7The word “radial”
The word “radial” is shown if the tire has
radial structure.
8Manufacturer or brand name
Manufacturer or brand name is shown.
Other Tire-related Terminology
In addition to the many terms that are
defined throughout this section, Intended
Outboard Sidewall is (1) the sidewall that
contains a whitewall, bears white lettering
or bears manufacturer, brand, and/or
model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same molding on the
other sidewall of the tire, or (2) the out-
ward facing sidewall of an asymmetrical
tire that has a particular side that must
always face outward when mounted on a
vehicle.
TYPES OF TIRES
WARNING
● When changing or replacing tires, be
sure all four tires are of the same type
(i.e., Summer, All Season or Snow) and
construction. A NISSAN dealer may be
able to help you with information about
tire type, size, speed rating and
availability.
● Replacement tires may have a lower
speed rating than the factory equipped
tires, and may not match the potential
maximum vehicle speed. Never exceed
the maximum speed rating of the tire.
● Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by NISSAN could affect the
proper operation of the low tire pres-
sure warning system.
● For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety In-
formation” (US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet.
All season tires
NISSAN specifies All Season tires on some mod-
els to provide good performance all year, includ- ing snowy and icy road conditions. All Season
tires are identified by ALL SEASON and/or M&S
on the tire sidewall. Snow tires have better snow
traction than All Season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
NISSAN specifies summer tires on some models
to provide superior performance on dry roads.
Summer tire performance is substantially re-
duced in snow and ice. Summer tires do not have
the tire traction rating “M&S” on the tire sidewall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in snowy or icy
conditions, NISSAN recommends the use of
SNOW tires or ALL SEASON tires on all four
wheels.
Snow tires
If snow tires are needed, it is necessary to select
tires equivalent in size and load rating to the
original equipment tires. If you do not, it can
adversely affect the safety and handling of your
vehicle.
Generally, snow tires have lower speed ratings
than factory equipped tires and may not match
the potential maximum vehicle speed. Never ex-
ceed the maximum speed rating of the tire.
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ProCarManuals.com
Wheel nut tightening torque:98 ft-lb (133 N·m)
The wheel nuts must be kept tight-
ened to specifications at all times. It
is recommended that wheel nuts be
tightened to specification at each
tire rotation interval.
WARNING
● After rotating the tires, check and
adjust the tire pressure.
● Retighten the wheel nuts when
the vehicle has been driven for
600 miles (1,000 km) (also in
cases of a flat tire, etc.) .
● Do not include the spare tire in
the tire rotation.
● For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Important
Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information”
(Canada) in the Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet.
1. Wear indicator
2. Location mark
Tire wear and damage
WARNING
● Tires should be periodically in-
spected for wear, cracking, bulg-
ing or objects caught in the tread.
If excessive wear, cracks, bulging
or deep cuts are found, the tire(s)
should be replaced. ●
The original tires have built-in
tread wear indicators. When the
wear indicators are visible, the
tire(s) should be replaced.
● Tires degrade with age and use.
Have tires, including the spare,
over 6 years old checked by a
qualified technician because
some tire damage may not be ob-
vious. Replace the tires as neces-
sary to prevent tire failure and
possible personal injury.
● Improper service of the spare tire
may result in serious personal in-
jury. If it is necessary to repair the
spare tire, contact a NISSAN
dealer.
● For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Important
Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information”
(Canada) in the Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet.
WDI0259
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-41
ProCarManuals.com
Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size, tread
design, speed rating and load carrying capacity
as originally equipped. Recommended types and
sizes are shown in “Wheels and tires” in the
“Technical and consumer information” section of
this manual.
WARNING
●The use of tires other than those recom-
mended or the mixed use of tires of
different brands, construction (bias,
bias-belted or radial) , or tread patterns
can adversely affect the ride, braking,
handling, VDC system, ground clear-
ance, body-to-tire clearance, tire chain
clearance, speedometer calibration,
headlight aim and bumper height.
Some of these effects may lead to acci-
dents and could result in serious per-
sonal injury.
● If your vehicle was originally equipped
with 4 tires that were the same size and
you are only replacing 2 of the 4 tires,
install the new tires on the rear axle.
Placing new tires on the front axle may
cause loss of vehicle control in some
driving conditions and cause an acci-
dent and personal injury. ●
If the wheels are changed for any rea-
son, always replace with wheels which
have the same off-set dimension.
Wheels of a different off-set could
cause premature tire wear, degrade ve-
hicle handling characteristics, affect
the VDC system and/or interference
with the brake discs. Such interference
can lead to decreased braking effi-
ciency and/or early brake pad wear. Re-
fer to “Wheels and tires” in the “Techni-
cal and consumer information” section
of this manual for wheel off-set
dimensions.
● When a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, tire pressure will not be
indicated, the TPMS will not function
and the low tire pressure warning light
will flash for approximately 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 originally
specified by NISSAN could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS. ●
Do not install a damaged or deformed
wheel or tire even if it has been re-
paired. Such wheels or tires could have
structural damage and could fail with-
out warning.
● The use of retread tires is not
recommended.
● For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety In-
formation” (US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet.
Four-wheel drive models
CAUTION
Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or
radial) , and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Failure to do so may result in a
circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and may dam-
age the transmission, transfer case and
differential gears.
8-42Maintenance and do-it-yourself
ProCarManuals.com
General information
This information is for Flexible Fuel vehicles (FFV)
only. FFV vehicles can be identified by the fuel
filler door label that states Ethanol (E-85) or
Unleaded Gasoline Only. This section only cov-
ers those subjects that are unique to Flexible Fuel
vehicles.
CAUTION
Only vehicles with the E-85 filler door label
can operate on E-85. Fuel system or other
damage can occur if E-85 is used in vehicles
that are not designed to run on E-85.
Ethanol Fuel (E-85)
E-85 is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel etha-
nol and 15% unleaded gasoline.
WARNING
●Ethanol vapors are extremely flam-
mable and could cause serious per-
sonal injury.
● Never have any smoking materials lit in
or near the vehicle when removing the
fuel filler cap or filling the tank.
● Do not use E-85 as a cleaning agent and
never use it near an open flame. Fuel requirements
Your vehicle will operate on both unleaded regular
gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 AKI
(Anti-Knock Index) number (Research octane num-
ber 91) , or E-85 fuel, or any mixture of these two.
For the best starting and vehicle driveability re-
sults, do not continually switch between E-85
and unleaded regular gasoline. If you must switch
fuels, NISSAN recommends the following:
● do not switch when the fuel gauge indicates
less than 1/4 full
● add more than 5 gallons of fuel
● operate the vehicle immediately after refuel-
ing for a period of at least 5 minutes
NOTE:
When the ambient temperature is above
90°F (32°C) , you may experience hard start-
ing and rough idle following start up even if
the above recommendations are followed.
Starting
The characteristics of E-85 fuel make it unsuit-
able for use when ambient temperatures fall be-
low 0°F (-18°C) . In the range of 0°F (-18°C) to
32°F (0°C) , you may experience an increase in
the time it takes for you engine to start, and a
deterioration in drivability (sags and/or hesita-
tions) until the engine is fully warmed up. Fuel consumption
Because E-85 fuel contains less energy per gal-
lon than gasoline, you will experience an increase
in fuel consumption. You can expect your fuel
mileage to decrease by about 30% compared to
gasoline operation.
Replacement parts
Many components in your Flexible Fuel Vehicle
(FFV) are designed to be compatible with etha-
nol. Always be sure that your vehicle is serviced
with correct ethanol compatible parts.
CAUTION
Replacing fuel system components with
non-ethanol compatible components can
damage your vehicle and may also affect
the warranty coverage.
Maintenance
If you operate your vehicle using E-85 fuel, follow
the correct maintenance log shown in the
“NISSAN Service and Maintenance Guide”.
CAUTION
Do not use ethanol mixture greater than
85% in your vehicle. It will cause difficulty
in cold starting and may affect drivability.
Technical and consumer information9-5
ProCarManuals.com
WARNING
● It is extremely dangerous to ride
in a cargo area inside a vehicle. In
a collision, people riding in these
areas are more likely to be seri-
ously injured or killed.
● Do not allow people to ride in any
area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and seat
belts.
● Be sure everyone in your vehicle
is in a seat and using a seat belt
properly.
TERMS
It is important to familiarize yourself with
the following terms before loading your
vehicle:
● Curb Weight (actual weight of your
vehicle) - vehicle weight including:
standard and optional equipment, flu-
ids, emergency tools, and spare tire
assembly. This weight does notin-
clude passengers and cargo. ●
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) - curb
weight plus the combined weight of
passengers and cargo.
● GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
ing) - maximum total combined
weight of the unloaded vehicle, pas-
sengers, luggage, hitch, trailer
tongue load and any other optional
equipment. This information is lo-
cated on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S.
certification label.
● GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) -
maximum weight (load) limit specified
for the front or rear axle. This informa-
tion is located on the
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification
label.
● GCWR (Gross Combined Weight
rating) - The maximum total weight
rating of the vehicle, passengers,
cargo, and trailer. ●
Vehicle Capacity Weight, Load limit,
Total load capacity - maximum total
weight limit specified of the load
(passengers and cargo) for the ve-
hicle. This is the maximum combined
weight of occupants and cargo that
can be loaded into the vehicle. If the
vehicle is used to tow a trailer, the
trailer tongue weight must be in-
cluded as part of the cargo load. This
information is located on the Tire and
Loading Information label.
● Cargo capacity - permissible weight
of cargo, the subtracted weight of
occupants from the load limit.VEHICLE LOAD CAPACITY
Before driving a loaded vehicle, confirm
that you do not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) or the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for your vehicle.
Both the GVWR and GAWR are located
on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification
label. See “Measurement of weights” later
in this section.
VEHICLE LOADING INFORMATION
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ProCarManuals.com
WARNING
●Properly secure all cargo with ropes or
straps to help prevent it from sliding or
shifting. Do not place cargo higher than
the seatbacks. In a sudden stop or col-
lision, unsecured cargo could cause
personal injury.
● Do not load your vehicle any heavier
than the GVWR or the maximum front
and rear GAWRs. If you do, parts of your
vehicle can break, tire damage could
occur, or it can change the way your
vehicle handles. This could result in
loss of control and cause personal
injury.
1. Side channels
2. Header channel
3. Channel sections
4. Floor channels
UTILI-TRACK™ CHANNEL SYSTEM
(if so equipped)
WARNING
● Properly install and tighten the tie-
down cleats into the Utili-track™ chan-
nel system. Also, do not attach any rope
or straps directly to the channel. Failure
to properly install the tie-down cleats or
attaching ropes or straps directly to the
channel can cause the cargo to become
unsecured. In a sudden stop or colli-
sion, unsecured cargo could cause per-
sonal injury.
● Properly secure all cargo with ropes or
straps to help prevent it from sliding or
shifting. In a sudden stop or collision,
unsecured cargo could cause personal
injury.
The Utili-track™ channel system allows you to
move tie-down clamps in the bed to the best
location to secure a load.
The tie-down cleats must be installed so the
clamp is properly seated in the notches in the rail.
If the tie-down cleat is not seated in the notches,
it will not be flush with the rail and cannot be
properly tightened. The bolt in the center of the
cleat must be tightened hand tight (20 – 40 inch
pounds)
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9-16Technical and consumer information
ProCarManuals.com
WARNING
Do not install accessories over the gap
between the front and rear side channels.
Doing this could affect the rear structure
in certain rear impacts, which could result
in serious injury.
CAUTION
Properly secure all cargo with ropes or
straps to prevent it from sliding or shifting.
Use the channel end stoppers to help se-
cure items in the channels from sliding off
the end of the truck bed.
Channel end stoppers
The channel end stoppers should be used to help
prevent accessories installed in the channels
from sliding or shifting off the end of the truck
bed.
They must be installed so they are properly
seated in the detents in the channel.
1 correct installation, 2 incorrect installation
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9-20Technical and consumer information
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Install the channels end stoppers as follows:1. Remove the channel protectors by sliding them out the back of the truck bed. Properly
store the channel protectors.
2. Loosen the bolt on the center of the end stopper with the provided wrench and insert
it into the channel.
3. Position the end stopper to the desired lo- cation on the channel so the nubs on the
bottom of the end stopper fully seat into the
channel detents.
4. Tighten the bolt on the center of the end stopper with the provided wrench.
LOADING TIPS
●The GVW must not exceed GVWR
or GAWR as specified on the
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification
label.
● Do not load the front and rear axle to
the GAWR. Doing so will exceed the
GVWR.
WARNING
● Properly secure all cargo with
ropes or straps to help prevent it
from sliding or shifting. Do not
place cargo higher than the seat-
backs. In a sudden stop or colli-
sion, unsecured cargo could
cause personal injury.
● Do not load your vehicle any
heavier than the GVWR or the
maximum front and rear GAWRs.
If you do, parts of your vehicle
can break, tire damage could oc-
cur, or it can change the way your
vehicle handles. This could result
in loss of control and cause per-
sonal injury. ●
Overloading not only can shorten
the life of your vehicle and the
tire, but can also cause unsafe
vehicle handling and longer brak-
ing distances. This may cause a
premature tire failure which
could result in a serious accident
and personal injury. Failures
caused by overloading are not
covered by the vehicle’s
warranty.
Technical and consumer information9-21
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