2012 NISSAN XTERRA engine

1Pull the hood lock release handle located
below the driver’s side instrument panel. The
hood will spring up slightly.
2Push the lever at the front of the hood to the
side as illustrated with your fingertips and
raise the hood.
3Insert the support rod into the slot on the
underside of the hood.
When closing the hood, return the hood rod to its
original position. Lower the hood approximately
12 in (30 cm) above the latch and release it. This
allows proper engagement of the hood latch.
WARNING
● Make sure the hood is completely
closed and latched before driving. Fail-
ure to do so could cause the hood to fly
open and result in an accident.
● If you see steam or smoke coming from
the engine compartment, to avoid injury
do not open the hood.
WARNING
● Always be sure the lift gate has been
closed securely to prevent it from open-
ing while driving.
● Do not drive with the lift gate open. This
could allow dangerous exhaust gases
to be drawn into the vehicle. See “Ex-
haust gas” in the “Starting and driving”
section of this manual.
● Make sure that all passengers have
their hands, etc., inside the vehicle be-
fore closing the lift gate.
LPD0302
HOOD LIFT GATE
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-9

The power door lock system allows you to lock or
unlock all doors including the lift gate simultane-
ously.
To open the lift gate, pull up on the handle.
To close, lower and push the lift gate down se-
curely.OPENING THE FUEL-FILLER LID
Pull the lid to open.
FUEL-FILLER CAP
WARNING
●Gasoline is extremely flammable and
highly explosive under certain condi-
tions. You could be burned or seriously
injured if it is misused or mishandled.
Always stop the engine and do not
smoke or allow open flames or sparks
near the vehicle when refueling. ●
Do not attempt to top off the fuel tank
after the fuel pump nozzle shuts off
automatically. Continued refueling may
cause fuel overflow, resulting in fuel
spray and possibly a fire.
● Use only an original equipment type
fuel-filler cap as a replacement. It has a
built-in safety valve needed for proper
operation of the fuel system and emis-
sion control system. An incorrect cap
can result in a serious malfunction and
possible injury. It could also cause
the
Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) to come on.
● Never pour fuel into the throttle body to
attempt to start your vehicle.
● Do not fill a portable fuel container in
the vehicle or trailer. Static electricity
can cause an explosion of flammable
liquid, vapor or gas in any vehicle or
trailer. To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death when filling portable fuel
containers:
– Always place the container on the ground when filling.
– Do not use electronic devices when filling.
LPD0322LPD0460
FUEL-FILLER DOOR
3-10Pre-driving checks and adjustments

Adjust air flow direction for the driver’s side vents
1, center vents2, and passenger’s side vents
3by moving the vent slide and/or vent assem-
blies.
WARNING
● The air conditioner cooling function op-
erates only when the engine is running.
● Do not leave children or adults who
would normally require the assistance
of others alone in your vehicle. Pets
should also not be left alone. They
could accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent operation of
the vehicle. Also, on hot, sunny days,
temperatures in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to cause
severe or possibly fatal injuries to
people or animals.
● Do not use the recirculation mode for
long periods as it may cause the interior
air to become stale and the windows to
fog up.
WHA1165
VENTS HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER
(manual) (Type A)
4-2Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems

