2004 NISSAN PATHFINDER engine

ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION
Selecting the correct oilIt is essential to choose the correct quality, and
viscosity oil to ensure satisfactory engine life and
performance. Nissan recommends the use of a
low friction oil (energy conserving oil) in order to
improve fuel economy and conserve energy. Oils
which do not have the specified quality label
should not be used as they could cause engine
damage.
Only those engine oils with the American Petro-
leum Institute (API) CERTIFICATION MARK onthe front of the container should be used. This
type of oil supersedes the existing API SG, SH,
or SJ and Energy ConservingI&IIcategories.
If you cannot find engine oil with the API CER-
TIFICATION MARK, use an API grade SG/SH,
Energy ConservingI&IIorAPIgrade SJ, Energy
Conserving oil. An oil with a single designation
SG or SH, or in combination with other catego-
ries (for example, SG/CC or SG/CD) may also
be used if one with the API CERTIFICATION
MARK cannot be found. An ILSAC grade GF-I &
GF-II oil can also be used.
NISSAN does not recommend synthetic type
oils but recommends mineral based oils. Theseoils must however, meet the API quality and SAE
viscosity ratings specified for your vehicle.
Oil additivesNISSAN does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used and
maintenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.Oil viscosityThe engine oil viscosity or thickness changes
with temperature. Because of this, it is important
that the engine oil viscosity be selected based
on the temperatures at which the vehicle will be
operated before the next oil change. The chart
recommended SAE viscosity number shows the
recommended oil viscosities for the expected
ambient temperatures. Choosing an oil viscosity
other than that recommended could cause seri-
ous engine damage.Selecting the correct oil filterYour new vehicle is equipped with a high-quality
genuine Nissan oil filter. When replacing, use the
genuine oil filter or its equivalent for the reason
described in change intervals.
STI0367
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Change intervalsThe oil and oil filter change intervals for your
engine are based on the use of the specified
quality oils and filters. Oil and filter other than the
specified quality, or oil and filter change intervals
longer than recommended could reduce engine
life. Damage to engines caused by improper
maintenance or use of incorrect oil and filter
quality and/or viscosity is not covered by the
new Nissan vehicle warranties.
Your engine was filled with a high quality engine
oil when it was built. You do not have to change
the oil before the first recommended change
interval. Oil and filter change intervals depend
upon how you use your vehicle. Operation under
the following conditions may require more fre-
quent oil and filter changes.
— repeated short distance driving at cold out-
side temperatures,
— driving in dusty conditions,
— extensive idling,
— towing a trailer.
RECOMMENDED SAE OIL
VISCOSITY NUMBER
SAE 5W-30 viscosity oil is preferred for all
ambient temperatures. SAE 10W-30,
10W-40 viscosity oil may be used if the
ambient temperature is above 0°F (−18°C).AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
REFRIGERANT AND LUBRICANT
RECOMMENDATIONSThe air conditioning system in this NISSAN
vehicle must be charged with the refriger-
ant HFC-134a (R-134a) and the lubricant,
Nissan A/C System Oil Type S or the exact
equivalents.
CAUTION
The use of any other refrigerants or
lubricants will cause severe damage to
the air conditioning system and will re-
quire the replacement of all air condi-
tioning system components.
The refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a) in your
NISSAN vehicle will not harm the earth’s ozone
layer. Although this refrigerant does not affect
the earth’s atmosphere, certain governmental
regulations require the recovery and recycling of
any refrigerant during automotive air condition-
TI1028-C
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ENGINE
ModelVQ35DE
TypeGasoline, 4-cycle
Cylinder arrangement6-cylinder, V-slanted at 60°
Bore×Stroke in (mm) 3.760×3.205 (95.5×81.4)
Displacement cu in (cm
3) 213.45 (3,498)
Firing order1-2-3-4-5-6
Idle speed rpm
See the “Emission control label” on the underside of the hood. Ignition timing (BTDC) degree/rpm
CO percentage at idle speed [No air] %
Spark plugPL FR5A-11 (Standard)
PL FR4A-11 (Service option)
PL FR6A-11 (Service option)
Spark plug gap in (mm) 0.043 (1.1)
Camshaft operationTiming chain
Alternator belt size
Width×Length in (mm) 0.8409×46.26 (21.36×1,175)
*1: Periodic maintenance is necessary. See “Periodic maintenance” in the “Service and Maintenance Guide” for maintenance intervals.
SPECIFICATIONS
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When planning to travel in another country,
you should first find out if the fuel available is
suitable for your vehicle’s engine.
Using fuel with too low an octane rating
may cause engine damage. All gasoline
vehicles can be operated with unleaded
gasoline. Therefore, avoid taking your ve-
hicle to areas where appropriate fuel is not
available.
When transferring the registration of your
vehicle to another country, state, province
or district,it may be necessary to modify the
vehicle to meet local laws and regulations.
The laws and regulations for motor vehicle emis-
sion control and safety standards vary according
to the country, state, province or district; there-
fore, vehicle specifications may differ.
When any vehicle is to be taken into an-
other country, state, province or district
and registered, its modifications, transpor-
tation and registration are the responsibil-
ity of the user. NISSAN is not responsible
for any inconvenience that may result.
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
(VIN) PLATEThe vehicle identification number plate is at-
tached as shown. This number is the identifica-
tion for your vehicle and is used in the vehicle
registration.
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
(Chassis number)
STI0095
STI0227
WHENTRAVELING OR
REGISTERING YOUR VEHICLE IN
ANOTHER COUNTRYVEHICLE IDENTIFICATION9-12
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ENGINE SERIAL NUMBERThe number is stamped on the engine as shown.
F.M.V.S.S. CERTIFICATION LABELThe Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(F.M.V.S.S.) certification label is affixed as
shown. This label contains valuable vehicle in-
formation, such as: Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
ings (GVWR), Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR), month and year of manufacture, Ve-
hicle Identification Number, (VIN), etc. Review it
carefully.
EMISSION CONTROL
INFORMATION LABELThe emission control information label is at-
tached as shown.
STI0230
STI0096
STI0228
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CAUTION
Overloading can shorten the life of your
vehicle. Failures caused by overloading
are not covered by your warranty.
Your new vehicle was designed to be used
primarily to carry passengers and cargo. Re-
member that towing a trailer will place additional
loads on your vehicle’s engine, drive train, steer-
ing, braking and other systems.
ANissan Trailer Towing Guide (US only)is
available from an authorized NISSAN dealer.
This guide includes information on trailer towing
ability and the special equipment required for
proper towing.
MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITS
Maximum trailer loadsNever allow the total trailer load to exceed thevalue specified in the following Towing
Load/Specification Chart. The total trailer load
equals trailer weight plus its cargo weight.
Towing loads greater than those specified or
using improper towing equipment could ad-
versely affect vehicle handling, braking and per-
formance. The ability of your vehicle to tow a
trailer is not only related to the maximum trailer
loads, but also the places you plan to tow. Tow
weights appropriate for level highway driving
may have to be reduced on very steep grades or
in low traction situations (for example, on slip-
pery boat ramps).
CA0009
TOWING A TRAILER
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When 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 overload-
ing and/or overheating.
However, for long steep grades, do not stay in
1st or 2nd gear when driving above 35 MPH (56
km/h).

