Your NISSAN is equipped with auto-lock
free-running hubs.
The auto-lock free-running hub is designed
to allow for automatic four-wheel drive en-
gagement when the shift lever is moved to
the 4H or 4L position. Follow these opera-
tional cautions:
CAUTION
OThe auto-locking hubs will make a
clicking noise when engaging and
disengaging. This is normal.OAccelerating quickly from a stop af-
ter shifting from two-wheel drive to
four-wheel drive may not allow en-
gagement of the auto-locking free-
running hubs and may cause a clat-
tering noise. Continued use of the
vehicle with this noise may damage
the hub lock. In such a case, release
the accelerator pedal to reduce the
engine speed or stop the vehicle.
OIf the auto-locking hubs make a clat-
tering noise after shifting from four-
wheel drive to two-wheel drive, stop
and move the vehicle about 7 to 10
feet (2 to 3 m) in reverse.
OUnder extremely cold conditions
[below 5ÉF (-15ÉC)], the front axle
shafts may rotate even with the
transfer lever in the 2H position. If
this occurs, the auto-locking hubs
may make a clattering noise. To
avoid this, drive first in four-wheel
drive to warm up the vehicle and
differential gear oil. Then, shift to
two-wheel drive.OIn cold weather, it may be necessary
to reduce speed or stop the vehicle
in order to shift from two-wheel drive
to four-wheel drive.
OWhen shifting into or out of four-
wheel drive while driving, do not
stop shift lever movement midway.
An incomplete shift may cause a
clattering noise from the auto-
locking hubs. Continued use of the
vehicle with this noise may damage
the hub lock. Drive in four-wheel
drive to stop the noise. Shift to two-
wheel drive as described.
SD0021
AUTO-LOCK
FREE-RUNNING HUBS
5-20Starting and driving
ZX
CAUTION
Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted
or radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Failure to do so may result in a
circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and may
damage the transmission, transfer
case and differential gears.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recom-
mended that all four tires be replaced with
tires of the same size, brand, construction
and tread pattern. The tire pressure and
wheel alignment should also be checked
and corrected as necessary. Contact an
authorized NISSAN dealer.
Snow tires
If you install snow tires, they must also be
the same size, brand, construction and
tread pattern on all four wheels.
Tire inflation pressure
Periodically check the pressure in all tires,
including the spare, with a gauge. Adjust to
the specified pressure if necessary. Tirepressures are shown on the tire placard
affixed to the glove box.
Tire chain
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.
TIRES OF FOUR-WHEEL
DRIVE
5-22Starting and driving
ZX
WARNING
The anti-lock brake system is a sophisti-
cated device, but it cannot prevent acci-
dents resulting from careless or danger-
ous driving techniques. It can help
maintain vehicle control under braking on
slippery surfaces, but remember that the
stopping distance on slippery surfaces
will be longer than on normal surfaces
even with the anti-lock brake system.
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 responsi-
bility for safety of self and others rests in
the hands of the driver.
Tire type and condition may also affect
braking effectiveness.
OWhen replacing tires, install the speci-
fied tire size on all four wheels.
OWhen installing a spare tire, make sure
it is the proper size and type as speci-
fied on the tire placard. For tire placard
location information refer to ``Tire plac-
ard'' in the ``Technical and consumer
information'' section of this manual.
Freeing a frozen door lock
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer or glycerin through the key hole. If
the lock becomes frozen, heat the key be-
fore inserting it in the key hole.
Anti-freeze
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32ÉF (0ÉC),
check anti-freeze (ethylene glycol base) to
assure proper winter protection. For details,
see ``Engine cooling system'' in the ``Do-it-
yourself'' section of this manual.
Battery
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the bat-
tery fluid may freeze and damage the bat-
tery. To maintain maximum efficiency, the
battery should be checked regularly. For
details, see ``Battery'' in the ``Do-it-yourself''
section of this manual.
Draining of coolant water
If the vehicle is to be left outside without
anti-freeze, drain the cooling system by open-
ing the drain valves located under the radiator
and on the engine block. Refill before operat-ing the vehicle. For details, see ``Changing
engine coolant'' in the ``Do-it-yourself'' section
of this manual.
Tire equipment
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed to
provide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance of
these tires will be substantially reduced
in snowy and icy conditions. If you oper-
ate your vehicle on snowy or icy roads,
NISSAN recommends the use on all four
wheels of MUD & SNOW or ALL SEA-
SON tires. Please consult your NISSAN
dealer for the tire type, size, speed rating
and availability information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, stud-
ded tires may be used. However, some
U.S. states and Canadian provinces pro-
hibit their use. Check local, state and pro-
vincial 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.
3. Tire chains may be used. Use of tire
chains may be prohibited according to
location. Check the local laws before
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
5-26Starting and driving
ZX
6 In case of emergency
First aid kit ..............................................................6-2
Flat tire ...................................................................6-2
Pantograph type jack .............................................6-6
Jump starting ..........................................................6-8
Push starting ........................................................6-10If your vehicle overheats ......................................6-10
Tow truck towing................................................... 6-11
Two-wheel drive models.......................................6-12
Four-wheel drive models ......................................6-13
Vehicle recovery (freeing a stuck vehicle) ...........6-14
ZX
CAUTION
If you have to tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground or with front
wheels raised (with rear wheels on the
ground), observe the following re-
stricted towing speeds and distances:
Automatic transmission model:
OSpeed: Below 30 MPH (48 km/h)
ODistance: Less than 40 miles (64 km)
Manual transmission model:
OSpeed: Below 60 MPH (97 km/h)
ODistance: Less than 500 miles (805
km)
If the speed or distance must necessarily be
greater, remove the propeller shaft before-
hand to prevent damage to the transmis-
sion.
