2013 NISSAN 370Z COUPE Owners Manual

Black plate (287,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving...
................................ 5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ...
...................................... 5-2
Three-way catalyst ...
.............................................................. 5-3
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ...
.................... 5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ...
......................................... 5-6
Off-road recovery ...
................................................................ 5-6
Rapid air pressure loss ...
...................................................... 5-6
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ...
................................. 5-7
Push-button ignition switch ...
.................................................... 5-8
Operating range for engine start function ...
.................... 5-8
Push-button ignition switch operation ...
........................... 5-9
Push-button ignition switch positions ...
............................ 5-9
Emergency engine shut off ...
............................................ 5-10
Intelligent Key battery discharge ...
.................................. 5-10
Before starting the engine ...
................................................... 5-11
Starting the engine ...
................................................................ 5-11
Driving the vehicle ...
................................................................. 5-12
Automatic transmission ...
................................................... 5-12
Manual Transmission ...
....................................................... 5-16
Parking brake ...
........................................................................\
.. 5-21
Cruise control ...
........................................................................\
. 5-21
Precautions on cruise control ...
....................................... 5-21
Cruise control operations ...
............................................... 5-22 Break-in schedule
...
................................................................. 5-23
Increasing fuel economy ...
...................................................... 5-23
Parking/parking on hills ...
........................................................ 5-24
Power steering ...
....................................................................... 5-25
Brake system ...
........................................................................\
.. 5-25
Braking precautions ...
...................................................... 5-25
Parking brake break-in ...
.................................................. 5-26
Brake assist ...
........................................................................\
.... 5-26
Brake assist ...
..................................................................... 5-26
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ...
............................... 5-26
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system ...
......................... 5-28
Performance dampers (NISMO models) ...
........................ 5-30
Cold weather driving ...
............................................................ 5-31
Freeing a frozen door lock ...
........................................... 5-31
Antifreeze ...
........................................................................\
. 5-31
Battery ...
........................................................................\
....... 5-31
Draining of coolant water ...
............................................. 5-31
Tire equipment ...
................................................................ 5-31
Special winter equipment ...
............................................ 5-31
Driving on snow or ice ...
................................................. 5-31
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ...
....................... 5-32

Black plate (288,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
5-2Starting and driving
GUID-EA56E4F3-2AF4-4B4E-A481-A0B10F2E6EFA
WARNING
.Do not leave children or adults who
would normally require the support
of others alone in your vehicle. Pets
should not be left alone either. They
could accidentally injure themselves
or others through inadvertent op-
eration 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.
. Properly secure all cargo to help
prevent it from sliding or shifting.
Do not place cargo higher than the
seatbacks. In a sudden stop or
collision, unsecured cargo could
cause personal injury (Coupe mod-
els) .
. Closely supervise children when
they are around cars to prevent
them from playing and becoming
locked in the trunk where they could
be seriously injured. Keep the car
locked with the trunk closed when
not in use, and prevent children’s access to car keys (Roadster mod-
els) .
If the engine oil temperature is high, the
engine protection mode, which helps re-
duce the chance of engine damage, could
activate and automatically decrease en-
gine power. Driving while the engine oil
temperature is high may result in engine
damage.
EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)GUID-AB282403-B1AB-4B2D-A4DD-CC6CC1B09781
WARNING
. Do not breathe exhaust gases; they
contain colorless and odorless car-
bon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is
dangerous. It can cause uncon-
sciousness or death.
. If you suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering the vehicle, drive with
all windows fully open, and have the
vehicle inspected immediately.
. Do not run the engine in closed
spaces such as a garage.
. Do not park the vehicle with the
engine running for any extended
length of time. .
Keep the rear hatch/trunk lid closed
while driving, otherwise exhaust
gases could be drawn into the
passenger compartment. If you
must drive with the rear hatch/trunk
lid open, follow these precautions:
1) Open all the windows.
2) Set the
air recirculation to
off and the fan control to high to
circulate the air.
. The exhaust system and body
should be inspected by a qualified
mechanic whenever:
— The vehicle is raised for service.
— You suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering into the passenger
compartment.
— You notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system.
— You have had an accident invol- ving damage to the exhaust
system, underbody, or rear of
the vehicle.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING
AND DRIVING

