2013 NISSAN XTERRA Owners Manual

WARNING
Always follow the instructions below.
Failure to do so could result in damage to
the charging system and cause personal
injury.1. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, position the two vehicles to bring their bat-
teries near each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch. 2. Apply the parking brake. Move the shift se-
lector to N (Neutral) (manual transmission)
or to P (Park) (automatic transmission) .
Switch off all unnecessary electrical sys-
tems (lights, heater, air conditioner, etc.) .
3. Remove vent caps on the battery (if so equipped) . Cover the battery with an old
cloth to reduce explosion hazard.
4. Connect jumper cables in the sequence il- lustrated (
A,B,C,D).
CAUTION
●Always connect positive () to positive
() and negative () to body ground (for
example, strut mounting bolt, engine
lift bracket, etc.) — not to the battery.
● Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster ve- hicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start the en-
gine of the vehicle being jump started.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does
not start right away, turn the key off and
wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully discon- nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable.
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped) . Be sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.
WCE0066
6-10In case of emergency

CAUTION
●Do not push start this vehicle. The
three-way catalyst may be damaged.
● Automatic transmission models cannot
be push-started or tow-started. At-
tempting to do so may cause transmis-
sion damage.
● For manual transmission models, never
try to start the vehicle by towing it.
When the engine starts, the forward
surge could cause the vehicle to collide
with the tow vehicle.
WARNING
●Do not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause engine
damage or a vehicle fire.
● To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while the
engine is still hot. When the radiator
cap is removed, pressurized hot water
will spurt out, possibly causing serious
injury.
● Do not open the hood if steam is com-
ing out.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading) , or if
you feel a lack of engine power, detect abnormal
noise, etc. take the following steps. 1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply the parking brake and move the shift selector
to N (Neutral) (manual transmission) or to P
(Park) (automatic transmission) .
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the windows, move the heater or air conditioner
temperature control to maximum hot and fan
control to high speed. 3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. (If steam or cool-
ant is escaping, turn off the engine.) Do not
open the hood further until no steam or
coolant can be seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the en-
gine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5. Visually check drive belts for damage or looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leaking,
the water pump belt is missing or loose, or
the cooling fan does not run, stop the en-
gine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or the
engine cooling fan. The engine cooling
fan can start at any time.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-11

6. After the engine cools down, check the cool-ant level in the engine coolant reservoir tank
with the engine running. Add coolant to the
engine coolant reservoir tank if necessary.
Have your vehicle repaired at a NISSAN
dealer. When towing your vehicle, all State (Provincial in
Canada) and local regulations for towing must be
followed. Incorrect towing equipment could dam-
age your vehicle. Towing instructions are avail-
able from a NISSAN dealer. Local service opera-
tors are generally familiar with the applicable laws
and procedures for towing. To assure proper
towing and to prevent accidental damage to your
vehicle, NISSAN recommends having 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 trans-
mission, axles, steering system and
powertrain are in working condition. If
any of these conditions apply, dollies or
a flatbed tow truck must be used.
● Always attach safety chains before
towing. For information about towing your vehicle behind
a recreational vehicle (RV) , refer to “Flat towing”
in the “Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion of this manual.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
6-12In case of emergency

TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSANTwo-wheel drive 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 expensive damage to
the transmission. If it is necessary to
tow the vehicle with the front wheels
raised always use towing dollies under
the rear wheels.
● When towing automatic or manual
transmission models with the front
wheels on the ground or on towing
dollies:
– Place the ignition switch in the OFF position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
secure the steering wheel by placing
the ignition switch in the LOCK posi-
tion. This may damage the steering
lock mechanism (for models with a
steering lock mechanism) . ●
If you have to tow manual transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground (if you do not use towing dol-
lies) or four wheels on the ground:
● Always release the parking brake.
● Move the transmission shift selector
to the N (Neutral) position
● Observe the following restricted tow-
ing speeds and distances for manual
transmission models only:
Speed: Below 60 MPH (97 km/h)
Distance: Less than 500 miles
(805 km)
If the speed or distance must necessarily be
greater, remove the propeller shaft before towing
to prevent damage to the transmission.
AAutomatic Transmissions (A/T)
BManual Transmissions (M/T)
WCE0196
In case of emergency6-13

Four-wheel drive models
NISSAN recommends that towing dollies be
used when towing your vehicle or place the ve-
hicle on a flat bed truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
Never tow 4WD models with any of the
wheels on the ground as this may cause
serious and expensive damage to the
transfer case and transmission.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
Pulling a stuck vehicle
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
●Contact a professional towing service
to recover the vehicle if you have any
questions regarding the recovery
procedure.
WCE0162
Recovery hook (if so equipped)
LCE0103
6-14In case of emergency

●Attach recovery devices only to main
structural members of the vehicle or the
recovery hooks (if so equipped) .
● Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to tow
or free a stuck vehicle.
● Only use devices specifically designed
for vehicle recovery and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions.
● Always pull the recovery device straight
out from the front of the vehicle. Never
pull at an angle.
● Route recovery devices so they do not
touch any part of the vehicle except the
attachment point.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use a tow strap or other device designed specifi-
cally for vehicle recovery. Always follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for the recovery de-
vice.
Do not use the tie-down hooks for towing or
vehicle recovery.Rocking a stuck vehicle
WARNING
● Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
● Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode and
result in serious injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use the following procedure: 1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control Sys- tem.
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 (low) and R (Reverse)
(manual transmission models) . ●
Apply the accelerator as little as possible
to maintain the rocking motion.
● Release the accelerator pedal before
shifting between R and D (automatic
transmission models) or 1st and R
(manual transmission models) .
● Do not spin the tires above 35 mph
(55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle can not be freed after a few tries, contact a professional towing service
to remove the vehicle.
In case of emergency6-15

MEMO
6-16In case of emergency

7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior..................................7-2
Washing ......................................7-2
Waxing ........................................7-2
Removing spots ................................7-3
Underbody ....................................7-3
Glass .........................................7-3
Aluminum alloy wheels ..........................7-3
Chrome parts ..................................7-3
Tire dressings ..................................7-3
Cleaning interior ...................................7-4 Air fresheners
..................................7-4
Floor mats .....................................7-4
Seat belts .....................................7-5
Corrosion protection ...............................7-5
Most common factors contributing to vehicle
corrosion ......................................7-5
Environmental factors influence the rate of
corrosion ......................................7-5
To protect your vehicle from corrosion ............7-6