other sidewall of the tire, or (2) the
outward facing sidewall of an asymmetri-
cal tire that has a particular side that must
always face outward when mounted on a
vehicle.TYPES OF TIRES
WARNING
When changing or replacing tires, be
sure all four tires are of the same
type (for example, Summer, All Sea-
son or Snow) and construction. A
NISSAN dealer may be able to help
you with information about tire type,
size, speed rating and availability.
Replacement tires may have a lower
speed rating than the factory
equipped tires, and may not match
the potential maximum vehicle
speed. Never exceed the maximum
speed rating of the tire.
For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” in the Warranty InformationBooklet.
All season tiresNISSAN specifies All Season tires on some
models to provide good performance for use all
year, including snowy and icy road conditions.
All Season tires are identified by ALL SEASON
and/or M&S on the tire sidewall. Snow tires have
better snow traction than All Season tires and
may be more appropriate in some areas.Summer tiresNISSAN specifies summer tires on some models
to provide superior performance on dry roads.
Summer tire performance is substantially re-
duced in snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating “M&S” on the tire
sidewall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in snowy or icy
conditions, NISSAN recommends the use of
SNOW tires or ALL SEASON tires on all four
wheels.Snow tiresIf snow tires are needed, it is necessary to select
tires equivalent in size and load rating to the
original equipment tires. If you do not, it canadversely affect the safety and handling of your
vehicle.
Generally, snow tires will have lower speed
ratings than factory equipped tires and may not
match the potential maximum vehicle speed.
Never exceed the maximum speed rating of the
tire.
If you operate your vehicle in snowy or icy
conditions, NISSAN recommends the use of
snow or all season tires on all four wheels.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded tires
may be used. However, some provinces and
states prohibit their use. Check local, state and
provincial laws before installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded snow
tires on wet or dry surfaces may be poorer than
that of non-studded snow tires.
Four-wheel drive models
CAUTION
Always use tires of the same size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted
or radial), and tread pattern on all
four wheels. Failure to do so may
result in a circumference difference
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-39
06.4.14/T30-J/V5.0
between tires on the front and rear
axles which will cause excessive tire
wear and may damage the transmis-
sion, transfer case and differential
gears.
ONLY use spare tires specified for
each 4-wheel drive model.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recommended
that all four tires be replaced with tires of the
same size, brand, construction and tread pat-
tern. The tire pressure and wheel alignment
should also be checked and corrected as nec-
essary. Contact a NISSAN dealer.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
front wheels and not on the rear wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved roads
which are clear of snow. Driving with chains in
such conditions can cause damage to the vari-
ous mechanisms of the vehicle due to some
overstress.
TIRE CHAINSUse of tire chains may be prohibited according
to location. Check the local laws before installing
tire chains. When installing tire chains, make
sure they are of proper size for the tires on yourvehicle and are installed according to the chain
manufacturer’s suggestions.Use only SAE
class S chains.Class “S” chains are used on
vehicles with restricted tire to vehicle clearance.
Vehicles that can use Class “S” chains are
designed to meet the SAE standard minimum
clearances between the tire and the closest
vehicle suspension or body component required
to accommodate the use of a winter traction
device (tire chains or cables). The minimum
clearances are determined using the factory
equipped tire size. Other types may damage
your vehicle. Use chain tensioners when recom-
mended by the tire chain manufacturer to ensure
a tight fit. Loose end links of the tire chain must
be secured or removed to prevent the possibility
of whipping action damage to the fenders or
undercarriage. If possible, avoid fully loading
your vehicle when using tire chains. In addition,
drive at a reduced speed. Otherwise, your ve-
hicle may be damaged and/or vehicle handling
and performance may be adversely affected.
Do not use the chains on dry roads.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
front wheels and not on the rear wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved roads
which are clear of snow. Driving with chains in
such conditions can cause damage to the vari-
ous mechanisms of the vehicle due to someoverstress.8-40
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
06.4.14/T30-J/V5.0
the proper equipment and to have it
installed.
Trailer lights should comply with federal and/or
local regulations. For assistance in hooking up
trailer lights, contact a NISSAN dealer or repu-
table trailer dealer.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 unloaded
trailer 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.
Load the trailer so approximately 60% of the
trailer load is in the front half and 40% is in
the back half.
Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure, vehicle
tire pressure, trailer light operation, and trailer
wheel lug nuts every time you attach a trailer
to the vehicle.
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. Some states or provinces have spe-cific speed limits for vehicles that are towing
trailers. Obey the local speed limits.
When backing up, hold the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand. Move your
hand in the direction in which you want the
trailer to go. Make small corrections and back
up slowly. If possible, have someone guide
you when you are backing up.
Always block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is not
recommended; however, if you must do so,
and if your vehicle is equipped with automatic
transmission, first block the wheels and apply
the parking brake, and then move the selector
lever into the P (Park) position. If you move
the selector lever to the P (Park) position
before blocking the wheels and applying the
parking brake, transmission damage could
occur.
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.
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
9-20
Technical and consumer information
06.4.14/T30-J/V5.0
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.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 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 Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A and
B represent higher levels of performance on
laboratory test wheels than the minimum re-
quired by law.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
9-22
Technical and consumer information
06.4.14/T30-J/V5.0
the battery is disconnected, the vehicle may be
reset to a not “ready condition”. Before taking
the I/M test, check the vehicle’s inspection/
maintenance test readiness condition. Turn the
ignition switch ON without starting the engine. If
the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) comes on
steady for 20 seconds and then blinks for 10
seconds, the I/M test condition is “not ready”. If
the MIL does not blink after 20 seconds, the I/M
test condition is “ready”.
