2002 NISSAN FRONTIER engine

WARNING
Overloading or improper loading can
adversely affect vehicle handling, brak-
ing and performance and may lead to
accidents.
PAYLOAD WEIGHT CAPACITY
The payload weight capacity shown on the
following pages indicate the maximum total
weight of passengers, optional equipment
(air conditioning, trailer hitch, etc) and cargo
that your vehicle is designed to carry.
Before driving a loaded vehicle, confirm that
you do not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) or the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for your vehicle.
See ``Vehicle Loading Information'' earlier in
this section for details.
Also check tires for proper inflation pres-
sures. See the tire placard affixed to the
glove box lid.
Payload Weight Capacity (KA24DE Engine)
2WD
King Cab
Manual
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission
XE XE
lbs kg lbs kg
Federal 1312 595 1312 595
California 1312 595 1312 595
Canada 1312 595 1312 595
Technical and consumer information9-19
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MEASUREMENT OF WEIGHTS
Secure loose items to prevent weight shifts
that could affect the balance of your vehicle.
When the truck camper is loaded, drive to a
scale and weigh the front and the rear
wheels separately to determine axle loads.
Individual axle loads should not exceed
either of the gross axle weight ratings
(GAWR). The total of the axle loads should
not exceed the gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR). These ratings are given on the
vehicle certification label that is located on
the driver's door lock pillar. If weight ratings
are exceeded, move or remove items to
bring all weights below the ratings.
Your new vehicle was designed to be used
primarily to carry passengers and cargo.
Remember that towing a trailer will place
additional loads on your vehicle's engine,
drive train, steering, braking and other sys-
tems.
ANissan Trailer Towing Guideis avail-
able from an authorized NISSAN dealer.
This guide includes information on trailer
towing ability and the special equipment
required for proper towing.
MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITS
Maximum trailer loads
Never allow the total trailer load to exceed
the value specified in the following Towing
Load/Specification Chart. The total trailer
load equals trailer weight plus its cargo
weight.
cWhen towing a trailer load of 1,000 lbs.
(454 kg) or more, trailers with a brake
system MUST be used.
The maximum GCWR (Gross Combined
Weight Rating) should not exceed the value
specified in the following Towing Load/
Specification Chart.
The GCWR equals the combined weight of
the towing vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) plus the total trailer load. Towing
loads greater than these or using improper
towing equipment could adversely affect
vehicle handling, braking and performance.
The ability of your vehicle to tow a trailer is
not only related to the maximum trailer
loads, but also the places you plan to tow.
Tow weights appropriate for level highway
driving may have to be reduced on very
CA0009
TOWING A TRAILER
Technical and consumer information9-21
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trailer is hitched. Do not drive the vehicle
if it has an abnormal nose-up or nose-
down condition; check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspension
or other possible causes of either con-
dition.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
cBe certain your outside mirrors conform
to all federal, state or local regulations. If
not, install any mirrors required for tow-
ing before driving the vehicle.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding
of the vehicle's behavior, you should prac-
tice turning, stopping and backing up in an
area which is free from traffic. Steering,
stability and braking performance will be
somewhat different than under normal driv-
ing conditions.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
c
Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or
stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.cAlways drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
cAlways block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if
you must do so, and if your vehicle is
equipped with automatic transmission,
first block the wheels and apply the
parking brake, and then move the trans-
mission shift selector lever into the P
(Park) position. If you move the shift
lever to the P (Park) position before
blocking the wheels and applying the
parking brake, transmission damage
could occur.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When ascending a long grade, down-
shift the transmission to a lower gear
and reduce speed to reduce chances of
engine overloading and/or overheating.
