Lights*:Clean the headlights on a regular basis.
Make sure that the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights are all
operating properly and installed securely. Also
check headlight aim.
Road wheel nuts (lug nuts)*:When checking
the tires, make sure no wheel nuts are missing,
and check for any loose wheel nuts. Tighten if
necessary.
Tire rotation*:Tires should be rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km). However, the timing
for tire rotation may vary according to your
driving habits and road surface conditions.
Tires*:Check the pressure with a gauge often
and always prior to long distance trips. If neces-
sary, adjust the pressure in all tires, including the
spare, to the pressure specified. Check carefully
for damage, cuts or excessive wear.
Tire, wheel alignment and balance:If the
vehicle should pull to either side while driving on
a straight and level road, or if you detect uneven
or abnormal tire wear, there may be a need for
wheel alignment.
If the steering wheel or seat vibrates at normal
highway speeds, wheel balancing may be
needed.
For additional information regarding tires, refer to
“Important Tire Safety Information” (US) or “TireSafety Information” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.
Windshield:Clean the windshield on a regular
basis. Check the windshield at least every six
months for cracks or other damage. Have a
damaged windshield repaired by a qualified re-
pair facility.
Windshield wiper blades*:Check for cracks
or wear if they do not wipe properly.
Inside the vehicleThe maintenance items listed here should be
checked on a regular basis, such as when
performing periodic maintenance, cleaning the
vehicle, etc.
Accelerator pedal:Check the pedal for
smooth operation and make sure the pedal does
not catch or require uneven effort. Keep the floor
mats away from the pedal.
Brake pedal and booster*:Check the pedal
for smooth operation and make sure it has the
proper distance under it when depressed fully.
Check the brake booster function. Be sure to
keep floor mats away from the pedal.
Brakes:Check that the brakes do not pull the
vehicle to one side when applied.
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
P (Park) position mechanism:On a fairlysteep hill check that the vehicle is held securely
with the selector lever in the P (Park) position
without applying any brakes.
Parking brake*:Check that the lever has the
proper travel and make sure that the vehicle is
held securely on a fairly steep hill when only the
parking brake is applied.
Seat belts:Check that all parts of the seat belt
system (for example, buckles, anchors, adjusters
and retractors) operate properly and smoothly,
and are installed securely. Check the belt web-
bing for cuts, fraying, wear or damage.
Seats:Check seat position controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. to ensure
they operate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in every position. Check that the head
restraints move up and down smoothly and that
the locks hold securely in all latched positions.
Steering wheel:Check for changes in the
steering conditions, such as excessive free play,
hard steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes:Make sure that all
warning lights and chimes are operating prop-
erly.
Windshield defroster:Check that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly and
in good quantity when operating the heater or air
conditioner.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
Contact your NISSAN dealer if checking or
replacement is required.
CAUTION
Use only Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid
NS-2. Do not mix with other fluids.
Using transmission fluid other than
Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2 will
damage the CVT transmission, which
is not covered by the NISSAN new
vehicle limited warranty.
The specified CVT fluid is also described on
caution labels located in the engine compart-
ment.Check the fluid level in the reservoir tank.
The fluid level should be checked using the HOT
range at fluid temperatures of 122 to 176°F (50
to 80°C) or using the COLD range at fluid
temperatures of 32 to 86°F (0 to 30°C).
CAUTION
Do not overfill.
Use Genuine NISSAN PSF or equiva-
lent.Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the fluid is
below the MIN line or the brake warning light
comes on, add Genuine Nissan Super Heavy
Duty Brake Fluid or equivalentDOT 3(US
FMVSS No. 116) fluid up to the MAX line. If fluid
must be added frequently, the system should be
thoroughly checked by your NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
Use only new fluid. Old, inferior, or con-
taminated fluid may damage the brake
system. The use of improper fluids can
SDI1443
SDI1502
CVT FLUID POWER STEERING FLUID BRAKE FLUID8-12
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
damage the brake system and affect the
vehicle’s stopping ability.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on painted sur-
faces. This will damage the paint. If fluid
is spilled, wash with water.
