2003 NISSAN XTERRA steering

Put the fuel filler cap in the cap holder while
refueling.TILT OPERATION (if so equipped)
Pull the lock lever down and adjust the steering
wheel up or down to the desired position.
Push the lock lever up firmly to lock the steering
wheel in place.
WARNING
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving. You could lose control of your
vehicle and cause an accident.
VANITY MIRROR (if so equipped)
A vanity mirror is located on the rear side of the
passenger sun visor.
WPD0166WPD0167WPD0168
STEERING WHEEL SUN VISORS
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-15
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4 Heater, air conditioner and audio
systems
Ventilators........................................4-2
Heater and air conditioner (manual)..................4-2
Controls.......................................4-3
Heater operation...............................4-4
Air conditioner operation........................4-5
Air flow charts..................................4-6
Servicing air conditioner............................4-9
Audio system....................................4-10
Radio........................................4-10
FM radio reception............................4-10
AM radio reception............................4-10Audio operation precautions....................4-11
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD) player
(if so equipped)...............................4-12
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
changer (if so equipped).......................4-16
CD care and cleaning..........................4-27
Steering wheel switch for audio control
(if so equipped)...............................4-28
Antenna......................................4-28
Car phone or CB radio............................4-29
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1. SEEK up button
2. Mode button
3. SEEK down button
4. Volume control button
STEERING WHEEL SWITCH FOR
AUDIO CONTROL (if so equipped)
The steering wheel switch for audio controls is
mounted on the left side of the steering wheel.
Press the MODE button to turn the radio on or, if
the radio is already on, to switch between the
Radio presets (A, B or C) and CD Mode.
A!B!C!CD ModeThe last CD that was loaded starts to play when
in CD Mode. If there is no CD loaded, the CD
changer enters Disc Loading Mode.
If in Radio presets A, B or C:
cPress
or(<1.5 seconds) to
advance to the next preset station or to
return to the previous preset station.
cHold down
or(>1.5 sec-
onds) . The radio will seek up or down to the
next radio station.
If in CD Mode:
cPress
or(<1.5 seconds) to
advance to the next selection on the CD or
return to the previous selection on the CD.
cHold down
or(>1.5 seconds)
to advance to the next CD or return to the
previous CD.
Volume control is located on the side of the audio
control switch. Press the top of the volume con-
trol to increase volume. Press the bottom of the
volume control to decrease volume.
ANTENNA
The antenna cannot be shortened, but can be
removed. When you need to remove the antenna,
turn the antenna rod counterclockwise.
To install the antenna rod, turn the antenna clock-
wise. Tighten the antenna rod to specification
using a suitable tool such as an open-end
wrench. The antenna rod tightening specification
is 2.0 - 2.6 N·m (18 - 23 in-lb) . Do not use pliers
to tighten the antenna as they can leave marks on
the antenna surface. The antenna rod cannot be
hand tightened to the proper specification.
CAUTION
Always properly tighten the antenna rod
during installation or the antenna rod may
break during vehicle operation.
WHA0234
4-28Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
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5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide)..................5-2
Three-way catalyst..............................5-2
Low tire pressure warning system
(if so equipped)................................5-3
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions....................................5-4
Avoiding collision and rollover....................5-4
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving................5-5
Driving safety precautions.......................5-5
Ignition switch.....................................5-7
Automatic transmission..........................5-7
Manual transmission............................5-8
Key positions..................................5-8
Before starting the engine..........................5-9
Starting the engine................................5-9
Driving the vehicle................................5-10
Automatic transmission (if so equipped)..........5-10
Manual transmission...........................5-13
Parking brake....................................5-15
Cruise control (if so equipped).....................5-16
Precautions on cruise control...................5-16Cruise control operations.......................5-17
Break-in schedule................................5-18
Increasing fuel economy...........................5-18
Using four wheel drive (4WD)......................5-19
Transfer case shifting procedures...............5-19
Auto-lock free-running hubs............5-20
Parking/parking on hills............................5-22
Power steering...................................5-23
Brake system....................................5-23
Brake precautions.............................5-23
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)..................5-24
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system
(if so equipped)..................................5-25
Cold weather driving..............................5-27
Freeing a frozen door lock......................5-27
Anti-freeze....................................5-27
Battery.......................................5-27
Draining of coolant water.......................5-27
Tire equipment................................5-27
Special winter equipment.......................5-28
Driving on snow or ice.........................5-28
Engine block heater (if so equipped).............5-28
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cDo 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
cDo not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline will seriously re-
duce the three-way catalyst’s ability to
help reduce exhaust pollutants.
cKeep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich
fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep driv-
ing if the engine misfires, or if notice-
able loss of performance or other un-
usual operating conditions are
detected. Have the vehicle inspected
promptly by a NISSAN dealer.
cAvoid driving with an extremely low fuel
level. Running out of fuel could cause
the engine to misfire, damaging the
three-way catalyst.
cDo not race the engine while warming it
up.
cDo not push or tow your vehicle to start
the engine.
LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING
SYSTEM (if so equipped)
The low tire pressure warning system monitors
tire pressure of all tires (except the spare tire) .
The low tire pressure warning system will activate
only when the vehicle is driven at speeds above
20 MPH (32 km/h) . Also, this system may not
detect a sudden drop in tire pressure (for ex-
ample a flat tire while driving) .
Frequently check the tire pressure and adjust
pressure of each tire properly.
Flat tire warning
If the vehicle is being driven with very low tire
pressure (lower than 27 psi, 190 kPa) , the low
tire pressure warning light comes on and the
chime sounds for about 10 seconds.
For additional information regarding the above
warning, see “Warning/indicator lights and au-
dible reminders” in the “Instruments and con-
trols” section.
WARNING
cIf the low tire pressure warning light
comes on while driving, avoid sudden
steering maneuvers or abrupt braking,
reduce vehicle speed, pull off the road
to a safe location and stop the vehicle
as soon as possible. Serious vehicle
damage could occur and may lead to an
accident and could result in serious
personal injury. Check the tire pressure
for all four tires and adjust the pressure
to the COLD tire pressure shown on the
tire placard. If you have a flat tire, re-
place it with a spare tire as soon as
possible. (See “Flat tire” in the “In case
of emergency” section for changing a
flat tire.)
cWhen a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, tire pressure will not be
indicated and the low tire pressure
warning system will not function. Con-
tact your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting.
cDo not inject any tire liquid or aerosol
tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pressure
sensors.
Starting and driving5-3
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CAUTION
Do not place metalized film or any metal
parts (antenna, etc.) on the windows. This
may cause poor reception of the signals
from the tire pressure sensors, and the
low tire pressure warning system will not
function properly.
FCC Notice:
Changes or modifications not expressly ap-
proved by the manufacturer compliance
could void the user’s authority to operate
the environment.
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules and RSS-210 of Industry
Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interface, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired op-
eration of the device.
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
They have higher ground clearance than passen-
ger cars to make them capable of performing in a
variety of on-pavement and off-road 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 per-
form satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at
all possible, avoid sharp turns 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.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss of
control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey
all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive speed,
high speed cornering, or sudden steering ma-
neuvers, because these driving practices could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle.As with
any vehicle, loss of control could result in a
collision with other vehicles or objects, or
cause the vehicle to roll over, particularly if
the loss of control causes the vehicle to
slide sideways.Be attentive at all times, and
avoid driving when tired. Never drive when under
the influence of alcohol or drugs (including pre-
scription or over-the-counter drugs which may
cause drowsiness) . Always wear your seat belt
as outlined in the “Safety – Seats, seat belts and
supplemental air bags” section of this manual,
and also instruct your passengers to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in colli-
sions and rollovers.In a rollover crash, an
unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
5-4Starting and driving
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cUnsecured cargo can be thrown around
when driving over rough terrain. Prop-
erly secure all cargo so it will not be
thrown forward and cause injury to you
or your passengers.
cTo avoid raising the center of gravity
excessively, do not exceed the rated
capactiy of the roof rack/gear bin (if so
equipped) and evenly distribute the
load. Secure heavy loads in the cargo
area as far forward and as low as pos-
sible. Do not equip the vehicle with tires
larger than specified in this manual.
This could cause your vehicle to roll
over.
cDo not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel when driving off-road.
The steering wheel could move sud-
denly and injure your hands. Instead
drive with your fingers and thumbs on
the outside of the rim.
cBefore operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers have
their seat belts fastened.
cAlways drive with the floor mats in
place as the floor may become hot.cLower your speed when encountering
strong crosswinds. With a higher center
of gravity, your NISSAN is more af-
fected by strong side winds. Slower
speeds ensure better vehicle control.
cDo not drive beyond the performance of
the tires, even with 4WD engaged.
cAccelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.
cIf at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high speeds.
Your NISSAN four-wheel drive vehicle
has a higher center of gravity than a
two-wheel drive vehicle. The vehicle is
not designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional two-wheel
drive vehicles. Failure to operate this
vehicle correctly could result in loss of
control and/or a rollover accident.
cAlways 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.cBe sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately after driving in mud or water. See
“Brake system” later in this section for
“Wet brakes”.
cAvoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and it
rolls forward, backward or sideways,
you could be injured.
cWhenever you drive off-road through
sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent maintenance
may be required. See “Periodic mainte-
nance” in the “NISSAN Service and
Maintenance Guide.”
5-6Starting and driving
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
On automatic transmission models, the ignition
lock is designed so the key cannot be turned to
LOCK position and removed until the shift selec-
tor 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 toward the ON
position.
3. Turn the key to the LOCK position.
4. Remove the key.
The shift selector lever is designed so it cannot
moved out of P (Park) and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition key is turned to OFF
position or if the key is removed from the switch.
The shift selector lever can be moved if the
ignition switch is in the ACC position. This
allows the vehicle to be moved if the bat-
tery is discharged. The shift selector 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 position
is indicated by a “1” on the key cylinder.
When the ignition is in the OFF position,
the steering wheel is not locked.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a turn clockwise
from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, turn the key to
the LOCK position. Remove the key. To
unlock the steering wheel, insert the keyand turn it gently while rotating the steer-
ing wheel slightly right and left.
WARNING
Never remove or turn the key to the LOCK
position while driving. The steering wheel
will lock. This may cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle and could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal injury.
WSD0041
IGNITION SWITCH
Starting and driving5-7
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