2001 NISSAN SENTRA tire pressure

During the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km),
follow these recommendations for the future
reliability and economy of your new vehicle.
Failure to follow these recommendations
may result in vehicle damage or shortened
engine life.
cDo not drive over the legal speed limit
and do not run the engine over 4,000
rpm. Avoid driving for long periods at
constant speed, either fast or slow.
cDo not accelerate at full throttle in any
gear.
cAvoid quick starts.
cAvoid hard braking as much as possible.
cDo not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km).cAccelerate slowly and smoothly. Main-
tain cruising speeds with a constant ac-
celerator position.
cDrive at moderate speeds on the high-
way. Driving at high speed lowers fuel
economy.
cAvoid unnecessary stopping and brak-
ing. Maintain a safe distance behind
other vehicles.
cUse a proper gear range which suits road
conditions. On level roads, shift into high
gear as soon as possible.
cAvoid unnecessary engine idling.cKeep your engine tuned up.
cFollow the recommended periodic main-
tenance schedule.
cKeep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure. Low tire pressure increases
tire wear and wastes fuel.
cKeep the front wheels in correct align-
ment. Improper alignment increases tire
wear and lowers fuel economy.
cAir conditioner operation lowers fuel
economy. Use the air conditioner only
when necessary.
cWhen cruising at highway speeds, it is
more economical to use the air condi-
tioner and leave the windows closed to
reduce drag.
SD1001M
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE INCREASING FUEL
ECONOMY
5-16Starting and driving
ZX

Installing the spare tire
The TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire
is designed for emergency use. See spe-
cific instructions under the heading
``Wheels and tires'' in the ``Do-it- your-
self'' section of this owner's manual.
1. Clean any mud or dirt from the surface
between the wheel and hub.
2. Carefully put the spare tire on and tighten
the wheel nuts finger tight.
3. With the wheel nut wrench, tighten wheel
nuts alternately and evenly until they are
tight.4. Lower the vehicle slowly until the tire
touches the ground. Then, with the wheel
nut wrench, tighten the wheel nuts se-
curely in the sequence as illustrated.
Lower the vehicle completely.
WARNING
cIncorrect wheel nuts or improperly
tightened wheel nuts can cause the
wheel to become loose or come off.
This could cause an accident.
cDo not use oil or grease on the wheel
studs or nuts. This could cause the
nuts to become loose.
cRetighten the wheel nuts when the
vehicle has been driven for 600 miles
(1,000 km) (also in cases of flat tire,
etc.).
As soon as possible, tighten the wheel
nuts to the specified torque with a torque
wrench.
Wheel nut tightening torque:
73 to 86 ft-lb (98 to 117 Nzm)
The wheel nuts must be kept tightened to
specifications at all times. It is recom-
mended that wheel nuts be tightened tospecification at each lubrication interval.
Adjust tire pressure to the COLD
pressure.
COLD pressure:
After vehicle has been parked for three
hours or more or driven less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
COLD tire pressures are shown on the
tire placard affixed to the driver's door
center pillar.
5.
With the spare tire installed on the vehicle,
place the damaged tire in the spare tire
storage area. Put the jack rod and wheel
nut wrench in the tool bag and place the
tool bag in the spare tire storage area.
6. Place the spare tire cover and the trunk
floor carpeting over the damaged tire.
WCE0007
In case of emergency6-7
ZX

8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions .......................................8-2
Engine compartment check locations -
QG engine .............................................................8-4
Engine compartment check locations -
SR engine ..............................................................8-5
Engine cooling system ...........................................8-6
Checking engine coolant level ..........................8-6
Changing engine coolant ..................................8-8
Engine oil ...............................................................8-9
Checking engine oil level ..................................8-9
Changing engine oil ........................................8-10
Changing engine oil filter.................................8-12
Automatic transmission fluid ................................8-13
Temperature conditions for checking ..............8-14
Power steering fluid..............................................8-15
Brake and clutch fluid...........................................8-15
Brake fluid........................................................8-15
Clutch fluid .......................................................8-16
Window washer fluid ............................................8-16
Battery ..................................................................8-17
Jump starting ...................................................8-18
Drive belts ............................................................8-19Spark plug ............................................................8-20
Replacing spark plugs .....................................8-20
Air cleaner ............................................................8-21
Windshield wiper blades ......................................8-22
Cleaning ..........................................................8-22
Replacing .........................................................8-22
Parking brake and brake pedal ............................8-23
Checking park brake .......................................8-23
Checking brake pedal .....................................8-23
Brake booster ..................................................8-24
Clutch pedal .........................................................8-25
Checking clutch pedal .....................................8-25
Fuses ....................................................................8-25
Engine compartment .......................................8-25
Passenger compartment .................................8-27
Multi-remote controller battery replacement ........8-28
Lights ....................................................................8-29
Headlights ........................................................8-29
Fog lights (if so equipped)...............................8-32
Exterior and interior lights ...............................8-33
Wheels and tires ..................................................8-36
Tire pressure ...................................................8-36
ZX

Adjusting the headlight aim
Before performing aiming adjustment, make
sure of the following:
a. Use an aiming wall screen.
b. Keep all of the tires inflated to the correct
pressure.
c. Place the vehicle and screen on level
ground.
d. See that the vehicle is unloaded (except
for full levels of coolant, engine oil and
fuel, and that the spare tire, jack, and
tools are stored). Have the driver or anequivalent weight placed in the driver's
seat.
1. Open the hood. Turn headlamp low
beam on.
2. Adjust the vertical aim by turning the
adjustment screw.
cCover the opposite lamp and ensure the
fog lamps (if so equipped) are turned off.
cAdjust beam pattern until cutoff line is
positioned at the same height off ground
as bulb center (on H-line).
LDI0027
8-30Do-it-yourself
ZX

