2015 NISSAN ARMADA check engine light

8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirements..........................8-2
General maintenance ..............................8-2
Explanation of general maintenance items .........8-2
Maintenance precautions ...........................8-5
Engine compartment check locations ................8-6
Engine cooling system .............................8-7
Checking engine coolant level ...................8-8
Changing engine coolant ........................8-8
Engine oil .........................................8-9
Checking engine oil level ........................8-9
Changing engine oil ........................... 8-10
Changing engine oil filter .......................8-11
5-speed automatic transmission fluid ...............8-12
Power steering fluid ............................... 8-13
Brake fluid ....................................... 8-13
Brake fluid .................................... 8-14
Windshield-washer fluid ........................... 8-14
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ...............8-14
Battery .......................................... 8-15
Jump starting ................................. 8-16
Variable voltage control system .....................8-17
Drive belt ........................................ 8-17
Spark plugs ...................................... 8-18Replacing spark plugs
......................... 8-18
Air cleaner ....................................... 8-19
In-cabin microfilter (if so equipped) ..............8-19
Windshield wiper blades .......................... 8-21
Cleaning ..................................... 8-21
Replacing .................................... 8-21
Brakes .......................................... 8-24
Fuses ........................................... 8-24
Engine compartment ........................... 8-25
Passenger compartment .......................8-26
Battery replacement .............................. 8-28
Keyfob (if so equipped) ........................ 8-29
NISSAN Intelligent Key® (if so equipped) ........8-30
Lights ........................................... 8-31
Headlights .................................... 8-31
Fog
lights (if so equipped) ...................... 8-32
Exterior and interior lights .......................8-33
Wheels and tires ................................. 8-37
Tire pressure .................................. 8-37
Tire labeling ................................... 8-41
Types of tires .................................. 8-43
Tire chains .................................... 8-44
Changing wheels and tires .....................8-44

Steering wheelCheck for changes in the steer-
ing system, such as excessive freeplay, hard
steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes Make sure all
warning lights and chimes are operating properly.
Windshield wiper and washer* Check that
the wipers and washer operate properly and that
the wipers do not streak.
Windshield defroster Check that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly and in
sufficient quantity when operating the heater or
air conditioner.
Under the hood and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked periodically (for example, each time you
check the engine oil or refuel) .
Battery* (for seviceable batteries) Check the
fluid level in each cell. It should be between the
MAX and MIN lines. Vehicles operated in high
temperatures or under severe conditions require
frequent checks of the battery fluid level. NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of electronic accessories that consume battery power
when the engine is not running (Phone char-
gers, GPS, DVD players, etc.)
2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/or only driven short distances. In these cases, the
battery may need to be charged to maintain
battery health.
Brake fluid level* Make sure that the brake fluid
level is between the MIN and MAX lines on the
reservoir.
Engine coolant level* Check the coolant level
when the engine is cold.
Engine drive belts* Make sure the drive belts
are not frayed, worn, cracked or oily.
Engine oil level* Check the level after parking
the vehicle on a level surface with the engine off.
Wait more than 10 minutes for the oil to drain
back into the oil pan. Exhaust system
Make sure there are no loose
supports, cracks or holes. If the sound of the
exhaust seems unusual or there is a smell of
exhaust fumes, immediately have the exhaust
system inspected by a NISSAN dealer. For addi-
tional information, refer to the carbon monoxide
warning in the “Starting and driving” section of
this manual.
Fluid leaks Check under the vehicle for fuel, oil,
water or other fluid leaks after the vehicle has
been parked for a while. Water dripping from the
air conditioner after use is normal. If you should
notice any leaks or if gasoline fumes are evident,
check for the cause and have it corrected imme-
diately.
Power steering fluid level* and lines Check
the level when the fluid is cold, with the engine
off. Check the lines for proper attachment, leaks,
cracks, etc.
Radiator and hoses Check the front of the
radiator and clean off any dirt, insects, leaves,
etc., that may have accumulated. Make sure the
hoses have no cracks, deformation, rot or loose
connections.
8-4Maintenance and do-it-yourself

