2004 NISSAN MURANO check engine light

1. Pull the hood lock release handle
1
located
below the instrument panel; the hood will
then spring up slightly.
2. Move the lever
2
at the front of the hood
with your fingertips and raise the hood.
3. When closing the hood, slowly close the
hood and make sure it locks into place.
WARNING

Make sure the hood is completely
closed and latched before driving.
Failure to do so could cause the hood
to fly open and result in an accident.

If you see steam or smoke coming
from the engine compartment, to
avoid injury do not open the hood.
The power door lock system allows you to
lock or unlock all doors including the back
door simultaneously.

Pull the opener handle to open the back door.
WARNING
Do not drive with the back door open.
This could allow dangerous exhaust
gases to be drawn into the vehicle. See
“Precautions when starting and driving”
in the “5. Starting and driving” section
SPA1578
SPA1579
HOODBACK DOOR
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
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04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0


d. You have had an accident involv-
ing damage to the exhaust system,
underbody, or rear of the vehicle.
THREE WAY CATALYSTThe three way catalyst is an emission control
device installed in the exhaust system. Exhaust
gases in the converter are burned at high tem-
peratures to help reduce pollutants.
WARNING

The exhaust gas and the exhaust sys-
tem are very hot. Keep people, ani-
mals or flammable materials away
from the exhaust system compo-
nents.

Do 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

Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously re-
duce the three way catalyst’s ability
to help reduce exhaust pollutants.

Keep 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
driving if the engine misfires, or if
noticeable loss of performance or
other unusual operating conditions
are detected. Have the vehicle in-
spected promptly by a NISSAN
dealer.

Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three way catalyst.

Do not race the engine while warm-
ing it up.

Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING
SYSTEM (if so equipped)This vehicle is equipped with the low tire pres-
sure warning system, which displays pressure of
all tires (except the spare tire) on the display
screen by sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel.
The low tire pressure warning system will acti-
vate 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
example, a flat tire while driving).
Tire pressure rises and falls depending on the
heat caused by the vehicle’s operation and the
outside temperature. Low outside temperature
can lower the temperature of the air inside the
tire which can cause a lower tire inflation pres-
sure. This may cause the low tire pressure
warning light to illuminate.
If the warning light illuminates in low ambient
temperatures as described above, check the tire
pressure for all four tires. Adjust the tire pressure
to the recommended COLD tire pressure shown
on the Tire and Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light OFF.
Frequently check the tire pressure information
display on the display screen and adjust pres-
sure of each tire properly. (The order of the tire
Starting and driving
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04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0


your ability to operate your vehicle is impaired by
alcohol, drugs, or some other physical condition.DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONSPlease observe the following precautions:
WARNING

Drive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle
should be seated with their seat belt
fastened. This will keep you and your
passengers in position when driving
over rough terrain.

Before driving up or down grades,
check the road surface for bumps or
potholes. Be sure to climb a gentle
slope and descend a gentle slope.

Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead drive either straight up or
straight down the slopes. Off-road
vehicles can tip over sideways much
more easily than they can forward or
backward.
Many hills are too steep for any ve-
hicle. If you drive up them, you may
stall. If you drive down them, you may
not be able to control your speed. If
you drive across them, you may roll
over.

Do not shift selector lever while driv-
ing on downhill grades as this could
cause loss of control of the vehicle.

Be sure to use the engine brake. The
foot brake performance may be re-
duced, resulting in a possible acci-
dent.

Stay alert when driving to the top of a
hill. At the top there could be a drop-
off or other hazard that could cause
an accident.

If your engine stalls or you cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill,
never attempt to turn around. Your
vehicle could tip or roll over. Always
back straight down in R (Reverse)
range. Never back down in N (Neu-
tral), using only the brake, as this
could cause loss of control.
Heavy braking going down a hill
could cause your brakes to overheat
and fade, resulting in loss of control
and an accident. Apply brakes lightly
and use a low range to control your
speed.

Unsecured cargo can be thrown
around when driving over rough ter-
rain. Properly secure all cargo so it
will not be thrown forward and cause
injury to you or your passengers.

To avoid raising the center of gravity
excessively, do not exceed the rated
capacity of the roof rack (if so
equipped) and evenly distribute the
load. Secure heavy loads in the cargo
area as far forward and as low as
possible. Do not equip the vehicle
with tires larger than specified in this
manual. This could cause your ve-
hicle to roll over.

Do not grip the inside or spokes of
the steering wheel when driving off-
road. The steering wheel could move
suddenly and injure your hands. In-5-6
Starting and driving


04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0


stead drive with your fingers and
thumbs on the outside of the rim.

Before operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers
have their seat belts fastened.

Always drive with the floor mats in
place as the floor may become hot.

Lower your speed when encountering
strong crosswinds. With a higher
center of gravity, your NISSAN is
more affected by strong side winds.
Slower speeds ensure better vehicle
control.

Do not drive beyond the performance
of the tires, even with AWD engaged.
Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.

If at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high
speeds. Your NISSAN all wheel drive
vehicle has a higher center of gravity
than a two wheel drive vehicle. The
vehicle is not designed for corneringat the same speeds as conventional
two wheel drive vehicles. Failure to
operate this vehicle correctly could
result in loss of control and/or a roll
over accident.

Always 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 front wheels when driving on slip-
pery roads and drive carefully.

Be sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately after driving in mud or water.
See “Brake system” later in this sec-
tion for wet brakes.

Avoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and
it rolls forward, backward or side-
ways, you could be injured.

Whenever you drive off-road through
sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent mainte-
nance may be required. See “Peri-
odic maintenance” in the “Service
and Maintenance Guide”.
Do not drive continuously on sandy
or muddy roads with the front wheels
spinning. The AWD warning light
blinks and the driving mode changes
to 2WD. This could reduce traction
force remarkably. Be especially care-
ful when towing a trailer. (AWD mod-
els)

Do not use 2-wheel chassis dyna-
mometers or 2-wheel free rollers.
(AWD models)

Never operate the accelerator pedal
with the front wheels raised and the
rear wheels on the ground while jack-
ing up or with the front wheels on the
roller and the rear wheels on the
ground. Otherwise, the vehicle could
jump. (AWD models)

When a wheel is suspended due to
running off the road, do not idle the
wheel excessively. (AWD models)

When the vehicle is on a free roller or
the front or rear wheels are jacked
up, do not start the engine. (AWD
models)
Starting and driving
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04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0


This position turns on the ignition system and the
electrical accessories.
START (4)
This position activates the starter motor, starting
the engine.NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEMThe Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System will not
allow the engine to start without the use of the
registered Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System
key.
If the engine fails to start using the registered
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System key, it may be
due to interference caused by another Nissan
Vehicle Immobilizer System key, an automated
toll road device or automated payment device on
the key ring. Restart the engine using the follow-
ing procedures:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position
for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK
position and wait approximately 10 seconds.
3. Repeat step 1 and 2 again.
4. Restart the engine while holding the device
(which may have caused the interference)
separate from the registered Nissan VehicleImmobilizer System key.
If this procedure allows the engine to start,
NISSAN recommends placing the registered
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System key on a
separate key ring to avoid interference from
other devices.
Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.

Maintenance items should be checked peri-
odically, for example, each time you check
engine oil.

Check that all windows and lights are clean.

Visually inspect tires for their appearance and
condition. Also, check tires for proper infla-
tion.

Lock all doors.

Position seat and adjust head restraints.

Adjust inside and outside mirrors.

Adjust the pedal position.

Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.

Check the operation of warning lights when
key is turned to the ON (3) position.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving
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04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0


Shift lock releaseIf the battery is discharged, the selector lever
may not be moved from the P (Park) position
even with the brake pedal depressed.
To move the selector lever, push the shift lock
release button while depressing the foot brake
and applying the parking brake. The selector
lever can be moved to N (Neutral). This allows
the vehicle to be moved if the battery is dis-
charged, after releasing the parking brake.
If the battery is discharged in N (Neutral), D
(Drive) or Manual shift mode, the select lever
may not be moved to the P (Park) position.If it is necessary to park the vehicle, push the
shift lock release button, then move the shift
lever to the P (Park).
To push the shift lock release button, follow the
procedure as illustrated.
If the lever cannot be moved out of P (Park), have
your NISSAN dealer check the CVT system as
soon as possible.
WARNING

If the selector lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position while the
engine is running and the brake
pedal is depressed, the stop lights
may not work. Malfunctioning stop
lights could cause an accident injur-
ing yourself and others.

