2012 NISSAN 370Z COUPE Owners Manual

.If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are extre-
mely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and the
VDC warning light
may illumi-
nate.
. If engine control related parts are
not NISSAN recommended or are
extremely deteriorated, the VDC
warning light
may illuminate.
. When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked
corners, the VDC system may not
operate properly and the VDC warn-
ing light
may illuminate. Do not
drive on these types of roads.
. When driving on an unstable sur-
face such as a turntable, ferry,
elevator or ramp, the VDC warning
light
may illuminate. This is not
a malfunction. Restart the engine
after driving onto a stable surface.
. If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not
operate properly and the VDC warn-
ing light
may illuminate. .
The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
Starting and driving5-29

5-30Starting and driving
SSD0876
1. Front performance damper
2. Rear performance damper
The performance dampers are installed in the
front and rear parts of the NISMO models for
improved handling and ride.
WARNING
.High-pressure nitrogen gas is
sealed inside the performance dam-
pers. Do not attempt to modify or
disassemble them.
. For disposal of the performance
dampers or when scrapping the
vehicle, contact a NISSAN dealer.
Never burn or puncture the perfor-
mance dampers. Incorrect disposal
procedures could cause serious per-
sonal injury.
PERFORMANCE DAMPERS (NISMO
models)

FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
deicer through the key hole. If the lock becomes
frozen, heat the key before inserting it into the
key hole or use the Intelligent Key system.
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
outside temperature will drop below 328F(08C) ,
check antifreeze to assure proper winter protec-
tion. For additional information, see “Engine
cooling system” (P.8-9).
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the battery
fluid may freeze and damage the battery. To
maintain maximum efficiency, the battery should
be checked regularly. For additional information,
see “Battery” (P.8-16) .
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be left outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, including
the engine block. Refill before operating the
vehicle. For details, see “Engine cooling system”
(P.8-9) .
TIRE EQUIPMENT
SUMMER tires have a tread designed to provide
superior performance on dry pavement. How-
ever, the performance of these tires will be
substantially reduced in snowy and icy condi-
tions. If you operate your vehicle on snowy or icy
roads, NISSAN recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON tires on all four wheels.
Consult a NISSAN dealer for the tire type, size,
speed rating and availability information.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some U.S. states
and Canadian provinces prohibit their use.
Check local, state and provincial laws before
installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires.
Tire chains may be used. For details, see “Tire
chains” (P.8-37) of this manual.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items be
carried in the vehicle during winter:
. A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to remove
ice and snow from the windows and wiper
blades. .
A sturdy, flat board to be placed under the
jack to give it firm support.
. A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snowdrifts.
. Extra window washer fluid to refill the
reservoir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
.Wet ice (328F, 0 8C and freezing rain) ,
very cold snow or ice can be slick
and very hard to drive on. The
vehicle will have much less traction
or “grip” under these conditions. Try
to avoid driving on wet ice until the
road is salted or sanded.
. Whatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shifting too fast, the drive wheels
will lose even more traction.
. Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pave-
ment.
. Allow greater following distances
on slippery roads.
Starting and driving5-31
COLD WEATHER DRIVING

5-32Starting and driving
.Watch for slippery spots (glare ice) .
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a
patch of ice is seen ahead, brake
before reaching it. Try not to brake
while on the ice, and avoid any
sudden steering maneuvers.
. Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads.
. Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)
Engine block heaters are used to assist with
cold temperature starting.
The engine block heater should be used when
the outside temperature is 208F( −78C) or lower.
To use the engine block heater
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the engine
block heater cord.
3. Plug the engine block heater cord into a grounded 3-wire, 3-pronged extension cord. 4. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault
Interrupt (GFI) protected, grounded 110-
volt AC (VAC) outlet.
5. The engine block heater must be plugged in for at least 2 - 4 hours, depending on
outside temperatures, to properly warm the
engine coolant. Use an appropriate timer to
turn the engine block heater on.
6. Before starting the engine, unplug and properly store the cord to keep it away from
moving parts.
WARNING
.Do not use your engine block heater
with an ungrounded electrical sys-
tem or a 2-pronged adapter. You can
be seriously injured by an electrical
shock if you use an ungrounded
connection.
. Disconnect and properly store the
engine block heater cord before
starting the engine. Damage to the
cord could result in an electrical
shock and can cause serious injury.
. Use a heavy-duty 3-wire, 3-pronged
extension cord rated for at least
10A. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) pro-
tected, grounded 110-VAC outlet.
Failure to use the proper extension
cord or a grounded outlet can result
in a fire or electrical shock and
cause serious personal injury.

MEMO
Starting and driving5-33

5-34Starting and driving
MEMO

6 In case of emergency
Emergency engine shut off ..................................................... 6-2
Flat tire ........................................................................\
................. 6-2Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) .................... 6-2
Changing a flat tire (for models with spare tire) ......... 6-3
Repairing flat tire (for models with emergency tire
puncture repair kit) ............................................................. 6-8
Jump starting ........................................................................\
... 6-14
Push starting ........................................................................\
... 6-16 If your vehicle overheats ...................................................... 6-16
Towing your vehicle .............................................................. 6-18
Towing recommended by NISSAN (except for
NISMO models) ............................................................. 6-19
Towing recommended by NISSAN
(NISMO models) ............................................................ 6-20
Vehicle recovery (freeing a stuck vehicle) ............... 6-21

6-2In case of emergency
To shut off the engine in an emergency situation
while driving, perform the following procedure:
.Rapidly push the push-button ignition switch
3 consecutive times, or
. Push and hold the push-button ignition
switch for more than 2 seconds.TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYS-
TEM (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.
If the vehicle is being driven with low tire
pressure, the TPMS will activate and warn you
of it by the low tire pressure warning light. This
system will activate only when the vehicle is
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h). For
more details, see “Warning/indicator lights and
audible reminders” (P.2-9) and “Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS)” (P.5-3) .
WARNING
.If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull
off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possi-
ble. Driving with under-inflated tires
may permanently damage the tires
and increase the likelihood of tire
failure. Serious vehicle damage
could occur and may lead to an accident and could result in serious
personal injury. Check the tire pres-
sure for all four tires. Adjust the tire
pressure to the recommended COLD
tire pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light
OFF. If the light still illuminates
while driving after adjusting the tire
pressure, a tire may be flat. If you
have a flat tire, replace it with a
spare tire as soon as possible.
. When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel is replaced, the TPMS will not
function and the low tire pressure
warning light will flash for approxi-
mately 1 minute. The light will
remain on after 1 minute. Contact
your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/
or system resetting.
. Replacing tires with those not ori-
ginally specified by NISSAN could
affect the proper operation of the
TPMS.
. Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,
as this may cause a malfunction of
the tire pressure sensors (for mod-
EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF FLAT TIRE