2012 NISSAN 370Z COUPE light

8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirement ........................................................ 8-3Scheduled maintenance .................................................... 8-3
General maintenance ......................................................... 8-3
Where to go for service .................................................... 8-3
General maintenance ............................................................... 8-3 Explanation of maintenance items ................................... 8-3
Maintenance precautions ........................................................ 8-6
Engine compartment check locations .................................. 8-8 VQ37VHR engine model .................................................. 8-8
Engine cooling system ............................................................. 8-9
Checking engine coolant level ...................................... 8-10
Changing engine coolant ............................................... 8-10
Engine oil ........................................................................\
......... 8-11
Checking engine oil level ............................................... 8-11
Changing engine oil and filter ....................................... 8-11
Automatic transmission fluid ............................................... 8-13
Power steering fluid ............................................................... 8-13
Brake and clutch fluid ........................................................... 8-14 Brake fluid ........................................................................\
.. 8-14
Clutch fluid (Manual transmission models) ............... 8-15
Window washer fluid ............................................................ 8-15
Battery ........................................................................\
............... 8-16 Jump starting ..................................................................... 8-17 Variable voltage control system ......................................... 8-18
Drive belts ........................................................................\
....... 8-18
Spark plugs ........................................................................\
..... 8-19
Replacing spark plugs .................................................. 8-19
Air cleaner ........................................................................\
....... 8-19
Windshield wiper blades ..................................................... 8-20
Cleaning ........................................................................\
... 8-20
Replacing ........................................................................\
. 8-21
Brakes ........................................................................\
.............. 8-22 Self-adjusting brakes .................................................... 8-22
Brake pad wear warning .............................................. 8-22
Fuses ........................................................................\
................ 8-22 Engine compartment ..................................................... 8-22
Passenger compartment .............................................. 8-24
Intelligent Key battery replacement ................................... 8-25
Lights ........................................................................\
................ 8-27
Coupe ........................................................................\
....... 8-27
Roadster ........................................................................\
... 8-28
Headlights ........................................................................\
8-29
Exterior and interior lights ............................................ 8-29
Wheels and tires ................................................................... 8-31 Tire pressure ................................................................... 8-31
Tire labeling ..................................................................... 8-34

Your new NISSAN has been designed to have
minimum maintenance requirements with long
service intervals to save you both time and
money. However, some day-to-day and regular
maintenance is essential to maintain your
NISSAN’s fine mechanical condition, as well
as its emission and engine performance.
It is the owner’s responsibility to make sure that
the scheduled maintenance, as well as general
maintenance, is performed.
As the vehicle owner, you are the only one who
can ensure that your vehicle receives the proper
maintenance care. You are a vital link in the
maintenance chain.
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
For your convenience, both required and op-
tional scheduled maintenance items are de-
scribed and listed in your “NISSAN Service and
Maintenance Guide”. You must refer to that
guide to ensure that necessary maintenance is
performed on your NISSAN at regular intervals.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
General maintenance includes those items
which should be checked during normal day-
to-day operation. They are essential for proper
vehicle operation. It is your responsibility to
perform these procedures regularly as pre-
scribed.Performing general maintenance checks re-
quires minimal mechanical skill and only a few
general automotive tools.
These checks or inspections can be done by
yourself, a qualified technician or, if you prefer, a
NISSAN dealer.
WHERE TO GO FOR SERVICE
If maintenance service is required or your vehicle
appears to malfunction, have the systems
checked and serviced by a NISSAN dealer.
NISSAN technicians are well-trained specialists
and are kept up to date with the latest service
information through technical bulletins, service
tips, and in-dealership information systems.
They are completely qualified to work on
NISSAN vehicles
beforework begins.
You can be confident that a NISSAN dealer’s
service department performs the best job to
meet the maintenance requirements on your
vehicle — in a reliable and economical way. During the normal day-to-day operation of the
vehicle, general maintenance should be per-
formed regularly as prescribed in this section. If
you detect any unusual sounds, vibrations or
smell, be sure to check for the cause or have a
NISSAN dealer do it promptly. In addition, you
should notify a NISSAN dealer if you think that
repairs are required.
When performing any checks or maintenance
work, see “Maintenance precautions” (P.8-6) .
EXPLANATION OF MAINTENANCE
ITEMS
Additional information on the following
items with “*” is found later in this section.
Outside the vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
performed from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Doors and engine hood:
Check that all doors
and the engine hood, operate properly. Also
ensure that all latches lock securely. Lubricate
hinges, latches, latch pins, rollers and links if
necessary. Make sure that the secondary latch
keeps the hood from opening when the primary
latch is released.
When driving in areas using road salt or other
corrosive materials, check lubrication frequently.
Lights*: Clean the headlights on a regular basis.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-3
MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT GENERAL MAINTENANCE

8-4Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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 cannot be rotated, as the
front tires are a different size from the rear tires
and the direction of wheel rotation is fixed in
each tire.
Tires*: Check the pressure with a gauge often
and always prior to long distance trips. If
necessary, 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 components: Replace the TPMS
transmitter grommet seal, valve core and cap
when the tires are replaced due to wear or age.
Tire, wheel alignment and balance: If 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
wheel alignment.
If the steering wheel or seat vibrates at normal
highway speeds, wheel balancing may be needed.
For additional information regarding tires, refer
to “Important Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information” (Canada) in the
NISSAN Warranty Information Booklet.
Windshield:
Clean the windshield on a regular
basis. Check the windshield at least every six
months for cracks or other damage. Have a
damaged 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
performing scheduled maintenance, cleaning
the vehicle, etc.
Accelerator pedal: Check the pedal for
smooth operation and make sure the pedal
does not catch or require uneven effort. Keep
the floor mat away from the pedal.
Automatic transmission P (Park) mechan-
ism: On a fairly steep hill, check that your
vehicle is held securely with the selector lever in
the P (Park) position without applying any
brakes.
Brake pedal: Check the pedal for smooth
operation. If the brake pedal suddenly goes down further 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.
Brakes:
Check that the brakes do not pull the
vehicle to one side when applied.
Parking brake: Check the parking brake
operation regularly. The vehicle should be
securely held on a fairly steep hill with only the
parking brake applied. If the parking brake needs
adjusted, see a NISSAN dealer.
Seat belts: Check that all parts of the seat belt
system (for example, buckles, anchors, adjuster
and retractors) operate properly and smoothly,
and are installed securely. Check the belt
webbing for cuts, fraying, wear or damage.
Seats: Check seat position controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. to ensure
they operate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in every position. Check that the head
restraints move up and down smoothly and that
the locks (if so equipped) hold securely in all
latched positions.
Steering wheel: Check for changes in the
steering conditions, such as excessive free play,
hard steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes: Make sure that
all warning lights and chimes are operating
properly.

8-12Maintenance and do-it-yourself
SDI2335
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.
(Perform steps 4 to 7 only when the engine
oil filter change is needed.)
4. Loosen the oil filter
*2with an oil filter
wrench. Remove the oil filter by turning it by
hand.
5. Wipe the engine oil filter mounting surface with a clean rag.
CAUTION
Be sure to remove any old rubber
gasket remaining on the mounting sur-
face 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 additionally
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 through the oil filler opening, and install the oil filler
cap securely.
See “Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants” (P.9-2) for drain and refill capa-
city. The drain and refill capacity depends on
the oil temperature and drain time. Use
these specifications for reference only. Al-
ways 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 asthe following steps.
a. Pull the center of the small plastic clipout.
b. Hold the engine undercover into position.

8-14Maintenance and do-it-yourself
CAUTION
.Do not overfill.
. Use Genuine NISSAN PSF or
equivalent. For further brake and clutch fluid information,
see “Capacities and recommended fuel/lubri-
cants” (P.9-2) of this manual.
WARNING
.
Use only new fluid from a sealed
container. Old, inferior or contami-
nated fluid may damage the brake
and clutch system.
. Be sure to clean the filler cap before
removing.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on painted sur-
faces. This will damage the paint. If
fluid is spilled, wash the surface with
water.
SDI2025A
BRAKE FLUID
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the fluid is
below the MIN line
*1or the brake warning
light comes on, add Genuine NISSAN Super
Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or equivalent DOT 3
fluid up to the MAX line
*2. If fluid must be
added frequently, the system should be checked
by a NISSAN dealer.
BRAKE AND CLUTCH FLUID

SDI1906A
CLUTCH FLUID (Manual transmission
models)
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the fluid
level is below the MIN line
*1, add Genuine
NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or
equivalent DOT 3fluid up to the MAX line
*2.
If fluid must be added frequently, the system
should be checked by a NISSAN dealer.
SDI2349
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 water for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a windshield
washer antifreeze. Follow the manufacturer’s
instructions for the mixture ratio.
Refill the reservoir more frequently when driving
conditions require an increased amount of
window washer fluid.
Recommended fluid is Genuine NISSAN Wind- shield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Anti-
freeze 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
window washer reservoir tank.
. Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates
with water to the manufacturer’s
recommended levels before pouring
the fluid into the window washer
reservoir tank. Do not use the
window washer reservoir tank to
mix the washer fluid concentrate
and water.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-15
WINDOW WASHER FLUID

8-22Maintenance and do-it-yourself
If the brakes do not operate properly, have the
brakes checked by a NISSAN dealer.
SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKES
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The disc-type brakes self-adjust every time the
brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
See a NISSAN dealer for a brake
system check if the brake pedal height
does not return to normal.
BRAKE PAD WEAR WARNING
The disc brake pads have audible wear warn-
ings. When a brake pad requires replacement, it
will make a high pitched scraping sound when
the vehicle is in motion. This scraping sound will
first occur only when the brake pedal is
depressed. After more wear of the brake pad
the sound will always be heard even if the brake
pedal is not depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wear warning
sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other noise
may be heard. Occasional brake noise duringlight to moderate stops is normal and does not
affect the function or performance of the brake
system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.
For additional information, see the
maintenance log section of your “NISSAN
Service and Maintenance Guide”.
SDI1479A
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 is pushed to the OFF or LOCK position and the headlight
switch is turned to OFF.
BRAKES FUSES

8-24Maintenance and do-it-yourself
SDI2361
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 is pushed to the OFF or LOCK position and the headlight
switch is turned to OFF. 2. Open the fuse box lid.
3. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller
*A.
4. If the fuse is open, replace it with a new fuse. Spare fuses are stored in the fuse box.
5. If a new fuse also opens, have the electrical system checked and repaired by a NISSAN
dealer.
SDI2704
Extended storage switch (if so equipped)
To reduce battery drain, the extended storage
switch comes from the factory switched off.
Prior to delivery of your vehicle, the switch is
pushed in (switched on) and should always
remain on.
If any electrical equipment does not operate,
remove the extended storage switch and check
for an open fuse.
NOTE:
If the extended storage switch malfunc-
tions, or if the fuse is open, it is not
necessary to replace the switch. In this
case, remove the extended storage switch