However, for long steep grades, do not
stay in 1st or 2nd gear when driving
above 35 MPH (56 km/h).
cIf the engine coolant rises to an ex-
tremely high temperature when the air
conditioning system is on, turn off the air
conditioner. Coolant heat can be addi-tionally vented by opening the windows,
switching the fan control to high and
setting the temperature control to the
HOT position.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.
cAvoid towing a trailer for your vehicle's
first 500 miles (805 km).
cHave your vehicle serviced more often
than at intervals specified in the recom-
mended Maintenance Schedule.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels
will be closer to the inside of the turn
than your vehicle wheels. To compen-
sate for this, make a larger than normal
turning radius during the turn.
cCrosswinds and rough roads adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly
causing vehicle sway. When being
passed by larger vehicles, be prepared
for possible changes in crosswinds that
could affect vehicle handling. If swaying
does occur, firmly grip the steering
wheel, steer straight ahead, and imme-
diately (but gradually) reduce vehicle
speed. This combination helps to stabi-
lize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
Technical and consumer information
9-25
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cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the
trailer must also pass the other vehicle
before you can safely change lanes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency
and electrical charging performance, do
not use fifth gear (manual transmission)
or overdrive (automatic transmission).
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in re-
duced braking efficiency.
When towing a trailer, change oil in the
transmission more frequently. For addi-
tional information see the ``Maintenance
and do-it-yourself'' section earlier in this
manual.DOT (Department of Transportation) Qual-
ity Grades: All passenger car tires must
conform to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades.
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
Treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on tire wear rate when tested under
controlled conditions on specified govern-
ment test courses. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1-1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100. However,
relative tire performance depends on actual
driving conditions, and may vary signifi-
cantly due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades from highest to lowest
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades repre-
sent the tire's ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlled condi-tions on specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your ve-
hicle tires is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hydro-
planing, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A, B and C
Temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C. They represent a tire's resistance to
heat build-up, and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause tire material to degenerate, reducing
tire life. Excessive temperatures can lead to
sudden tire failure. Grade C corresponds to
a performance level which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A
and B represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on laboratory test wheels than the
minimum required by law.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
9-26Technical and consumer information
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If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
injury or death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
(NHTSA)in addition to no-
tifying NISSAN.
If
NHTSAreceives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However,
NHTSAcannot be-
come involved in individual problems be-
tween you, your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact
NHTSA, you may either call the
Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at (888) 327-
4236. If you reside in Hawaii, please call
(808) 836-0888. You may also write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transporta-
tion, Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also
obtain other information about motor vehicle
safety from the Hotline.
You may notify NISSAN by contacting our
Consumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at
1-800-NISSAN-1.
In Hawaii call (808) 836-0888.Due to legal requirements in some states
and Canadian provinces, your vehicle may
be required to be in the ready condition for
an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of the
emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the ready condition
when it is driven through certain driving
patterns. Usually, the ready condition can
be obtained by ordinary usage of the ve-
hicle.
If a powertrain system component is re-
paired or the battery is disconnected, the
vehicle may be reset to a not ready condi-
tion. Before taking the I/M test, drive the
vehicle through the following pattern to set
the vehicle to the ready condition.
WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic
conditions and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine when the engine coolant
temperature gauge needle points to C.
Allow the engine to idle until the gauge
needle points between the C and H (nor-
mal operating temperature).2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 mph (88
km/h), then quickly release the accelera-
tor pedal completely and keep it released
for at least 6 seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for
a moment, then drive the vehicle at a
speed of 53 to 60 mph (85 to 97 km/h) for
at least 5 minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 mph (55
km/h) and maintain the speed for 20
seconds.
6. Repeat steps four through five at least
three times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 mph (88
km/h) and maintain the speed for at least
3 minutes.
8. Stop the vehicle and turn the engine off.
9. Repeat steps one through eight at least
one more time.
