2009 NISSAN MAXIMA steering

1. Power steering fluid reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse block
6. Battery
7. Fuse/Fusible link box
8. Engine oil dipstick
9. Radiator cap
10. Drive belt location
11. Engine coolant reservoir*
12. Windshield washer fluid reservoir*
NOTE:
Side covers removed for clarity.
WDI0662
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
8-6Maintenance and do-it-yourself
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/20/08—debbie


CAUTION
●Use only Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid
NS-2-V. Do not mix with other fluids.
●Using transmission fluid other than
Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2-V will
damage the CVT, which is not covered
by the NISSAN new vehicle limited
warranty.
When checking or replacement of CVT Fluid is
required, we recommend your NISSAN dealer for
servicing.
The fluid level should be checked using the HOT
MAX range on the power steering fluid reservoir
at fluid temperatures of 122° - 176°F (50° -
80°C) or using the COLD MAX range on the
power steering fluid reservoir at fluid tempera-
tures of 32° - 86°F (0° - 30°C) .
If the fluid is at or below the MIN line, add Genu-
ine NISSAN PSF to HOT MAX or COLD MAX
depending on system fluid temperature. Remove
the cap and fill through the opening.
CAUTION
●DO NOT OVERFILL.
●Recommended fluid is Genuine
NISSAN PSF or equivalent.
LDI0557
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) FLUIDPOWER STEERING FLUID
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-11
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/20/08—debbie


CAUTION
●Do not ground accessories directly to
the battery terminal. Doing so will by-
pass the variable voltage control sys-
tem and the vehicle battery may not
charge completely.
●Use electrical accessories with the en-
gine running to avoid discharging the
vehicle battery.
Your vehicle is equipped with a variable voltage
control system. This system measures the
amount of electrical discharge from the battery
and controls voltage generated by the generator.
The current sensor
Ais located near the battery
along the negative battery cable. If you add elec-
trical accessories to your vehicle, be sure to
ground them to a suitable body ground such as
the frame or engine block area.1. Power steering fluid pump
2. Generator
3. Air conditioner compressor
4. Crankshaft pulley
WARNING
Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or
LOCK position before servicing drive belt.
The engine could rotate unexpectedly.
1. Visually inspect the belt for signs of unusual
wear, cuts, fraying or looseness. If the belt is
in poor condition or is loose, have it replaced
or adjusted by a NISSAN dealer.LDI0694
LDI0564
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
SYSTEMDRIVE BELT
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-15
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/20/08—debbie


The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be slightly different. When refilling, follow the procedure
described in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section to determine the proper refill capacity.
Capacity (Approximate) Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
US measure Imp measure Liter
Fuel 20 gal 16-5/8 gal 75.6 Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 91 AKI (RON 96) *1
Engine oil *7
Drain and Refill
With oil filter change 4-7/8 qt 4 qt 4.6
Engine oil with API Certification Mark *2, *3
Viscosity SAE 5W-30 *2, *3 Without oil filter
change4-1/2 qt 3-3/4 qt 4.3
Cooling system
With reservoir 2-1/8 gal 1-3/4 gal 8.2 50% Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant or equivalent
50% Demineralized or distilled water
CVT fluid See a NISSAN dealer for service. Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2-V *4
Power steering fluid (PSF) Refill to the proper level according to the instruc-
tions in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section.Genuine NISSAN PSF or equivalent.*8
Brake fluidGenuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid *5 or equivalent DOT 3
Multi-purpose grease — — — NLGI No. 2 (Lithium Soap base)
Air conditioning system refrigerant — — — HFC-134a (R-134a) *6
Air conditioning system oil — — — NISSAN A/C System Oil Type S or equivalent *6
Windshield washer fluid — — — Genuine NISSAN Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Antifreeze or equivalent
*1: For further details, see “Fuel recommendation”.
*2: For further details, see “Engine oil and oil filter recommendation”.
*3:NISSAN recommends Genuine NISSAN Ester Engine Oil available at your NISSAN dealer.
*4:Use only Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2. Using transmission fluid other than Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2 will damage the CVT, which is not covered by
the NISSAN new vehicle limited warranty.
*5: Available in mainland USA through your NISSAN dealer.
*6: For further details, see “Air conditioner system refrigerant and oil recommendations”.
*7: For further details, see “Engine Oil” in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of this manual.
*8: DEXRON™ VI type ATF or Canada NISSAN Automatic Transmission Fluid(ATF) may also be used.
CAPACITIES AND RECOMMENDED
FUEL/LUBRICANTS
9-2Technical and consumer information
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/20/08—debbie


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
●Do 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.
●For 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.
●When 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
9-16Technical and consumer information
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/20/08—debbie


●Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure, ve-
hicle tire pressure, trailer light operation, and
trailer wheel lug nuts every time you attach a
trailer to the vehicle.
●Be certain your rearview mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.
●Determine the overall height of the vehicle
and trailer so the required clearance is
known.
Trailer towing tips
In 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 perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than under
normal driving conditions.
●Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
●Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inadvert-
ently becoming unlatched.
●Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
●Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.●Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
●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:
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.
●While going downhill, the weight of the
trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may de-
crease overall stability. Therefore, to main-
tain adequate control, reduce your speed
and use the manual shift mode (M5) . Avoid
long or repeated use of the brakes when
descending a hill, as this reduces their effec-
tiveness and could cause overheating. Shift-
ing the manual shift mode to M5 (5th) pro-
vides “engine braking” and reduces the need
to brake as frequently.
●If the engine coolant temperature rises to a
high temperature, refer to “If your vehicle
overheats” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this owner’s manual.
●Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
9-22Technical and consumer information
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/20/08—debbie


●Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
●For the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do
tow, do not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h) .
●Have your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
●When 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.
●Crosswinds 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.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal-
anced as described earlier in this section.
●Be 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.
●Use the Tow Mode or downshift the trans-
mission to a lower gear for engine braking
when driving down steep or long hills. This
will help slow the vehicle without applying
the brakes.
●Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
●Increase your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
●NISSAN recommends that the cruise con-
trol not be used while towing a trailer.●Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.
●Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
●When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
●Make 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.
Technical and consumer information9-23
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/20/08—debbie


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)...............1-42
Airbagwarninglight...........1-50,2-13
Air cleaner housing filter............8-17
Air conditioner
Air conditioner service...........4-43
Air conditioner specification label.....9-11
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
oil recommendations.............9-6
Heater and air conditioner
controls................4-37,4-40
Rear seat air conditioner..........4-42
Servicing air conditioner..........4-43
Alarm system
(See vehicle security system).........2-23
Anchorpointlocations.............1-21
Antenna.....................4-87
Anti-lock brake warning light..........2-10
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)........5-23
Armrests .....................1-7
Audible reminders................2-16
Audio system..................4-43
Compact Disc (CD) changer....4-53,4-60
Compact disc (CD) player.........4-68Audio System
CompactFlash (CF) player.........4-70
Audio system
FM-AM radio with compact disc
(CD)changer................4-51
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD)changer.............4-57,4-65
Audio System
iPodPlayer.................4-73
Music Box hard-disk drive audio
system....................4-74
Audio system
Radio ....................4-43
Rearaudiocontrols.............4-86
Audio System
Settings................4-57,4-65
Audio system
Steering wheel audio control switch....4-84
Autolight switch.................2-29
Automatic
Automatic drive positioner.........3-28
Automatic power window switch.....2-43
Transmission selector lever lock
release....................5-16
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror.......3-25
Automatic door locks...............3-6
AUX jack.....................4-55B
Battery......................8-13
Charge warning light............2-11
Before starting the engine...........5-10
Belt (See drive belt)..............8-15
Block heater
Engine....................5-27
Bluetoothhands-free phone
system..................4-88,4-103
Booster seats..................1-31
Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)......5-23
Brake fluid..................8-12
Brake light (See stop light).........8-26
Brake system................5-22
Brake warning light.............2-11
Brake wear indicators........2-16,8-19
Parking brake operation..........5-17
Self-adjusting brakes............8-19
Brakes
......................8-19
Break-in schedule................5-19
Brightness control
Instrument panel..............2-31
Brightness/contrast button.......4-14,4-28
Bulb check/instrument panel..........2-10
Bulb replacement................8-26
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
11/03/08—debbie