2012 NISSAN FRONTIER engine

CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The engine
oil may be hot.6. Wipe the engine oil filter sealing surface with a clean rag.
CAUTION
Be sure to remove any old gasket material
remaining on the sealing surface of the
engine. Failure to do so could lead to
engine damage. 7. Coat the gasket on the new filter with clean
engine oil.
8. Screw on the oil filter until a slight resistance is felt, then tighten an additional 2/3 turn.
9. Start the engine and check for leakage around the oil filter. Correct as required.
10. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level. Add engine oil if
necessary. When checking or replacement is required, we
recommend your NISSAN dealer for servicing.
CAUTION
●
Use Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF. If
Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF is not
available, Genuine NISSAN Matic J ATF
may also be used.
● Using automatic transmission fluid
other than Genuine NISSAN Matic S
ATF or Matic J ATF will cause deteriora-
tion in driveability and automatic trans-
mission durability, and may damage the
automatic transmission, which is not
covered by the NISSAN new vehicle lim-
ited warranty.
The specified automatic transmission fluid is also
described on caution labels located in the engine
compartment.
QR25DE
WDI0503
5-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION FLUID (if so
equipped)
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-13

CLUTCH FLUID (if so equipped)
Check the clutch fluid level in the reservoir
(manual transmissions only) . If the fluid level is
below the MIN line, add Genuine NISSAN Super
Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or equivalentDOT 3fluid
up to the MAX line. If fluid must be added fre-
quently, the system should be checked by a
NISSAN dealer.
For further brake and clutch fluid specification
information, refer to “Capacities and recom-
mended fuel/lubricants” in the “Technical and
consumer information” section of this manual.
WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
RESERVOIR
Fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir periodi-
cally. Add windshield-washer fluid when the low
windshield-washer fluid warning light (if so
equipped) comes on.
To fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir, lift
the cap off the reservoir and pour the windshield-
washer fluid into the reservoir opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a windshield
washer antifreeze. Follow the manufacturer’s in-
structions for the mixture ratio. Refill the reservoir more frequently when driving
conditions require an increased amount of
windshield-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 windshield-washer solution.
This may result in damage to the paint.
● Do not fill the windshield-washer reser-
voir with washer fluid concentrates at
full strength. Some methyl alcohol
based washer fluid concentrates may
permanently stain the grille if spilled
while filling the windshield-washer
reservoir.
● Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates with
water to the manufacturer’s recom-
mended levels before pouring the fluid
into the windshield-washer reservoir.
Do not use the windshield-washer res-
ervoir to mix the washer fluid concen-
trate and water.
LDI0463LDI0441
WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-15

2. Check the fluid level in each cell. If it isnecessary to add fluid, add only distilled
water to bring the level up to the bottom of
the filler opening. Do not overfill.Reinstall
the vent caps. Vehicles operated in high temperatures or under
severe conditions require frequent checks of the
battery fluid level.
JUMP STARTING
If jump starting is necessary, see “Jump starting”
in the “In case of emergency” section of this
manual. If the engine does not start by jump
starting, the battery may have to be replaced.
Contact a NISSAN dealer.
CAUTION
●
Do not ground accessories directly to
the battery terminal. Doing so will by-
pass the variable voltage control sys-
tem and the vehicle battery may not
charge completely.
● Use electrical accessories with the en-
gine running to avoid discharging the
vehicle battery.
WDI0529
LDI0454
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
SYSTEM
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-17

Your vehicle is equipped with a variable voltage
control system. This system measures the
amount of electrical discharge from the battery
and controls voltage generated by the generator.
The current sensor
Ais located near the battery
along the negative battery cable. If you add elec-
trical accessories to your vehicle, be sure to
ground them to a suitable body ground such as
the frame or engine block area.
1. Power steering fluid pump
2. Automatic belt tensioner
3. Cooling fan
4. Air conditioner compressor
5. Crankshaft pulley
6. Generator
WARNING
Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or
LOCK position before servicing drive belt.
The engine could rotate unexpectedly. 1. Visually inspect the belt for signs of unusual
wear, cuts, fraying or looseness. If the belt is
in poor condition or is loose, have it replaced
or adjusted by a NISSAN dealer.
2. Have the belt checked regularly for condi- tion and tension in accordance with the
maintenance schedule found in the
“NISSAN Service and Maintenance Guide”.
VQ40DE
WDI0639
DRIVE BELT
8-18Maintenance and do-it-yourself

