2000 NISSAN PATHFINDER ignition

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 indicator
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.
Fail-safeWhen the Fail-safe operation occurs, the next
time the key is turned to the ON position, the
O/D OFF light will blink for approximately 8
seconds after coming on for 2 seconds. While
the vehicle can be driven under these circum-
stances please note that the gears in the
automatic transmission will be locked in third
gear.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the Fail-safe
system may be activated. This will occureven if all electrical circuits are functioning
properly. In this case, turn the ignition key
OFF and wait for 3 seconds. Then turn the
key back to the ON position. The vehicle
should return to its normal operating con-
dition. If it does not return to its normal
operating condition have your NISSAN
dealer check the transmission and repair if
necessary.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Shifting
WARNING
IDo not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of con-
trol.
IDo not over-rev the engine when
shifting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
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Starting and driving
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IIf the ATP light is ON, this indicates
that the automatic transmission P
(park) position will not function and
the transfer shift lever is in the N
position. Failure to engage the trans-
fer shift lever in H or 4L could result
in the vehicle moving unexpectedly,
resulting in serious personal injury or
property damage.
3. To help prevent the vehicle rolling into the
street when parked on a sloping drive way,
it is a good practice to turn the wheels as
illustrated.
IHEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
q1
Turn the wheels into the curb and move the
vehicle forward until the curb side wheel
gently touches the curb.
IHEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
q2
Turn the wheels away from the curb and
move the vehicle back until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.
IHEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
q3
Turn the wheels toward the side of the roadso the vehicle will move away from the
center of the road if it moves.
4. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position
and remove the key.The power assisted steering is designed to
use a hydraulic pump, driven by the engine, to
assist steering.
If the engine stops or drive belt breaks, you will
still have control of the vehicle. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, espe-
cially in sharp turns or at low speeds.
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
much harder to operate.POWER STEERING
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conditions are hazardous and extra care is
required while driving.
If a tire slips on rough roads for more than
10 seconds, the ABS brake warning light
may come on. Turn OFF the ignition key,
restart the engine and drive the vehicle at
speeds above 20 MPH (30 km/h). If the
warning light does not go out, have the
vehicle checked at a NISSAN dealer.Self-test featureThe anti-lock brake system consists of elec-
tronic sensors, electric pumps, and hydraulic
solenoids controlled by a computer. The com-
puter has a built-in diagnostic feature that tests
the system each time you start the engine and
move the vehicle at a low speed in forward or
reverse. When the self-test occurs, you may
hear a clunk noise and/or feel a pulsation in
the brake pedal. This is normal and is not an
indication of any malfunction. If the computer
senses any malfunction, it switches the anti-
lock brake system OFF and turns on the ABS
brake warning light in the dashboard. The
brake system will then behave normally, but
without anti-lock assistance.
If the light comes on during the self check, or
while you are driving, you should take your
vehicle to your NISSAN dealer for repair at
your earliest convenience.
WARNING
The anti-lock brake system is a sophis-
ticated device, but it cannot prevent ac-
cidents resulting from careless or dan-
gerous driving techniques. It can help
maintain vehicle control during braking
on slippery surfaces, but remember that
the stopping distance on slippery sur-
faces will be longer than on normal
surfaces, even with the anti-lock sys-
tem. Stopping distances may also be
longer on rough, gravel or snow covered
roads, or if you are using tire chains.
Always maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front of you. Ultimately,
the responsibility for safety of self and
others rests in the hands of the driver.
Tire type and condition of tires may also
affect braking effectiveness.
IWhen replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all four
wheels.
IWhen installing a spare tire, make
sure it is the proper size and type asspecified on the tire placard. See
ªTire placardº in the ª10. Technical
and consumer informationº section
for tire placard location information.
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towed with the driving (rear) wheels off the
ground as illustrated.
CAUTION
IWhen towing manual or automatic
transmission models with the front
wheels on the ground: Turn the igni-
tion key to the OFF position and se-
cure the steering wheel in a straigh-
tahead position with a rope or similar
device. Never place the ignition key in
the LOCK position. This will result in
damage to the steering lock mecha-
nism.
IWhen towing manual transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the ground
(if you do not use towing dollies):
Always release the parking brake and
move the transmission shift lever to
the N (neutral) position.
Observe the following restricted tow-
ing speeds and distances.
Manual transmission models:ISpeed: Below 60 MPH (95 km/h)
IDistance: Less than 500 miles (800
km)
If the speed or distance must necessarily be
greater, remove the propeller shaft beforehand
to prevent damage to the transmission.
Four wheel drive modelsNISSAN recommends that a dolly be used as
illustrated when towing four wheel drive mod-
els.
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CAUTION
If towing with the front wheels on the
ground or with the rear wheels on the
ground (if you cannot use towing dol-
lies) is necessary: Move the transfer
case shift lever into the 2H position.
IWhen towing with the front wheels on
the ground: On manual transmission
models to move the shift lever to the
N (neutral) position, turn the ignition
key to the OFF position and secure
the steering wheel in a straightahead
position with a rope on similar de-
vice.
On automatic transmission models to
move the selector lever to N (neutral)
position, turn the ignition key to the
ACC position. After moving the selec-
tor lever to the N (neutral) position,
turn the ignition key to the OFF posi-
tion and secure the steering wheel in
a straightahead position with a rope
or similar device.
Never place the ignition key in theLOCK position. This will result in
damage to the steering lock mecha-
nism.
IWhen towing manual transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the ground:
Always release the parking brake and
move the transmission shift lever to
the N (neutral) position.
Observe the following restricted tow-
ing speeds and distances.
Manual transmission models:
ISpeed: Below 60 MPH (95 km/h)
IDistance: Less than 500 miles (800
km)
If the speed or distance must necessarily be
greater, remove the front and rear propeller
shafts beforehand to prevent damage to the
transmission.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (Freeing a
stuck vehicle)IUse the towinghookonly, not other parts of
the vehicle. Otherwise, the vehicle body will
be damaged.
IUse the towing hookonlyto free a vehicle
stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.Nevertow
the vehicle for a long distance using only
the towing hook.
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In case of emergency
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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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CHANGING ENGINE COOLANTIMajor cooling system repairs should be
performed by your NISSAN dealer. The
service procedures can be found in the
appropriate NISSAN Service Manual.
IImproper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING
ITo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
INever remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure
fluid escaping from the radiator.1. Perform the following procedure to open
the heater water cock.
ITurn the ignition key from OFF to ON.
IMove the heater or air conditioner tem-
perature control dial to the maximum hot
position then turn the ignition key to
OFF.
2. Open the radiator drain plug and radiator
cap.
Open the drain plugs on the engine block.
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IKeep the battery out of the reach of
children.JUMP STARTINGIf jump starting is necessary, see ªJump start-
ingº in the ª6. In case of emergencyº section. If
the engine does not start by jump starting, the
battery may have to be replaced. Contact your
NISSAN dealer.
Check the fluid level in each cell. It should be
between the MAX. and MIN. lines.
If it is necessary to add fluid, add only distilled
water to bring the level to the indicator in each
filler opening.Do not overfill.
1. Remove the cell plugs using a suitable tool.
2. Add distilled water up to the MAX. level.
3. Tighten cell plugs.
WARNING
Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or
LOCK position. The engine could rotate
unexpectedly.
1. Visually inspect each belt for signs of un-
usual wear, cuts, fraying or looseness. If
the belt is in poor condition or loose, have it
replaced or adjusted by your NISSAN
dealer.
2. Have the belts checked regularly for condi-
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DRIVE BELTS
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