5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide)..................5-2
Three-way catalyst..............................5-2
Avoiding collision and rollover....................5-3
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving................5-3
Ignition switch.....................................5-4
Automatic transmission..........................5-4
Manual transmission............................5-5
Key positions..................................5-5
Nissan vehicle immobilizer system................5-5
Before starting the engine..........................5-6
Starting the engine................................5-6
Driving the vehicle.................................5-7
Automatic transmission (if so equipped)...........5-7
Manual transmission...........................5-11
Parking brake....................................5-12
Cruise control (if so equipped).....................5-13
Precautions on cruise control...................5-13
Cruise control operations.......................5-13Break-in schedule................................5-14
Increasing fuel economy...........................5-15
Parking/parking on hills............................5-16
Power steering...................................5-17
Brake system....................................5-17
Brake precautions.............................5-17
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)...................5-18
Traction control system (TCS) (if so equipped).......5-19
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system
(if so equipped)..................................5-20
Cold weather driving..............................5-21
Freeing a frozen door lock......................5-21
Anti-freeze....................................5-21
Battery.......................................5-21
Draining of coolant water.......................5-22
Tire equipment................................5-22
Special winter equipment.......................5-22
Driving on snow or ice.........................5-23
Engine block heater (if so equipped).............5-23
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Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift selector lever
may not be moved from the P (Park) position even
with the brake pedal depressed.
To move the shift selector lever, release the shift
lock. The shift selector lever can be moved to N
(Neutral) . However, the steering wheel will be
locked unless the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position. This allows the vehicle to be moved
if the battery is discharged.
To push the shift lock release, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position
and remove the key
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover as
shown.
4. Insert a small screwdriver in the shift lock
release slot and push down.
5. Move the shift selector lever to the N (Neu-
tral) position while holding down the shift
lock release.
6. Turn the key to the ON position to unlock the
steering wheel. Now the vehicle may be
moved to the desired location.
If the shift selector lever cannot be moved out of
P (Park) , have a NISSAN dealer check the auto-
matic transmission 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. Malfunction-
ing stop lights could cause an accident
injuring yourself and others.
Accelerator downshift
— in D position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into a lower gear, depending on the
vehicle speed.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, please note
that the 4–speed automatic transmission will be
locked in third gear. For the 5–speed automatic
transmission, the transmission will be locked in
any of the gears according to the condition.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. This will occur
even if all electrical circuits are functioning
properly. In this case, turn the ignition key
OFF and wait for 3 seconds. Then turn the
key back to the ON position. The vehicle
should return to its normal operating con-
dition. If it does not return to its normal
operating condition, have a NISSAN dealer
check the transmission and repair it if nec-
essary.
LSD0072
5-10Starting and driving
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cIf brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not stan-
dard equipment or are extremely dete-
riorated, the vehicle dynamic control
system may not operate properly and
the vehicle dynamic control off indica-
tor light may come on.
cDo not modify the vehicle’s suspension.
If suspension parts such as shock ab-
sorbers, struts, springs, stabilizer bars
and bushings are not NISSAN approved
for your vehicle or are extremely dete-
riorated the vehicle dynamic control
system may not operate properly. This
could adversely affect vehicle handling
performance, and the VDC OFF indica-
tor light may come on.
cWhen driving on extremely inclined sur-
faces such as higher banked corners,
the vehicle dynamic control system may
not operate properly and the VDC OFF
indicator light may come on. Do not
drive on these types of roads.
cWhen driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the vehicle dynamic control off
indicator light may illuminate. This is
not a malfunction. Restart the engine
after driving onto a stable surfacecIf wheels or tires other than the recom-
mended ones are used, the vehicle dy-
namic control system may not operate
properly and the vehicle dynamic con-
trol off indicator light may come on.
cThe vehicle dynamic control system is
not a substitute for winter tires or tire
chains on a snow covered road.FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply de-
icer through the key hole. If the lock becomes
frozen, heat the key before inserting it into the key
hole or use the remote keyless entry keyfob (if so
equipped) .
ANTI-FREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the tem-
perature will drop below 32°F (0°C) , check the
anti-freeze to assure proper winter protection.
For details, see ‘‘Engine cooling system’’ in the
‘‘Maintenance and do-it-yourself’’ section of this
manual.
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during extremely
cold weather conditions, the battery fluid may
freeze and damage the battery. To maintain maxi-
mum efficiency, the battery should be checked
regularly. For details, see ‘‘Battery’’ in the ‘‘Main-
tenance and do-it-yourself’’ section of this
manual.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-21
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CAUTION
cAlways connect positive (1) to positive
(1) and negative (2) to body ground (for
example, strut mounting bolt, engine
lift bracket, etc.) — not to the battery.
cMake sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and
let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster ve-
hicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start the en-
gine of the vehicle being jump started.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does
not start right away, turn the key off and
wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable.8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped) . Be
sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.
CAUTION
cAutomatic transmission models cannot
be push-started or tow-started. At-
tempting to do so may cause transmis-
sion damage.
cThree-way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing. The
three-way catalyst may be damaged.
cNever try to start the vehicle by towing
it. When the engine starts, the forward
surge could cause the vehicle to collide
with the tow vehicle.
