
CAUTION
●Never tow Automatic Transmission (AT)
or Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) models with the front wheels on
the ground or four wheels on the
ground (forward or backward) , as this
may cause serious and expensive dam-
age to the transmission. If it is neces-
sary to tow the vehicle with the rear
wheels raised always use towing dollies
under the front wheels.
●When towing Automatic Transmission
(AT) or Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion (CVT) models with the front wheels
on towing dollies, or when towing
manual transmission models with the
front wheels on the ground:
– Turn the ignition key to the OFF po-
sition, and secure the steering wheel
in a straight-ahead position with a
rope or similar device. Never secure
the steering wheel by turning the ig-
nition key to the LOCK position. This
may damage the steering lock
mechanism.
– Move the gearshift lever to the N
(Neutral) position.●When towing Automatic Transmission
(AT) or Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion (CVT) or manual transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground (if you do not use towing dol-
lies): Always release the parking brake.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
WARNING
●Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
●Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode and
result in serious injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged.
CAUTION
●Tow chains or cables must be attached
only to the main structural members of
the vehicle or the towing hooks (if so
equipped) . Otherwise, the vehicle body
will be damaged.●Use the towing hook (if so equipped)
only to free a vehicle stuck in sand,
snow, mud, etc. Never tow the vehicle
for a long distance using only the tow-
ing hook.
●The towing hook is under tremendous
force when used to free a stuck vehicle.
Never pull the hook at an angle.
●Always pull the cable straight out from
the front or rear of the vehicle.
●Pulling devices should be routed so
they do not touch any part of the sus-
pension, steering, brake or cooling
systems.
●Pulling devices such as ropes or canvas
straps are not recommended for use in
vehicle towing or recovery.
6-12In case of emergency
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie

8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirements..........................8-2
General maintenance..............................8-2
Explanation of general maintenance items.........8-2
Maintenance precautions . . .........................8-5
Engine compartment check locations................8-6
Engine cooling system.............................8-8
Checking engine coolant level...................8-8
Changing engine coolant........................8-9
Engine oil.........................................8-9
Checking engine oil level........................8-9
Changing engine oil...........................8-10
Changing engine oil filter.......................8-12
4-speed automatic transmission fluid...............8-13
Temperature conditions for checking.............8-13
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid......8-14
Brake and clutch fluid.............................8-15
Brake fluid . . ..................................8-15
Clutch fluid . ..................................8-15
Window washer fluid.............................8-16
Window washer fluid reservoir..................8-16
Battery..........................................8-16
Jump starting.................................8-18
Drive belt........................................8-18Spark plugs......................................8-19
Replacing spark plugs . ........................8-19
Air cleaner.......................................8-20
In-cabin microfilter (if so equipped)..............8-20
Windshield wiper blades..........................8-20
Cleaning.....................................8-20
Replacing....................................8-21
Brakes..........................................8-22
Fuses...........................................8-23
Engine compartment...........................8-23
Passenger compartment . . .....................8-25
Battery replacement..............................8-26
Keyfob.......................................8-27
NISSAN Intelligent Key™.......................8-28
Lights...........................................8-29
Headlights....................................8-29
Exterior and interior lights . . .....................8-30
Wheels and tires.................................8-34
Tire pressure..................................8-34
Tire labeling...................................8-37
Types of tires..................................8-40
Tire chains....................................8-41
Changing wheels and tires.....................8-41
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie

When performing any inspection or maintenance
work on your vehicle, always take care to prevent
serious accidental injury to yourself or damage to
the vehicle. The following are general precau-
tions which should be closely observed.
WARNING
●Park the vehicle on a level surface, ap-
ply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the vehicle
from moving. For manual transmission
models, move the shift lever to N (Neu-
tral) . For Automatic Transmission (AT)
or CVT models, move the selector lever
to P (Park) .
●Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or
LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
●
Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come on
at any time without warning, even if the
ignition key is in the OFF position and the
engine is not running. To avoid injury,
always disconnect the negative battery
cable before working near the fan.
●If you must work with the engine run-
ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans, belts
and any other moving parts.●It is advisable to secure or remove any
loose clothing and remove any jewelry,
such as rings, watches, etc. before
working on your vehicle.
●Always wear eye protection whenever
you work on your vehicle.
●If you must run the engine in an en-
closed space such as a garage, be sure
there is proper ventilation for exhaust
gases to escape.
●Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is neces-
sary to work under the vehicle, support
it with safety stands.
●Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
●On gasoline engine models, the fuel
filter or fuel lines should be serviced by
a NISSAN dealer because the fuel lines
are under high pressure even when the
engine is off.CAUTION
●Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down.●Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, engine coolant and/or other vehicle
fluids can damage the environment. Al-
ways conform to local regulations for
disposal of vehicle fluid.
●Never leave the engine or the transmis-
sion related component harness con-
nector disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
●Never connect or disconnect the battery
or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
This “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
gives instructions regarding only those items
which are relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A genuine NISSAN service manual is also avail-
able. See “Owner’s Manual/Service Manual or-
der information” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or improper
servicing may result in operating difficulties or
excessive emissions, and could affect warranty
coverage.If in doubt about any servicing,
have it done by a NISSAN dealer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-5
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie

The engine cooling system is filled at the factory
with Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant to provide year-round anti-
freeze and coolant protection. The anti-freeze
solution contains rust and corrosion inhibitors.
Additional engine cooling system additives are
not necessary.
WARNING
●Never remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap when the engine is hot.
Wait until the engine and radiator cool
down. Serious burns could be caused
by high pressure fluid escaping from
the radiator. See precautions in “If your
vehicle overheats” found in the “In case
of emergency” section of this manual.
●The radiator is equipped with a pres-
sure type radiator cap. To prevent en-
gine damage, use only a genuine
NISSAN radiator cap.
CAUTION
When adding or replacing coolant, be sure
to use only a Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green) or equivalent
with the proper mixture ratio of 50% anti-
freeze and 50% demineralized or distilled
water. The use of other types of coolant
solutions or coolant colors, such as or-
ange, may damage the engine cooling
system.
Outside temperature
down toGenuine
NISSAN
Long Life
Antifreeze/
Coolant or
equivalentDemineral-
ized or dis-
tilled water
°C °F
-34 -29.2 50% 50%
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir when
the engine is cold.If the coolant level is below
the MIN level
2, add coolant to the MAX level
1. If the reservoir is empty, check the coolant
level in the radiatorwhen the engine is cold.If
there is insufficient coolant in the radiator, fill the
radiator with coolant up to the filler opening and
also add it to the reservoir up to the MAX level
1.
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
SDI1860
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
8-8Maintenance and do-it-yourself
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie

WARNING
●When the engine is running, keep
hands, jewelry and clothing away from
any moving parts such as the cooling
fan and drive belts.
●Automatic transmission fluid is poison-
ous and should be stored carefully in
marked containers out of the reach of
children.
TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS FOR
CHECKING
●The fluid level should be checked using the
HOT range on the dipstick after the following
conditions have been met:
– The engine should be warmed up to op-
erating temperature.
– The vehicle should be driven at least 5
minutes.
– The automatic transmission fluid should
be warmed to 122 - 176°F (50 - 80°C) .●The fluid can be checked at fluid tempera-
tures of 86 - 122°F (30 - 50°C) using the
COLD range on the dipstick after the engine
is warmed up and before driving. However,
the fluid should be re-checked using the
HOT range.
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and set
the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and then move the shift
selector lever through each gear range, end-
ing in P (Park) .
3. Check the fluid level with the engine idling.
Automatic Transmission (AT)
LDI0690
4-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION FLUID
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-13
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—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)
US measure Imp measure Liter Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Fuel 13-1/4 gal 11 gal 50.0 See “Fuel recommendation” in this section.
Engine oil (drain and refill) *5
With oil filter
changeHR16DE 3-1/2 qt 2-7/8 qt 3.3
HR16DE and MR18DE:
Engine oil with API Certification Mark *1
Viscosity SAE 5W-30*1 MR18DE 4-7/8 qt 4 qt 4.6
Without oil filter
changeHR16DE 3-1/4 qt 2-3/4 qt 3.1
MR18DE 4-1/2 qt 3-3/4 qt 4.3
Cooling system (with reservoir)
HR16DE 1-5/8 gal 1-3/8 gal 6.3
50% Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant or equivalent *2
50% Demineralized or distilled water
MR18DE 1-3/4 gal 1-1/2 gal 6.8
Manual transmission gear oil— — 5-speed MT: Genuine NISSAN Manual Transmission Fluid (MTF) HQ
Multi 75W-85 or API GL-4, Viscosity SAE 75W-85
6-speed MT: Genuine NISSAN gear oil (XT4447M+) 75W80, Genu-
ine NISSAN gear oil (ETL8997B) 75Ww80, or equivalent *3
Automatic transmission fluid Refill to the proper level according to the in-
structions in the “Maintenance and do-it-
yourself” section.*7Genuine NISSAN Matic D ATF or equivalent (if available)
Continuously Varible Transmission (CVT) fluid Genuine NISSAN CVT fluid NS-2-V *4
Brake and clutch fluidGenuine NISSAN Brake Fluid or equivalent DOT 3
Multi-purpose grease — — NLGI No. 2 (Lithium soap base)
CAPACITIES AND RECOMMENDED
FUEL/LUBRICANTS
9-2Technical and consumer information
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie

Capacity (Approximate)
US measure Imp measure Liter Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Air conditioning system refrigerant — — HFC-134a (R-134a) *5
Air conditioning system oil
M/T and A/T — — NISSAN A/C System Oil Type R or equivalent *5
CVT — — NISSAN A/C System Oil Type S or equivalent *5
Windshield washer fluid — — Genuine NISSAN Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Anti-
freeze or equivalent
*1: For further details, see “Engine oil and oil filter recommendations.”
*2: Use Genuine NISSAN Engine Coolant or equivalent in its quality, in order to avoid possible aluminum corrosion within the engine cooling system caused by the use of non-genuine
engine coolant.Note that any repairs for incidents within the engine cooling system while using non-genuine engine coolant may not be covered by the warranty
even if such incidents occurred during the warranty period.
*3: If Genuine NISSAN gear oil is not available, API GL-4, Viscosity SAE 75W-80 may be used as a temporary replacement. However, use Genuine NISSAN gearoil as soon as it is
available.
*4:Use only Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2-V.Using transmission fluid other than Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2-V will damage the CVT transmission, whichis
not covered by the NISSAN new vehicle limited warranty.
*5: For further details, see “Air conditioner system refrigerant and oil recommendations.”
*6: For further details, see “Engine oil” in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of this manual.
*7: See your NISSAN dealer or qualified workshop for service.
Technical and consumer information9-3
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie

Clutch
Clutchfluid .................8-15
C.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-11
Cold weather driving..............5-30
Compact disc (CD) player...........4-18
Console box...................2-27
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) . .5-17
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid .....................8-14
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT).............5-17
Controls
Audio controls (steering wheel)......4-27
Heater and air conditioner controls.....4-3
Coolant
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-9
Checking engine coolant level........8-8
Corrosionprotection...............7-5
Cruise control..................5-24
Cupholders...................2-25
Curtain side-impact air bag system
(See supplemental side air bag and curtain
side-impact air bag system)..........1-47
D
Daytime running light system
(Canada only)..................2-20
Defroster switch
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-19
Dimensionsandweights.............9-9
Dimmer switch for instrument panel......2-21Door locks....................3-4
Door open warning light.............2-8
Drive belt....................8-18
Driving
Cold weather driving............5-30
Driving with automatic transmission....5-14
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT).............5-17
Driving with manual transmission.....5-21
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
E
Economy-fuel .................5-26
Emission control information label.......9-11
Emission control system warranty.......9-18
Engine
Before starting the engine.........5-12
Blockheater.................5-32
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changingenginecoolant ..........8-9
Changingengineoil ............8-10
Changing engine oil filter..........8-12
Checking engine coolant level........8-8
Checking engine oil level..........8-9
Engine compartment check locations....8-6
Engine cooling system............8-8
Engine oil...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-6
Engine oil pressure warning light......2-8
Engine oil viscosity..............9-6
Engine serial number............9-11
Engine specifications.............9-8
Starting the engine.............5-13Eventdatarecorders..............9-20
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)........5-2
Eyeglass case..................2-25
F
Flashers
(See hazard warning flasher switch)......2-22
Flat tire......................6-2
Floor mat positioning aid.............7-5
Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF)....8-13
Brake fluid..................8-15
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Clutch fluid.................8-15
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid.....................8-14
Engine coolant................8-8
Engine oil...................8-9
Window washer fluid............8-16
F.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-11
Foglightswitch.................2-21
Front air bag system
(See supplemental restraint system).....1-43
Front seats....................1-2
Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Fuel economy................5-26
Fuelgauge..................2-5
Fuel octane rating..............9-5
Fuel recommendation............9-4
Fuel-filler door and cap...........3-26
Fuel-filler door lock opener lever......3-26
10-2
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie