
Black plate (249,1)
Model "Z12-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 17
SCE0814
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN (except for Kro¯
m models)NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as
illustrated.
CAUTION
. Never tow 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 damage to the transmission. If it is necessary to
tow the vehicle with the rear wheels
raised, always use towing dollies
under the front wheels.
. When towing a CVT model or Man-
ual Transmission (MT) model with
the front wheels on towing dollies:
— Place the ignition switch in the
OFF position (models without
Intelligent Key system) or place
the ignition switch in the ACC or
ON position (models with Intel-
ligent Key system) . Secure the
steering wheel in a straight- ahead position with a rope or
similar device. For models with
a steering wheel lock mechan-
ism, never secure the steering
wheel by pushing the ignition
switch to the LOCK position.
This may damage the steering
lock mechanism.
— Move the selector lever or shift lever to the N (Neutral) position.
. When towing a CVT model with the
rear wheels on the ground (if you do
not use towing dollies): Always
release the parking brake.
. If you have to tow an MT model with
the rear wheels on the ground (if
you do not use towing dollies) or
four wheels on the ground:
— Place the ignition switch in the
ON position and turn off all
accessories.
— Always release the parking brake.
— Move the transmission shift le- ver to the N (Neutral) position.
— Observe the following restricted towing speeds and distances for
manual transmission models
In case of emergency
6-13

Black plate (267,1)
Model "Z12-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 17
When performing any inspection or mainte-
nance work on your vehicle, always take care
to prevent serious accidental injury to yourself or
damage to the vehicle. The following are general
precautions which should be closely observed.
WARNING
.Park the vehicle on a level surface,
apply the parking brake securely
and block the wheels to prevent
the vehicle from moving. Move the
selector lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion or the shift lever to the N
(Neutral) position.
. Be sure the ignition switch is in the
OFF or LOCK position when per-
forming any parts replacement or
repairs.
. If you must work with the engine
running, 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 when- ever you work on your vehicle.
. If you must run the engine in an
enclosed 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
necessary to work under the vehicle,
support it with safety stands.
. Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from fuel tank and the
battery.
. The fuel filter or fuel lines should be
serviced by a NISSAN dealer be-
cause 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 direct contact with used en-
gine oil and coolant. Improperly
disposed engine oil, and 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 CVT
related component harnesses dis-
connected while the ignition switch
is in the ON position.
. Never connect or disconnect the
battery or any transistorized com-
ponent while the ignition switch is
in the ON position.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic engine cooling fan. It may
come on at any time without warn-
ing, 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.
This “8. 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
available. (See “OWNER’S MANUAL/SERVICE
MANUAL ORDER INFORMATION” in the “9.
Technical and consumer information” section.)
Youshouldbeawarethatincompleteor
improper servicing may result in operating
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-5

Black plate (277,1)
Model "Z12-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 17
CAUTION
.Do not ground accessories directly
to the battery terminal. Doing so will
bypass the variable voltage control
system and the vehicle 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.
SDI2422
1. Drive belt auto-tensioner
2. Crankshaft pulley
3. Air conditioner compressor
4. Water pump
5. Alternator
WARNING
Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF
or LOCK position before servicing drive
belts. The engine could rotate unex-
pectedly.
1. Visually inspect the 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 a NISSAN dealer.
2. Have the belt condition checked regularly.
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
SYSTEM (if so equipped) DRIVE BELT
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-15

Black plate (278,1)
Model "Z12-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 17
WARNING
Be sure the engine and ignition switch
are off and that the parking brake is
engaged securely.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to
remove the spark plugs. An incorrect
socket can damage the spark plugs.
SDI2020
REPLACING SPARK PLUGSIf replacement is required, see a NISSAN dealer
for servicing.Iridium-tipped spark plugsIt 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 log shown in the
“NISSAN Service and Maintenance Guide”. Do
not reuse the iridium-tipped spark plugs by
cleaning or regapping.
Always replace spark plugs with recom-
mended or equivalent ones.
SDI2106
To remove the air cleaner filter, push the tabs
*1
and pull the filter upward
*2.
The air cleaner filter should not be cleaned and
reused. Replace it according to the maintenance
shown in the “NISSAN Service and Mainte-
nance Guide”. 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
SPARK PLUGS AIR CLEANER8-16
Maintenance and do-it-yourself

Black plate (282,1)
Model "Z12-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 17
SDI1959
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
CAUTION
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified on
the fuse box cover. This could damage
the electrical system or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not operate,
check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch and the headlight switch are turned off.
2. Open the engine hood. 3. Remove the resonator. (See “ENGINE
COMPARTMENT CHECK LOCATIONS”
earlier in this section.)
4. Remove the fuse/fusible link holder cover by pushing the tab
*1
and lifting the cover
from the right side*2, then the left side
*3.
5. Locate the fuse that needs to be replaced.
6. Removethefuseusingthefusepuller located in the passenger compartment fuse
box.
SDI1753
7. If the fuse is open
*A
, replace it with a new
fuse
*B.
8. If a new fuse also opens, have the electrical system checked and repaired by a NISSAN
dealer.
The holder*4
also contains the fuses. For
checking and/or replacing, see a NISSAN
dealer.
FUSES8-20
Maintenance and do-it-yourself

Black plate (283,1)
Model "Z12-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 17
SDI1869
Fusible linksIf any electrical equipment does not operate and
the fuses are in good condition, check the
fusible links in the holders
*1,*2
and
*3.If
any of these fusible links are melted, replace only
with genuine NISSAN parts.
For checking and replacing the fusible links in
the holders
*2
and
*3, see a NISSAN dealer.
SDI2389
PASSENGER COMPARTMENT
CAUTION
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified on
the fuse box cover. This could damage
the electrical system or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not operate,
check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch and the headlight switch are turned off.
2. Pull to remove the fuse box cover
*1. 3. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller
*2.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-21

Black plate (304,1)
Model "Z12-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 17
pumps to be identified by a small, square,
orange and black label with the common
abbreviation or the appropriate percentage for
that region.Aftermarket fuel additivesNISSAN does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (for example, fuel
injector cleaner, octane booster, intake valve
deposit removers, etc.) which are sold commer-
cially. Many of these additives intended for gum,
varnish or deposit removal may contain active
solvent or similar ingredients that can be harmful
to the fuel system and engine.Octane rating tipsUsing unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can cause
persistent, heavy “spark knock”. (Spark
knock is a metallic rapping noise.) If
severe, this can lead to engine damage. If
you detect a persistent heavy spark knock
even when using gasoline of the stated
octane rating, or if you hear steady spark
knock while holding a steady speed on
level roads, have a NISSAN dealer correct
the condition. Failure to correct the condi-
tion is misuse of the vehicle, for which
NISSAN is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing will result in spark
knock, after-run and/or overheating, which may
cause excessive fuel consumption or enginedamage. If any of the above symptoms are
encountered, have your vehicle checked at a
NISSAN dealer.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is not a
cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.
CAUTION
.
Your vehicle is not designed to run
on E-85 fuel. Using E-85 fuel in a
vehicle not specifically designed for
E-85 fuel can damage fuel system
components and is not covered by
the NISSAN new vehicle limited
warranty.
. E-85 is a mixture of approximately
85% fuel ethanol and 15% unleaded
gasoline.
. U.S. government regulations require
ethanol dispensing pumps to be
identified by a small, square, orange
and black label with the common
abbreviation or the appropriate per-
centage for that region.
9-4
Technical and consumer information

Black plate (307,1)
Model "Z12-D" EDITED: 2009/ 9/ 17
ENGINEModelMR18DE
Type Gasoline, 4-cycle, DOHC
Cylinder arrangement 4-cylinder, in-line
Bore 6Stroke in (mm)3.30763.193 (84.0 681.1)
Displacement cu in (cm
3) 109.65 (1,798)
Firing order 1-3-4-2
Idle speed rpm
No adjustment is necessary.
Ignition timing (B.T.D.C.) degree/rpm
Spark plug Standard FXE20HR-11
Spark plug gap (Normal) in (mm)0.043 (1.1)
Camshaft operation Timing chain
This spark ignition system complies with the Canadian standard ICES-002.
WHEELS AND TIRES
Road wheelTypeSize Offset in (mm)
Steel 1566J 1.65 (42)
Aluminum 16 66J 1.65 (42)
T-type 15 64T
1.38 (35)TireType Size Pressure PSI
(kPa) [Cold]
Conventional P195/60R15
87H
33 (230)
P195/55R16
86V
T-type T125/70D15
60 (420)
SPECIFICATIONS
Technical and consumer information
9-7