Black plate (204,1)
[ Edit: 2013/ 10/ 22 Model: S35-D ]
5-20Starting and driving
.Recirculating the cool air in the cabinwhen the A/C is on reduces cooling load.
4. Drive at economical speeds and distances.
.Observing the speed limit and not ex- ceeding 60 MPH (97 km/h) (where
legally allowed) can improve fuel effi-
ciency due to reduced aerodynamic
drag.
.Maintaining a safe following distancebehind other vehicles reduces unneces-
sary braking.
.Safely monitoring traffic to anticipatechanges in speed permits reduced brak-
ing and smooth acceleration changes.
.Select a gear range suitable to road conditions.
5. Use cruise control.
.Using cruise control during highway driving helps maintain a steady speed.
.Cruise control is particularly effective in providing fuel savings when driving on
flat terrains.
6. Plan for the shortest route.
.Utilize a map or navigation system to determine the best route to save time.
7. Avoid idling.
.Shutting off your engine when safe for stops exceeding 30-60 seconds saves fuel and reduces emissions.
8. Buy an automated pass for toll roads.
.Automated passes permit drivers to use special lanes to maintain cruising speed
through the toll and avoid stopping and
starting.
9. Winter warm up.
.Limit idling time to minimize impact to fuel economy.
.Vehicles typically need no more than 30seconds of idling at start-up to effectively
circulate the engine oil before driving.
.Your vehicle will reach its ideal operatingtemperature more quickly while driving
versus idling.
10. Keeping your vehicle cool.
.Park your vehicle in a covered parking area or in the shade whenever possible.
.When entering a hot vehicle, opening thewindows will help to reduce the inside
temperature faster, resulting in reduced
demand on your A/C system.
GUID-08316153-E8EB-4B1D-A83C-780DAE9E7643. Keep your engine tuned up.
. Follow the recommended scheduled main-
tenance.
. Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure. Low tire pressure increases tire
wear and lowers fuel economy.
. Keep the wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment increases tire wear and
lowers fuel economy.
. Use the recommended viscosity engine oil.
(See “Engine oil and oil filter recommenda-
tion” (P.9-5) .)
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
Condition:
Black plate (205,1)
[ Edit: 2013/ 10/ 22 Model: S35-D ]
S35-D-110201-720F0BC2-3B55-4DBD-B301-E1E82EFAD720
WARNING
.For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with
the engine running. Doing so may
result in drivetrain damage or un-
expected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle da-
mage or personal injury.
. Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dy-
namometer (such as the dynam-
ometers used by some states for
emissions testing) or similar equip-
ment even if the other two wheels
are raised off the ground. Make sure
that you inform the test facility
personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with AWD before it is
placed on a dynamometer. Using
the wrong test equipment may re-
sult in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle da-
mage or personal injury.
SSD0418
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) LOCK
SWITCH OPERATIONS
S35-D-110201-E7D4937A-2081-4CEB-9B79-163753F74E25The AWD LOCK switch located on the lower
side of the instrument panel. This switch is used
to select the AUTO or LOCK mode depending
on the driving conditions.
Each time you push the lower part of the switch
*A, the AWD mode will switch:
AUTO ?LOCK ?AUTO.
LOCK modeS35-D-110201-52FD59B2-DFA7-49E6-842D-D91CD91B8135The AWD LOCK indicator lightwill
illuminate.
AUTO modeS35-D-110201-F8749644-00DD-4275-920B-A9BD3EAB4EC8The AWD LOCK indicator light will turn off.
AWD
mode Wheel driven AWD
LOCK
indica- tor
light Use
condi- tions
AUTO Distribution of torque
to the front and rear
wheels changes auto-
matically, depending
on road conditions en-
countered [100:0]
↔
[50:50].
This results in im-
proved driving stability.
*1 Turns
off.
For driv-
ing on
paved or
slippery
roads
LOCK All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
*2, *3 AWD
LOCK
For driv-
ing on
rough
roads
*1: When the rotation difference between the front and rear wheels is large, the AWD mode may
change from AUTO to LOCK for a while,
however, this is not a malfunction.
*2: LOCK mode will change to AUTO mode
automatically when the vehicle has been driven
at a high speed. The AWD LOCK indicator light
turns off.
