2004 NISSAN FRONTIER coolant temperature

CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
A NISSAN dealer can change the engine coolant.
The service procedure can be found in the
NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING
cTo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the en-
gine is hot.
cNever remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. Serious burns could be
caused by high pressure fluid escaping
from the radiator.
cAvoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner
as soon as possible.
cKeep coolant out of the reach of chil-
dren and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply
the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches
operating temperature.3. Turn off the engine.Wait more than 10
minutes for the oil to drain back into
the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Re-
insert it all the way.
5. Remove the dipstick again and check the oil
level. It should be between the H (High) and
L (Low) marks. This is the normal operating
oil level range. If the oil level is below the L
(Low) mark, remove the oil filler cap and pour
recommended oil through the opening.Do
not overfill.
KA24DE engine
WDI0272
VG33E/VG33ER engine
WDI0273
ENGINE OIL
8-10Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be a little different. When refilling, follow the procedure
described in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section to determine the proper refill capacity.
Capacity (Approximate)
US measure Imp measure Liter Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Fuel
KA24DE (4 cylinder) 15–7/8 gal 13–1/4 gal 60.2 Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 AKI (RON 91)*1
VG33E (6 cylinder) 19–3/8 gal 16–1/8 gal 73.5
VG33ER (6 cylinder with supercharger) 19–3/8 gal 16–1/8 gal 73.5 Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 91 AKI (RON 96)*1
Engine oil
Drain and Refill
KA24DE With oil filter 3–3/4 qt 3–1/8 qt 3.5 • API Certification Mark *2
• API grade SG/SH, Energy conservingI&IIorAPIgrade SJ or SL, Energy Conserving *2
• ILSAC grade GF-I, GF-II & GF-III Without oil filter 3–1/2 qt 2–7/8 qt 3.3
VG33E/VG33ER With oil filter 3–1/2 qt 2–7/8 qt 3.3
Without oil filter 3–1/8 qt 2–5/8 qt 3.0
Cooling system (with heater and reservoir tank)
KA24DE M/T 4X2 7–3/4 qt 6–3/8 qt 7.3
50% Genuine NISSAN Long Life Anti-freeze Coolant or equivalent
50% Demineralized or distilled water
VG33E/VG33ER A/T & M/T 11–5/8 qt 9–5/8 qt 10.95
Manual transmission gear oil
KA24DE 4X2 4–1/4 pt 3–1/2 pt 2.0
Genuine NISSAN Manual Transmission Fluid HQ Multi 75W-85 or equivalent VG33E/VG33ER 4X2 5–7/8 pt 4–7/8 pt 2.8
4X4 10–3/4 pt 9 pt 5.1
Final drive gear oil
KA24DE 4X2 M/T 2–3/4 pt 2–1/4 pt 1.3
API GL-5, Viscosity SAE 80W-90*1 or 80W-90 LS*1for Limited Slip Differential (LSD) applications*2 VG33E/VG33ER 4X4 Front 3–3/4 pt 3–1/8 pt 1.75
Rear 5–7/8 pt 4–7/8 pt 2.8
Transfer fluid 2–3/8 qt 2 qt 2.2 API GL-4, Viscosity SAE 75W-85 or 75W-90 or Genuine Nissan Matic D ATF (Continental U.S. and
Alaska) or Canada NISSAN Automatic Transmission Fluid.*3
Automatic transmission fluid Refill to the proper level according to the instruc-
tions in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section.Genuine Nissan Matic D ATF (Continental U.S. and Alaska) or Canada NISSAN Automatic Transmis-
sion Fluid.*3
Power steering fluid (PSF)Genuine NISSAN PSF or equivalent.*6
Brake and clutch fluidGenuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid*4 or equivalent Dot 3 (US FMVSS No. 116)
Multi-purpose grease — — — NLGI No. 2 (Lithium Complex)
Air conditioning system refrigerant lb (kg) 1.32 – 1.54 (0.60 – 0.70) HFC-134a (R-134a)*5
Air conditioning system lubricant 6.8 oz 7.0 oz 200 ml NISSAN A/C System Oil Type R or equivalent*5
Windshield washer fluid — — — Genuine NISSAN Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Anti-freeze or equivalent
*1: For hot climates, viscosity SAE 90 is suitable for ambient temperatures above 0° C (32° F) .