1. Power steering fluid pump
2. Water pump
3. Air conditioner compressor (if soequipped)
4. Crankshaft pulley
5. GeneratorREPLACING SPARK PLUGS
Platinum-tipped spark plugs
It is not necessary to replace platinum-tippedA
spark plugs as frequently as conventional type
spark plugs because they last much longer. Fol-
low the maintenance log shown in the “NISSAN
Service and Maintenance Guide”. Do not service
platinum-tipped spark plugs by cleaning or re-
gapping.
● Always replace spark plugs with rec-
ommended or equivalent ones.
WARNING
Be sure the engine and ignition switch are
off and that the parking brake is engaged
securely.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to re-
move the spark plugs. An incorrect socket
can damage the spark plugs.
QR25DE
LDI0461SDI1895
SPARK PLUGS
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-19

The air cleaner filter should not be cleaned and
reused. Replace it according to the maintenance
log shown in the “NISSAN Service and Mainte-
nance Guide.” When replacing the filter, wipe the
inside of the air cleaner filter housing and the
cover with a damp cloth.
To remove the VQ40DE air cleaner filter:
1Push down on the clips and remove the air
cleaner cover. Remove the air cleaner filter. To remove the QR25DE air cleaner filter:
1. Unlatch the clips
A,B,C.
2. Push down half of air cleaner to clear the bottom retainers.
3. Lift up on half of air cleaner to remove the air cleaner filter
WARNING
●Operating the engine with the air
cleaner removed can cause you or oth-
ers to be burned. The air cleaner not
only cleans the air, it stops the flame if
the engine backfires. If it isn’t there, and
the engine backfires, you could be
burned. Do not drive with the air cleaner
removed, and be careful when working
on the engine with the air cleaner
removed.
● Never pour fuel into the throttle body or
attempt to start the engine with the air
cleaner removed. Doing so could result
in serious injury.
IN-CABIN MICROFILTER (if so
equipped)
The in-cabin microfilter restricts the entry of air-
borne dust and pollen particles and reduces
some objectionable outside odors. The filter is
located behind the glove box. Refer to the
“NISSAN Service and Maintenance Guide” for
change intervals.
To replace the filter, perform the following proce-
dure:
VQ40DE
WDI0686
QR25DE
LDI0465
AIR CLEANER
8-20Maintenance and do-it-yourself

Two types of fuses are used. TypeAis used in
the fuse boxes in the engine compartment. Type
Bis used in the passenger compartment fuse
box.
Type A fuses are provided as spare fuses. They
are stored in the passenger compartment fuse
box.
Type A fuses can be installed in the engine com-
partment and passenger compartment fuse
boxes. If a type A fuse is used to replace a type B fuse,
the type A fuse will not be level with the fuse
pocket as shown in the illustration. This will not
affect the performance of the fuse. Make sure the
fuse is installed in the fuse box securely.
Type B fuses cannot be installed in the under-
hood fuse boxes. Only use type A fuses in the
underhood fuse boxes.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
CAUTION
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than specified on the
fuse box cover. This could damage the
electrical system or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not come on,
check for an open fuse. 1. Be sure the ignition switch and the headlight switch are OFF.
2. Open the engine hood.
LDI0455LDI0457LDI0444
FUSES
8-24Maintenance and do-it-yourself

FCC Notice:
For USA:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions: (1) This device may
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation. Note: Changes
or modifications not expressly approved by
the party responsible for compliance could
void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
For Canada:
This device complies with RSS-210 of In-
dustry Canada. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) this device
may not cause interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference, in-
cluding interference that may cause unde-
sired operation of the device.HEADLIGHTS
The headlight is a semi-sealed beam type which
uses a replaceable headlight (halogen) bulb. A
bulb can be replaced from inside the engine
compartment without removing the headlight as-
sembly.
CAUTION
●High pressure halogen gas is sealed
inside the halogen bulb. The bulb may
break if the glass envelope is scratched
or the bulb is dropped.
● When handling the bulb, do not touch
the glass envelope.
● DO NOT TOUCH THE BULB WITH BARE
HANDS.
● Use the same number and wattage as
shown in the chart.
● Do not leave the bulb out of the head-
light reflector for a long period of time
as dust, moisture and smoke may enter
the headlight body and affect the per-
formance of the headlight.
● Aiming is not necessary after replacing
the bulb. When aiming adjustment is
necessary, contact a NISSAN dealer. Fog may temporarily form inside the lens of the
exterior lights in the rain or in a car wash. A
temperature difference between the inside and
the outside of the lens causes the fog. This is not
a malfunction. If large drops of water collect
inside the lens, contact a NISSAN dealer.
LIGHTS
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-29