Page 119 of 311
once and the horn chirps once.
1. Pull the hood lock release handle
1
located
below the instrument panel; the hood will
then spring up slightly.
2. Raise the lever
2
at the front of the hood
with your fingertips and raise the hood.
3. Insert the assist bar into the slot
3
in the
front edge of the hood.
4. When closing the hood, reset the assist bar
to its original position, then slowly close the
hood and make sure it locks into place.
Hold the coated part
A
when removing or
resetting the support rod. Avoid direct con-
tact with the metal parts, as they may behot immediately after the engine has been
stopped.
WARNING
Make sure the hood is completely
closed and latched before driving.
Failure to do so could cause the hood
to fly open and result in an accident.
If you see steam or smoke coming
from the engine compartment, to
avoid injury do not open the hood.
SPA2313
HOOD
3-8
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
07.2.9/Z33-D/V5.0
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WARNING
Do not drive with the rear hatch open.
This could allow dangerous exhaust
gases to be drawn into the vehicle. See
“Precautions when starting and driving”
in the “5. Starting and driving” section
for exhaust gas.
OPENER OPERATIONThe rear hatch release switch is located be-
tween the license plate lights.
To open the rear hatch, unlock it with one of the
following operations then push the release
switch:
Push the UNLOCK
button on the key-
fobonce. (Pushing the HATCH/TRUNK
button on the keyfob can open the rear
hatch at once without pushing the release
switch.)
Insert the key into the door key cylinder and
turn the door key counterclockwise once.Push the power door lock switch to the
UNLOCK side.
The rear hatch employs a spring component
which enables you to lift up the hatch by one
hand. Because of this, sometimes the rear hatch
may clatter when the lock is released, but it is not
a malfunction.
To close, push the rear hatch down securely.
The rear hatch release switch is linked with the
driver side door lock. To open the rear hatch,
unlock the driver side door.
SPA1507
REAR HATCH (Coupe models)
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
3-9
07.2.9/Z33-D/V5.0
Page 121 of 311

SECONDARY REAR HATCH
RELEASEThe secondary rear hatch release mechanism
allows opening the rear hatch in the event of
discharged battery or emergency.
The release (string) handle is located under the
strut tower bar inside the luggage compartment.
To open the rear hatch from the inside,
firmly pull the release handle to the direc-
tion shown above until the lock releases.
WARNING
Do not drive with the trunk lid open.
This could allow dangerous exhaust
gases to be drawn into the vehicle.
See “Precautions when starting and
driving” in the “5. Starting and driv-
ing” section for exhaust gas.
Closely supervise children when they
are around cars to prevent them from
playing and becoming locked in the
trunk where they could be seriously
injured. Keep the car locked, with the
trunk closed when not in use, and
prevent children’s access to car keys.
OPENER OPERATIONThe trunk lid release switch is located between
the license plate lights.
To open the trunk lid, unlock it with one of the
following operations then push the release
switch:
Push the UNLOCK
button on the key-
fobonce. (Pushing the HATCH/TRUNK
button on the keyfob can open the
trunk lid at once without pushing the release
switch.)
Insert the key into the door key cylinder and
turn it counterclockwise once.
SPA1556
SPA1685
TRUNK LID (Roadster models)
3-10
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
07.2.9/Z33-D/V5.0
Page 122 of 311
Push the power door lock switch to the
UNLOCK side. (After locking the doors with a
keyfob, this switch is not available due to the
security system.)
To close, push the trunk lid down securely.
The trunk lid release switch is linked with the
driver side door lock. To open the trunk lid,
unlock the driver side door.
Cancel switchWhen the cancel switch (located inside the rear
floor box) is OFF, the trunk lid cannot be opened
with the release switch. It can be opened only by
pushing the HATCH/TRUNK
button on
the keyfob.
INTERIOR TRUNK LID RELEASE
WARNING
Closely supervise children when they
are around cars to prevent them from
playing and becoming locked in the
trunk where they could be seriously in-
jured. Keep the car locked, with the
trunk closed when not in use, and pre-
vent children’s access to car keys.
SPA1686
SPA1687
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
3-11
07.2.9/Z33-D/V5.0
Page 124 of 311

1. Soft top operating switch
2. Soft top indicator light (on the combination
meter)
3. Top side rail
4. Top latch lever
5. Soft top
6. Top storage lid
7. Trunk lid
8. Rear window
9. Rear section of the top
BEFORE OPERATING THE TOPThe soft top of your 350Z Roadster is electrically
operated. You can fully open or close the top
only by pressing the operating switch (on the
lower side of the instrument panel).
The soft top operating switch must be operated
under all of the following conditions:
When the foot brake pedal is depressed.
When the vehicle is stopped.
When the engine is running.
CAUTION
Always keep the engine running while
operating the soft top. The top will also
operate when the ignition switch is in
the ONposition, but run the engine to
prevent a discharged battery.
Be sure to follow the operating instructions, and
all the warnings and cautions in this section.
Improper operation of the top could cause
a system malfunction, damage, or deterio-
ration of the top material and related parts.
WARNING
Park the vehicle in a safe and level
place and apply the parking brake.
Make sure the area is clear of ob-
stacles and there is enough clear-
ance over the top (for example, in a
garage or a covered area). More than
approximately 6.6 ft (2 m) from the
ground is required to open or close
the top safely. Otherwise, the top
may damage any objects above it
SPA2339
Interior/exterior view
SOFT TOP (Roadster models)
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
3-13
07.2.9/Z33-D/V5.0
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vehicle body.
Do not place anything in the top stor-
age area. The top will not fit there
properly, and this could damage the
top and/or the vehicle body.
Do not sit or place excessive weight
on the top and the storage lid, espe-
cially when the top is being operated.
The top may be damaged.
Do not drive the vehicle with the top
partially opened. Always make sure
the top is either fully opened or
closed before driving.
Secure items so that they cannot be
blown from the vehicle while driving
with the top open.
When a child restraint is installed in
the passenger seat, be sure to turn
the seatback tilt cancel switch (lo-
cated on the passenger seatback) to
the CANCEL position, or the child
restraint may be damaged.
Make sure the trunk lid is securely closed before
operating the top.
WHEN OPERATING THE TOP
WARNING
Keep hands and other parts of the body
away from moving parts such as the top,
storage lid and power windows.
CAUTION
Keep all parts of the top linkage clear of
obstructions, or the top latch may not be
securely locked.NOTE:
In case of low battery or low tempera-
ture, the top may temporarily stop mov-
ing during the operation. This functions
to protect the top control mechanism,
and it is not a malfunction.
If the top is opened and closed repeat-
edly in a short period of time, it may
stop moving to protect the top motor.
Wait for a few minutes before operating
the top again.
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
3-15
07.2.9/Z33-D/V5.0
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CLOSING THE TOP1. Apply the parking brake and move the selec-
tor lever to the P (Park) position (for the
automatic transmission model) or the shift
lever to the N (Neutral) position (for the
manual transmission model).
2. Start the engine.
3. Depress the foot brake pedal.
4. Push CLOSE on the soft top operating
switch and hold it until the top is fully closed.
•The soft top indicator light will illuminate
while the top is in motion. (In about 20seconds, the closing movement will fin-
ish.)
•Windows will automatically be fully
opened.
•The passenger seatback will automatically
move forward, unless the seatback tilt
cancel switch is in the CANCEL position.
It will return to the original position after
the top operation. (See “Automatic pas-
senger seatback tilt function” shown on
the previous page of this section.)
5. Release the switch when the top is fully
closed. (The indicator light, which is illumi-
nated, will begin to flash.)
6. Securely engage the front edge of the top to
the vehicle body with the top latch lever. (The
indicator light turns off.)
IF THE TOP DOES NOT OPEN OR
CLOSE ELECTRICALLYIf you cannot operate the soft top with the
operating switch, first check whether all the
following operating conditions are completed:
foot brake pedal is depressed
vehicle is stopped
ignition switch is ON (Run the engine when
operating the top.)If the top still does not move under the above
conditions or has any system malfunction, see a
NISSAN dealer as soon as possible. When you
must close the top by yourself, in the event of
emergency or when an immediate dealer service
is not available, close the top manually according
to the procedures shown in this section.
When closing the soft top manually:
Move the vehicle to a safe place, away from
traffic.
Two people should perform this procedure,
as some of the top parts are extremely heavy.
The top cannot be opened manually.
WARNING
Do not drive with the top partially
opened.
If the top cannot be operated prop-
erly, see a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible to have your vehicle
checked.
SPA1693
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
3-19
07.2.9/Z33-D/V5.0
Page 133 of 311

and falls simultaneously. Support the
top by hand so it does not strike the
body.
b. Lower the rear part of the top and push it
onto the top storage lid. The top is locked to
the storage lid, but the bottom of the rear part
is not closed tightly.
CAUTION
After closing the top manually, have
the system checked and/or repaired
by a NISSAN dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
Avoid leaving the vehicle outside for
long periods or driving at high
speeds. The rear of the top is not
locked completely, and this may al-
low wind and rain to get into your
vehicle.CARE OF THE SOFT TOP AND THE
VEHICLE BODYTo use your Roadster safely and comfortably,you need to observe all the warnings and cau-
tions shown in the previous pages. Also, to
maintain a good appearance of the soft top and
the vehicle body, you need to care for them by
cleaning and/or washing properly.
CAUTION
Do not use an automatic car wash or
a high-pressure car wash to clean
your vehicle. The top may be dam-
aged and water may leak into the
inside of the vehicle.
Store the vehicle with the top closed
if it is not to be used for long periods.
Keeping the top stowed for long pe-
riods may cause wrinkles on the sur-
face of the top.
See “Cleaning exterior” in the “7. Appearance
and care” section for detailed instructions.
A protective clear tape is applied to the top
storage lid painted surface where the soft top
contacts the surface. When the top is fully
closed, the tape may transmit some light,
visible from the inside of the vehicle. This
does not affect the water and air tightness of
the seal.The inner surface of the trunk and top storage
lids may show a fibrous, or marbled pattern.
This is the normal appearance of the material
used in these parts.
3-22
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
07.2.9/Z33-D/V5.0