CAUTION
Be sure to remove any old gasket material
remaining on the sealing surface of the
engine. Failure to do so could lead to
engine damage.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The engine
oil may be hot.
A used engine oil filter should be disposed of at a
rubbish tip having proper facilities. We recom-
mend having your oil filter changed by a NISSAN
dealer. 1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the engine off.
3. Place a large drain pan under the oil filter
B.
4. Loosen the oil filter with an oil filter wrench by turning it counterclockwise. Then remove
the oil filter by turning it by hand.
5. Wipe the engine oil filter sealing surface with a clean rag.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with clean engine oil. 7. Screw on the oil filter until a slight resistance
is felt, then tighten an additional 2/3 turn.
8. Start the engine and check for leakage around the oil filter. Correct as required.
9. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level. Add engine
oil by removing oil filler cap
Aif necessary. When checking or replacement is required, we
recommend your NISSAN dealer for servicing.
CAUTION
●
Use Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF. If
Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF is not
available, Genuine NISSAN Matic J ATF
may also be used.
● Using automatic transmission fluid
other than Genuine NISSAN Matic S
ATF or Matic J ATF will cause deteriora-
tion in driveability and automatic trans-
mission durability, and may damage the
automatic transmission, which is not
covered by the NISSAN new vehicle lim-
ited warranty.
The specified automatic transmission fluid is also
described on caution labels located in the engine
compartment.
5-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION FLUID
8-12Maintenance and do-it-yourself

BRAKE FLUID
Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir. If the
fluid level is below the MIN line
2or the brake
warning light comes on, add Genuine NISSAN
Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or equivalent DOT
3 fluid up to the MAX line
1. If fluid must be
added frequently, the system should be checked
by a NISSAN dealer.
WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
RESERVOIR
Fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir periodi-
cally. Add windshield-washer fluid when the low
windshield-washer fluid warning light comes on.
To fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir, lift
the cap off the reservoir and pour the windshield-
washer fluid into the reservoir opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a windshield-
washer antifreeze. Follow the manufacturer’s in-
structions for the mixture ratio. Refill the reservoir more frequently when driving
conditions require an increased amount of
windshield-washer fluid.
Recommended fluid is Genuine NISSAN Wind-
shield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Antifreeze
or equivalent.
CAUTION
●
Do not substitute engine antifreeze
coolant for windshield-washer fluid.
This may result in damage to the paint.
● Do not fill the windshield-washer fluid
reservoir with washer fluid concen-
trates at full strength. Some methyl al-
cohol based washer fluid concentrates
may permanently stain the grille if
spilled while filling the windshield-
washer fluid reservoir.
● Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates with
water to the manufacturer’s recom-
mended levels before pouring the fluid
into the windshield-washer fluid reser-
voir. Do not use the windshield-washer
fluid reservoir to mix the washer fluid
concentrate and water.
LDI2154LDI0375
WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
8-14Maintenance and do-it-yourself

If the brakes do not operate properly, have the
brakes checked by a NISSAN dealer.
Self-adjusting brakes
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The front and rear disc-type brakes self-adjust
every time the brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
See a NISSAN dealer for a brake system
check if the brake pedal height does not
return to normal.
Brake pad wear indicators
The disc brake pads on your vehicle have audible
wear indicators. When a brake pad requires re-
placement, a high pitched scraping or screech-
ing sound will be heard when the vehicle is in
motion. The noise will be heard whether or not the
brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wear indicator
sound is heard.Under some driving or climate conditions, occa-
sional brake squeak, squeal or other noise may
be heard. Occasional brake noise during light to
moderate stops is normal and does not affect the
function or performance of the brake system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.
For additional information regard-
ing brake inspections, refer to the appropriate
maintenance schedule information in the
“NISSAN Service and Maintenance Guide”.
Two types of fuses are used. Type
Ais used in
the fuse boxes in the engine compartment. Type
Bis used in the passenger compartment fuse
box.
Type
Afuses are provided as spare fuses. They
are stored in the passenger compartment fuse
box.
Type
Afuses can be installed in the engine
compartment and passenger compartment fuse
boxes.
LDI0455
BRAKES FUSES
8-24Maintenance and do-it-yourself

If a typeAfuse is used to replace a typeBfuse,
the type
Afuse will not be level with the fuse
pocket as shown in the illustration. This will not
affect the performance of the fuse. Make sure the
fuse is installed in the fuse box securely.
Type
Bfuses cannot be installed in the under-
hood fuse boxes. Only use type
Afuses in the
underhood fuse boxes.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
WARNING
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than specified on the
fuse box cover. This could damage the
electrical system or electronic control
units or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not come on,
check for an open fuse. 1. Be sure the ignition switch and the headlight switch are OFF.
2. Open the engine hood. 3. Remove the fuse box cover by pushing the
tab and lifting the cover up.
4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller. The fuse puller is located in the center of the fuse
block in the passenger compartment.
LDI0457LDI2153
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-25

●If a methanol blend is used, it should
contain no more than 5% methanol
(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol) . It
should also contain a suitable amount
of appropriate cosolvents and corro-
sion inhibitors. If not properly formu-
lated with appropriate cosolvents and
corrosion inhibitors, such methanol
blends may cause fuel system damage
and/or vehicle performance problems.
At this time, sufficient data is not avail-
able to ensure that all methanol blends
are suitable for use in NISSAN ve-
hicles.
If any driveability problems such as engine stall-
ing 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 refu-
eling. Gasoline containing oxygenates can
cause paint damage.E–15 fuel
E-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. gov-
ernment regulations require fuel ethanol dispens-
ing pumps to be identified with small, square,
orange and black label with the common abbre-
viation or the appropriate percentage for that
region.
E–85 fuel
E-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 in your vehicle. U.S. government
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 additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (for example, fuel injec-
tor cleaner, octane booster, intake valve deposit
removers, etc.) which are sold commercially.
Many of these additives intended for gum, varnish
or deposit removal may contain active solvents or
similar ingredients that can be harmful to the fuel
system and engine.
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can cause
persistent, heavy “spark knock.” (“Spark
knock” is a metallic rapping noise.) If se-
vere, 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 condition
is misuse of the vehicle, for which NISSAN
is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may 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 en-
countered, 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.
Technical and consumer information9-5

Do the following if the trailer begins to sway:1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to allow the vehicle to coast and steer as
straight ahead as the road conditions allow.
This combination will help stabilize the ve-
hicle
– Do not correct trailer sway by steering or applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the brakes and pull to the side of the road in a
safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal- anced as described in this section.
● Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
● Downshift 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.
● NISSAN recommends that the cruise con-
trol not be used 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 con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after
50 miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
● When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter 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, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, refer to
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
in this manual.Tow mode (if so equipped)
Using tow mode is recommended when pulling a
heavy trailer or hauling a heavy load. Press the
TOW MODE switch to activate tow mode. The
indicator light on the TOW MODE switch illumi-
nates when tow mode is selected. Press the
TOW MODE switch again to turn tow mode off.
Tow mode is automatically cancelled when the
ignition switch is turned OFF.
Tow mode includes the following features: ● Grade logic — Adjusts transmission shifts
when pulling a trailer or hauling a load up a
grade.
● Downhill Speed Control (DSC) — automati-
cally downshifts when driving down a grade
with a trailer or heavy load to help control
vehicle speed.
Driving the vehicle in the tow mode with no
trailer/load or light trailer/light load will not cause
any damage. However, fuel economy may be
reduced and the transmission/engine driving
characteristics may feel unusual.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, refer to
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
in this manual.
9-30Technical and consumer information