Starting and driving5-21
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (if so
equipped)
Condition:
Black plate (252,1)
[ Edit: 2013/ 10/ 22 Model: S35-D ]
8-10Maintenance and do-it-yourself
JVM0153X
Engine oil and filterS35-D-110201-EE672A53-2059-4431-9900-0CB4AB10F8FC1. Place a large drain pan under the drain plug
*A.
2. Remove the oil filler cap
*B.
3. Remove the drain plug with a wrench and completely drain the oil.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself, as the
engine oil is hot.
.Waste oil must be disposed ofproperly.
.Check your local regulations.
Perform steps 4 to 9 when the engine oil
filter change is needed.
4. Remove the plastic cover over the oil filter location by removing the small plastic clips.
5. Loosen the oil filter
*Cwith an oil filter
wrench. Remove the oil filter by turning it by
hand.
6. Wipe the engine oil filter mounting surface with a clean rag.
CAUTION
Be sure to remove any old gasket
material remaining on the mounting
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 in the oil filter clockwise until a slight resistance is felt, then tighten additionally
more than 2/3 turn.
Oil filter tightening torque:11 to 15 ft-lb
(14.7 to 20.5 N·m) 9. Install the plastic cover.
10. Clean and re-install the drain plug with a
new washer. Securely tighten the drain plug
with a wrench.
Drain plug tightening torque:22 to 29 ft-lb
(29 to 39 N·m)
Do not use excessive force.
11. Refill engine with recommended oil through the oil filler opening, and install the oil filler
cap securely.
See “Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants” (P.9-2) for drain and refill capa-
city. The drain and refill capacity depends on
the oil temperature and drain time. Use
these specifications for reference only. Al-
ways use the dipstick to determine the
proper amount of oil in the engine.
12. Start the engine and check for leakage around the drain plug and the oil filter.
Correct as required.
13. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level with the dipstick.
Add engine oil if necessary.
Condition:
Black plate (286,1)
[ Edit: 2013/ 10/ 22 Model: S35-D ]
9-4Technical and consumer information
blends may cause fuel system damage
and/or vehicle performance problems.
At this time, sufficient data is not
available to ensure that all methanol
blends are suitable for use in NISSAN
vehicles.
If any driveability problems such as engine
stalling and difficult hot-starting are experienced
after using oxygenate-blend fuels, immediately
change to a non-oxygenate fuel or a fuel with a
low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during
refueling. Gasoline containing oxygenates
can cause paint damage.
E-15 fuelGUID-EE71EE16-16BA-4A52-BE94-A163860092C2E-15 fuel is a mixture of approximately 15% fuel
ethanol and 85% unleaded gasoline. E-15 can
only be used in vehicles designed to run on E-
15 fuel. Do not use E-15 in your vehicle. U.S.
government regulations require fuel ethanol
dispensing pumps to be identified with small,
square, orange and black label with the common
abbreviation or the appropriate percentage for
that region.
E-85 fuelGUID-2E4CD94E-1192-45B9-916B-3787F129BF0EE-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline. E-85 can
only be used in a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) . Do
not use E-85 fuel in your vehicle. U.S. govern-
ment regulations require fuel ethanol dispensing
pumps to be identified by a small, square,
orange and black label with the common
abbreviation or the appropriate percentage for
that region.
Aftermarket fuel additivesGUID-CEC1B382-6E18-485F-958A-F75011934C34NISSAN does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (for example, fuel
injector cleaner, octane booster, intake valve
deposit removers, etc.) which are sold commer-
cially. Many of these additives intended for gum,
varnish or deposit removal may contain active
solvent or similar ingredients that can be harmful
to the fuel system and engine.
Octane rating tipsGUID-A306B15B-DFEF-40B6-A7F5-D6B25890AAD6Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can cause
persistent, heavy “spark knock”. (Spark
knock is a metallic rapping noise.) If
severe, this can lead to engine damage. If
you detect a persistent heavy spark knock
even when using gasoline of the stated
octane rating, or if you hear steady spark knock while holding a steady speed on
level roads, have a NISSAN dealer correct
the condition. Failure to correct the condi-
tion is misuse of the vehicle, for which
NISSAN is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing will result in spark
knock, after-run and/or overheating, which may
cause excessive fuel consumption or engine
damage. If any of the above symptoms are
encountered, have your vehicle checked at a
NISSAN dealer.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is not a
cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.