If the MIL indicates the vehicle is in a “not ready”
condition, drive the vehicle through the following
pattern to set the vehicle to the ready condition.
If you cannot or do not want to perform the
driving pattern, a NISSAN dealer can conduct it
for you.
WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic
conditions, and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine. Allow the engine to idle until
the engine coolant temperature gauge needle
points between the C and H (normal operat-
ing temperature).
2. Accelerate the vehicle to 88 km/h (55 MPH),then quickly release the accelerator pedal
completely and keep it released for at least
10 seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for a
moment, then drive the vehicle at a speed of
86 to 96 km/h (53 to 60 MPH) for at least 9
minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle. Leave the engine running.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 km/h (35 MPH)
and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 at least 10 times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 88 km/h (55 MPH)
and maintain the speed for at least 3 minutes.
8. Stop the vehicle. Place the transmission se-
lector lever in the “P” or “N” position.
9. Turn the engine off.
10. Repeat steps 1 through 8 at least one more
time.
If step 1 through 7 is interrupted, repeat the
preceding step. Any safe driving mode is ac-
ceptable between steps. Do not stop the engine
until step 7 is completed.Your vehicle is equipped with a variety of com-
puters that monitor and control a number of
systems to optimize performance and help ser-
vice technicians with diagnosis and repair. De-
pending on the equipment on your vehicle, some
of the computers monitor emission control sys-
tems, braking systems, engine systems, trans-
mission systems, tire pressure systems, and air
bag systems, just to name a few. Some data
about vehicle operation may be stored in the
computers for use during servicing. Other data
may be stored if a crash event occurs. For
example, air bag readiness, air bag performance,
and seat belt use by the driver or passenger may
be recorded, depending on vehicle equipment.
These types of systems are sometimes called
Event Data Recorders.
Special equipment can be used to access the
electronic data that may be stored in the vehi-
cle’s computers (sounds are not recorded).
NISSAN and NISSAN dealers have equipment
to access some of this data; others may also
have this equipment. The data may be retrieved
during routine vehicle servicing or for special
research. It might also be accessed with the
consent of the vehicle owner or lessee, in re-
sponse to a request by law enforcement, or as
otherwise required or permitted by law.
EVENT DATA RECORDERS
9-24
Technical and consumer information
06.4.14/T30-J/V5.0
Compact Disc (CD) player (See audio
system) ............................................................. 4-27, 4-30
Console box................................................................ 2-31
Control panel buttons (models with navigation
system) ........................................................................... 4-2
Controls
Control panel buttons (display with navigation
system)..................................................................... 4-2
Heater and air conditioner controls
(automatic) .............................................................. 4-8
Coolant
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................................. 9-2
Changing engine coolant .................................... 8-9
Checking engine coolant level........................... 8-8
Corrosion protection ................................................... 7-5
Cover, Tonneau cover .............................................. 2-34
Cruise control............................................................. 5-16
Cup holders ................................................................ 2-28
D
Daytime running light system ................................. 2-19
Defroster switch, Rear window and outside
mirror defroster switch ............................................. 2-17
Dimensions and weights ............................................ 9-8
Display controls (See control panel buttons),
With navigation system .............................................. 4-2
Door open warning light ............................................ 2-8
Drive belts ................................................................... 8-17
Driving
Cold weather driving ......................................... 5-28
Driving with automatic transmission .............. 5-10
Driving with manual transmission ................... 5-14On-pavement and offroad driving ..................... 5-4
Precautions when starting and driving ............ 5-2
Safety precautions ................................................ 5-4
E
Economy, Fuel............................................................ 5-18
Emission control information label ........................ 9-10
Emission control system warranty......................... 9-23
Engine
Before starting the engine .................................. 5-9
Break-in schedule............................................... 5-18
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................................. 9-2
Changing engine coolant .................................... 8-9
Changing engine oil ........................................... 8-11
Changing engine oil filter ................................. 8-12
Checking engine coolant level........................... 8-8
Checking engine oil level ................................. 8-10
Coolant temperature gauge ............................... 2-5
Engine block heater ........................................... 5-30
Engine compartment check locations.............. 8-7
Engine cooling system ......................................... 8-8
Engine oil .............................................................. 8-10
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation......... 9-5
Engine oil viscosity ............................................... 9-5
Engine serial number ......................................... 9-10
Engine specifications ........................................... 9-7
If your vehicle overheats ...................................... 6-9
Starting the engine ............................................... 5-9
Event data recorders ................................................ 9-24
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide).............................. 5-2F
Filter
Air cleaner housing filter ................................... 8-18
Changing engine oil filter ................................. 8-12
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher switch) ... 2-21
Flat tire............................................................................ 6-2
Floor mat cleaning ....................................................... 7-4
Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ................ 8-13
Brake and clutch fluid ....................................... 8-14
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................................. 9-2
Engine coolant ....................................................... 8-8
Engine oil .............................................................. 8-10
Power steering fluid ........................................... 8-14
Window washer fluid ......................................... 8-15
FM-AM radio with cassette player and
Compact Disc (CD) changer ................................. 4-19
FM-AM radio with Compact Disc (CD)
player ................................................................ 4-25, 4-29
Fog light switch ......................................................... 2-20
Four-wheel drive (4WD).......................................... 5-19
Four-wheel drive (4WD), 4WD mode switch
operations.................................................................... 5-20
Front manual seat adjustment .................................. 1-2
Front power seat adjustment .................................... 1-4
Fuel
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants ................................................................. 9-2
Fuel economy ...................................................... 5-18
Fuel octane rating ................................................. 9-3
Fuel recommendation ........................................... 9-3
Gauge ...................................................................... 2-6
06.4.14/T30-J/V5.0
10-2