CAUTION
Never tow your vehicle from the rear
(i.e., backward) with four wheels on the
ground, as this may cause serious and
expensive damage to the transmission.FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE MODELS
NISSAN recommends that a dolly be used
as illustrated when towing your vehicle.
CAUTION
If you have to tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground or with the front
or rear wheels raised, observe the fol-
lowing restricted towing speeds and
distances:
Automatic transmission model:
OSpeed: Below 30 MPH (48 km/h)
ODistance: Less than 40 miles (64 km)
Manual transmission model:
OSpeed: Below 60 MPH (97 km/h)
ODistance: Less than 500 miles (805
km)
If the speed or distance must necessarily be
greater, remove the front and rear propeller
shafts beforehand to prevent damage to the
transmission.
CAUTION
ONever tow your vehicle from the rear
(i.e., backward) with four wheels on
the ground as this may cause seri-
ous and expensive damage to the
transmission.
ACE1038
In case of emergency6-13
ZX
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions .......................................8-2
Engine compartment check locations ....................8-3
Engine cooling system ...........................................8-5
Checking engine coolant level ...............................8-5
Changing engine coolant .......................................8-6
Engine oil ...............................................................8-9
Checking engine oil level .......................................8-9
Changing engine oil .............................................8-10
Changing engine oil filter .....................................8-12
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ......................8-13
Temperature conditions for checking ATF............8-13
Power steering fluid..............................................8-14
Brake and clutch fluid...........................................8-15
Window washer fluid ............................................8-16
Battery ..................................................................8-16
Jump starting ........................................................8-17
Drive belts ............................................................8-18Spark plug replacement .......................................8-19
Air cleaner housing filter ......................................8-20
Wiper blades ........................................................8-22
Parking brake check.............................................8-24
Brake pedal ..........................................................8-24
Brake booster .......................................................8-25
Clutch pedal .........................................................8-26
Fuses ....................................................................8-27
Multi-remote controller battery replacement ........8-28
Light bulbs ............................................................8-29
Headlights ............................................................8-29
Bulb replacement .................................................8-30
Front fog light bulb replacement
(if so equipped) ....................................................8-33
Wheels and tires ..................................................8-34
Four-wheel drive models ......................................8-37
ZX
Self-adjusting brakes
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The front disc-type brakes self-adjust every
time the brake pedal is applied. The rear
drum-type brakes on two-wheel drive trucks
self-adjust every time the parking brake is
applied. The rear drum-type brakes on four-
wheel drive trucks self-adjust every time the
brake pedal is applied. If the brake pedal
goes down farther than normal, it may be
due to a lack of adjustment of the rear drum
brakes. Apply the parking brake several
times.
WARNING
If the brake pedal height does not re-
turn to normal, see an authorized NIS-
SAN dealer and have it checked.
Brake pad wear indicators
The disc brake pads on your vehicle have
audible wear indicators. When a brake pad
requires replacement, it will make a high
pitched scraping or screeching sound when
the vehicle is in motion whether or not the
brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakeschecked as soon as possible if the wear
indicator sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is nor-
mal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.
The rear drum brakes (if so equipped) do
not have audible wear indicators. Should
you ever hear an unusually loud noise from
the rear drum brakes, have them inspected
as soon as possible by an authorized NIS-
SAN dealer.
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 with the
following steps:
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
next step.
2. While depressing the brake pedal, start
the engine. The pedal height should drop
a little.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the
engine. Keeping 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, have
the brakes checked by an authorized
NISSAN dealer.
BRAKE BOOSTER
Do-it-yourself8-25
ZX
If you have a flat tire, see the ``In case of
emergency'' section of this manual.
Maximum inflation pressure
Do not exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sures shown on the side wall of the tire.
Tire inflation pressure
Periodically check the tire pressure (includ-
ing the spare). Tire pressure should be
checked when tires are COLD. COLD tire
pressures are shown on the tire placard
affixed to the inside of the glove box lid.
Incorrect tire pressure may adverselyaffect tire life and vehicle handling.
COLD pressure:
After vehicle has been parked for
three hours or more or driven less
than 1 mile (1.6 km).
WARNING
OImproperly inflated tires can fail sud-
denly and cause an accident
O
The vehicle weight capacity is indi-
cated on the F.M.V.S.S. certification
label. Do not load your vehicle be-
yond this capacity. Overloading your
vehicle may result in reduced tire life,
unsafe operating conditions due to
premature tire failure, or unfavorable
handling characteristics and could
also lead to a serious accident. Load-
ing beyond the specified capacity
may also result in failure of other
vehicle components.
OBefore taking a long trip, or when-
ever you have loaded your vehicle
heavily, use a tire pressure gauge to
ensure that the tire pressure is at the
specified level.ODo not drive your vehicle over 85
MPH (137 km/h) unless it is equipped
with high speed rated tires. Driving
faster than 85 MPH (137 km/h) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury.
Types of tires
WARNING
When changing or replacing tires, be
sure all four tires are of the same type
(i.e., Summer, All Season or Snow) and
construction. An authorized 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 maxi-
mum speed rating of the tire.
All season tires
NISSAN 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 iden-
DI0047
WHEELS AND TIRES
8-34Do-it-yourself
ZX