometer calibration,
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