2008 NISSAN FRONTIER maintenance

To drive away:
1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are
clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks.
c
When going down a hill, shift into a lower gear
and use the engine braking effect. When go-
ing up a long grade, downshift the transmis-
sion to a lower gear and reduce speed to
reduce chances of engine overloading and/or
overheating. However, for long steep grades,
do not stay in 1st gear when driving above 35
MPH (56 km/h) or 2nd gear when driving
above 58 MPH (93 km/h) .
cIf the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioner
system is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Coolant heat can be additionally vented by
opening the windows, switching the fan
control to high and setting the temperature
control to the HOT position.cTrailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
cAvoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
cFor the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do
tow, do not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h) .
cHave your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.
cCrosswinds 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.
Do the following if the trailer begins to sway:
1.
Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to
allow the vehicle to coast and steer as straight
ahead as the road conditions allow. This com-
bination will help stabilize the vehicle
– Do not correct trailer sway by steering or
applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the
brakes and pull to the side of the road in a
safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal-
anced as described earlier in this section.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
cDownshift the transmission to a lower gear
for engine braking when driving down steep
or long hills. This will help slow the vehicle
without applying the brakes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
overdrive.
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
cIncrease your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
9-32Technical and consumer information
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cDo not use cruise control while towing a
trailer.
cSome states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.
cCheck your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
cWhen stopped in traffic for long periods of
time in hot weather, put the vehicle in the P
(Park) position.
cWhen launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
cMake sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.FLAT TOWING
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor
home.
CAUTION
cFailure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
cWhenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward.
cDO 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 lubrication.
cFor emergency towing procedures refer
to “Towing recommended by NISSAN”
in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
Automatic Transmission
To 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 Transmission
cAlways tow with the manual transmission in
Neutral.
cOn four-wheel drive vehicles, place the
transfer case in the 2H range. Failure to do
so will cause the powertrain to bind up.
cAfter towing 500 miles (805 km) , start and
idle the engine with the transmission in Neu-
tral for two minutes. Failure to idle the engine
after every 500 miles (805 km) of towing
may cause damage to internal transmission
parts.
Technical and consumer information9-33
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Your NISSAN vehicle is covered by the following
emission warranties:
For USA
1. Emission Defects Warranty
2. Emissions Performance Warranty
Details of these warranties may be found with
other vehicle warranties in your Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet which comes with your NISSAN
vehicle. If you did not receive a Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet, or it is lost, you may obtain a re-
placement by writing to:
cNissan North America, Inc.
Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 685003
Franklin, TN 37068-5003
For Canada
Emission Control System Warranty
Details of these warranties may be found with
other vehicle warranties in your Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet which comes with your NISSAN
vehicle. If you did not receive a Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet, or it is lost, you may obtain a re-
placement by writing to:
cNissan Canada Inc.
5290 Orbitor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 4Z5If you believe that your vehicle has a de-
fect which could cause a crash or could
cause injury or death, you should immedi-
ately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addi-
tion to notifying NISSAN.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot be-
come involved in individual problems be-
tween you, your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Ve-
hicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-
327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go
to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590.
You can also obtain other information
about motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov.
You may notify NISSAN by contacting our
Consumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at
1-800-NISSAN-1.Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready condi-
tion” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of
the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition” when it
is driven through certain driving patterns. Usually,
the ready condition can be obtained by ordinary
usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired or
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 condi-
tion. Turn the ignition switch ON without starting
the engine. If the Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) comes on steady for 20 seconds and then
blinks for 10 seconds , the I/M test condition is
9not ready9. If the MIL does not blink after 20
seconds, the I/M test condition is9ready.9If the
MIL indicates the vehicle is in a9not ready9con-
dition, 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.
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
WARRANTYREPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (US
only)READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
Technical and consumer information9-35
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Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Fuel economy................5-21
Fuel gauge..................2-7
Fuel octane rating..............9-4
Fuel recommendation............9-3
Fuel-filler cap................3-10
Fuel-filler door and cap...........3-10
Fuel-filler lid.................3-10
Fuses......................8-24
Fusible links...................8-25
G
Garage door opener, HomeLinkTUniversal
Transceiver...................2-49
Gascap .................3-10, 3-10
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-6
Engine oil pressure gauge..........2-8
Fuel gauge..................2-7
Odometer...................2-4
Speedometer.................2-4
Tachometer..................2-6
Trip computer.................2-5
Trip odometer.................2-4
Voltmeter...................2-8
General maintenance..............8-2
Glove box....................2-38
H
Hands-free phone system, BluetoothT. . . .4-27Hazard warning flasher switch.........2-29
Head restraints..................1-6
Active Head Restraint............1-6
Headlight and turn signal switch........2-25
Headlight control switch............2-25
Headlights....................8-28
Heated seats..................2-30
Heater
Heater and air conditioner controls.....4-2
Heater operation...............4-4
Hill descent control switch...........2-31
Hill descent control system..........5-34
Hill start assist system.............5-34
HomeLinkTUniversal Transceiver.......2-49
Hood release...................3-9
Horn.......................2-29
I
Ignition switch..................5-8
Immobilizer system.........2-22, 3-2, 5-10
Important vehicle information label.......9-10
In-cabin microfilter...............8-21
Increasing fuel economy............5-21
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders)....................2-12
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror.......3-13
Inside mirror...................3-12
Instrument brightness control.........2-28
Instrument panel..............0-6, 2-2
Instrument panel dimmer switch........2-28
Interior light...................2-47
ISOFIX child restraints.............1-23J
Jump seat.....................1-5
Jump starting...................6-9
K
Key ........................3-2
Keyfob battery replacement..........8-27
Keyless entry system
(See remote keyless entry system).......3-6
L
Labels
Air conditioner specification label.....9-11
C.M.V.S.S. certification label........9-10
Emission control information label.....9-11
Engine serial number............9-10
F.M.V.S.S. certification label........9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . .9-9
Warning labels (for SRS)..........1-66
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers
for CHildren) System..............1-23
License plate
Installing the license plate.........9-12
Light
Air bag warning light.........1-66, 2-17
Brake light (See stop light).........8-30
Bulb check/instrument panel........2-13
Bulb replacement..............8-30
Charge warning light............2-14
Fog light switch...............2-28
10-3
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Headlight and turn signal switch......2-25
Headlight control switch..........2-25
Headlights..................8-28
Interior light.................2-47
Light bulbs..................8-28
Low tire pressure warning light......2-15
Low washer fluid warning light.......2-16
Passenger air bag and status light.....1-60
Personal lights...............2-49
Security indicator light...........2-19
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders..................2-12
Lights
Map lights..................2-49
Lock
Child safety rear door lock..........3-6
Door locks..................3-3
Power door locks...............3-4
Low fuel warning light.............2-15
Low tire pressure warning light........2-15
Low washer fluid warning light.........2-16
Luggage rack (see roof rack).........2-42
Luggage (See vehicle loading information) . .9-12
M
Maintenance
General maintenance............8-2
Inside the vehicle...............8-3
Maintenance precautions..........8-5
Outside the vehicle..............8-2
Seat belt maintenance...........1-20
Under the hood and vehicle.........8-4
Malfunction indicator light...........2-18
Manual front seat adjustment..........1-2Manual windows................2-45
Map lights....................2-49
Map pocket...................2-39
Meters and gauges................2-3
Instrument brightness control.......2-28
Mirror
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror.....3-13
Inside mirror.................3-12
Outside mirrors...............3-13
Vanity mirror.................3-12
Moonroof....................2-46
Multi-remote control system
(See remote keyless entry system).......3-6
N
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system................2-22, 3-2, 5-10
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating).....9-4
Odometer.....................2-4
Oil
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine oil............8-10
Changing engine oil filter..........8-12
Checking engine oil level..........8-9
Engine oil...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Outside mirrors.................3-13
Overdrive switch................5-15Overheat
If your vehicle overheats..........6-11
Owner’s manual order form..........9-37
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information....................9-37
P
Parking
Parking brake operation..........5-18
Parking/parking on hills...........5-29
Personal lights.................2-49
Phone, BluetoothThands-free system. . . .4-27
Power
Front seat adjustment............1-4
Power door locks...............3-4
Power outlet.................2-34
Power steering fluid.............8-13
Power steering system...........5-30
Power windows...............2-43
Rear power windows............2-45
Precautions
Maintenance precautions..........8-5
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions..................5-5
Precautions on child
restraints............1-21, 1-32, 1-45
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-11
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-51
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Pre-tensioner seat belt system.........1-64
Push starting..................6-11
10-4
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R
Radio
Car phone or CB radio...........4-27
Compact Disc (CD) changer.......4-23
FM/AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-16
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-20
Steering wheel audio control switch. . . .4-26
Readiness for inspection maintenance (I/M)
test........................9-35
Rear power windows..............2-45
Rear sliding window..............2-46
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch......................2-24
Recorders
Event data..................9-36
Refrigerant recommendation..........9-6
Registering your vehicle in another country. . .9-9
Remote keyless entry system..........3-6
Reporting safety defects (US only)......9-35
Roof rack....................2-42
S
Safety
Child safety rear door lock..........3-6
Child seat belts........1-21, 1-32, 1-45
Reporting safety defects (US only). . . .9-35
Seat
Jump seat...................1-5
Seat adjustment
Front manual seat adjustment........1-2Front power seat adjustment........1-4
Seat belt
Child safety.................1-13
Infants and small children.........1-14
Injured Person................1-15
Larger children...............1-14
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-11
Pregnant women..............1-15
Pre-tensioner seat belt system.......1-64
Seat belt extenders.............1-20
Seat belt maintenance...........1-20
Seat belts..................1-11
Shoulder belt height adjustment......1-19
Three-point type with retractor.......1-15
Seat belt warning light.............2-16
Seatback pockets................2-40
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Front seats..................1-2
Heated seats................2-30
Manual front seat adjustment........1-2
Security indicator light.............2-19
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start........2-22, 3-2, 5-10
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-23
Service manual order form...........9-37
Servicing air conditioner.............4-9
Shift lock release................5-14
Shifting
Automatic transmission...........5-12
Manual transmission............5-16
Shoulder belt height adjustment........1-19
Side air bag system (See supplemental side air
bag, curtain and rollover air bag systems). . .1-63
Spark plug replacement............8-19
Speedometer...................2-4SRS warning label...............1-66
Starting
Before starting the engine.........5-10
Jump starting.................6-9
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Push starting................6-11
Starting the engine.............5-11
Steering
Power steering fluid.............8-13
Power steering system...........5-30
Tilting steering wheel............3-11
Steering wheel audio control switch......4-26
Stop light....................8-30
Storage.....................2-35
Storage tray...............2-35, 2-37
Sun visors....................3-11
Sunglasses case................2-38
Sunroof (see Moonroof)............2-46
Supplemental air bag warning labels.....1-66
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-66, 2-17
Supplemental front impact air bag system . .1-59
Supplemental restraint system
Information and warning labels.......1-66
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-51
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system).........1-51
Switch
Autolight switch...............2-26
Automatic power window switch.....2-45
Clutch interlock (clutch start) switch . . .2-33
Electronic locking rear differential
(E-Lock) system switch...........2-32
Fog light switch...............2-28
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-29
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-25
10-5
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