Condition:
Black plate (304,1)
[ Edit: 2013/ 10/ 22 Model: S35-D ]
9-22Technical and consumer information
turning corners.
Trailer lightsGUID-A29FE40B-6D31-4369-84A4-A3AB91FE8E44
CAUTION
When splicing into the vehicle electrical
system, a commercially available
power-type module/converter must be
used to provide power for all trailer
lighting. This unit uses the vehicle
battery as a direct power source for all
trailer lights while using the vehicle tail
light, stoplight and turn signal circuits
as a signal source. The module/con-
verter must draw no more than 15
milliamps from the stop and tail lamp
circuits. Using a module/converter that
exceeds these power requirements may
damage the vehicle’s electrical system.
See a reputable trailer dealer to obtain
the proper equipment and to have it
installed.
Trailer lights should comply with federal and/or
local regulations. For assistance in hooking up
trailer lights, contact a NISSAN dealer or
reputable trailer dealer.
Trailer brakesGUID-8900FB3E-5F3F-4B97-99B7-FF25587AD020If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
make sure it conforms to federal and/or local
regulations and that it is properly installed.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system
directly to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tipsGUID-9340413B-CD96-4DA1-9954-2F5798FB03D4. Be certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive the vehicle if it has an
abnormal nose-up or nose-down condition;
check for improper tongue load, overload,
worn suspension or other possible causes
of either condition.
. Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
. Keep the cargo load as low as possible in
the trailer to keep the trailer center of gravity
low.
. Load the trailer so approximately 60% of the
trailer load is in the front half and 40% is in
the back half. Also make sure the load is
balanced side to side. .
Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure,
vehicle tire pressure, trailer light operation,
and trailer wheel lug nuts every time you
attach a trailer to the vehicle.
. Be certain your rearview mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.
. Determine the overall height of the vehicle
and trailer so the required clearance is
known.Trailer towing tipsGUID-74EA1701-DBB8-4BC7-AA72-370122A2DB72In order to gain skill and an understanding of the
vehicle’s behavior, you should practice turning,
stopping and backing up in an area which is free
from traffic. Steering stability, and braking
performance will be somewhat different than
under normal driving conditions.
.Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
. Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inadver-
tently becoming unlatched.
. Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
. Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
. Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed. Some states or provinces have
specific speed limits for vehicles that are
Condition:
Black plate (306,1)
[ Edit: 2013/ 10/ 22 Model: S35-D ]
9-24Technical and consumer information
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently applythe brakes and pull to the side of the road in
a safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is balanced as described earlier in this section.
. Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the trailer
must also pass the other vehicle before you
can safely change lanes.
. Down shift the transmission to a lower gear
for engine braking when driving down steep
or long hills. This will help slow the vehicle
without applying the brakes.
. Avoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
. Increase your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
. Do not use cruise control (if so equipped)
while towing a trailer.
. Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles
that are towing trailers. Obey the local
speed limits. .
Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness
connections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after
50 miles (80 km) of travel and at every
break.
. When stopped in traffic for long periods of
time in hot weather, put the vehicle in the P
(Park) position.
. When launching a boat, don’t allow the
water level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
. Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, the transmission
fluid should be changed more frequently.
For additional information, see the “8.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.FLAT TOWINGGUID-F394455A-C898-4202-848D-0A9978906EF4Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a
vehicle behind a recreational vehicle, such as a
motor home.
CAUTION
. Failure to follow these guidelines
can result in severe transmission
damage.
. Whenever flat towing your vehicle,
always tow forward, never back-
ward.
. DO NOT tow any continuously vari-
able transmission vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground (flat
towing) . Doing so WILL DAMAGE
internal transmission parts due to
lack of transmission lubrication.
. DO NOT tow an All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) vehicle with any of the
wheels on the ground. Doing so
may cause serious and expensive
damage to the powertrain.
. For emergency towing procedures
refer to “Towing recommended by
Condition: