2008 NISSAN MAXIMA engine

ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER
The number is stamped on the engine as shown.
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S.
CERTIFICATION LABEL
The Federal/Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S.) certification la-
bel is affixed as shown. This label contains valu-
able vehicle information, such as: Gross Vehicle
Weight Ratings (GVWR) , Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) , month and year of manufacture,
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) , etc. Review
it carefully.
EMISSION CONTROL
INFORMATION LABEL
The emission control information label is at-
tached to the underside of the hood as shown.
WTI0049WTI0172WTI0173
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WARNING
Overloading or improper loading of a
trailer and its cargo can adversely affect
vehicle handling, braking and perfor-
mance and may lead to accidents.
CAUTION
cDo not tow a trailer or haul a heavy load
for the first 500 miles (800 km) . Your
engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
cFor the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and other
parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Your new vehicle was designed to be used pri-
marily to carry passengers and cargo. Remember
that towing a trailer places additional loads on
your vehicle’s engine, drive train, steering, brak-
ing and other systems.
A NISSAN Towing Guide (U.S. only) is available
on the website at www.nissanusa.com. This
guide includes information on trailer towing ca-
pability and the special equipment required for
proper towing.
MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITS
Maximum trailer loads
Never allow the total trailer load to exceed the
value specified in the “Towing
Load/Specification” chart found later in this sec-
tion. The total trailer load equals trailer weight
plus its cargo weight.
cWhen towing a trailer load of 1,000 lbs.
(454 kg) or more, trailers with a brake
system must be used.
The Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
equals the combined weight of the towing vehicle
(including passengers and cargo) plus the total
trailer load. Towing loads greater than these or
using improper towing equipment could ad-
versely affect vehicle handling, braking and per-
formance.
The ability of your vehicle to tow a trailer is not
only related to the maximum trailer loads, but also
the places you plan to tow. Tow weights appro-
priate for level highway driving may have to be
reduced for low traction situations (for example,
on slippery boat ramps) .
LTI0164
TOWING A TRAILER
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Temperature conditions also can affect towing.
For example, towing a heavy trailer in high outside
temperatures on graded roads can affect engine
performance and cause overheating. The trans-
mission high fluid temperature protection mode,
which helps reduce the chance of transmission
damage, could activate and automatically de-
crease engine power. Under some conditions,
engine and vehicle speed could be reduced. Plan
your trip carefully to account for trailer and vehicle
load, weather, and road conditions.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced engine
power and lower vehicle speed. Also,
when the high temperature mode oper-
ates, engine and vehicle speed may be
gradually reduced. On highways, the re-
duced speed may be lower than other traf-
fic which could increase the chance of a
collision. Be especially careful when driv-
ing. If necessary, pull to the side of the
road at a safe place and allow the engine
to cool or the transmission to return to
normal operation.
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from improper
towing procedures is not covered by
NISSAN warranties.
Tongue load
Keep the tongue load between 10 - 15 percent of
the total trailer load within the maximum tongue
load limits shown in the following “Towing
Load/Specification” chart. If the tongue load be-
comes excessive, rearrange cargo to allow for
proper tongue load.
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cWhen 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:
CAUTION
If you move the shift selector lever to the P
(Park) position before blocking the
wheels and applying the parking brake,
transmission damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill
side of the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly
release the brake pedal until the blocks ab-
sorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park) .
6. Turn off the engine.
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.
cWhen 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 over-
loading and/or overheating.
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 combination will help stabilize the ve-
hicle.
– 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.
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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.
cDo not use cruise control while towing a
trailer.
c
Some states or provinces have specific regu-
lations 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, transmission fluid
should be changed more frequently. For
additional information, see the “Mainte-
nance 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.
Continuously Variable Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with a continuously
variable transmission, an appropriate vehicle
dollyMUSTbe placed under the towed vehicle’s
drive wheels.Alwaysfollow the dolly manufac-
turer’s recommendations when using their prod-
uct.