Add fluid when the low washer fluid warning light
comes on. Add a washer solvent to the water for
better cleaning. In the winter season, add a
windshield washer antifreeze. Follow the manu-
facturer’s instructions for the mixture ratio.
Recommended fluid is Genuine Nissan Wind-
shield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Anti-
freeze Fluid or equivalent.
WARNING
Antifreeze is poisonous and should be
stored carefully in marked containers
out of the reach of children.
CAUTION
Do not substitute engine antifreeze
coolant for window washer solution.
This may result in damage to the paint.
SDI1494
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-13
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
CHECKING BRAKE PEDALWith the engine running, check the distance
between the upper surface of the pedal and the
metal floor. If it is out of the range shown above,
see your NISSAN dealer.Self-adjusting brakesYour vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The disc-type brakes self-adjust every time the
brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
See your NISSAN dealer and have it
checked if the brake pedal height does
not return to normal.Brake pad wear indicatorsThe disc brake pads on your vehicle have au-
dible wear indicators. When a brake pad re-
quires replacement, it will make a high pitched
scraping or screeching sound when the vehicle
is in motion whether or not the brake pedal is
depressed. Have the brakes checked as soon as
possible if the wear indicator sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions, occa-
sional brake squeak, squeal or other noise may
be heard. Occasional brake noise during light to
moderate stops is normal and does not affect
the function or performance of the brake system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.For additional information, see the
separate Service and Maintenance Guide.
BRAKE BOOSTERCheck the brake booster function as follows:
1. With the engine off, press and release the
brake pedal several times. When brake pedal
movement (distance of travel) remains the
same from one pedal application to the next,
continue on to the next step.
2. While depressing the brake pedal, start the
engine. The pedal height should drop a little.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the
engine. Keeping the pedal depressed for
about 30 seconds, the pedal height should
not change.
4. Run the engine for one minute without de-
pressing the brake pedal, then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times. The
pedal travel distance will decrease gradually
with each depression as the vacuum is re-
leased from the booster.
If the brakes do not operate properly, see your
NISSAN dealer.
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Maintenance and do-it-yourself
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
HEADLIGHTS
ReplacingIf replacement is required, see a NISSAN dealer.
Xenon headlight bulb:
WARNINGHIGH VOLTAGE
When xenon headlights are on, they
produce a high voltage. To prevent an
electric shock, never attempt to modify
or disassemble the headlight assembly.
Always have your xenon headlights re-
placed at a NISSAN dealer. For addi-
tional information, see “Headlight and
turn signal switch” in the “2. Instru-
ments and controls” section.
Halogen headlight bulb:
The headlight is a semi-sealed beam type which
uses a replaceable headlight (halogen) bulb. If
replacement is required, see your NISSAN
dealer.
CAUTION
High pressure halogen gas is sealed
inside the halogen bulb. The bulb
may break if the glass envelope is
scratched or the bulb is dropped.
When handling the bulb, do not touch
the glass envelope.
Do not touch the bulb.
Use the same number and wattage as
originally installed:
Bulb no. (Wattage)
D2R (35W) - Xenon low/high-beam
or
HB5 (65/55W) - Halogen low/high-
beam
Do not leave the bulb out of the
headlight reflector for a long period
of time as dust, moisture, and smoke
may enter the headlight body and
affect the performance of the head-
light.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-25
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
WARNING
Improperly inflated tires can fail sud-
denly and cause an accident.
The vehicle weight capacity is indi-
cated on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation label. Do not load your ve-
hicle beyond this capacity.
Overloading your vehicle may result
in reduced tire life, unsafe operating
conditions due to premature tire fail-
ure, or unfavorable handling charac-
teristics and could also lead to a
serious accident. Loading beyond the
specified capacity may also result in
failure of other vehicle components.
Before taking a long trip, or when-
ever you heavily load your vehicle,
use a tire pressure gauge to ensure
that the tire pressures are at the
specified level.
Do not drive your vehicle over 85
MPH (137 km/h) unless it is equipped
with high speed rated tires. Driving
faster than 85 MPH (137 km/h) mayresult in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury.
For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety In-
formation” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.
Low tire pressure warning system (if
so equipped)The low tire pressure warning system displays
the tire 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. For more
details, refer to “Low tire pressure warning light”
in the “2. Instruments and controls” section,
“Low tire pressure warning system” in the “5.
Starting and driving” section, and “Flat tire” in
the “6. In case of emergency” section. If the tire
pressure displayed on the display screen is
lower than the COLD tire pressure shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label, check the
pressure of all four tires and adjust them to the
COLD tire pressure as indicated above. The low
tire pressure warning system will activate only
when the vehicle is driven at speeds above 20
MPH (32 km/h).
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Maintenance and do-it-yourself
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
Tire wear and damage
WARNING
Tires should be periodically in-
spected for wear, cracking, bulging,
or objects caught in the tread. If ex-
cessive wear, cracks, bulging, or
deep cuts are found, the tire should
be replaced.
The original tires have a built-in tread
wear indicator. When the wearindicator is visible, the tire should be
replaced.
Improper service for a spare tire may
result in serious personal injury. If it
is necessary to repair the spare tire,
contact your NISSAN dealer.
For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety In-
formation” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.
Replacing wheels and tiresWhen replacing a tire, use the same size, tread
design, speed rating and load carrying capacity
as originally equipped. See “Specifications” in
the “9. Technical and consumer information”
section for recommended types and sizes of
tires and wheels.
WARNING
The use of tires other than those
recommended or the mixed use of
tires of different brands, construction(bias, bias-belted or radial), or tread
patterns can adversely affect the ride,
braking, handling, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, tire chain
clearance, speedometer calibration,
headlight aim and bumper height.
Some of these effects may lead to
accidents and could result in serious
personal injury.
If the wheels are changed for any
reason, always replace with wheels
which have the same offset dimen-
sion. Wheels of a different offset
could cause premature tire wear, de-
grade vehicle handling characteris-
tics and/or interfere with the brake
discs/drums. Such interference can
lead to decreased braking efficiency
and/or early brake pad/shoe wear.
Refer to “Wheel/tire size” in the
“Technical and consumer informa-
tion” section of this manual for wheel
offset dimensions.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel is replaced, the pressure of
MDI0004
8-34
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0
After the hitch is removed, seal the
bolt holes to prevent exhaust fumes,
water or dust from entering the pas-
senger compartment.
Regularly check all hitch mounting
bolts are securely mounted.
To reduce the possibility of addi-
tional damage if your vehicle is
struck from the rear, where practical,
remove the hitch and/or receiver
when not in use.Tire pressuresWhen towing a trailer, inflate the vehicle tires
to the recommended cold tire pressure indi-
cated on the Tire and Loading Information
label (located on the driver’s door center
pillar).
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and
proper inflation pressure should be in accor-
dance with the trailer and tire manufacturers’
specifications.
Safety chainAlways use a suitable chains between your
vehicle and the trailer. The safety chains should
be crossed and should be attached to the hitch,
not to the vehicle bumper or axle. Be sure to
leave enough slack in the chain to permit turning
corners.Trailer lightsTrailer lights should comply with federal and/or
local regulations. When wiring the vehicle for
towing, connect the stop and tail light pickup
into the vehicle electrical circuit.Trailer brakesIf your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
make sure it conforms to federal and/or local
regulations and that it is properly installed.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system
directly to the vehicle brake system.Pre-towing tipsBe certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded and/or unloadedtrailer is hitched. Do not drive the vehicle if it
has an abnormal nose-up or nose-down con-
dition; check for improper tongue load, over-
load, worn suspension or other possible
causes of either condition.
Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shifts while driving.
Be certain your rear view mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.
Trailer towing tipsIn 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 per-
formance will be somewhat different than under
normal driving conditions.
Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
Always block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is not
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04.4.5/Z50-D/V5.0