CAUTION
Keep the antenna as far as possible
away from the Engine Control Mod-
ule (ECM).
Keep the antenna wire more than 8 in
(20 cm) away from the Multiport Fuel
Injection harness. Do not route the
antenna wire next to any harness.
Adjust the antenna standing-wave
ratio as recommended by the manu-
facturer.
Connect the ground wire from the CB
radio chassis to the body.
For details, consult a NISSAN dealer.
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
4-21
04.5.17/Z33-D/V5.0
MEMO4-22
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
04.5.17/Z33-D/V5.0
5 Starting and drivingPrecautions when starting and driving ............................ 5-2
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ................................. 5-2
Three way catalyst .......................................................... 5-3
Low tire pressure warning system
(if so equipped) ............................................................... 5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ..................................... 5-5
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ............................ 5-5
Ignition switch ....................................................................... 5-6
Automatic transmission ................................................. 5-6
Manual transmission ....................................................... 5-7
Key positions ................................................................... 5-7
Nissan vehicle immobilizer system (NVIS) ............... 5-7
Before starting the engine ................................................. 5-8
Starting the engine ............................................................... 5-8
Driving the vehicle ................................................................ 5-9
Automatic transmission ................................................. 5-9
Manual transmission .................................................... 5-12
Parking brake ...................................................................... 5-14
Cruise control (if so equipped) ...................................... 5-15
Precautions on cruise control ................................... 5-15Cruise control operations ........................................... 5-16
Break-in schedule .............................................................. 5-17
Increasing fuel economy .................................................. 5-17
Parking/parking on hills .................................................... 5-18
Power steering .................................................................... 5-19
Brake system ....................................................................... 5-20
Braking precautions ..................................................... 5-20
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) .................................. 5-20
Traction control system (TCS) (if so equipped) ........ 5-22
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system
(if so equipped) .................................................................. 5-22
Cold weather driving ......................................................... 5-24
Freeing a frozen door lock ......................................... 5-24
Anti-freeze ...................................................................... 5-24
Battery ............................................................................. 5-24
Draining of coolant water ........................................... 5-24
Tire equipment .............................................................. 5-24
Special winter equipment .......................................... 5-24
Driving on snow or ice ................................................ 5-25
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ..................... 5-25
04.5.17/Z33-D/V5.0
WARNING
Do not leave children or adults who
would normally require the support
of others alone in your vehicle. Pets
should not be left alone either. They
could accidentally injure themselves
or others through inadvertent opera-
tion of the vehicle. Also, on hot,
sunny days, temperatures in a closed
vehicle could quickly become high
enough to cause severe or possibly
fatal injuries to people or animals.
Properly secure all cargo to help pre-
vent it from sliding or shifting. Do not
place cargo higher than the seat-
backs. In a sudden stop or collision,
unsecured cargo could cause per-
sonal injury. (Coupe models)
Closely supervise children when they
are around your vehicle to prevent
them from playing and becoming
locked in the trunk where they could
be seriously injured. Keep the car
locked with the trunk closed whennot in use, and prevent children’s
access to car keys. (Roadster mod-
els)
EXHAUST GAS (Carbon monoxide)
WARNING
Do not breathe exhaust gases; they con-
tain colorless and odorless carbon mon-
oxide. Carbon monoxide is dangerous.
It can cause unconsciousness or death.
If you suspect that exhaust fumes are
entering the vehicle, drive with all
windows fully open, and have the
vehicle inspected immediately.
Do not run the engine in closed
spaces such as a garage.
Do not park the vehicle with the en-
gine running for any extended length
of time.
Keep the rear hatch/trunk lid closed
while driving, otherwise exhaustgases could be drawn into the pas-
senger compartment. If you must
drive with the rear hatch/trunk lid
open, follow these precautions:
1. Open all the windows.
2. Set the air recirculation mode OFF
and the fan control at the maxi-
mum position to circulate the air.
If electrical wiring or other cable con-
nections must pass to a trailer
through the seal on the rear
hatch/trunk lid or the body, follow
the manufacturer’s recommendation
to prevent carbon monoxide entry
into the vehicle.
If a special body or other equipment
is added for recreational or other
usage, follow the manufacturer’s rec-
ommendation to prevent carbon
monoxide entry into the vehicle.
(Some recreational vehicle appli-
ances such as stoves, refrigerator,
heaters, etc. may also generate car-
bon monoxide.)
PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING
AND DRIVING5-2
Starting and driving
04.5.17/Z33-D/V5.0
ice and snow from the windows and wiper
blades.
a sturdy, flat board to be placed under the
jack to give it firm support.
a shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow-drifts.
extra window washer fluid to refill the reser-
voir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
Wet 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 a lot less traction or grip under
these conditions. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until the road is salted or
sanded.