If you have a flat tire, see the ``In case of
emergency'' section of this manual.
TIRE PRESSURE
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 (including
the spare). Incorrect tire pressure may ad-
versely affect tire life and vehicle handling. Tire
pressure should be checked when tires are
COLD. Tires are considered COLD after the
WDI0030DI1033M
WHEELS AND TIRES
8-36Do-it-yourself
ZX

vehicle 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 driver's side rear door
pillar.
WARNING
cImproperly inflated tires can fail sud-
denly and cause an accident.
c
The vehicle weight capacity 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.
cBefore taking a long trip, or when-
ever you heavily load your vehicle,
use a tire pressure gauge to ensure
that the tire pressures are at the
specified level.cDo not drive your vehicle over 85
MPH (140 km/h) unless it is equipped
with high speed rated tires. Driving
faster than 85 MPH (140 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 all
year round, including snowy and icy road
conditions. All Season tires are identified by
``ALL SEASON'' and/or ``M&S'' on the tiresidewall. Snow tires have better snow trac-
tion than All Season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
NISSAN specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior performance on
dry roads. Summer tire performance is sub-
stantially reduced in snow and ice. Summer
tires do not have the tire traction rating
``M&S'' on the tire sidewall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in snowy
or icy conditions, NISSAN recommends the
use of ``SNOW'' tires or ``ALL SEASON''
tires on all four wheels.
Snow tires
If 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 han-
dling of your vehicle.
Generally, snow tires have lower speed
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 plan to operate your vehicle in snowy
or icy conditions, NISSAN recommends the
Do-it-yourself
8-37
ZX

The wheel nuts must be kept tightened to
specifications at all times. It is recom-
mended that wheel nuts be tightened to
specification at each tire rotation interval.
WARNING
cAfter rotating the tires, check and
adjust the tire pressure.
cRetighten the wheel nuts when the
vehicle has been driven for 600 miles
(1,000 km) (also in cases of a flat tire,
etc.).
cDo not include the spare tire in the
tire rotation.
Tire wear and damage
WARNING
c
Tires should be periodically inspected
for wear, cracking, bulging, or objects
caught in the tread. If excessive wear,
cracks, bulging, or deep cuts are
found, the tire(s) should be replaced.
cThe original tires have a built-in
tread wear indicator. When the wear
indicator is visible, the tire(s) should
be replaced.cImproper service of the spare tire
may result in serious personal in-
jury. If it is necessary to repair the
spare tire, contact an authorized
NISSAN dealer.
Replacing tires and wheels
When replacing a tire, use the same size,
tread design, speed rating and load carrying
capacity as originally equipped. Recom-
mended types and sizes are shown in
``Wheel/Tire Size'' of the ``Technical and con-
sumer information'' section of this manual.
WARNING
c
The use of tires other than those
recommended, or the mixed use of
tires of different brands, construction
(bias, bias-belted, radial), or tread
patterns can adversely affect the ride,
braking, handling, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, tire chain
clearance, speedometer calibration,
headlight aim and bumper height.
Some of these effects may lead to
accidents and could result in serious
personal injury.
DI1035M
Do-it-yourself8-39
ZX

cIf the wheels are changed for any
reason, always replace with wheels
which have the same off-set dimen-
sion. Wheels of a different offset
could cause premature tire wear, de-
grade vehicle handling characteris-
tics and/or interference with the
brake discs/drums. Such interference
can lead to decreased braking effi-
ciency and/or early brake pad/shoe
wear. Refer to ªWheel/tire sizeº in the
ªTechnical and consumer informa-
tionº section of this manual for wheel
off-set dimensions.
cDo not install a deformed wheel or
tire even if it has been repaired. Such
wheels or tires could have unknown
structural damage and could fail
without warning.
cThe use of retread tires is not recom-
mended.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle han-
dling and tire life. Even with regular use,
wheels can get out of balance. Therefore,
they should be balanced as required.
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle. Spin
balancing the front wheels on the vehicle
could lead to transmission damage.
Care of wheels
cWash the wheels when washing the
vehicle to maintain their appearance.
cClean the inner side of the wheels when
the wheel is changed or the underside of
the vehicle is washed.
cDo not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
cInspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause
loss of pressure or poor seal at the tire
bead.
cNISSAN recommends waxing the road
wheels to protect against road salt in
areas where it is used during winter.
Spare tire (TEMPORARY USE
ONLY)
Observe the following precautions if the TEM-
PORARY USE ONLY spare tire must be used,
otherwise your vehicle could be damaged or
involved in an accident:
WARNING
cThe spare tire should be used for
emergency use only. It should be
replaced with the standard tire at the
first opportunity to avoid possible
tire or differential damage.
cDrive carefully while the TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire is in-
stalled. Avoid sharp turns and
abrupt braking while driving.
cPeriodically check spare tire infla-
tion pressure. Always keep the pres-
sure of the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire at 60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 bar).
cWith the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire installed do not drive the
vehicle at speeds faster than 50 MPH
(80 km/h).
cWhen driving on roads covered with
snow or ice, the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire should be used on
the rear wheels and the original tire
used on the front wheels (drive
wheels). Use tire chains only on the
front (original) tires.
8-40Do-it-yourself
ZX