PUSH STARTING
6-8In case of emergency
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8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirements..........................8-2
General maintenance..............................8-2
Explanation of general maintenance items.........8-2
Maintenance precautions...........................8-5
Engine compartment check locations................8-6
Engine cooling system.............................8-7
Checking engine coolant level...................8-7
Changing engine coolant........................8-8
Engine oil.........................................8-8
Checking engine oil level........................8-8
Changing engine oil............................8-9
Changing engine oil filter.......................8-10
5-speed automatic transmission fluid...............8-11
Power steering fluid...............................8-11
Brake and clutch fluid.............................8-12
Brake fluid....................................8-12
Clutch fluid...................................8-12
Window washer fluid.............................8-13
Window washer fluid reservoir..................8-13
Battery..........................................8-13
Jump starting.................................8-15
Drive belts.......................................8-15
Spark plugs......................................8-16Replacing spark plugs.........................8-16
Air cleaner.......................................8-16
In-cabin microfilter.............................8-17
Windshield wiper blades..........................8-20
Cleaning.....................................8-20
Replacing....................................8-20
Parking brake and brake pedal.....................8-21
Checking parking brake........................8-21
Checking brake pedal..........................8-21
Brake booster.................................8-22
Fuses...........................................8-22
Engine compartment...........................8-23
Passenger compartment.......................8-24
Keyfob battery replacement........................8-26
Lights...........................................8-27
Headlights....................................8-27
Exterior and interior lights.......................8-28
Wheels and tires.................................8-33
Tire pressure..................................8-33
Tire labeling...................................8-37
Types of tires..................................8-40
Tire chains....................................8-41
Changing wheels and tires.....................8-41
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When performing any inspection or maintenance
work on your vehicle, always take care to prevent
serious accidental injury to yourself or damage to
the vehicle. The following are general precau-
tions which should be closely observed.
WARNING
cPark the vehicle on a level surface, ap-
ply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the vehicle
from moving. For manual transmission
models, move the shift lever to N (Neu-
tral) . For automatic transmission mod-
els, move the selector lever to P (Park) .
cBe sure the ignition key is in the OFF or
LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
cNever leave the engine or automatic
transmission related component har-
nesses disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
cNever connect or disconnect the battery
or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
c
Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come on
at any time without warning, even if the
ignition key is in the OFF position and theengine is not running. To avoid injury,
always disconnect the negative battery
cable before working near the fan.
cIf you must work with the engine run-
ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans, belts
and any other moving parts.
cIt is advisable to secure or remove any
loose clothing and remove any jewelry,
such as rings, watches, etc. before
working on your vehicle.
cAlways wear eye protection whenever
you work on your vehicle.
cIf you must run the engine in an en-
closed space such as a garage, be sure
there is proper ventilation for exhaust
gases to escape.
cNever get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is neces-
sary to work under the vehicle, support
it with safety stands.
c
Keep smoking materials, flame and sparks
away from the fuel tank and battery.
cOn gasoline engine models with the
multiport fuel injection (MFI) system,
the fuel filter or fuel lines should beserviced by a NISSAN dealer because
the fuel lines are under high pressure
even when the engine is off.
CAUTION
cDo not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down.
cAvoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, engine coolant and/or other vehicle
fluids can damage the environment. Al-
ways conform to local regulations for
disposal of vehicle fluid.
This “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
gives instructions regarding only those items
which are relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A genuine NISSAN service manual is also avail-
able. See “Owner’s Manual/Service Manual or-
der information” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or improper
servicing may result in operating difficulties or
excessive emissions, and could affect warranty
coverage.If in doubt about any servicing,
have it done by a NISSAN dealer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-5
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Vehicles operated in high temperatures or under
severe conditions require frequent checks of the
battery fluid level.
JUMP STARTING
If jump starting is necessary, see “Jump starting”
in the “In case of emergency” section of this
manual. If the engine does not start by jump
starting, the battery may have to be replaced.
Contact a NISSAN dealer.
1. Power steering fluid pump
2. Crankshaft
3. Generator
4. Air conditioner
WARNING
Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or
LOCK position. The engine could rotate
unexpectedly.
1. Visually inspect the belt(s) for signs of un-
usual wear, cuts, fraying or looseness. If the
belt is in poor condition or is loose, have it
replaced or adjusted by a NISSAN dealer.2. Have the belts checked regularly for condi-
tion and tension in accordance with the
maintenance schedule found in the
“NISSAN Service and Maintenance Guide”.
WDI0226
DRIVE BELTS
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-15
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Replace the battery in the keyfob as follows:
s1Open the lid using a coinsA.
s2Remove the batterysB.
s3Install a new batterysCwith the “+” facing
down.Recommended battery: CR2025 or equivalent.
s4Close the lid securely.
5. Press the
button, then thebutton two or three times to check the key-
fob operation.If the battery is removed for any reason
other than replacement, perform step 5.
cAn improperly disposed battery can
hurt the environment. Always confirm
local regulations for battery disposal.
cThe keyfob is water-resistant; how-
ever, if it does get wet, immediately
wipe completely dry.
cThe operational range of the keyfob
extends to approximately 33 ft (10 m)
from the vehicle. This range may vary
with conditions.
FCC Notice:
Changes or modifications not expressly ap-
proved by the party responsible for compli-
ance could void the user’s authority to op-
erate 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.
LDI0484
KEYFOB BATTERY REPLACEMENT
8-26Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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