Whatever 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.
Allow more stopping distance underthese conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
Watch 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
reaching it. Try not to brake while
actually on the ice, and avoid any
sudden steering maneuvers.
Do not use cruise control on slippery
roads.
Snow 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 extreme cold
temperature starting is available through your
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.
Starting and driving
5-25
04.5.17/Z33-D/V5.0
WARNING
Always follow the instructions below.
Failure to do so could result in damage
to the charging system and cause per-
sonal injury.
1. If the booster battery is in another vehicle,
position the two vehicles to bring their bat-
teries into close proximity to each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.
2. Apply parking brake. Move the shift lever tothe N (Neutral) position (On automatic trans-
mission models, move the selector lever to
the P (Park) position). Switch off all unnec-
essary electrical systems (light, 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 as
illustrated. (
1
-4)
CAUTION
Always connect positive (+) to posi-
tive (+) and negative (−) to body
ground (for example, strut mounting
bolt, etc. — not to the battery).
Make sure that cables do not touch
moving parts in the engine compart-
ment and that clamps do not contact
any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the other vehicle and let it
run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the other vehicle at
about 2,000 rpm, and start your engine in the
normal manner.
CAUTION
Do not keep 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.
SCE0492
6-8
In case of emergency
04.5.17/Z33-D/V5.0
7. After starting your 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.Do not attempt to start the engine by pushing.
CAUTION
Automatic transmission models can-
not be push started. Attempting to do
so may cause transmission damage.
Three way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing
since the three way catalyst may be
damaged.
Never try to start the vehicle by tow-
ing it; when the engine starts, the
forward surge could cause the ve-
hicle to collide with the tow vehicle.
WARNING
Do not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the ra-
diator cap is removed, pressurized
hot water will spurt out, possibly
causing serious injury.
Do not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
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:
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply the
parking brake and move the shift lever to the
N (Neutral) position (automatic transmission
to the P (Park) position).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner switch. Open all
the windows, move the heater or air condi-
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency
6-9
04.5.17/Z33-D/V5.0
Windshield wiper and washer*:Check that
the wipers and washer operate properly and that
the wipers do not streak.
Windshield defroster:Check that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly and
in good quantity when operating the heater or air
conditioner.Under the hood and the vehicleThe maintenance items listed here should be
checked periodically (for example, each time you
check the engine oil or refuel).
Battery*:Check the fluid level in each cell. It
should be between the MAX and MIN lines.
Vehicles operated in high temperatures or under
severe conditions require frequent checks of the
battery fluid level.
Brake and clutch fluid levels*:Make sure that
the brake and clutch fluid levels are between the
MAX and MIN lines on the reservoir.
Engine coolant level*:Check the coolant level
when the engine is cold.
Engine drive belts*:Make sure that no belt is
frayed, worn, cracked or oily.
Engine oil level*:Check the level on the
dipstick after parking the vehicle on a level spot,
turning off the engine and waiting 10 minutes.Exhaust system:Make sure there are no loose
supports, cracks or holes. If the sound of the
exhaust seems unusual or there is a smell of
exhaust fumes, immediately locate the trouble
and correct it. (See “Precautions when starting
and driving” in the “5. Starting and driving”
section for exhaust gas (carbon monoxide).)
Fluid leaks:Check under the vehicle for fuel,
oil, water or other fluid leaks after the vehicle has
been parked for a while. Water dripping from the
air conditioner after use is normal. If you should
notice any leaks or if gasoline fumes are evident,
check for the cause and have it corrected imme-
diately.
Power steering fluid level* and lines:Check
the level in the reservoir tank with the engine off.
Check the lines for proper attachment, leaks,
cracks, etc.
Radiator and hoses:Check the front of the
radiator and clean off any dirt, insects, leaves,
etc., that may have accumulated. Make sure the
hoses have no cracks, deformation, deterioration
or loose connections.
Underbody:The underbody is frequently ex-
posed to corrosive substances such as those
used on icy roads or to control dust. It is very
important to remove these substances, other-
wise rust will form on the floor pan, frame, fuel
lines and around the exhaust system. At the endof winter, the underbody should be thoroughly
flushed with plain water, being careful to clean
those areas where mud and dirt may accumu-
late. For additional information, see “Cleaning
exterior” in the “7. Appearance and care” sec-
tion.
Window washer fluid*:Check that there is
adequate fluid in the tank.8-4
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
04.5.17/Z33-D/V5.0