Black plate (289,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
THREE-WAY CATALYSTGUID-07EF42D4-F553-47CB-809D-5B30B134F1ADThe three-way catalyst is an emission control
device installed in the exhaust system. Exhaust
gases in the three-way catalyst are burned at
high temperatures to help reduce pollutants.
WARNING
.The exhaust gas and the exhaust
system are very hot. Keep people,
animals or flammable materials
away from the exhaust system com-
ponents.
. Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They
may ignite and cause a fire.
CAUTION
.Do not use leaded gasoline. Depos-
its from leaded gasoline seriously
reduce the three-way catalyst’s abil-
ity to help reduce exhaust pollu-
tants.
. Keep your engine tuned up. Mal-
functions in the ignition, fuel injec- tion, or electrical systems can cause
overrich fuel flow into the three-way
catalyst, causing it to overheat. Do
not keep driving if the engine mis-
fires, or if noticeable loss of perfor-
mance or other unusual operating
conditions are detected. Have the
vehicle inspected promptly by a
NISSAN dealer.
. Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, dama-
ging the three-way catalyst.
. Do not race the engine while warm-
ing it up.
. Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYS-
TEM (TPMS)
GUID-7AE8810F-2280-448B-AF3E-49929290313CEach tire, including the spare (if provided) ,
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the proper
tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
Starting and driving5-3

Black plate (290,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
5-4Starting and driving
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low
tire pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi-
mately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction indi-
cator is illuminated, the system may not be able
to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle
that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale
after replacing one or more tires or wheels on
your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to
continue to function properly.
Additional informationGUID-F08D0811-1070-4649-89CE-0F3AF1BDE3F8.The TPMS does not monitor the tire
pressure of the spare tire.
. The TPMS will activate only when the
vehicle is driven at speeds above 16 MPH
(25 km/h) . Also, this system may not detect
a sudden drop in tire pressure (for example a flat tire while driving) .
. The low tire pressure warning light does not
automatically turn off when the tire pressure
is adjusted. After the tire is inflated to the
recommended pressure, the vehicle must be
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h)
to activate the TPMS and turn off the low tire
pressure warning light. Use a tire pressure
gauge to check the tire pressure.
. The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning also
appears on the vehicle information display
when the low tire pressure warning light is
illuminated and low tire pressure is detected.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning
turns off when the low tire pressure warning
light turns off.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning
appears each time the ignition switch is
placed in the ON position as long as the low
tire pressure warning light remains illumi-
nated.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning
does not appear if the low tire pressure
warning light illuminates to indicate a TPMS
malfunction.
. Tire pressure rises and falls depending on
the heat caused by the vehicle’s operation
and the outside temperature. Low outside
temperature can lower the temperature of the air inside the tire which can cause a
lower tire inflation pressure. This may cause
the low tire pressure warning light to
illuminate. If the warning light illuminates in
low ambient temperature, check the tire
pressure for all four tires.
For additional information, see “Low tire pres-
sure warning light” (P.2-12) and “Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS)” (P.6-2) .
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

Black plate (291,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
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. (See
“Flat tire” (P.6-2) for changing a flat
tire.)
. 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-
els not equipped with the emer-
gency tire puncture repair kit) .
. If you used the Emergency Tire
Sealant to repair a minor tire punc- ture, your NISSAN dealer will also
need to replace the TPMS sensor in
addition to repairing or replacing
the tire (for models equipped with
the emergency tire puncture repair
kit) .
. NISSAN recommends using only
NISSAN Genuine Emergency Tire
Sealant provided with your vehicle.
Other tire sealants may damage the
valve stem seal which can cause the
tire to lose air pressure (for models
equipped with the emergency tire
puncture repair kit) .
CAUTION
.The TPMS may not function properly
when the wheels are equipped with
tire chains or the wheels are buried
in snow.
. Do not place metalized film or any
metal parts (antenna, etc.) on the
windows. This may cause poor re-
ception of the signals from the tire
pressure sensors, and the TPMS will
not function properly. Some devices and transmitters may temporarily
interfere with the operation of the TPMS and
cause the low tire pressure warning light to
illuminate. Some examples are:
.
Facilities or electric devices using similar
radio frequencies are near the vehicle.
. If a transmitter set to similar frequencies is
being used in or near the vehicle.
. If a computer (or similar equipment) or a DC/
AC converter is being used in or near the
vehicle.
FCC Notice:
For USA:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Note: Changes or modifications not ex-
pressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
Starting and driving5-5

Black plate (292,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
5-6Starting and driving
For Canada:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause interference,
and (2) this device must accept any inter-
ference, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND ROLL-
OVER
GUID-3F21C7A2-91A8-4204-B879-BDE591E05B21
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss
of control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey
all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive speed,
high speed cornering, or sudden steering
maneuvers, because these driving practices
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
As with any vehicle, a loss of control could
result in a collision with other vehicles or
objects, or cause the vehicle to rollover,
particularly if the loss of control causes the
vehicle to slide sideways. Be attentive at all
times, and avoid driving when tired. Never drive when under the influence of alcohol or drugs
(including prescription or over-the-counter
drugs which may cause drowsiness) . Always
wear your seat belt as outlined in the “Seat
belts” (P.1-9) of this manual, and also instruct
your passengers to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in
collisions and rollovers.
In a rollover crash, an
unbelted or improperly belted person is
significantly more likely to be injured or
killed than a person properly wearing a
seat belt.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERYGUID-41F5B5C7-4D6D-431D-814D-B8D3F4623DD7While driving, the right side or left side wheels
may unintentionally leave the road surface. If this
occurs, maintain control of the vehicle by
following the procedure below. Please note that
this procedure is only a general guide. The
vehicle must be driven as appropriate based on
the conditions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel
with both hands and try to hold a straight
course.
4. When appropriate, slowly release the accel- erator pedal to gradually slow the vehicle. 5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the
vehicle to follow the road while the vehicle
speed is reduced. Do not attempt to drive
the vehicle back onto the road surface until
vehicle speed is reduced.
6. When it is safe to do so, gradually turn the steering wheel until both tires return to the
road surface. When all tires are on the road
surface, steer the vehicle to stay in the
appropriate driving lane.
.If you decide that it is not safe to returnthe vehicle to the road surface based on
vehicle, road or traffic conditions, gradu-
ally slow the vehicle to a stop in a safe
place off the road.
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSSGUID-48C7ADB7-C2AF-4050-B27D-A84D74B19F28Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can
occur if the tire is punctured or is damaged due
to hitting a curb or pothole. Rapid air pressure
loss can also be caused by driving on under-
inflated tires.
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the handling
and stability of the vehicle, especially at highway
speeds.
Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by main-
taining the correct air pressure and visually
inspect the tires for wear and damage. See
“Wheels and tires” (P.8-31) of this manual.

Black plate (293,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
If a tire rapidly loses air pressure or “blows-out”
while driving maintain control of the vehicle by
following the procedure below. Please note that
this procedure is only a general guide. The
vehicle must be driven as appropriate based on
the conditions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
WARNING
The following actions can increase the
chance of losing control of the vehicle if
there is a sudden loss of tire air
pressure. Losing control of the vehicle
may cause a collision and result in
personal injury.
.The vehicle generally moves or pulls
in the direction of the flat tire.
. Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
. Do not rapidly release the accelera-
tor pedal.
. Do not rapidly turn the steering
wheel.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and try to hold a straight
course. 3. When appropriate, slowly release the accel-
erator pedal to gradually slow the vehicle.
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe location off the road and away from traffic if possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradually stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and either contact a roadside emergency service
to change the tire or see “Changing a flat
tire (for models with spare tire)” (P.6-3) of
this Owner’s Manual.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
GUID-55DF3C87-4166-48D8-85DF-991D54279090
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of
alcohol or drugs. Alcohol in the blood-
stream reduces coordination, delays
reaction time and impairs judgement.
Driving after drinking alcohol increases
the likelihood of being involved in an
accident injuring yourself and others.
Additionally, if you are injured in an
accident, alcohol can increase the se-
verity of the injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. However, you must choose not to drive under the influence
of alcohol. Every year thousands of people are
injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents.
Although the local laws vary on what is
considered to be legally intoxicated, the fact is
that alcohol affects all people differently and
most people underestimate the effects of
alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix! And
that is true for drugs, too (over-the-counter,
prescription, and illegal drugs) . Don’t drive if
your ability to operate your vehicle is impaired by
alcohol, drugs, or some other physical condition.
Starting and driving5-7

Black plate (294,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
5-8Starting and driving
GUID-48C15251-DE29-4EB1-B510-12D60FD674E2
WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except
in an emergency. (The engine will stop
when the ignition switch is pushed 3
consecutive times or the ignition switch
is pushed and held for more than 2
seconds.) If the engine stops while the
vehicle is being driven, this could lead
to a crash and serious injury.
Before operating the push-button ignition
switch, be sure to move the selector lever to
the P (Park) position (for automatic transmission
model) or the shift lever to the N (Neutral)
position (for manual transmission model) .
SSD0825
OPERATING RANGE FOR ENGINE
START FUNCTION
GUID-E3761290-3562-47BA-97AC-7FE5E35CBB7CThe Intelligent Key can only be used for starting
the engine when the Intelligent Key is within the
specified operating range
*1.
When the Intelligent Key battery is almost
discharged or strong radio waves are present
near the operating location, the Intelligent Key
system’s operating range becomes narrower
and may not function properly.
If the Intelligent Key is within the operating
range, it is possible for anyone, even someone
who does not carry the Intelligent Key, to push
the ignition switch to start the engine. .
The cargo/trunk room area is not included in
the operating range but the Intelligent Key
may function.
. If the Intelligent Key is placed on the
instrument panel, rear parcel shelf, inside
the glove box or door pocket, the Intelligent
Key may not function.
. If the Intelligent Key is placed near the door
or window outside the vehicle, the Intelligent
Key may function.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH