Adjust tire pressure to the COLD pressure.
COLD pressure: After vehicle has been
parked for three hours or more or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km) .
COLD tire pressures are shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label located in
the driver’s door opening.
5. Securely store the flat tire and jacking equip-
ment in the vehicle.
WARNING
cAlways make sure that the spare tire
and jacking equipment are properly se-
cured after use. Such items can become
dangerous projectiles in an accident or
sudden stop.
cThe spare tire is designed for emer-
gency use. See specific instructions un-
der the heading “Wheels and tires” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section of this manual.To start your engine with a booster battery, the
instructions and precautions below must be fol-
lowed.
WARNING
cIf done incorrectly, jump starting can
lead to a battery explosion, resulting in
severe injury or death. It could also
damage your vehicle.
cExplosive hydrogen gas is always
present in the vicinity of the battery.
Keep all sparks and flames away from
the battery.
cDo not allow battery fluid to come into
contact with eyes, skin, clothing or
painted surfaces. Battery fluid is a cor-
rosive sulfuric acid solution which can
cause severe burns. If the fluid should
come into contact with anything, imme-
diately flush the contacted area with
water.
cKeep battery out of the reach of
children.
cThe booster battery must be rated at 12
volts. Use of an improperly rated battery
can damage your vehicle.cWhenever working on or near a battery,
always wear suitable eye protectors (for
example, goggles or industrial safety
spectacles) and remove rings, metal
bands, or any other jewelry. Do not lean
over the battery when jump starting.
cDo not attempt to jump start a frozen
battery. It could explode and cause se-
rious injury.
cYour vehicle has an automatic engine
cooling fan. It could come on at any
time. Keep hands and other objects
away from it.
JUMP STARTING
In case of emergency6-9
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...........................8-11
Changing engine oil filter.......................8-12
5-speed automatic transmission fluid...............8-13
Power steering fluid...............................8-13
Brake and clutch fluid.............................8-14
Brake fluid....................................8-14
Clutch fluid...................................8-14
Window washer fluid.............................8-15
Window washer fluid reservoir..................8-15
Battery..........................................8-15
Jump starting.................................8-17
Variable voltage control system.....................8-17
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..........................8-22
Cleaning.....................................8-22
Replacing....................................8-22
Brakes..........................................8-23
Fuses...........................................8-24
Engine compartment...........................8-24
Passenger compartment.......................8-25
Battery replacement..............................8-26
Keyfob (if so equipped)........................8-27
Lights...........................................8-28
Headlights....................................8-28
Exterior and interior lights.......................8-30
Wheels and tires.................................8-32
Tire pressure..................................8-32
Tire labeling...................................8-36
Types of tires..................................8-38
Tire chains....................................8-39
Changing wheels and tires.....................8-39
When driving in areas using road salt or other
corrosive materials, check lubrication frequently.
Lights*Clean the headlights on a regular basis.
Make sure that the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights are all
operating properly and installed securely. Also
check headlight aim.
Road wheel nuts (lug nuts)*When checking
the tires, make sure no wheel nuts are missing,
and check for any loose wheel nuts. Tighten if
necessary.
Tire rotation*Tires should be rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km) .
Tires*Check the pressure with a gauge often
and always prior to long distance trips. If neces-
sary, adjust the pressure in all tires, including the
spare, to the pressure specified. Check carefully
for damage, cuts or excessive wear.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
transmitter componentsReplace the TPMS
transmitter grommet seal, valve core and cap
when the tires are replaced due to wear or age.
Wheel alignment and balanceIf the vehicle
should pull to either side while driving on a
straight and level road, or if you detect uneven or
abnormal tire wear, there may be a need for wheelalignment. If the steering wheel or seat vibrates at
normal highway speeds, wheel balancing may be
needed.
cFor additional information regarding tires,
refer to “Important Tire Safety Information”
(US) or “Tire Safety Information” (Canada) in
the Warranty Information Booklet.
WindshieldClean the windshield on a regular
basis. Check the windshield at least every six
months for cracks or other damage. Have a dam-
aged windshield repaired by a qualified repair
facility.
Windshield wiper blades*Check for cracks or
wear if they do not wipe properly.
Inside the vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked on a regular basis, such as when per-
forming periodic maintenance, cleaning the ve-
hicle, etc.
Additional information on the following
items with an “*” is found later in this sec-
tion.
Accelerator pedalCheck the pedal for smooth
operation and make sure the pedal does not bind
or require uneven effort. Keep the floor mat away
from the pedal.Automatic transmission P (Park) position
mechanismOn a fairly steep hill check that your
vehicle is held securely with the shift selector in
the P (Park) position without applying any brakes.
Brake pedalCheck the pedal for smooth opera-
tion. If the brake pedal suddenly goes down fur-
ther than normal, the pedal feels spongy or the
vehicle seems to take longer to stop, see a
NISSAN dealer immediately. Keep the floor mat
away from the pedal.
BrakesCheck that the brakes do not pull the
vehicle to one side when applied.
Parking brakeCheck the parking brake opera-
tion regularly. The vehicle should be securely held
on a fairly steep hill with only the parking brake
applied. If the parking brake needs adjustment,
see a NISSAN dealer.
Seats
Check seat position controls such as seat
adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. to ensure they op-
erate smoothly and all latches lock securely in every
position. Check that the head restraints and head-
rests move up and down smoothly and the locks (if
so equipped) hold securely in all latched positions.
Seat beltsCheck that all parts of the seat belt
system (for example, buckles, anchors, adjusters
and retractors) operate properly and smoothly,
and are installed securely. Check the belt web-
bing for cuts, fraying, wear or damage.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-3
If you have a flat tire, see “Flat tire” in the
“In case of emergency” section of this
manual.
