2002 NISSAN XTERRA tire type

Shoulder belt height adjustment
(for front seats)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best for you. (See
``Precautions on seat belt usage'' earlier in
this section.) To adjust, pull out the adjust-
ment button and move the shoulder belt
anchor to the desired position, so the belt
passes over the center of the shoulder. The
belt should be away from your face and
neck, but not falling off of your shoulder.
Release the adjustment button to lock the
shoulder belt anchor into position.
WARNING
OAfter adjustment, release the adjust-
ment button and try to move the
shoulder belt anchor up and down to
make sure it is securely fixed in
position.
OThe shoulder belt anchor height
should be adjusted to the position
best for you. Failure to do so may
reduce the effectiveness of the en-
tire restraint system and increase
the chance or severity of injury in an
accident.
TWO-POINT TYPE SEAT BELT
WITHOUT RETRACTOR (center
of rear seat)
Selecting the correct set of seat belts
The center seat belt buckle and tongue are
identified by the word CENTER. The center
seat belt tongue canonlybe fastened into
the center seat belt buckle.
LRS0101WRS0076
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-21
ZX

SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
OTo clean the seat belt webbings,apply
a mild soap solution or any solution rec-
ommended for cleaning upholstery or
carpet. Then wipe with a cloth and allow
the seat belts to dry in the shade. Do not
allow the seat belts to retract until they
are completely dry.
OIf dirt builds up in the shoulder belt
guideof the seat belt anchors, the seat
belts may retract slowly. Wipe the shoul-
der belt guide with a clean, dry cloth.
O
Periodically check to see that the seat
belt and the metal components,such
as buckles, tongues, retractors, flexible
wires and anchors, work properly. If loose
parts, deterioration, cuts or other damage
on the webbing is found, the entire seat
belt assembly should be replaced.
PRECAUTIONS ON CHILD RE-
STRAINTS
WARNING
OInfants and small children should
always be placed in an appropriate
child restraint while riding in the ve-
hicle. Failure to use a child restraint
can result in serious injury or death.
OInfants and small children should
never be carried on your lap. It is not
possible for even the strongest adultto resist the forces of a severe acci-
dent. The child could be crushed
between the adult and parts of the
vehicle. Also, do not put the same
seat belt around both your child and
yourself.
ONever install a rear facing child re-
straint in the front seat. An inflating
supplemental air bag could seri-
ously injure or kill your child. A rear
facing child restraint must only be
used in the rear seat.
ONISSAN recommends that the child
restraint be installed in the rear seat.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly re-
strained in the rear seat than in the
front seat.
OAn improperly installed child re-
straint could lead to serious injury or
death in an accident.
In general, child restraints are designed to
be installed with a lap belt or the lap portion
of a three-point type seat belt. In addition,
this vehicle is equipped with a universal
child restraint lower anchor system, referred
ARS1098
CHILD RESTRAINTS
1-24Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
ZX

correctly could result in loss of con-
trol and/or a rollover accident.
OAlways use tires of the same type,
size, brand, construction (bias, bias
belted or radial), and tread pattern
on all four wheels. Install tire chains
on the rear wheels when driving on
slippery roads and drive carefully.
OBe sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately after driving in mud or water.
See ``Brake system'' later in this sec-
tion for ``Wet brakes''.
OAvoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and
it rolls forward, backward or side-
ways, you could be injured.
OWhenever you drive off-road
through sand, mud or water as deep
as the wheel hub, more frequent
maintenance may be required. See
``Periodic maintenance'' in the
``NISSAN Service and Maintenance
Guide.''
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
On automatic transmission models, the ig-
nition lock is designed so the key cannot be
turned to LOCK and removed until the shift
selector lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
When removing the key from the ignition,
make sure the shift selector lever is in the P
(Park) position.
If the key cannot be turned to the LOCK
position, proceed as follows to remove the key:
1) Move the shift selector lever into the P
(Park) position.2) Turn the ignition key slightly in the ON
direction.
3) Turn the key toward the LOCK position.
4) Remove the key.
The shift lever is designed so it cannot be
moved out of P (Park) and into any of the
other gear positions if the ignition key is
turned to OFF or if the key is removed from
the switch.
The shift lever can be moved if the igni-
tion switch is in the ACC position. This
allows the vehicle to be moved if the
battery is discharged. The shift lever can
also be moved if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the foot brake pedal
is depressed.
There is an OFF position between the
LOCK and ACC positions. The OFF posi-
tion is indicated by a(1(on the key
cylinder. When the ignition is in the OFF
position, the steering wheel is not
locked.
ASD1014
IGNITION SWITCH
5-6Starting and driving
ZX