*2: Contact your NISSAN dealer for a list of approved oils.
*3: DEXRON™ III/MERCON™ or equivalent may also be used. Outside the Continental United States and Alaska contact an authorized NISSAN dealership formore information regarding suitable fluids, including recommended brand(s)
of DEXRON™ III/MERCON™ Automatic Transmission Fluid.
*4: Available in mainland USA through your authorized NISSAN dealer.
*5: For further details, see “Air conditioner specification label.”
*6: For Canada, NISSAN Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) , DEXRON™ III/MERCON™, or equivalent ATF may also be used.
CAPACITIES AND RECOMMENDED
FUEL/LUBRICANTS
9-2Technical and consumer information
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Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding of the
vehicle’s behavior, you should practice turning,
stopping and backing up in an area which is free
from traffic. Steering stability and braking perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than under
normal driving conditions.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
cAvoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.
cAlways drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
cAlways block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is
not recommended; however, if you must do
so, and if your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic transmission, first block the
wheels and apply the parking brake, and
then move the transmission shift selector
lever into the P (Park) position. If you move
the shift selector lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion before blocking the wheels and applying
the parking brake, transmission damage
could occur.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.When going up a long grade, downshift the
transmission to a lower gear and reduce
speed to reduce chances of engine over-
loading and/or overheating. However, for
long steep grades, do not stay in 1st or 2nd
gear when driving above 35 MPH (56 km/h) .
cIf the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioner
system is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Coolant heat can be additionally vented by
opening the windows, switching the fan
control to high and setting the temperature
control to the HOT position.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
cAvoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
cFor the first 500 miles that you do tow, do
not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h) .
cHave your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.cCrosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling. If swaying does occur, firmly
grip the steering wheel, steer straight ahead,
and immediately (but gradually) reduce ve-
hicle speed. This combination will help sta-
bilize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
5th gear (manual transmission) or overdrive
(automatic transmission) .
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
When towing a trailer, transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
9-22Technical and consumer information
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If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which
could cause a crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immediately inform the Na-
tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying NISSAN.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a
recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA
cannot become involved in individual problems
between you, your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Auto Safety
Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236. You may
also write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Trans-
portation, Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also
obtain other information about motor vehicle
safety from the Hotline.
You may notify NISSAN by contacting our Con-
sumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at 1-800-
NISSAN-1.
In Hawaii call 1-808-836-0888.Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready condi-
tion” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of
the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition”’ when it
is driven through certain driving patterns. Usually,
the ready condition can be obtained by ordinary
usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired or
the battery is disconnected, the vehicle may be
reset to a “not ready” condition. Before taking the
I/M test, drive the vehicle through the following
pattern to set the vehicle to the ready condition. If
you cannot or do not want to perform the driving
pattern, a NISSAN dealer can conduct it for you.
WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic con-
ditions and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine when the engine coolant
temperature gauge needle points to C. Al-
low the engine to idle until the gauge needle
points between the C and H (normal oper-
ating temperature) .2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 mph (88 km/h) ,
then quickly release the accelerator pedal
completely and keep it released for at least 6
seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for a
moment, then drive the vehicle at a speed of
53 - 60 mph (85 - 97 km/h) for at least 5
minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 mph (55 km/h)
and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 through 5 at least three
times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 mph (88 km/h)
and maintain the speed for at least 3 min-
utes.
8. Stop the vehicle and turn the engine off.
9. Repeat steps 1 through 8 at least one more
time.