TIRE PRESSURE
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) . It
monitors tire pressure of all tires except
the spare. When the low tire pressure
warning light is lit, one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated.
The TPMS will activate only when the
vehicle is driven at speeds above 16 MPH
(25 km/h) . Also, this system may not de-
tect a sudden drop in tire pressure (for
example a flat tire while driving) .
For more details, refer to “Low tire pres-
sure warning light” in the “Instruments and
controls” section, “Tire Pressure Monitor-
ing System (TPMS)” in the “Starting and
driving” section, and “Flat tire” in the “In
case of emergency” section.
Rear combination light
WDI0300
License plate light
WDI0411
WHEELS AND TIRES
8-32Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Tire inflation pressure
Check the tire pressures (including the
spare) often and always prior to long dis-
tance trips. The recommended tire pres-
sure specifications are shown on the
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification label
or the Tire and Loading Information label
under the “Cold Tire Pressure” heading.
The Tire and Loading Information label is
affixed to the driver side center pillar. Tire
pressures should be checked regularly
because:
cMost tires naturally lose air over time.
cTires can lose air suddenly when
driven over potholes or other objects
or if the vehicle strikes a curb while
parking.
The tire pressures should be checked
when the tires are cold. The tires are
considered COLD after the vehicle has
been parked for 3 or more hours, or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at moderate
speeds.Incorrect tire pressure, including un-
der inflation, may adversely affect
tire life and vehicle handling.
WARNING
cImproperly inflated tires can fail
suddenly and cause an accident.
cThe Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) is located on the
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certifica-
tion label. The vehicle weight ca-
pacity is indicated on the Tire and
Loading Information label (if so
equipped) . Do not load your ve-
hicle beyond this capacity. Over-
loading your vehicle may result in
reduced tire life, unsafe operat-
ing conditions due to premature
tire failure, or unfavorable han-
dling characteristics and could
also lead to a serious accident.
Loading beyond the specified ca-
pacity may also result in failure of
other vehicle components.cBefore taking a long trip, or
whenever you heavily load your
vehicle, use a tire pressure gauge
to ensure that the tire pressures
are at the specified level.
cFor additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Important
Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information”
(Canada) in the Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-33
Tire and loading information label
s1Seating capacity: The maximum num-
ber of occupants that can be seated
in the vehicle.
s2Vehicle load limit: See loading infor-
mation in the “Technical and con-
sumer information” section.
s3Original tire size: The size of the tires
originally installed on the vehicle at
the factory.
s4Cold tire pressure: Inflate the tires to
this pressure when the tires are cold.
Tires are considered COLD after the
vehicle has been parked for 3 or more
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km) at moderate speeds. The recom-
mended cold tire inflation is set by the
manufacturer to provide the best bal-
ance of tire wear, vehicle handling,
driveability, tire noise, etc., up to the
vehicle’s GVWR.
s5Tire size – refer to “Tire labeling” later
in this section.
s6Spare tire size or compact spare tire
size (if so equipped) .
LDI0485
8-34Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Checking tire pressure
1. Remove the valve stem cap from the
tire.
2. Press the pressure gauge squarely
onto the valve stem. Do not press too
hard or force the valve stem side-
ways, or air will escape. If the hissing
sound of air escaping from the tire is
heard while checking the pressure,
reposition the gauge to eliminate this
leakage.
3. Remove the gauge.4. Read the tire pressure on the gauge
stem and compare to the specifica-
tion shown on the
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. label or the
Tire and Loading Information label (if
so equipped) .
5. Add air to the tire as needed. If too
much air is added, press the core of
the valve stem briefly with the tip of
the gauge stem to release pressure.
Recheck the pressure and add or
release air as needed.
6. Install the valve stem cap.
7. Check the pressure of all other tires,
including the spare.
Size Cold Tire Infla-
tion Pressure
Front Original Tire:
P235/75R15
P265/70R16
P265/75R16
P265/60R18240 kPa, 35 PSI
Rear Original Tire:
P235/75R15
P265/70R16
P265/75R16
P265/60R18240 kPa, 35 PSI
Spare Tire:
P235/75R15
P265/70R16
P265/75R16
P265/60R18240 kPa, 35 PSI
LDI0393
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-35
s2TIN (Tire Identification Number) for a
new tire (example: DOT XX XX XXX
XXXX)
1. DOT: Abbreviation for the “Depart-
ment Of Transportation”. The symbol
can be placed above, below or to the
left or right of the Tire Identification
Number.
2. Two-digit code: Manufacturer’s
identification mark.
3. Two-digit code: Tire size.4. Three-digit code: Tire type code
(Optional) .
5. Three-digit code: Date of Manufac-
ture.
6. Four numbers represent the week
and year the tire was built. For ex-
ample, the numbers 3103 means the
31st week of 2003. If these numbers
are missing, then look on the other
sidewall of the tire.
s3Tire ply composition and materialThe number of layers or plies of rubber-
coated fabric in the tire. Tire manufactur-
ers also must indicate the materials in the
tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester,
and others.
s4Maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure
This number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that should be put in the tire. Do
not exceed the maximum permissible in-
flation pressure.
s5Maximum load rating
This number indicates the maximum load
in kilograms and pounds that can be car-
ried by the tire. When replacing the tires
on the vehicle, always use a tire that has
the same load rating as the factory in-
stalled tire.
s6Term of “tubeless” or “tube type”
Indicates whether the tire requires an in-
ner tube (“tube type”) or not (“tubeless”) .
Example
WDI0396
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-37