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 gen-
eral precautions which should be closely ob-
served.
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 P (Park).
● Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or
LOCK position when performing any parts
replacement or repairs.
● Never connect or disconnect the battery or
any transistorized component while the ig-
nition switch is in the ON position.
● Never leave the engine or automatic trans-
mission related component harnesses dis-
connected while the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
● 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 whenever 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 sup-
ported 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.
● Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
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 discon-
nect the negative battery cable before work-
ing near the fan.
● On gasoline engine models, the fuel filter or
fuel lines should be serviced by an INFINITI
retailer 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 direct contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine oil,
coolant, and/or other vehicle fluids can dam-
age the environment. Always conform to lo-
cal regulations for disposal of vehicle fluid.
This “8. Maintenance and do-it-yourself” sec-
tion gives instructions regarding only those
items which are relatively easy for an owner to
perform.
A genuine INFINITI Service Manual is also avail-
able. (See “OWNER’S MANUAL/SERVICE
MANUAL ORDER INFORMATION” in the “9. Tech-
nical and consumer information” section.)
You should be aware that incomplete or im-
proper servicing may result in operating diffi-
culties or excessive emissions, and could affect
your warranty coverage. If in doubt about any
servicing, we recommend that it be done by an
INFINITI retailer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-5
VQ35HR ENGINE
1. Fuse/fusible link holder
2. Battery
3. Radiator filler cap
4. Engine oil dipstick
5. Engine oil filler cap6. Brake fluid reservoir
7. Window washer fluid reservoir
8. Power steering fluid reservoir
9. Air cleaner
10. Drive belts
11. Engine coolant reservoir
The engine cooling system is filled at the factory
with a pre-diluted mixture of 50% Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) and
50% water to provide year-round anti-freeze
and coolant protection. The antifreeze solution
contains rust and corrosion inhibitors. Addi-
tional engine cooling system additives are not
necessary.
WARNING
●
Never remove the radiator or coolant reser-
voir 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” in the “6.
In case of emergency” section of this
manual.
● The radiator is equipped with a pressure
type radiator cap. To prevent engine dam-
age, use only a genuine NISSAN radiator cap.
SSI0388
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
8-6Maintenance and do-it-yourself
CAUTION
●When adding or replacing coolant, be sure to
use only Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent.
Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted to
provide antifreeze protection to 34°F
(37°C). If additional freeze protection is
needed due to weather where you operate
your vehicle, add Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) concentrate fol-
lowing the directions on the container. If an
equivalent coolant other than Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue)
is used, follow the coolant manufacturer’s
instructions to maintain minimum antifreeze
protection to 34°F (37°C). The use of
other types of coolant solutions other than
Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent may
damage the engine cooling system. ●
The life expectancy of the factory-fill coolant
is 105,000 miles (168,000 km) or 7 years.
Mixing any other type of coolant other than
Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue), including Genu-
ine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant
(green), or the use of non-distilled water will
reduce the life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant. Refer to the INFINITI Service and
Maintenance Guide for more details.
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL
Check the coolant level in the reservoir when the
engine is cold. If the coolant level is below MIN
2, open the reservoir tank cap and add coolant
up to the MAX
1level. If the reservoir tank is
empty, check the coolant level in the radiator
when 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 tank up to the MAX level
1.
Tighten the cap securely after adding engine
coolant.
This vehicle contains Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue). The life expectancy of
the factory-fill coolant is 105,000 miles
(168,000 km) or 7 years. Mixing any other type
SDI2198
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-7
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 engine
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.
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.
CAUTION
Oil 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.
SDI2045
ENGINE OIL
8-8Maintenance and do-it-yourself
5. Remove the plastic engine undercover.
a. Remove the small plastic clip at the centerpoint of the undercover.
b. Then remove the other bolts that hold the undercover in place.
CAUTION
Make 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
1with a wrench
and completely drain the oil.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself, as the engine oil
is hot.
●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 filter2with 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.
CAUTION
Be 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.
Two-wheel drive (2WD) models
SDI2024
All-wheel drive (AWD) models
SDI2047
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-9
7. Screw in the oil filter clockwise until aslight 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 positionas 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.
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.
8-10Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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.
WARNING
● Do not expose the battery to flames or elec-
trical sparks. Hydrogen gas generated by
the battery is explosive. Do not allow battery
fluid to contact your skin, eyes, fabrics, or
painted surfaces. After touching a battery or
battery cap, do not touch or rub your eyes.
Thoroughly wash your hands. If the acid con-
tacts your eyes, skin or clothing, immedi-
ately flush with water for at least 15 minutes
and seek medical attention.
● Do not operate the vehicle if the fluid in the
battery is low. Low battery fluid can cause a
higher load on the battery which can gener-
ate heat, reduce battery life, and in some
cases lead to an explosion.
● When working on or near a battery, always
wear suitable eye protection and remove all
jewelry. ●
Battery posts, terminals and related acces-
sories contain lead and lead compounds.
Wash hands after handling.
● Keep the battery out of the reach of children.
BATTERY
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-13
Check the fluid level in each cell (Remove the
battery cover if it is necessary). It should be
between the UPPER LEVEL
1and LOWER LEVEL
2lines.
If it is necessary to add fluid, add only distilled
water to bring the level to the indicator in each
filler opening. Do not overfill.
1. Remove the cell plugsA.
2. Add distilled water up to the UPPER LEVEL
1line.
If the side of the battery is not clear, check
the distilled water level by looking directly
above the cell; the condition
1indicates
OK and the condition
2needs more to be
added.
3. Tighten cell plugsA.
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.
DI0137MASDI1480C
8-14Maintenance and do-it-yourself