If the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioning
system is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Coolant heat can be additionally vented by
opening the windows, switching the fan con-
trol to high and setting the temperature con-
trol to the HOT position.

Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.

Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles
(805 km).

Have your vehicle serviced more often than at
intervals specified in the recommended Main-
tenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Service
and Maintenance fluid”.

When making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this, makea larger than normal turning radius during the
turn.

Crosswinds 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 stabi-
lize the vehicle. Never increase speed.

Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal passing.
Remember the length of the trailer must also
pass the other vehicle before you can safely
change lanes.

To maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
sixth gear (manual transmission) or fifth posi-
tion (automatic transmission).

Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the brakes
to overheat, resulting in reduced braking ef-
ficiency.
When towing a trailer, the transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-quently. For additional information, see
the “8. Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section earlier in this manual.
FLAT TOWINGTowing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a ve-
hicle behind a recreational vehicle, such as a
motor home.
CAUTION

Failure to follow these guidelines
can result in severe transmission
damage.

Whenever flat towing your vehicle,
always tow forward, never backward.

DO NOT tow any automatic transmis-
sion vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground (flat towing). Doing so
WILL DAMAGE internal transmission
parts due to lack of transmission lu-
brication.

For emergency towing procedures re-
fer to “Towing Recommended by
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NISSAN” in the “6. In case of emer-
gency” section of this manual.
Automatic transmissionTo tow a vehicle equipped with an automatic
transmission, an appropriate vehicle dollyMUST
be placed under the towed vehicle’s drive
wheels.Alwaysfollow the dolly manufacturer’s
recommendations when using their product.Manual transmissionAll mode 4WD (four wheel drive) models:
Never tow All mode 4WD models with any of the
wheels on the ground.
Part time four wheel drive models:

Move the transfer case shift lever to the 2H
position.

Move the transmission shift lever to the N
(Neutral) position.
Two wheel drive models:
Move the transmission shift lever to the N (Neu-
tral) position.

Always tow with the manual transmission in
Neutral.
After towing 500 miles, start and idle the
engine with the transmission in Neutral for
two minutes. Failure to idle the engine after
every 500 miles of towing may cause damage
to the transmission’s internal parts.

Always release the parking brake.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADINGDOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tire must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature ATreadwearTreadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on tire wear rate when tested under controlled
conditions on specified government test
courses. For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and a half (1-1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. How-
ever, relative tire performance depends on actual
driving conditions, and may vary significantly due
to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and cli-
mate.
Traction AA, A, B and CThe traction grades from highest to lowest are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the
tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as mea-
sured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your ve-
hicle tires is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hydro-
planing, or peak traction characteristics.Temperature A, B and CTemperature grades are A (the highest), B, and
C. They represent a tire’s resistance to heat
build-up, and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a speci-
fied indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause tire material to degener-
ate, reducing tire life. Excessive temperatures
can lead to sudden tire failure. Grade C corre-
sponds to a performance level which all passen-
ger car tires must meet under the Federal MotorTechnical and consumer information
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