2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER ground clearance

compartment.
c. You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust system.
d. You have had an accident involv-
ing damage to the exhaust system,
underbody, or rear of the vehicle.
THREE WAY CATALYSTThe three way catalyst is an emission control
device, installed in the exhaust system. In the
converter, exhaust gases are burned at high
temperatures to help reduce pollutants.
WARNING
IThe exhaust gas and the exhaust sys-
tem are very hot. Keep people, ani-
mals or flammable materials away
from the exhaust system compo-
nents.
IDo not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials, such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.
CAUTION
IDo not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously re-
duce the three way catalyst's ability
to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
IKeep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause over-
rich fuel flow into the three way cata-
lyst, causing it to overheat. Do not
keep driving if the engine misfires, or
if noticeable loss of performance or
other unusual operating conditions
are detected. Have the vehicle in-
spected promptly by an authorized
NISSAN dealer.
IAvoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three way catalyst.
IDo not race the engine while warming
it up.IDo not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFFROAD
DRIVING PRECAUTIONSUtility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
They have higher ground clearance than pas-
senger cars to make them capable of perform-
ing in a variety of on-pavement and offroad
applications. This gives them a higher center
of gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of
higher ground clearance is a better view of the
road, allowing you to anticipate problems.
However, they are not designed for cornering
at the same speeds as conventional two-wheel
drive vehicles any more than low-slung sports
cars are designed to perform satisfactorily
under offroad conditions. If at all possible,
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers, par-
ticularly at high speeds. As with other vehicles
of this type, failure to operate this vehicle
correctly may result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover.
Be sure to read the driving safety precautions
later in this section.
Starting and driving
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tor is visible, the tire should be re-
placed.
IImproper service for a TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire may result in
serious personal injury. If it is neces-
sary to repair the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire, contact your
NISSAN dealer.
IFor additional information regarding
tires, refer to ªImportant Tire Safety
Informationº in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet (US) or ªTire Safety In-
formationº in the Warranty Informa-
tion booklet (Canada).
Replacing wheels and tiresWhen replacing a tire, use the same size,
speed rating and load carrying capacity as
originally equipped. See ªSpecificationsº in the
ª9. 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,
headlight aim and bumper height.
Some of these effects may lead to
accidents and could result in serious
personal injury.
IIf the wheels are changed for any
reason, always replace with wheels
which have the same offset dimen-
sion. Wheels of a different offset
could cause early tire wear, possibly
degraded vehicle handling character-
istics and/or interference with the
brake discs. Such interference can
lead to decreased braking efficiency
and/or early brake pad wear.
IDo not install a deformed wheel ortire even if it has been repaired. Such
wheels or tires could have structural
damage and could fail without warn-
ing.
IThe use of retread tire is not rec-
ommended.
IFor additional information regarding
tires, refer to ªImportant Tire Safety
Informationº in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet (US) or ªTire Safety In-
formationº in the Warranty Informa-
tion booklet (Canada).
Four wheel drive models
CAUTION
Always use tires of the same size, brand,
construction (bias, bias-belted or ra-
dial), 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 dam-
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the original tire used on the front
wheels (drive wheels). Use tire chains
only on the front two original tires.
ITire tread of the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire will wear at a faster
rate than the original tire. Replace the
TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire as
soon as the tread wear indicators
appear.
IDo not use the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire on other vehicles.
IDo not use more than one TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire at the
same time.
IDo not tow a trailer while the TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire is in-
stalled.
CAUTION
IDo not use tire chains on a TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire. Tire
chains will not fit properly on theTEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire
and may cause damage to the ve-
hicle.
IBecause the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire is smaller than the original
tire, ground clearance is reduced. To
avoid damage to the vehicle do not
drive over obstacles. Also do not
drive the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash since it may get
caught.
CLUTCH HOUSING DRAIN
Whenever you drive in deep water or mud,
check water entry in the clutch housing by
removing the blind plug at the bottom of the
transmission case. After checking, be sure to
reinstall the plug.
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