OFF position (Indicator light off):
Outside air is drawn into the passenger compart-
ment and distributed through the selected outlet.
Use the off position for normal heater or air con-
ditioner operation.
Air conditioner button
Start the engine, turn the fan control dial to the
desired position and push the
button to
turn on the air conditioner. The indicator light
comes on when the air conditioner is operating.
To turn off the air conditioner, push the
button again.
The air conditioner cooling function oper-
ates only when the engine is running.
Rear window and outside mirror (if so
equipped) defroster switch
For more information about the rear window and
outside mirror (if so equipped) defroster switch,
see “Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch” in the “Instruments and controls” section
of this manual.
HEATER OPERATION
Heating
This mode is used to direct heated air to the foot
outlets. Some air also flows from the defrost
outlets.
1. Press the
button to the OFF position
for normal heating. The indicator light on
the
button will go off.
2. Press the
air flow control button.
3. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the de- sired position between the middle and the
hot position.
Ventilation
This mode directs outside air to the side and
center ventilators.
1. Press the
button to the OFF position.
The indicator light on the
button will
go off.
2. Press the
air flow control button.
3. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion. 4. Turn the temperature control dial to the de-
sired position.
Defrosting or defogging
This mode directs the air to the defrost outlets to
defrost/defog the windows.
1. Press the defrost/defog button
.
2. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion.
3. Turn the temperature control dial to the de- sired position between the middle and the
hot position.
● To quickly remove ice or fog from the win-
dows, turn the fan control dial to the highest
setting and the temperature control to the
full HOT position.
● When the
position is selected, the air
conditioner automatically turns on (the indi-
cator light on the
button will come on)
if the outside temperature is more than 36°F
(2°C) . This dehumidifies the air which helps
defog the windshield. The
mode au-
tomatically turns off, allowing outside air to
be drawn into the passenger compartment
to further improve the defogging perfor-
mance.
4-4Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems

Bi-level heating
The bi-level mode directs warmed air to the side
and center vents and to the front and rear floor
outlets.1. Press the
button to the OFF position.
The indicator light on the
button will
go off.
2. Press the
air flow control button.
3. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the de- sired position.
Heating and defogging
This mode heats the interior and defogs the wind-
shield.
1. Press the
air flow control button.
2. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion.
3. Turn the temperature control dial to the de- sired position between the middle and the
hot position. ●
When the
position is selected, the air
conditioner automatically turns on (however,
the indicator light on the
button will
not come on) if the outside temperature is
more than 36°F (2°C) . If the
air flow
control button is selected for more than one
minute, the air conditioning system will con-
tinue to operate until the fan control dial is
turned to OFF, the vehicle is shut off, or the
A/C button is used to turn off the compres-
sor even if the air flow control dial is turned to
a position other than the
position.
This dehumidifies the air which helps defog
the windshield. The
mode automati-
cally turns off, allowing outside air to be
drawn into the passenger compartment to
further improve the defogging performance.
Operating tips
Clear snow and ice from the wiper blades
and air inlet in front of the windshield. This
improves heater operation.
AIR CONDITIONER OPERATION
Start the engine, turn the fan control dial to the
desired position, and push in the
button to
activate the air conditioner. When the air condi-
tioner is on, cooling and dehumidifying functions
are added to the heater operation. The air conditioner cooling function oper-
ates only when the engine is running.
Cooling
This mode is used to cool and dehumidify the air.
1. Press the
button to the OFF position.
2. Press the
air flow control button.
3. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion.
4. Press the
button. The indicator light
on the
button will come on.
5. Turn the temperature control dial to the de- sired position.
● For quick cooling when the outside tem-
perature is high, push the
button to
the ON position. The indicator light on
the
button will come on. Be sure to
return the
to the OFF position for nor-
mal cooling. The indicator light on the
button will go off. You may also select MAX
A/C for quick cooling.
Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems4-5

