2012 NISSAN 370Z COUPE Owners Manual

SCE0792
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN (except for NISMO models)
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (rear) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as
illustrated.
CAUTION
.Never tow automatic transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the
ground (forward or backward) , as
this may cause serious and expen- sive damage to the drivetrain. If it is
necessary to tow the vehicle with
the front wheels raised, always use
towing dollies under the rear
wheels.
. When towing rear wheel drive mod-
els with the front wheels on the
ground or on towing dollies: Push
the ignition switch to the ACC or ON
position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device.
. If you have to tow manual transmis-
sion models with the rear wheels on the ground (if you do not use towing
dollies) or four wheels on the
ground:
— Push the ignition switch to 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
only:
.Rear wheels on the ground:
Speed: Below 50 MPH (80
km/h)
Distance: Less than 50 miles
(80 km)
.Four wheels on the ground:Speed: Below 70 MPH (112
km/h)
Distance: Less than 500 miles
(800 km)
— If the speed or distance must necessarily be greater, remove
the propeller shaft before tow-
In case of emergency6-19

6-20In case of emergency
ing to prevent damage to the
drivetrain.
SCE0836
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN (NISMO models)
CAUTION
Do not tow NISMO models with any
wheel on the ground, or with the front
or rear wheels raised, because this may
cause damage to the front bumper with
an aerodynamic splitter, rear bumper
with an aerodynamic diffuser or ex-
haust pipes.
NISSAN recommends that you place the vehicle
on a flatbed truck as illustrated.

VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
WARNING
.Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
. Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode
and result in serious injury. Parts of
your vehicle could also overheat
and be damaged.
Pulling a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use a tow strap or other device designed
specifically for vehicle recovery. Always follow
the manufacturer’s instructions for the recovery
device.
SCE0793
1. Access the mounting hole for the recovery
hook.
Except for NISMO models: To remove the
cover
*A, first unhook the claws*1using
a suitable tool wrapped in a cloth, and then
pull the lower side of the cover
*2.
For NISMO models: When the front license plate and bracket are installed, temporarily
remove them. (See “Installing front license
plate” (P.9-14) for the installation proce-
dures.) A screwdriver is supplied with the
jacking tools for removal.
2. Securely install the vehicle recovery hook
*3
(stored with jacking tools) as illustrated.
Attach the tow strap to the recovery hook.
Do not use the tie down hooks
*4for towing or
vehicle recovery.
Make sure that the hook is properly secured in
the original place after use.
Replace the recovery hook cover (except for
NISMO models) or the front license plate (for
NISMO models) .
CAUTION
. Tow chains or cables must be at-
tached only to the vehicle recovery
hooks or main structural members
of the vehicle. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle body will be damaged.
. Do not use the vehicle tie downs to
free a vehicle stuck in sand, snow,
mud, etc.
. Never tow a vehicle using the vehi-
cle tie downs or recovery hooks.
In case of emergency6-21

6-22In case of emergency
.Always pull the cable straight out
from the front of the vehicle. Never
pull on the vehicle at an angle.
. Pulling devices should be routed so
they do not touch any part of the
suspension, steering, brake or cool-
ing systems.
. Pulling devices such as ropes or
canvas straps are not recommended
for use in vehicle towing or recov-
ery.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
system.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear an area around the front tires.
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and back- ward.
.Shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and D (Drive) (automatic transmission
models) or 1st and R (Reverse) (manual
transmission models) .
.Apply the accelerator as little as possibleto maintain the rocking motion.
.Release the accelerator pedal beforeshifting between R (Reverse) and D
(Drive) (automatic transmission models)
or 1st and R (Reverse) (manual transmis-
sion models) .
.Do not spin the tires above 35 MPH (55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few tries, contact a professional towing service
to remove the vehicle.

MEMO
In case of emergency6-23

6-24In case of emergency
MEMO

7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior ....................................................................... 7-2Washing ........................................................................\
......... 7-2
Soft top care and cleaning (Roadster models) ........... 7-3
Waxing ........................................................................\
........... 7-4
Removing spots ................................................................... 7-4
Underbody ........................................................................\
..... 7-4
Glass ........................................................................\
.............. 7-4
Wheels ........................................................................\
........... 7-4
Chrome parts ....................................................................... 7-5
Tire dressing ........................................................................\
. 7-5 Cleaning interior ....................................................................... 7-5
Air fresheners ..................................................................... 7-6
Floor mats ........................................................................\
... 7-6
Seat belts ........................................................................\
.... 7-7
Corrosion protection ................................................................ 7-8 Most common factors contributing to
vehicle corrosion ............................................................... 7-8
Environmental factors influence the rate
of corrosion ........................................................................\
7-8
To protect your vehicle from corrosion ....................... 7-8

7-2Appearance and care
In order to maintain the appearance of your
vehicle, it is important to take proper care of it.
To protect the paint surface, wash your vehicle
as soon as you can:
.after a rainfall to prevent possible damage
from acid rain
. after driving on coastal roads
. when contaminants such as soot, bird
droppings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs
get on the paint surface
. when dust or mud builds up on the surface
Whenever possible, store or park your vehicle
inside a garage or in a covered area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in a
shady area or protect the vehicle with a body
cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint surface
when putting on or removing the body
cover.WASHING
Wash dirt off the vehicle with a wet sponge and
plenty of water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly
using a mild soap, a special vehicle soap or
general purpose dishwashing liquid mixed with
clean, lukewarm (never hot) water.
CAUTION
. Do not use car washes that use acid
in the detergent. Some car washes,
especially brushless ones, use some
acid for cleaning. The acid may react
with some plastic vehicle compo-
nents, causing them to crack. This
could affect their appearance, and
also could cause them not to func-
tion properly. Always check with
your car wash to confirm that acid
is not used.
. Do not wash the vehicle with strong
household soap, strong chemical
detergents, gasoline or solvents.
. Do not wash the vehicle in direct
sunlight or while the vehicle body is
hot, as the surface may become
water-spotted. .
Avoid using tight-napped or rough
cloths, such as washing mitts. Care
must be taken when removing
caked-on dirt or other foreign sub-
stances so the paint surface is not
scratched or damaged.
. For Roadster models, observe the
following:
— Do not use an automatic car
wash or a high pressure car
wash. The soft top may be
damaged.
— Avoid applying direct water pressure, such as high pres-
sured water from household
hoses, on the lining of the soft
top and vehicle body. Avoid
applying continuous water on
the parts around the soft top
and the windows. These may
cause water to leak into the
inside of your vehicle.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of clean
water.
Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors,
hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable to
the effects of road salt. Therefore, these areas
CLEANING EXTERIOR