MOST COMMON FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO VEHICLE
CORROSIONThe accumulation of moisture-retaining dirt
and debris in body panel sections, cavities,
and other areas.
Damage to paint and other protective coat-
ings caused by gravel and stone chips or
minor traffic accidents.ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
INFLUENCE THE RATE OF
CORROSION
MoistureAccumulation of sand, dirt and water on the
vehicle body underside can accelerate corro-
sion. Wet floor coverings will not dry completely
inside the vehicle, and should be removed for
drying to avoid floor panel corrosion.Relative humidityCorrosion will be accelerated in areas of high
relative humidity, especially those areas where
the temperatures stay above freezing and where
atmospheric pollution exists and road salt is
used.
TemperatureA temperature increase will accelerate the rate
of corrosion to those parts which are not well
ventilated.Air pollutionIndustrial pollution, the presence of salt in the air
in coastal areas, or heavy road salt use will
accelerate the corrosion process. Road salt will
also accelerate the disintegration of paint sur-
faces.TO PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE
FROM CORROSIONWash and wax your vehicle often to keep the
vehicle clean.
Always check for minor damage to the paint
and repair it as soon as possible.
Keep drain holes at the bottom of the doors
open to avoid water accumulation.
Check the underbody for accumulation of
sand, dirt or salt. If present, wash with water
as soon as possible.
CAUTION
Never remove dirt, sand or other de-
bris from the passenger compart-
ment by washing it out with a hose.
Remove dirt with a vacuum cleaner or
broom.
Never allow water or other liquids to
come in contact with electronic com-
ponents inside the vehicle as this
may damage them.
Chemicals used for road surface de-icing are
extremely corrosive. They accelerate corrosion
and deterioration of underbody components
such as the exhaust system, fuel and brake lines,
brake cables, floor pan and fenders.
In winter, the underbody must be cleaned
periodically.
For additional protection against rust and corro-
sion, which may be required in some areas,
consult a NISSAN dealer.
CORROSIONPROTECTION7-6
Appearance and care
05.10.18/Z33-D/V5.0
Your new NISSAN has been designed to have
minimum maintenance requirements with longer
service intervals to save you both time and
money. However, some day-to-day and regular
maintenance is essential to maintain your
NISSAN’s good mechanical condition, as well
as its emission and engine performance.
It is the owner’s responsibility to make sure that
scheduled maintenance, as well as general
maintenance, is performed.
As the vehicle owner, you are the only one who
can ensure that your vehicle receives the proper
maintenance care. You are a vital link in the
maintenance chain.
Scheduled maintenance:
For your convenience, both required and op-
tional scheduled maintenance items are de-
scribed and listed in your “NISSAN Service and
Maintenance Guide”. You must refer to that
guide to ensure that necessary maintenance is
performed on your NISSAN at regular intervals.
General maintenance:
General maintenance includes those items
which should be checked during normal day-to-
day operation. They are essential for proper
vehicle operation. It is your responsibility to
perform these procedures regularly as pre-
scribed.Performing general maintenance checks re-
quires minimal mechanical skill and only a few
general automotive tools.
These checks or inspections can be done by
yourself, a qualified technician or, if you prefer, a
NISSAN dealer.
Where to go for service:
If maintenance service is required or your vehicle
appears to malfunction, have the systems
checked and tuned by a NISSAN dealer.
NISSAN technicians are well-trained specialists
and are kept up to date with the latest service
information through technical bulletins, service
tips, and in-dealership training programs. They
are completely qualified to work on NISSAN
vehiclesbeforethey work on your vehicle,
rather than after they have worked on it.
You can be confident that a NISSAN dealer’s
service department performs the best job to
meet the maintenance requirements of your ve-
hicle — in a reliable and economic way.During the normal day-to-day operation of the
vehicle, general maintenance should be per-
formed regularly as prescribed in this section. If
you detect any unusual sounds, vibrations or
smells, be sure to check for the cause or have a
NISSAN dealer do it promptly. In addition, you
should notify a NISSAN dealer if you think that
repairs are required.
When performing any checks or maintenance
work, closely observe the “Maintenance precau-
tions” later in this section.
