2003 NISSAN XTERRA engine

FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply de-
icer through the key hole. If the lock becomes
frozen, heat the key before inserting it into the key
hole.
ANTI-FREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the tem-
perature will drop below 32°F (0°C) , check the
anti-freeze (ethylene glycol base) to assure
proper winter protection. For details, see ‘‘Engine
cooling system’’ in the ‘‘Maintenance and do-it-
yourself’’ section of this manual.
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during extremely
cold weather conditions, the battery fluid may
freeze and damage the battery. To maintain maxi-
mum efficiency, the battery should be checked
regularly. For details, see ‘‘Battery’’ in the ‘‘Main-
tenance 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, including the
engine block. Refill before operating 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 pave-
ment. However, the performance of these
tires will be substantially reduced in snowy
and icy conditions. If you operate your ve-
hicle on snowy or icy roads, NISSAN recom-
mends the use of MUD & SNOW or ALL
SEASON TIRES on all four wheels. Please
consult a NISSAN dealer for the tire type,
size, speed rating and availability informa-
tion.
2. 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.
3. Tire chains may be used.
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 of proper size forthe tires on your vehicle and are installed
according to the chain manufacturer’s sug-
gestions.Use only SAE Class “S”
chains.Class “S” chains are used on ve-
hicles with restricted tire to vehicle clear-
ance. Vehicles that can use Class “S” chains
are designed to meet the minimum clear-
ances between the tire and the closest ve-
hicle suspension or body component re-
quired to accommodate the use of a winter
traction device (tire chains or cables) . The
minimum clearances are determined using
the factory equipped tire size. Other types
may damage your vehicle. Use chain ten-
sioners 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 underbody. If possible, avoid fully loading
your vehicle when using tire chains. In addi-
tion, drive at a reduced speed. Otherwise,
your vehicle may be damaged and/or vehicle
handling and performance may be adversely
affected.
Never install tire chains on spare tires. Do
not use tire chains on dry roads.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-27
ZREVIEW COPY:Ð2003 Xterra(xtr)
Owners Manual(owners)ÐUSA English(nna)
02/24/03Ðtbrooks
X

SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items be
carried in the vehicle during winter:
cA scraper and stiff-bristled brush to remove
ice and snow from the windows and wiper
blades.
cA sturdy, flat board to be placed under the
jack to give it firm support.
cA shovel to dig the vehicle out of snowdrifts.
cExtra window washer fluid to refill the reser-
voir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
cWet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain) ,
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip” under
these conditions. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice until the road is salted or
sanded.
cWhatever the condition, drive with cau-
tion. Accelerate and slow down with
care. If accelerating or downshifting too
fast, the drive wheels will lose even
more traction.cAllow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
cAllow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
cWatch for slippery spots (glare ice) .
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch of
ice is seen ahead, brake before reach-
ing it. Try not to brake while on the ice,
and avoid any sudden steering
maneuvers.
cDo not use the cruise control on slip-
pery roads.
cSnow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep snow
clear of the exhaust pipe and from
around your vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)
An engine block heater to assist in extreme cold
temperature starting is available through a
NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
Do not use your heater with an un-
grounded electrical system or two-
pronged (cheater) adapters. You can be
injured by an electrical shock if you use an
ungrounded connection.
5-28Starting and driving
ZREVIEW COPY:Ð2003 Xterra(xtr)
Owners Manual(owners)ÐUSA English(nna)
02/24/03Ðtbrooks
X

WARNING
cIf the low tire pressure warning light
flashes 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.
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.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions be-
low.
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking
brake. Shift the manual transmission into R
(Reverse) , or the automatic transmission
into P (Park) .
WARNING
cThe transfer control lever must
be in the 2H, 4H or 4L position.
cDo not leave the transfer control lever in
the N (Neutral) position. Otherwise, the
vehicle could roll unexpectedly even if
the manual transmission is in any gear
or the automatic transmission is in the
P (Park) position. This could result in
serious personal injury or property
damage.
4. Turn off the engine.5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to
signal professional road assistance person-
nel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle
and stand in a safe place, away from traffic
and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
cMake sure the parking brake is securely
applied and the manual transmission is
shifted into R (Reverse) , or the auto-
matic transmission into P (Park) .
cNever change tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
cNever change tires if oncoming traffic is
close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
cWhen a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, the low tire pressure warn-
ing system will not function. Contact
your NISSAN dealer as soon possible
for tire replacement and/or system re-
setting. (For models with the low tire
pressure warning system)
In case of emergency6-3
ZREVIEW COPY:Ð2003 Xterra(xtr)
Owners Manual(owners)ÐUSA English(nna)
02/24/03Ðtbrooks
X

Jacking up vehicle and removing the
damaged tire
WARNING
cNever get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by the jack.
cUse 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 designed for lifting
only your vehicle during a tire change.cUse the correct jack-up points. Never
use any other part of the vehicle for jack
support.
cNever jack up the vehicle more than
necessary.
cNever use blocks on or under the jack.
cDo not start or run the engine while
vehicle is on the jack. It may cause the
vehicle to move. This is especially true
for vehicles with limited slip differential
carriers.cDo not allow passengers to stay in the
vehicle while it is on the jack.
cNever run the engine with a wheel(s) off
the ground. It may cause the vehicle to
move.
Always refer to the proper illustrations for the
correct placement and jack-up points for your
specific vehicle model and jack type.
Carefully read the caution label attached to
the jack body and the following instruc-
tions.
1. Loosen each wheel nut one or two turns by
turning counterclockwise with the wheel nut
wrench.Do not remove the wheel nuts
until the tire is off the ground.
FrontWCE0061RearWCE0062
In case of emergency6-7
ZREVIEW COPY:Ð2003 Xterra(xtr)
Owners Manual(owners)ÐUSA English(nna)
03/05/03Ðtmchalpi
X

4. Lower the vehicle slowly until the tire
touches the ground. Then, with the wheel
nut wrench, tighten the wheel nuts securely
in the sequence illustrated. Lower the ve-
hicle completely.
WARNING
cIncorrect wheel nuts or improperly
tightened wheel nuts can cause the
wheel to become loose or come off.
This could cause an accident.
cDo not use oil or grease on the wheel
studs or nuts. This could cause the nuts
to become loose.
cRetighten the wheel nuts when the ve-
hicle has been driven for 600 miles
(1,000 km) (also in cases of a flat tire,
etc.) .
As soon as possible, tighten the wheel nuts
to the specified torque with a torque
wrench.
Wheel nut tightening torque:
98 ft-lb (133 N·m)
The wheel nuts must be kept tightened to
specification at all times. It is recom-
mended that wheel nuts be tightened to
specifications at each lubrication interval.Adjust tire pressure to the COLD pressure.
COLD pressure: After vehicle has been
parked for three hours or more or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km) .
COLD tire pressures are shown on the tire
placard affixed to the inside of the glove
box lid.
5. Securely store the flat tire and jacking equip-
ment in the vehicle.
WARNING
cAlways make sure that the spare tire
and jacking equipment are properly se-
cured after use. Such items can become
dangerous projectiles in an accident or
sudden stop.
cThe spare tire is designed for emer-
gency use. See specific instructions un-
der the heading “Wheels and tires” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section of this manual.To start your engine with a booster battery, the
instructions and precautions below must be fol-
lowed.
WARNING
cIf done incorrectly, jump starting can
lead to a battery explosion, resulting in
severe injury or death. It could also
damage your vehicle.
cExplosive hydrogen gas is always
present in the vicinity of the battery.
Keep all sparks and flames away from
the battery.
cDo not allow battery fluid to come into
contact with eyes, skin, clothing or
painted surfaces. Battery fluid is a cor-
rosive sulfuric acid solution which can
cause severe burns. If the fluid should
come into contact with anything, imme-
diately flush the contacted area with
water.
cKeep battery out of the reach of
children.
cThe booster battery must be rated at 12
volts. Use of an improperly rated battery
can damage your vehicle.
JUMP STARTING
In case of emergency6-9
ZREVIEW COPY:Ð2003 Xterra(xtr)
Owners Manual(owners)ÐUSA English(nna)
02/24/03Ðtbrooks
X

cWhenever working on or near a battery,
always wear suitable eye protectors (for
example, goggles or industrial safety
spectacles) and remove rings, metal
bands, or any other jewelry. Do not lean
over the battery when jump starting.
cDo not attempt to jump start a frozen
battery. It could explode and cause se-
rious injury.
cYour vehicle has an automatic engine
cooling fan. It could come on at any
time. Keep hands and other objects
away from it.
WARNING
Always follow the instructions below.
Failure to do so could result in damage to
the charging system and cause personal
injury.
1. If the booster battery is in another vehicle,
position the two vehicles to bring their bat-
teries near each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to
touch.2. Apply the parking brake. Move the shift lever
to N (Neutral) (manual transmission) or to P
(Park) (automatic transmission) . Switch off
all unnecessary electrical systems (lights,
heater, air conditioner, etc.) .
3. Remove vent caps on the battery (if so
equipped) . Cover the battery with an old
cloth to reduce explosion hazard.
4. Connect jumper cables in the sequence il-
lustrated (
sA,sB,sC,sD).
WCE0066
6-10In case of emergency
ZREVIEW COPY:Ð2003 Xterra(xtr)
Owners Manual(owners)ÐUSA English(nna)
02/24/03Ðtbrooks
X

CAUTION
cAlways connect positive (1) to positive
(1) and negative (2) to body ground (for
example, strut mounting bolt, engine
lift bracket, etc.) — not to the battery.
cMake sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and
let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster ve-
hicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start the en-
gine of the vehicle being jump started.
WARNING
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does
not start right away, turn the key off and
wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable.8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped) . Be
sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.
WARNING
cAutomatic transmission models cannot
be push-started or tow-started. This
may cause transmission or other ve-
hicle damage.
cThree-way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing. The
three-way catalyst may be damaged.
cNever try to start the vehicle by towing
it. When the engine starts, the forward
surge could cause the vehicle to collide
with the tow vehicle.
PUSH STARTING
In case of emergency6-11
ZREVIEW COPY:Ð2003 Xterra(xtr)
Owners Manual(owners)ÐUSA English(nna)
02/24/03Ðtbrooks
X

If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading) , or if
you feel a lack of engine power, detect abnormal
noise, etc. take the following steps.
WARNING
cDo not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause a ve-
hicle fire.
cTo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while the
engine is still hot. When the radiator
cap is removed, pressurized hot water
will spurt out, possibly causing serious
injury.
cDo not open the hood if steam is com-
ing out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the shift lever to
N (Neutral) (manual transmission) or to P
(Park) (automatic transmission) .
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner (if so equipped) .
Open all the windows, move the heater or air
conditioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.3. If engine overheating is caused by climbing a
long hill on a hot day, run the engine at a fast
idle (approximately 1,500 r/min) until the
temperature gauge indicator returns to nor-
mal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. Wait until no
steam or coolant can be seen before pro-
ceeding.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the en-
gine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leaking,
the water pump belt is missing or loose, or
the cooling fan does not run, stop the en-
gine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or the
engine cooling fan. The engine cooling
fan can start at any time when the coolant
temperature is high.
7. After the engine cools down, check the cool-
ant level in the reservoir tank with the engine
running. Add coolant to the reservoir tank if
necessary. Have your vehicle repaired at a
NISSAN dealer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
6-12In case of emergency
ZREVIEW COPY:Ð2003 Xterra(xtr)
Owners Manual(owners)ÐUSA English(nna)
02/24/03Ðtbrooks
X