Dehumidified defogging
This mode is used to defog the windows and
dehumidify the air.1. Press the
air flow control button.
2. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion.
3. Press the
button. The indicator light
comes on.
When the
orpositions are se-
lected, the air conditioner automatically turns on
(however, the indicator light will not illuminate) if
the outside temperature is more than 36°F (2°C) .
If one of these air flow control buttons is selected
for more than one minute, the air conditioning
system will continue to operate until the fan con-
trol dial is turned to OFF, the air conditioner is
turned OFF, or the vehicle is shut off, even if a
position other than these positions is selected.
This dehumidifies the air which helps defog the
windshield. The
mode automatically turns
off, allowing outside air to be drawn into the
passenger compartment to further improve the
defogging performance.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the de- sired position.
Operating tips
●Keep the windows closed while the air con-
ditioner is in operation.
● After parking in the sun, drive for 2 or 3
minutes with the windows open to vent hot
air from the passenger compartment. Then,
close the windows. This allows the air con-
ditioner to cool the interior more quickly.
● The air conditioning system should be
operated for approximately 10 minutes
at least once a month. This helps pre-
vent damage to the system due to lack
of lubrication.
● A visible mist may be seen coming from the
ventilators in hot, humid conditions as the air
is cooled rapidly. This does not indicate a
malfunction.
● If the engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates engine coolant tem-
perature over the normal range, turn
the air conditioner off. See “If your
vehicle overheats” in the “In case of
emergency” section of this manual.
AIR FLOW CHARTS
The following charts show the button and dial
positions for MAXIMUM AND QUICK heating,
cooling or defrosting. For additional information
on heating and cooling, see “Heater and air con-
ditioner (manual)” in this section. The air recir-
culation (
) button should always be in
the OFF position for heating and defrost-
ing.
4-6Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems

WARNING
●The air conditioner cooling function op-
erates only when the engine is running.
● Do not leave children or adults who
would normally require the assistance
of others alone in your vehicle. Pets
should also not be left alone. They
could accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent operation of
the vehicle. Also, on hot, sunny days,
temperatures in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to cause
severe or possibly fatal injuries to
people or animals.
● Do not use the recirculation mode for
long periods as it may cause the interior
air to become stale and the windows to
fog up.
1. Fan control dial
2. Temperature control dial
3. Air flow control dial
4. Air conditioner button
5. Rear window defroster button
6. Air recirculation button
CONTROLS
Fan control dial
The fan control dial turns the fan on and off, and
controls fan speed.
Air flow control dial
The air flow control dial allows you to select the
air flow outlets.
MAX
A/C — Air flows from center and side vents
with maximum cooling.
— Air flows from center and sidevents.
— Air flows from center and side ventsand foot outlets.
— Air flows mainly from foot outlets.
— Air flows from defroster outlets andfoot outlets.
Type B
LHA0489
HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER
(manual) (Type B)
4-10Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems

— Air flows mainly from defrosteroutlets.
● When the,orposition is
selected, the air recirculation
mode
cannot be turned on. This prevents the win-
dows from fogging.
Temperature control dial
The temperature control dial allows you to adjust
the temperature of the outlet air. To lower the
temperature, turn the dial to the left. To increase
the temperature, turn the dial to the right.
Air recirculation button
ON position (Indicator light on):
Interior air is recirculated inside the vehicle.
Press the
button to the on position when:
● driving on a dusty road.
● to prevent traffic fumes from entering pas-
senger compartment.
● for maximum cooling when using the air con-
ditioner.
OFF position (Indicator light off):
Outside air is drawn into the passenger compart-
ment and distributed through the selected outlet. Use the off position for normal heater or air con-
ditioner operation.
Air conditioner button
Start the engine, turn the fan control dial to the
desired (1 to 4) position and push the
button to turn on the air conditioner. The indicator
light on the
button will come on. Push
the
button again to turn off the air condi-
tioner. The indicator light on the
button will
go off.
The air conditioner cooling function oper-
ates only when the engine is running.
Rear window defroster switch
For more information about the rear window de-
froster switch, see “Rear window and outside
mirror defroster switch” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual.
HEATER OPERATION
Heating
This mode is used to direct heated air to the foot
outlets. Some air also flows from the defrost
outlets. 1. Push the
button to the OFF position
for normal heating. The indicator light on
the
button will go off.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the de- sired position between the middle and the
hot position.
Ventilation
This mode directs outside air to the side and
center vent.
1. Push the
button to the OFF position.
The indicator light on the
button will
go off.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the fan control dial to the desired posi- tion.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the de- sired position.
Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems4-11