Do not park the vehicle without shift-
ing to the P (Park) position.Accelerator downshift
— In D position —For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into the lower gear, depend-ing on the vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
modeThis transmission has a high fluid temperature
protection mode. If the fluid temperature be-
comes too high (for example, when climbing
steep grades in high temperature with heavy
loads, such as when towing a trailer), engine
power and, under some conditions, vehicle
speed will be decreased automatically to reduce
the chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the vehicle may not accelerate above
approximately 40 to 50 MPH (65 to 80 km/h).Fail-safeIf the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated, see “Malfunction indicator lamp
(MIL)” in the “2. Instrument and controls”
section. This will occur even if all electrical
circuits are functioning properly. In this
case, turn the ignition key OFF and wait for
10 seconds. Then turn the key back to the
ONposition. The vehicle should return to
its normal operating condition. If it does
SSD0352
Starting and driving
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When turning the vehicle in
ON/LOCK mode on paved roads, you
may feel a braking effect. This is a
normal condition of the AWD model.
AWD WARNING LIGHTThe AWD warning light is located in the meter.
The AWD warning light comes on when the key
switch is turned to ON. It turns off soon after the
engine is started.If any malfunction occurs in the AWD system
when the key switch is ON, the warning light will
remain illuminated.
High-temperature power-train oil due to continu-
ous operation of the vehicle to free a stuck
vehicle makes the warning light blink rapidly
(about twice per second). The driving mode may
change to 2 wheel drive. OFF/AUTO mode may
change to ON/LOCK mode before the warning
light blinks. This is normal. If the warning light
blinks rapidly during operation, stop the vehicle
with the engine idling in a safe place immedi-
ately. Then if the light goes off after a while, you
can continue driving.
A large difference between the diameters of
front and rear wheels will make the warning light
blink slowly (about once per two seconds). Pull
off the road in a safe area, and idle the engine.
Check that all tire sizes are the same, tire
pressure is correct and tires are not worn.
WARNING
Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle with two wheels on a
two wheel dynamometer and the other
two wheels raised. Doing so may result
SSD0314A
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04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0


To help save the brakes and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may
reduce braking performance and could result in
loss of vehicle control.
WARNING

While driving on a slippery surface,
be careful when braking, accelerat-
ing or downshifting. Abrupt braking
or accelerating could cause the
wheels to skid and result in an acci-
dent.

If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
Braking will be harder.ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS)The anti-lock brake system controls the brakes
at each wheel so the wheels will not lock when
braking abruptly or when braking on slippery
surfaces. The system detects the rotation speed
at each wheel and varies the brake fluid pressure
to prevent each wheel from locking and sliding.By preventing wheel lockup, the system helps
the driver maintain steering control and helps to
minimize swerving and spinning on slippery sur-
faces.
Using the systemDepress the brake pedal and hold it down.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping dis-
tances.Normal operationThe anti-lock brake system will not operate at
speeds below 3 to 6 MPH (5 to 10 km/h) to
completely stop the vehicle. (The speeds will
vary according to road conditions.) When the
anti-lock system senses that one or more wheels
are close to locking up, the actuator (under the
hood) rapidly applies and releases hydraulic
pressure (like pumping the brakes very quickly).
While the actuator is working, you may feel a
pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a noise or
vibration from the actuator under the hood. This
is normal and indicates that the anti-lock system
is working properly. However, the ABS operationmay indicate that road conditions are hazardous
and extra care is required while driving.
Self-test featureThe anti-lock brake system consists of electronic
sensors, electric pumps, and hydraulic solenoids
controlled by a computer. The computer has a
built-in diagnostic feature that tests the system
each time you start the engine and move the
vehicle at a low speed in forward or reverse.
When the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal.
This is normal and is not an indication of any
malfunction. If the computer senses any mal-
function, it switches the anti-lock brake system
OFF and turns on the ABS warning light in the
meter. The brake system will then behave nor-
mally, but without anti-lock assistance.
If the light comes on during the self check, or
while you are driving, you should take your
vehicle to your NISSAN dealer for repair at your
earliest convenience.
WARNING
The anti-lock brake system is a sophis-
ticated device, but it cannot prevent ac-
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