FUEL RECOMMENDATIONUse unleaded regular gasoline with an oc-
tane rating of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock
Index) number (Research octane number
91).
For improved vehicle performance,
NISSAN recommends the use of unleaded
premium gasoline with an octane rating of
at least 91 AKI number (Research octane
number 96).
CAUTION
Using a fuel other than that specified
could adversely affect the emission con-
trol devices and systems, and could also
affect the warranty coverage.
Under no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, since this will
damage the three-way catalyst.Reformulated gasolineSome fuel suppliers are now producing reformu-
lated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. NISSAN
supports efforts towards cleaner air and sug-gests that you use reformulated gasoline when
available.
Gasoline containing oxygenatesSome fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE and metha-
nol with or without advertising their presence.
NISSAN does not recommend the use of fuels of
which the oxygenate content and the fuel com-
patibility for your NISSAN cannot be readily
determined. If in doubt, ask your service station
manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please take
the following precautions as the usage of such
fuels may cause vehicle performance problems
and/or fuel system damage.
The fuel should be unleaded and have
an octane rating no lower than that
recommended for unleaded gasoline.
If an oxygenate-blend, excepting a
methanol blend, is used, it should con-
tain no more than 10% oxygenate.
(MTBE may, however, be added up to
15%.)
If a methanol blend is used, it should
contain no more than 5% methanol (me-
thyl alcohol, wood alcohol). It should
also contain a suitable amount of ap-
propriate cosolvents and corrosion in-hibitors. If not properly formulated with
appropriate cosolvents and corrosion
inhibitors, such methanol blends may
cause fuel system damage and/or ve-
hicle performance problems. At this
time, sufficient data is not available to
ensure that all methanol blends are
suitable for use in NISSAN vehicles.
If any undesirable driveability problems such as
engine stalling and hard hot starting are experi-
enced after using oxygenate-blend fuels, imme-
diately change to a non-oxygenate fuel or a fuel
with a low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during refu-
eling. Gasoline containing oxygenates can
cause paint damage.
Aftermarket fuel additivesNISSAN does not recommend the use of any
fuel additives (for example, fuel injector cleaner,
octane booster, intake valve deposit removers,
etc.) which are sold commercially. Many of these
additives intended for gum, varnish or deposit
removal may contain active solvent or similar
ingredients that can be harmful to the fuel sys-
tem and engine.Octane rating tipsIn most parts of North America, you should use
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ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION
Selecting the correct oilIt is essential to choose the correct quality, and
viscosity oil to ensure satisfactory engine life and
performance. NISSAN recommends the use of a
low friction oil (energy conserving oil) in order to
improve fuel economy and conserve energy. Oils
which do not have the specified quality label
should not be used as they could cause engine
damage.
Only those engine oils with the American Petro-
leum Institute (API) certification mark on the frontof the container should be used. This type of oil
supersedes the existing API SG, SH, or SJ and
Energy ConservingI&IIcategories.
If you cannot find engine oil with the API certifi-
cation mark, use an API grade SG/SH, Energy
ConservingI&IIorAPIgrade SJ or SL, Energy
conserving oil. An oil with a single designation
SG or SH, or in combination with other catego-
ries (for example, SG/CC or SG/CD) may also
be used if one with the API certification mark
cannot be found. An ILSAC grade GF-I, GF-II or
GF-III oil can also be used.
NISSAN recommends mineral based oils. These
oils must however, meet the API quality and SAEviscosity ratings specified for your vehicle.
Oil additivesNISSAN does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used and
maintenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.Oil viscosityThe engine oil viscosity or thickness changes
with temperature. Because of this, it is important
that the engine oil viscosity be selected based
on the temperatures at which the vehicle will be
operated before the next oil change. The recom-
mended SAE viscosity number chart shows the
recommended oil viscosities for the expected
ambient temperatures. Choosing an oil viscosity
other than that recommended could cause seri-
ous engine damage.Selecting the correct oil filterYour new vehicle is equipped with a high-quality
genuine NISSAN oil filter. When replacing, use
the genuine oil filter or its equivalent for the
reason described in change intervals.
STI0293
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