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If 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.WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic con-
ditions and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine when the engine coolant
temperature gauge needle points to C. Al-
low the engine to idle until the gauge needle
points between the C and H (normal oper-
ating temperature) .
2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88
km/h) , 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
53 - 60 MPH (86 - 96 km/h) for at least 9
minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 MPH (55 km/h)
and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 through 5 at least 10 times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88 km/h)
and maintain the speed for at least 3 min-
utes.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (US
only)READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
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8. Stop the vehicle. Place the transmission se-
lector lever in the P (Park) or N (Neutral)
position.
9. Turn the engine off.
10. Repeat steps1-8atleast one more time.
If steps 1 through 7 are interrupted, repeat the
preceding step. Any safe driving mode is accept-
able between steps. Do not stop the engine until
step 7 is completed.This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Re-
corder (EDR) . The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like situa-
tions, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understand-
ing how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR
is designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this
vehicle is designed to record such data as:
cHow various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
cWhether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
cHow far (if at all) the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
cHow fast the vehicle was traveling.
cSounds are not recorded.
These data can help provide a better understand-
ing of the circumstances in which crashes and
injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded by
your vehicle only if a nontrivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under
normal driving conditions and no personal data
(e.g. name, gender, age and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data withthe type of personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equip-
ment is required and access to the vehicle or the
EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle manu-
facturer and NISSAN dealer, other parties, such
as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have ac-
cess to the vehicle or the EDR. The EDR 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
response to a request by law enforcement, or as
otherwise required or permitted by law.
EVENT DATA RECORDERS
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10 Index
A
Active Head Restraint..............1-8
Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system).....................1-35
Air bag system
Front (See supplemental front impact air
bag system).................1-43
Air bag warning light...........1-51, 2-14
Air cleaner housing filter............8-16
Air conditioner
Air conditioner service...........4-21
Air conditioner specification label.....9-11
Air conditioner system refrigerant and oil
recommendations..............9-6
Servicing air conditioner..........4-21
Alarm system
(See vehicle security system).........2-17
Anchor point locations.............1-21
Antenna.....................4-45
Anti-lock brake warning light..........2-11
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)........5-19
Armrests.....................1-7
Audible reminders................2-17
Audio system..................4-22
Compact Disc (CD) changer. . . .4-35, 4-41
Compact disc (CD) player.........4-31
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) changer.............4-33, 4-38
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) player.................4-28Radio....................4-22
Audio System
Settings...................4-39
Audio system
Steering wheel audio control switch. . . .4-44
Autolight switch.................2-23
Automatic
Automatic drive positioner.........3-28
Automatic power window switch.....2-38
AUX jack.................4-32, 4-43
Average speed..................4-4
B
Back button....................4-7
Battery......................8-13
Charge warning light............2-11
Before starting the engine............5-8
Belt (See drive belt)..............8-15
Block heater
Engine....................5-25
BluetoothThands-free phone system.....4-46
Booster seats..................1-31
Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)......5-19
Brake fluid..................8-12
Brake light (See stop light).........8-27
Brake system................5-18
Brake warning light.............2-11
Brake wear indicators........2-17, 8-20
Parking brake operation..........5-13Self-adjusting brakes............8-20
Brakes......................8-20
Break-in schedule................5-15
Brightness control
Instrument panel..............2-26
Brightness/contrast button...........4-17
Bulb check/instrument panel..........2-10
Bulb replacement................8-27
C
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants...................9-2
Car phone or CB radio.............4-45
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) . . .9-12
CD care and cleaning.............4-43
CD changer (See audio system). . . .4-35, 4-41
CD player (See audio system).........4-31
Child restraint with top tether strap......1-20
Child restraints.......1-11, 1-12, 1-17, 1-19
Precautions on child
restraints............1-17, 1-25, 1-31
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-21
Child safety rear door lock............3-6
Chimes, audible reminders...........2-17
Cleaning exterior and interior..........7-2
Clock
(models with navigation system)......4-16
(models without navigation system).....4-5
Clock set..................4-5, 4-16
C.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-10
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