If steps one through seven are interrupted,
repeat the preceding step. Any safe driving
mode is acceptable between steps. Do not
stop the engine until step seven is com-
pleted. If you cannot or do not want to
REPORTING SAFETY
DEFECTS (US only)READINESS FOR
INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE
(I/M) TEST (US only)
9-28Technical and consumer information
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10 Index
A
Air bag
Passenger supplemental air bag
ON/OFF switch and light ...................... 1-13
Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system) ...................................................... 1-10
Air bag warning light .................................. 1-16
Air cleaner housing filter ............................ 8-23
Air conditioner
Air conditioner specification label ......... 9-14
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
lubrication recommendations.................. 9-8
Alarm system (See vehicle security
system) ...................................................... 2-15
Anchor point locations ............................... 1-36
Antenna...................................................... 4-31
Anti-lock brake system (ABS).................... 5-26
Anti-lock brake system, rear (R-ABS) ....... 5-26
Anti-lock brake warning light ..................... 2-11
Ashtray (See cigarette lighter and
ashtray) ...................................................... 2-24
Audio system
FM-AM radio with cassette player and
compact disc (CD) player ..................... 4-13
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
changer ................................................. 4-18
Steering wheel audio control switch ..... 4-31
Auto-lock free-running hubs ...................... 5-21Automatic
Automatic power window switch .......... 2-29
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ...... 8-15
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 5-9
Transmission selector lever lock
release .................................................. 5-12
B
Battery........................................................ 8-18
Battery replacement (See remote keyless
entry system) ............................................... 3-7
Before starting the engine ........................... 5-8
Belts (See drive belts) ............................... 8-20
Brake
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) .............. 5-26
Anti-lock brake system, rear (R-ABS) .. 5-26
Brake booster ....................................... 8-27
Brake fluid ..................................... 8-17, 9-3
Brake light (See stop light) ................... 8-35
Brake pedal .......................................... 8-26
Brake system ........................................ 5-25
Brake warning light ............................... 2-11
Brake wear indicators ................. 2-15, 8-27
Parking brake check ............................. 8-26
Parking brake operation ....................... 5-16
Break-in schedule ...................................... 5-19
Bulb check/instrument panel ..................... 2-10Bulb replacement ....................................... 8-35
C
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants...................................................... 9-2
Car phone or CB radio .............................. 4-32
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) ... 9-15
Check engine indicator light
(See malfunction indicator light) ................ 2-14
Child restraint with top tether strap ........... 1-36
Child restraints ........................................... 1-27
Cigarette lighter and ashtray
(accessory) ................................................ 2-24
Cleaning exterior and interior ...................... 7-2
Clutch
Clutch fluid ............................................ 8-17
Clutch pedal.......................................... 8-28
Cold weather driving .................................. 5-27
Controls
Audio controls (steering wheel) ............ 4-31
Coolant
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................ 9-2
Changing engine coolant...................... 8-11
Checking engine coolant level ............. 8-10
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-5
Corrosion protection .................................... 7-5
ZX

Cruise control............................................. 5-17
Cup holders ............................................... 2-25
D
Daytime running light system (Canada
only) ........................................................... 2-21
Defogger switch
Rear window defogger switch .............. 2-19
Dimensions and weights............................ 9-11
Door locks .................................................... 3-2
Drive belts .................................................. 8-20
Driving
Auto-lock free-running hubs ................. 5-21
Cold weather driving............................. 5-27
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 5-9
Driving with manual transmission ......... 5-15
Precautions when starting and driving ... 5-2
E
Economy - fuel........................................... 5-19
Emission control information label............. 9-14
Emission control system warranty ............. 9-27
Engine
Before starting the engine ...................... 5-8
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................ 9-2
Changing engine coolant...................... 8-11
Changing engine oil.............................. 8-13
Changing engine oil filter...................... 8-14Checking engine coolant level ............. 8-10
Checking engine oil level ..................... 8-11
Engine compartment check locations .... 8-7
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-5
Engine cooling system ......................... 8-10
Engine oil .............................................. 8-11
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation ..................................... 9-6
Engine oil pressure warning light ......... 2-12
Engine oil viscosity ................................. 9-7
Engine serial number ........................... 9-13