If steps 1 through 7 are interrupted, repeat the
preceding step. Any safe driving mode is accept-
able between steps. Do not stop the engine until
step 7 is completed. If you cannot or do not want
to perform the driving pattern, a NISSAN dealer
can conduct it for you.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (US
only)READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
Technical and consumer information9-25
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Heater and air conditioner controls.....4-2
Coolant
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-10
Checking engine coolant level........8-9
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Corrosion protection...............7-5
Cruise control..................5-19
Cup holders...................2-27
D
Daytime running light system
(Canada only)..................2-21
Defogger switch
Rear window defogger switch.......2-19
Dimensions and weights.............9-9
Door locks....................3-2
Door open warning light............2-11
Drive belts....................8-20
Driving
Auto-lock free-running hubs........5-23
Cold weather driving............5-31
Driving with automatic transmission. . . .5-10
Driving with manual transmission.....5-16
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Dual 12 volt power outlets...........2-25
E
Economy - fuel.................5-21
Emission control information label.......9-12
Emission control system warranty.......9-24Engine
Before starting the engine..........5-9
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-10
Changing engine oil............8-11
Changing engine oil filter..........8-13
Checking engine coolant level........8-9
Checking engine oil level..........8-10
Engine compartment check locations. . . .8-9
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Engine cooling system............8-9
Engine oil..................8-10
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Engine serial number............9-11
Engine specifications.............9-7
Starting the engine..............5-9
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light.........2-11
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)........5-2
F
First aid kit....................6-2
Flashers
(See hazard warning flasher switch)......2-22
Flat tire......................6-2
Floor mat positioning aid.............7-4
Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF). . . .8-14
Brake fluid..................8-16
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Clutch fluid.................8-17Engine coolant................8-9
Engine oil..................8-10
Power steering fluid.............8-16
Window washer fluid............8-18
F.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-11
Fog light switch.................2-22
Front seats....................1-2
Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Fuel economy................5-21
Fuel filler cap................3-11
Fuel filler lid.................3-11
Fuel filler lid and cap............3-11
Fuel gauge..................2-6
Fuel octane rating..............9-4
Fuel recommendation............9-3
Fuses......................8-29
G
Gascap.....................3-11
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Fuel gauge..................2-6
Odometer...................2-3
Speedometer.................2-3
Tachometer..................2-5
General maintenance..............8-2
Glove box....................2-28
Glove box lock.................2-28
10-2
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Meters and gauges................2-3
Instrument brightness control.......2-21
Mirror
Inside mirror.................3-13
Outside mirror control........3-13, 3-14
Outside mirrors...............3-13
Vanity mirror.................3-13
Multi-remote control system
(See remote keyless entry system).......3-4
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating).....9-4
Odometer.....................2-3
Oil
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine oil............8-11
Changing engine oil filter..........8-13
Checking engine oil level..........8-10
Engine oil..................8-10
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light.......2-11
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Outside mirror control..........3-13, 3-14
Outside mirrors.................3-13
Overdrive switch.............5-15, 5-16
Overheat
If your vehicle overheats..........6-11
Owner’s manual order form..........9-27
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information....................9-27P
Parking
Parking brake check............8-27
Parking brake operation..........5-18
Parking/parking on hills...........5-26
Passenger supplemental air bag ON/OFF
switch and light.................1-16
Power
Dual 12 volt power outlets.........2-25
Power door locks...............3-3
Power outlet.................2-24
Power steering fluid.............8-16
Power steering system...........5-27
Power windows...............2-32
Rear power windows............2-33
Precautions
Maintenance precautions..........8-5
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions..................5-4
Precautions on child restraints.......1-30
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-20
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system.....................1-7
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Push starting..................6-11
R
Radio
Car phone or CB radio...........4-29
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
changer...................4-16FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-12
Steering wheel audio control switch. . . .4-28
Readiness for inspection maintenance (I/M)
test........................9-25
Rear power windows..............2-33
Rear sliding window..............2-34
Rear window defogger switch.........2-19
Refrigerant recommendation..........9-6
Registering your vehicle in another country . .9-10
Remote keyless entry system..........3-4
Reporting safety defects (US only)......9-25
Roof rack....................2-30
S
Safety
Child safety rear door lock..........3-4
Reporting safety defects (US only). . . .9-25
