2012 NISSAN 370Z COUPE steering

5-28Starting and driving
The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system
uses various sensors to monitor driver inputs
and vehicle motion. Under certain driving con-
ditions, the VDC system helps to perform the
following functions.
.Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel
slip on one slipping drive wheel so power is
transferred to a non slipping drive wheel on
the same axle.
. Controls brake pressure and engine output
to reduce drive wheel slip based on vehicle
speed (traction control function) .
. Controls brake pressure at individual wheels
and engine output to help the driver maintain
control of the vehicle in the following
conditions:
— understeer (vehicle tends to not follow
the steered path despite increased
steering input)
— oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving conditions) .
The VDC system can help the driver to maintain
control of the vehicle, but it cannot prevent loss
of vehicle control in all driving situations.
When the VDC system operates, the VDC
warning light
in the instrument panel flashes
so note the following:
. The road may be slippery or the system may
determine some action is required to help keep the vehicle on the steered path.
. You may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal
and hear a noise or vibration from under the
hood. This is normal and indicates that the
VDC system is working properly.
. Adjust your speed and driving to the road
conditions.
See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warning
light” (P.2-14).
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the VDC
warning light
illuminates in the instrument
panel. The VDC system automatically turns off.
The VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the VDC
system. The VDC off indicator
illuminates to
indicate the VDC system is off. When the VDC
switch is used to turn off the system, the VDC
system still operates to prevent one drive wheel
from slipping by transferring power to a non
slipping drive wheel. The VDC warning light
flashes if this occurs. All other VDC functions
are off, and the VDC warning light
will not
flash. The VDC system is automatically reset to
on when the ignition switch is placed in the off
position then back to the on position.
See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warning
light” (P.2-14) and “Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) off indicator light” (P.2-16).
The computer has a built-in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you start the engine and move the vehicle forward or in
reverse at a slow speed. When the self-test
occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise and/or feel
a pulsation in the brake pedal. This is normal and
is not an indication of a malfunction.
WARNING
.
The VDC system is designed to help
the driver maintain stability but
does not prevent accidents due to
abrupt steering operation at high
speeds or by careless or dangerous
driving techniques. Reduce vehicle
speed and be especially careful
when driving and cornering on slip-
pery surfaces and always drive care-
fully.
. Do not modify the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs,
stabilizer bars, bushings and
wheels are not NISSAN recom-
mended for your vehicle or are
extremely deteriorated, the VDC
system may not operate properly.
This could adversely affect vehicle
handling performance, and the VDC
warning light
may illuminate.
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM

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.

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

6-10In case of emergency
ging a flat tire (for models with spare tire)”
(P.6-3) for usage of jacking tools and tire
replacement.
Before using emergency tire puncture
repair kit
.If any foreign object (for example, a screw or
nail) is embedded in the tire, do not remove
it.
. Check the expiration date of the sealant
(shown on the label attached to the bottle) .
Never use a sealant whose expiration date
has passed.
Repairing tire
WARNING
Observe the following precautions
when using the tire repair compound.
.Swallowing the compound is dan-
gerous. Immediately drink as much
water as possible and seek prompt
medical assistance.
. Rinse well with lots of water if the
compound comes into contact with
skin or eyes. If irritation persists,
seek prompt medical attention. .
Keep the repair compound out of
the reach of children.
. The emergency repair compound
may cause a malfunction of the tire
pressure sensors and cause the low
tire pressure warning light to illumi-
nate. Have the tire pressure sensor
replaced as soon as possible.
NOTE:
Do not remove any nails or screws that
have penetrated the tire when performing
repairs.
SCE0867
1. Open the lid of the air compressor and take out the speed restriction sticker, then put it
in a location where the driver can see it while
driving.
CAUTION
Do not put the speed restriction label
on the steering wheel pad, the speed-
ometer or the warning light locations.

6-18In case of emergency
When towing your vehicle, all State (Provincial in
Canada) and local regulations for towing must
be followed. Incorrect towing equipment could
damage your vehicle. Towing instructions are
available from a NISSAN dealer. Local service
operators are familiar with the applicable laws
and procedures for towing. To assure proper
towing and to prevent accidental damage to
your vehicle, NISSAN recommends that you
have a service operator tow your vehicle. It is
advisable to have the service operator carefully
read the following precautions.
WARNING
.Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
. Never get under your vehicle after it
has been lifted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
.When towing, make sure that the
transmission, axles, steering system
and drivetrain are in working condi-
tion. If any unit is damaged, dollies
must be used. .
Always attach safety chains before
towing.
For information about towing your vehicle behind
a recreational vehicle (RV), see “Flat towing”
(P.9-20) of this manual.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE

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

6-22In 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.

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