Engine specifications .............................. 9-9
Starting the engine ................................. 5-8
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ................. 5-2
F
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher
switch) ........................................................ 2-22
Flat tire ......................................................... 6-2
Floor mat positioning aid ............................. 7-4
Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ...... 8-15
Brake fluid ..................................... 8-17, 9-3
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................ 9-2
Clutch fluid ............................................ 8-17
Engine coolant ...................................... 8-10
Engine oil .............................................. 8-11
Power steering fluid .............................. 8-17
Window washer fluid ............................ 8-18
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ..................... 9-13Front seats
Separate ................................................. 1-2
Fuel
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................ 9-2
Fuel economy ....................................... 5-19
Fuel filler cap ........................................ 3-11
Fuel gauge.............................................. 2-6
Fuel octane rating................................... 9-5
Fuel recommendation ............................. 9-4
Fuses ......................................................... 8-29
G
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-5
Fuel gauge.............................................. 2-6
Odometer ................................................ 2-3
Speedometer .......................................... 2-3
Tachometer............................................. 2-5
General maintenance .................................. 8-3
H
Hazard warning flasher switch .................. 2-22
Headlight aiming adjustment ..................... 8-32
Headlight and turn signal switch ............... 2-20
Headlights .................................................. 8-31
Hood release ............................................... 3-8
Horn ........................................................... 2-22
10-2
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Hubs
Auto-lock free-running hubs ................. 5-21
I
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders) .................................................. 2-10
Inside mirror ............................................... 3-13
Instrument brightness control .................... 2-20
J
Jump seat .................................................... 1-5
Jump starting ............................................... 6-8
K
Key ............................................................... 3-2
Keyless entry system (See remote keyless
entry system) ............................................... 3-4
L
Labels
Air conditioner specification label ......... 9-14
Emission control information label........ 9-14
Engine serial number ........................... 9-13
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ................ 9-13Vehicle identification number (VIN)
plate ...................................................... 9-12
Warning labels (for SRS) ..................... 1-16
Light
Air bag warning light............................. 1-16
Brake light (See stop light) ................... 8-35
Bulb check/instrument panel ................ 2-10
Bulb replacement.................................. 8-35
Headlight aiming adjustment ................ 8-32
Headlight and turn signal switch .......... 2-20
Headlights ............................................. 8-31
Light bulbs ............................................ 8-31
Passenger supplemental air bag
ON/OFF switch and light ...................... 1-13
Spotlights (See map light) .................... 2-33
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders .............................................. 2-10
Lock
Door locks............................................... 3-2
Power door locks .................................... 3-3
Luggage rack (see roof rack) ...................... 3-9
Luggage (See vehicle loading
information) ................................................ 9-15
M
Maintenance
General maintenance ............................. 8-3
Inside the vehicle.................................... 8-3
Maintenance precautions ....................... 8-5
Outside the vehicle ................................. 8-3Seat belt maintenance.......................... 1-26
Under the hood and vehicle ................... 8-4
Malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) ............... 2-14
Manual windows ........................................ 2-29
Map lights .................................................. 2-33
Meters and gauges ...................................... 2-2
Mirror
Inside mirror.......................................... 3-13
Outside mirror control ........................... 3-14
Outside mirrors ..................................... 3-13
Vanity mirror ......................................... 3-13
Multi-remote control system (See remote
keyless entry system) .................................. 3-4
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating) ........ 9-5
Odometer ..................................................... 2-3
Oil
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................ 9-2
Changing engine oil.............................. 8-13
Changing engine oil filter...................... 8-14
Checking engine oil level ..................... 8-11
Engine oil .............................................. 8-11
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation ..................................... 9-6
Engine oil viscosity ................................. 9-7
Outside mirror control ................................ 3-14
Outside mirrors .......................................... 3-13
Overdrive switch ............................... 5-13, 5-14
10-3
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