Seat
Jump seat...................1-6
Seat adjustment
Front manual seat adjustment........1-2
Seat belt
Infants and small children.........1-23
Injured Person................1-24
Larger children...............1-23
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-20
Pregnant women..............1-24
Seat belt extenders.............1-29
Seat belt maintenance...........1-29
Seat belts..................1-20
Shoulder belt height adjustment......1-26
Three-point type with retractor.......1-24
10-4
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Two-point type without retractor......1-27
Two-point type without retractor
(rear center lap belt)............1-27
Seat belt warning light.............2-13
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Front seats..................1-2
Manual front seat adjustment........1-2
Separate seats...............8-45
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-28
Service manual order form...........9-27
Servicing air conditioner.............4-9
Shift lock release................5-14
Shifting
Automatic transmission.......5-11, 5-12
Manual transmission............5-17
Shoulder belt height adjustment........1-26
Spark plug replacement............8-21
Speedometer...................2-3
Spotlights (See map light)...........2-35
SRS warning label...............1-18
Starting
Before starting the engine..........5-9
Jump starting.................6-9
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Push starting................6-11
Starting the engine..............5-9
Steering
Power steering fluid.............8-16
Power steering system...........5-27
Tilting steering wheel............3-12
Steering wheel audio control switch......4-28
Step rail.....................3-10
Stop light....................8-33
Storage.....................2-26
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-18, 2-13Supplemental restraint system
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system.....................1-7
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system).........1-7
Switch
Automatic power window switch.....2-33
Fog light switch...............2-22
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-22
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-20
Ignition switch................5-7
Overdrive switch...........5-15, 5-16
Passenger supplemental air bag ON/OFF
switch and light...............1-16
Power door lock switch...........3-3
Rear window defogger switch.......2-19
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off
switch....................2-24
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-18
T
Tachometer....................2-5
Tailgate latch..................3-15
Temperature gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light.......2-11
Three-way catalyst................5-2
Tie down hooks.................3-17
Tilting steering wheel..............3-12
Tire
Flat tire....................6-2
Spare tire................6-4, 8-45
Tire chains..................8-42Tire placard.................9-12
Tire pressure................8-36
Tire rotation.................8-43
Tires of 4-wheel drive............8-45
Types of tires................8-42
Uniform tire quality grading.........9-23
Wheels and tires..............8-36
Wheel/tire size................9-8
Tire pressure
Low tire pressure warning light......2-11
Top tether strap child restraint.........1-41
Towing
2-wheel drive models............6-13
4-wheel drive models............6-14
Flat towing..................9-23
Tow truck towing..............6-12
Towing load/specification chart......9-20
Trailer towing................9-18
Transfer case..................5-22
Transmission
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF). . . .8-14
Driving with automatic transmission. . . .5-10
Driving with manual transmission.....5-16
Selector lever lock release.........5-14
Travel (See registering your vehicle in another
country).....................9-10
Truck - camper loading.............9-15
Turn signal switch
(See headlight and turn signal switch) .2-20, 2-22
U
Uniform tire quality grading...........9-23
10-5
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V
Vanity mirror...................3-13
Vehicle dimensions and weights........9-9
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off switch. . .2-24
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system. . . .5-30
Vehicle identification..............9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
(Chassis number)................9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . . .9-10
Vehicle loading information...........9-13
Vehicle recovery.................6-15
Vehicle security system.............2-16
Ventilators.....................4-2
W
Warning
Air bag warning light.........1-18, 2-13
Anti-lock brake warning light........2-10
Battery charge warning light........2-11
Brake warning light.............2-10
Door open warning light..........2-11
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light.......2-11
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-22
Low fuel warning light...........2-11
Low tire pressure warning light......2-11
Low washer fluid warning light.......2-12
Seat belt warning light...........2-11
Vehicle security system...........2-16
Warning labels (for SRS)..........1-18
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders...................2-9Warning lights..................2-9
Washer switch
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-18
Weights (See dimensions and weights). . . .9-9
Wheels and tires................8-36
Wheel/tire size..................9-8
When traveling or registering your vehicle in
another country.................9-10
Window washer fluid..............8-18
Windows
Locking passengers’ windows.......2-33
Manual windows..............2-34
Power windows...............2-32
Rear power windows............2-33
Rear sliding window............2-34
Windshield wiper and washer switch.....2-18
Wiper
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-18
Wiper blades................8-26
10-6
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