2015 NISSAN SENTRA check engine

CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir when
the engine is cold. If the coolant level is below
the MIN level
B, add coolant to the MAX level
A. If the reservoir is empty, check the coolant
level in the radiator when the engine is cold. If
there is insufficient coolant in the radiator, fill the
radiator with coolant up to the filler opening and
also add it to the reservoir up to the MAX level
A. This vehicle contains Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) . The life expectancy of
the factory-fill coolant is 105,000 miles
(168,000 km) or 7 years. Mixing any other type of
coolant or the use of non-distilled water will re-
duce the life expectancy of the factory-fill coolant.
Refer to the NISSAN Service and Maintenance
Guide for more details.
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
For additional information on the location of the
engine coolant reservoir, refer to “Engine com-
partment check locations” in this section.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
A NISSAN dealer can change the engine coolant.
The service procedure can be found in the
NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING
●
To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the en-
gine is hot.
● Never remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. Serious burns could be
caused by high pressure fluid escaping
from the radiator.
● Avoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner as
soon as possible.
● Keep coolant out of the reach of chil-
dren and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
LDI2167
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-9

CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and applythe parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches operating temperature.
3. Turn off the engine. Wait more than
10 minutes for the oil to drain back into
the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Re- insert it all the way. 5. Remove the dipstick again and check the oil
level. It should be between the H (High) and
L (Low) marksB. This is the normal oper-
ating oil level range. If the oil level is below
the L (Low) mark
A, remove the oil filler cap
and pour recommended oil through the
opening. Do not overfill
C.
6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the
break-in period, depending on the severity
of operating conditions.
CAUTION
● Oil level should be checked regularly.
Operating the engine with an insuffi-
cient amount of oil can damage the
engine, and such damage is not covered
by warranty.
● It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the
break-in period, depending on the se-
verity of operating conditions.
Make sure to follow the engine oil changing inter-
vals in the maintenance booklet. Operating under
the following conditions may require more fre-
quent oil change: ● repeated short distance driving
● driving in dusty conditions
● stop and go commuting.
LDI2168LDI0371
ENGINE OIL
8-10Maintenance and do-it-yourself

CHANGING ENGINE OIL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and applythe parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches operating temperature, then turn it off. 3. Remove the oil filler cap
Bby turning it
counterclockwise.
4. Place a large drain pan under the drain plug
A.
5. Remove the drain plug
Awith a wrench by
turning it counterclockwise and completely
drain the oil.
If the oil filter is to be changed, remove and
replace it at this time. For additional informa-
tion, refer to “Changing engine oil filter” in
this section.
WARNING
● Prolonged and repeated contact with
used engine oil may cause skin cancer.
● Try to avoid direct skin contact with
used oil. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner as
soon as possible.
● Keep used engine oil out of reach of
children.
CAUTION
● Be careful not to burn yourself. The en-
gine oil may be hot.
● Waste oil must be disposed of properly.
● Check your local regulations. 6. Clean and reinstall the drain plug and a new
washer. Securely tighten the drain plug with
a wrench. Do not use excessive force.
Drain plug tightening torque: 26 ft-lb (34 N·m)
7. Refill engine with recommended oil through the oil filler opening, then install the oil filler
cap securely.
For additional information, refer to “Recom-
mended fluids/lubricants and capacities” in
the “Technical and consumer information”
section of this manual for drain and refill
capacity.
The drain and refill capacity depends on the
oil temperature and drain time. Use these
specifications for reference only. Always use
the dipstick to determine when the proper
amount of oil is in the engine.
8. Start the engine. Check for leakage around the drain plug and oil filter. Correct as re-
quired.
9. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level with the
dipstick. Add engine oil if necessary.
LDI2382
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-11

CHANGING ENGINE OIL FILTER
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and applythe parking brake.
2. Turn the engine off.
3. Place a large drain pan under the oil filter
B. 4. Loosen the oil filter
Bwith an oil filter
wrench by turning it counterclockwise. Then
remove the oil filter by turning it by hand.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The engine
oil may be hot.
5. Wipe the engine oil filter sealing surface with a clean rag.
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.
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. Refill engine with recommended oil through the oil filler opening
A, then install oil filler
cap securely.
9. Start the engine and check for leakage around the oil filter. Correct as required.
10. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level. Add engine
oil if necessary
A.
CAUTION
●NISSAN recommends using Genuine
NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 ONLY in
NISSAN CVTs. Do not mix with other
fluids.
● Do not use Automatic transmission
fluid (ATF) or Manual transmission fluid
in a NISSAN CVT, as it may damage the
CVT. Damage caused by the use of flu-
ids other than as recommended is not
covered under NISSAN’s New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
● Using fluids that are not equivalent to
Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 may
also damage the CVT. Damage caused
by the use of fluids other than as recom-
mended is not covered under NISSAN’s
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
When checking or replacement of CVT fluid is
required, we recommend a NISSAN dealer for
servicing.
LDI2383
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) FLUID (if so
equipped)
8-12Maintenance and do-it-yourself

2. Check the fluid level in each cell. If it isnecessary to add fluid, add only distilled
water to bring the level up to the bottom of
the filler opening. Do not overfill.Reinstall
the vent caps. Vehicles operated in high temperatures or under
severe conditions require frequent checks of the
battery fluid level.
JUMP STARTING
If jump starting is necessary, refer to “Jump start-
ing” in the “In case of emergency” section of this
manual. If the engine does not start by jump
starting, the battery may have to be replaced.
Contact a NISSAN dealer.
CAUTION
●
Do not ground accessories directly to
the battery terminal. Doing so will by-
pass the variable voltage control sys-
tem and the vehicle battery may not
charge completely.
● Use electrical accessories with the en-
gine running to avoid discharging the
vehicle battery.
Your vehicle is equipped with a variable voltage
control system. This system measures the
amount of electrical discharge from the battery
and controls voltage generated by the generator.
LDI0302
LDI2178
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
SYSTEM
8-16Maintenance and do-it-yourself

The current sensorAis located near the battery
along the negative battery cable. If you add elec-
trical accessories to your vehicle, be sure to
ground them to a suitable body ground such as
the frame or engine block area.
1. Automatic tensioner pulley
2. Generator pulley
3. Water pump pulley
4. Air conditioner compressor pulley
5. Crankshaft pulley
WARNING
Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or
LOCK position before servicing drive belt.
The engine could rotate unexpectedly. 1. Visually inspect the belt for signs of unusual
wear, cuts, or fraying. If the belt is in poor
condition, have it replaced or adjusted by a
NISSAN dealer.
2. Have the belt checked regularly for condi- tion.
WDI0638
DRIVE BELT
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-17

ENGINE COMPARTMENT
CAUTION
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 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
Aand lifting the cover up.
4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller, which is located in the center of the fuse block in
the passenger compartment.
5. If the fuse is open
A, replace it with a new
fuse
B.
6. If a new fuse also opens, have the electrical system checked and repaired by a NISSAN
dealer.
Fusible links
If the electrical equipment does not operate and
fuses are in good condition, check the fusible
links. If any of these fusible links are melted,
replace with only Genuine NISSAN parts.
LDI2172WDI0452
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-23

●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