(168,000 km) or 7 years. Mixing any other type
of coolant or the use of non-distilled water will
reduce the life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant. Refer to the INFINITI Service and Main-
tenance Guide for more details.
If the cooling system requires coolant fre-
quently, have it checked by an INFINITI retailer.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT Major cooling system repairs should be per-
formed by an INFINITI retailer. The service pro-
cedures can be found in the appropriate INFINITI
Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced heater
performance and engine overheating.
WARNING● To avoid the danger of being scalded, never
change the coolant when the engine is hot.
● Never remove the radiator cap when the en-
gine is hot. Serious burns could be caused by
high pressure fluid escaping from the
radiator.
● Avoid direct skin contact with used coolant.
If skin contact is made, wash thoroughly
with soap or hand cleaner as soon as
possible. ● Keep coolant out of reach of children and
pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL 1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches operating
temperature.
3. Turn off the engine. Wait more than 15
minutes for the oil to drain back into the oil
pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean.
Reinsert it all the way.
5. Remove the dipstick again and check the
oil level. It should be within the range
1
.
If the oil level is below
2
, remove the oil
filler cap and pour recommended oil
through the opening. Do not overfill
3
. SDI2045
ENGINE OIL
8-8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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04/22/10—debbie
6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil mainte-
nance intervals or during the break-in period,
depending on the severity of operating condi-
tions.
CAUTIONOil level should be checked regularly. Operat-
ing the engine with an insufficient amount of oil
can damage the engine, and such damage is
not covered by warranty.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL AND FILTER
Vehicle set-up 1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches operating
temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait more than 15
minutes.
4. Raise and support the vehicle using a
suitable floor jack and safety jack stands.
● Place the safety jack stands under the
vehicle jack-up points.
● A suitable adapter should be attached to
the jack stand saddle. 5. Remove the plastic engine undercover.
a. Remove the small plastic clip at the center
point of the undercover.
b. Then remove the other bolts that hold the
undercover in place.
CAUTIONMake sure the correct lifting and support
points are used to avoid vehicle damage.
Engine oil and filter 1. Place a large drain pan under the drain
plug.
2. Remove the oil filler cap.
3. Remove the drain plug
1
with a wrench
and completely drain the oil.
CAUTIONBe careful not to burn yourself, as the engine oil
is hot. Two-wheel drive (2WD) models SDI2335
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-9
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● Waste oil must be disposed of properly.
● Check your local regulations.
4. (Perform steps 4 to 7 only when the
engine oil filter change is needed.)
Loosen the oil filter
2
with an oil filter
wrench. Remove the oil filter by turning it by
hand.
5. Wipe the engine oil filter mounting sur-
face with a clean rag. CAUTIONBe sure to remove any old rubber gasket re-
maining on the mounting surface of the engine.
Failure to do so could lead to engine damage.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with
clean engine oil.
7. Screw in the oil filter clockwise until a
slight resistance is felt, then tighten ad-
ditionally more than 2/3 turn.
Oil filter tightening torque:
11 to 15 ft-lb
(14.7 to 20.5 N·m)
8. Clean and re-install the drain plug with a
new washer. Securely tighten the drain
plug with a wrench.
Drain plug tightening torque:
22 to 29 ft-lb
(29 to 39 N·m)
Do not use excessive force.
9. Refill engine with recommended oil and
install the oil filler cap securely.
See “CAPACITIES AND RECOMMENDED
FUEL/LUBRICANTS” in the “9. Technical and
consumer information” section for drain and
refill capacity. The drain and refill capacity depends on the oil temperature and drain time.
Use these specifications for reference only.
Always use the dipstick to determine the proper
amount of oil in the engine.
10. Start the engine and check for leakage
around the drain plug and the oil filter.
Correct as required.
11. Turn the engine off and wait more than 15
minutes. Check the oil level with the
dipstick. Add engine oil if necessary.
After the operation 1. Install the engine undercover into position
as the following steps.
a. Pull the center of the small plastic clip
out.
b. Hold the engine undercover into position.
c. Insert the clip through the undercover into
the hole in the frame, then push the
center of the clip in to lock the clip in
place.
d. Install the other bolts that hold the un-
dercover in place. Be careful not to strip
the bolts or over-tighten them.
2. Lower the vehicle carefully to the ground.
3. Dispose of waste oil and filter properly.All-wheel drive (AWD) models SDI2047
8-10 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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WARNING● Prolonged and repeated contact with used
engine oil may cause skin cancer.
● Try to avoid direct skin contact with used oil.
If skin contact is made, wash thoroughly
with soap or hand cleaner as soon as
possible.
● Keep used engine oil out of reach of children. When checking or replacement is required, we
recommend an INFINITI retailer for servicing.
CAUTION● Use only Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF. Do
not mix with other fluids.
● Using automatic transmission fluid other
than Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF will cause
deterioration in driveability and automatic
transmission durability, and may damage
the automatic transmission, which is not
covered by the INFINITI new vehicle limited
warranty.
Check the fluid level in the reservoir.
The fluid level should be checked using the HOT
range (
1
: HOT MAX.,
2
: HOT MIN.) at fluid
temperatures of 122 to 176°F (50 to 80°C) or
using the COLD range (
3
: COLD MAX.,
4
:
COLD MIN.) at fluid temperatures of 32 to 86°F
(0 to 30°C).
If the fluid is below the MIN line, add Genuine
NISSAN PSF or equivalent. Remove the cap and
fill through the opening.
CAUTION● Do not overfill.
● Use Genuine NISSAN PSF or equivalent. SDI1765A
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID POWER STEERING FLUID
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-11
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WARNINGAntifreeze is poisonous and should be stored
carefully in marked containers out of the reach
of children.
Fill the window washer fluid reservoir periodi-
cally. Add window washer fluid when the low
window washer fluid warning light comes on.
To fill the window washer fluid reservoir, lift the
cap off the reservoir tank and pour the window
washer fluid into the tank opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a wind-
shield washer antifreeze. Follow the manufac-
turer’s instructions for the mixture ratio. Refill the reservoir more frequently when driv-
ing conditions require an increased amount of
window washer fluid.
Recommended fluid is Genuine NISSAN Wind-
shield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Antifreeze
or equivalent.
CAUTION● Do not substitute engine anti-freeze coolant
for window washer solution. This may result
in damage to the paint.
● Do not fill the window washer reservoir tank
with washer fluid concentrates at full
strength. Some methyl alcohol based
washer fluid concentrates may permanently
stain the grille if spilled while filling the win-
dow washer reservoir tank.
● Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates with wa-
ter to the manufacturer’s recommended lev-
els before pouring the fluid into the window
washer reservoir tank. Do not use the win-
dow washer reservoir tank to mix the washer
fluid concentrate and water. ● Keep the battery surface clean and dry.
Clean the battery with a solution of baking
soda and water.
● Make certain the terminal connections are
clean and securely tightened.
● If the vehicle is not to be used for 30 days or
longer, disconnect the negative ( ) battery
terminal cable to prevent discharging it.
COUPE CAUTIONWhen the battery cable is removed from the
battery terminal, do not close either of front
doors. The automatic window adjusting func-
tion will not work, and the side roof panel may
be damaged.
To disconnect the negative ( ) battery terminal,
perform the procedure in the following order.
Otherwise, the window and the side roof panel
may contact and be damaged.
1. Close the windows.
2. Open the hood.
3. Close and lock all the doors.
4. Disconnect the negative ( ) battery termi-
nal.
5. Securely close the hood.SDI2027
WINDOW WASHER FLUID BATTERY
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-13
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1. Remove the cell plugs
A
.
2. Add distilled water up to the UPPER LEVEL
1
line.
If the side of the battery is not clear, check
the distilled water level by looking directly
above the cell; the condition
1
indicates
OK and the conditions
2
needs more to be
added.
3. Tighten cell plugs
A
.
Vehicles operated in high temperatures or un-
der severe conditions require frequent checks
of the battery fluid level. JUMP STARTING If jump starting is necessary, see “JUMP START-
ING” in the “6. In case of emergency” section. If
the engine does not start by jump starting, the
battery may have to be replaced. Contact an
INFINITI retailer. CAUTION● Do not ground accessories directly to the
battery terminal. Doing so will bypass the
variable voltage control system and the ve-
hicle battery may not charge completely.
● Use electrical accessories with the engine
running to avoid discharging the vehicle
battery.
The variable voltage control system measures
the amount of electrical discharge from the
battery and controls voltage generated by the
generator.SDI1480C
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL SYSTEM
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-15
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04/21/10—debbie
1. Power steering fluid pump
2. Alternator
3. Crankshaft pulley
4. Air conditioner compressor
5. Drive belt auto-tensioner
WARNINGBe sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or LOCK
position before servicing drive belts. The en-
gine could rotate unexpectedly. 1. Visually inspect each belt for signs of
unusual wear, cuts, fraying or looseness.
If the belt is in poor condition or loose,
have it replaced or adjusted by an INFINITI
retailer.
2. Have the belts checked regularly for con-
dition and tension in accordance with the
maintenance schedule in your “INFINITI
Service and Maintenance Guide”. WARNINGBe sure the engine and the ignition switch are
off and that the parking brake is engaged
securely.
CAUTIONBe sure to use the correct socket to remove the
spark plugs. An incorrect socket can damage
the spark plugs.
VQ37VHR engine SDI2119
DRIVE BELTS SPARK PLUGS
8-16 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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04/21/10—debbie
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS If replacement is required, see an INFINITI re-
tailer for servicing.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs It is not necessary to replace the iridium-tipped
spark plugs as frequently as the conventional
type spark plugs since they will last much
longer. Follow the maintenance schedule in
“INFINITI Service and Maintenance Guide”, but
do not reuse them by cleaning or regapping.
Always replace spark plugs with recommended
or equivalent ones. Remove the retainers
1
as illustrated and pull
out the filter element
2
.
The filter element should not be cleaned and
reused. Replace it according to the mainte-
nance intervals. See “INFINITI Service and Main-
tenance Guide” for maintenance intervals. When replacing the filter, wipe the inside of the
air cleaner housing and the cover with a damp
cloth.
WARNING● Operating the engine with the air cleaner
removed can cause you or others to be
burned. The air cleaner not only cleans the
air, it stops flame if the engine backfires. If it
isn’t there, and the engine backfires, you
could be burned. Do not drive with the air
cleaner removed, and be careful when work-
ing on the engine with the air cleaner
removed.
● Never pour fuel into the throttle body or at-
tempt to start the engine with the air cleaner
removed. Doing so could result in serious
injury.SDI2020
SDI2033AIR CLEANER
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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