WARNING
OThe anti-lock brake system is a
sophisticated device, but it cannot
prevent accidents resulting from
careless or dangerous driving tech-
niques. It can help maintain vehicle
control under 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
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 respon-
sibility 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
specified tire size on all four wheels.
OWhen installing a spare tire, make
sure it is the proper size and type as
specified on the tire placard. For tireplacard location information refer to
``Tire placard'' 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 ``Main-
tenance and 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 ``Maintenance
and 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-
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-27
ZX

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 ``Maintenance and
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 tirechains may be prohibited according to
location. Check the local laws before
installing tire chains. When installing tire
chains, make sure they are of proper size
for the tires on your vehicle and are
installed according to the chain manufac-
turer's suggestions.Use only SAE
Class ``S'' chains.Other types may
damage your vehicle. Use chain tension-
ers when recommended by the tire chain
manufacturer to ensure a tight fit. Loose
end links of the tire chain must be se-
cured or removed to prevent the possi-
bility of whipping action damage to the
fenders or undercarriage. If possible,
avoid fully loading your vehicle when
using tire chains. In addition, drive at a
reduced speed, otherwise, your vehicle
may be damaged and/or vehicle handling
and performance may be adversely af-
fected. Never install tire chains on a
TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire. Do
not use tire chains on dry roads.SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
1. A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to re-move ice and snow from the windows
and wiper blades.
2. A sturdy, flat board to be placed under
the jack to give it firm support.
3. A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow-
drifts.
4. Extra window washer fluid to refill the
reservoir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
OWet ice (32ÉF, 0ÉC and freezing rain),
very cold snow, or ice can be slick
and very hard to drive on. The ve-
hicle will have much less traction or
``grip'' under these conditions. Try to
avoid driving on wet ice until the
road is salted or sanded.
OWhatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shifting too fast, the drive wheels
will lose even more traction.
O
Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
OAllow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
5-28Starting and driving
ZX

Removing wheel cover
CAUTION
Do not use your hands to pry off wheel
caps or wheel covers. Doing so could
result in personal injury.
Use caution not to scratch the wheel cover
or wheel surface.
Jacking up the vehicle and remov-
ing the wheel
Always refer to the proper illustrations for
the correct placement and jack-up points for
your specific vehicle model and jack type.
WARNING
ONever get under the vehicle while it
is supported only by the jack.
OUse only the jack provided with your
vehicle to lift the vehicle. Do not use
the jack provided with your vehicle
on other vehicles. The jack is de-
signed for lifting only your vehicle
during a tire change.
OUse the correct jack up points. Never
use any other part of the vehicle for
jack support.
WCE0017
6-6In case of emergency
ZX

Fog lights (if so equipped)...............................8-33
Exterior and interior lights ...............................8-34
Wheels and tires ..................................................8-37
Tire pressure ...................................................8-37Types of tires ...................................................8-38
Tire chains .......................................................8-38
Changing wheels and tires ..............................8-39
ZX

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.
OFor additional information regarding
tires, refer to ``Important Tire Safety
Information'' in the Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet (US) or ``Tire Safety
Information'' in the Warranty and
Roadside Assistance information
booklet (Canada).
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-tified by ``ALL SEASON'' and/or ``M&S'' on
the tire sidewall. Snow tires have better
snow traction 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 in
snow and ice will be substantially reduced.
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'' 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.
If you install snow tires, they must be the
same size, brand, construction and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
Generally, snow tires will have lower speed
ratings than factory equipped tires and maynot match the potential maximum vehicle
speed. Never exceed the maximum speed
rating of the tire.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some U.S.
States and Canadian provinces prohibit
their use. Check local, state and provincial
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.
TIRE CHAINS
Use of tire chains may be prohibited accord-
ing to location. Check the local laws before
installing tire chains. When installing tire
chains, make sure they are the proper size
for the tires on your vehicle and are installed
according to the chain manufacturer's sug-
gestions.Use only SAE class ``S'' chains.
Other types may damage your vehicle. Use
chain tensioners when recommended by
the tire chain manufacturer to ensure a tight
fit. Loose end links of the tire chain must be
secured or removed to prevent the possibil-
ity of whipping action damage to the fenders
or undercarriage. If possible, avoid fully
loading your vehicle when using tire chains.
In addition, drive at a reduced speed. Oth-
8-38Maintenance and do-it-yourself
ZX