EXPLANATION OF GENERAL
MAINTENANCE ITEMSAdditional information on the following
items with “*” is found later in this section.Outside the vehicleThe maintenance items listed here should be
performed from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Doors and engine hood:Check that all doors
and the engine hood operate smoothly as well as
the trunk lid or back hatch. Also make sure that
all latches lock securely. Lubricate if necessary.
Make sure that the secondary latch keeps the
hood from opening when the primary latch is
released.
When driving in areas using road salt or other
MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS GENERAL MAINTENANCE8-2
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
05.10.18/Z33-D/V5.0
Replace the battery as follows:
1. Open the lid using a suitable tool.
2. Replace the battery with a new one.
Recommended battery: CR2025 or equiva-
lentMake sure that the⊕side faces the
bottom case.
3. Close the lid securely.
4. Push the keyfobbutton two or three times to
check its operation.
See a NISSAN dealer if you need any assistance
for replacement.
If the battery is removed for any reason
other than replacement, perform step 4
above.
Be careful not to touch the circuit board
and the battery terminal.
An improperly disposed battery can
harm the environment. Always confirm
local regulations for battery disposal.
The keyfob is water-resistant; however,
if it gets wet, immediately wipe it com-
pletely dry.
When changing batteries, do not let
dust or oil get on the keyfob.
FCC Notice:
Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for com-
pliance could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules and RSS-210 of Industry
Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received, in-
cluding interference that may cause undes-
ired operation of the device.
SDI1608
KEYFOB BATTERY
REPLACEMENT
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-25
05.10.18/Z33-D/V5.0
hibitors. If not properly formulated with
appropriate cosolvents and corrosion
inhibitors, such methanol blends may
cause fuel system damage and/or ve-
hicle performance problems. At this
time, sufficient data is not available to
ensure that all methanol blends are
suitable for use in NISSAN vehicles.
If any undesirable driveability problems such as
engine stalling and hard hot starting are experi-
enced after using oxygenate-blend fuels, imme-
diately change to a non-oxygenate fuel or a fuel
with a low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during refu-
eling. Gasoline containing oxygenates can
cause paint damage.
E-85 fuelE-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline. E-85 can
only be used in a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV). Do
not use E-85 fuel in your vehicle. U.S. govern-
ment regulations require fuel ethanol dispensing
pumps to be identified by a small, square, or-
ange and black label with the common abbre-
viation or the appropriate percentage for that
region.
Aftermarket fuel additivesNISSAN does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (for example, fuel in-
jector cleaner, octane booster, intake valve de-
posit removers, etc.) which are sold commer-
cially. Many of these additives intended for gum,
varnish or deposit removal may contain active
solvents or similar ingredients that can be harm-
ful to the fuel system and engine.Octane rating tipsUsing unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can cause
persistent, heavy spark knock. (Spark
knock is a metallic rapping noise.) If se-
vere, this can lead to engine damage. If you
detect a persistent heavy spark knock even
when using gasoline of the above stated
octane rating, or if you hear steady spark
knock while holding a steady speed on
level roads, have your dealer correct the
condition. Failure to correct the condition
is misuse of the vehicle, for which NISSAN
is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing will result in knocking,
after-run or overheating. This in turn may cause
excessive fuel consumption or damage to the
engine. If any of the above symptoms are en-
countered, have your vehicle checked at aNISSAN dealer or other competent service fa-
cility.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is no
cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.
9-4
Technical and consumer information
05.10.18/Z33-D/V5.0
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
must be operated with unleaded engine gaso-
line. Therefore, avoid taking your vehicle 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)The number is stamped as shown.
STI0320
STI0321
WHENTRAVELING OR
REGISTERING YOUR VEHICLE IN
ANOTHER COUNTRYVEHICLE IDENTIFICATION9-10
Technical and consumer information
05.10.18/Z33-D/V5.0
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 TRANSMISSIONAlways 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 internal transmission parts.DOT (Department Of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires 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 A
TreadwearThe treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times
as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteristics
and climate.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 this tire
is based on straight-ahead braking trac-
tion tests, and does not include accel-
eration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics.Temperature A, B and CThe temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire’s resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sus-
tained high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
Technical and consumer information
9-23
05.10.18/Z33-D/V5.0