6-20In case of emergency
Rocking a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)system.
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) .
.Apply the accelerator as little as possibleto maintain the rocking motion.
.Release the accelerator pedal before
shifting between R and D.
.Do not spin the tires above 35 MPH (55 km/h) .
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few tries, contact a professional towing service
to remove the vehicle. This section describes the procedure for manu-
ally shifting the vehicle into the 4WD mode (4L
position) in case of an emergency.
WHEN 4WD WARNING LIGHT ILLU-
MINATES
If the 4WD warning light illuminates while
driving, there may be a malfunction in the
4WD system. Stop the vehicle and have the
vehicle checked as soon as possible. It is
recommended you contact a NISSAN dealer
for this service. (See “NISSAN all-mode 4WD
Š”
(P.5-123) .)
When the vehicle is stuck on an uneven road
(desert, mud, etc.) and the 4WD warning light is
illuminated, be sure to place the 4WD shift
switch in the 4L position. If only the rear wheels
are spinning, this means that the transfer has not
switched to the 4L position electrically.
If this situation occurs, contact a dealer or road
assistance service for help. If an immediate
service is not available, perform the following
procedure to switch to the 4L position manually
and free the vehicle.
CAUTION
Only perform this procedure in an
emergency. If the vehicle is driven for a long period
of time over a long distance with a
component detached, foreign material
such as water, sand, etc. may enter from
the opening and this may cause a
malfunction in the drivetrain system.
After freeing a vehicle that has become
stuck, it is recommended you contact a
NISSAN dealer for inspection and re-
pair.
WARNING
.
Ensure your safety before perform-
ing the operations. The vehicle may
move unexpectedly.
. Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position, apply the parking brake
and let the vehicle cool down.
. Do not perform the following proce-
dure immediately after driving the
vehicle. Parts such as exhaust com-
ponents, the transmission, etc. are
very hot and may cause a burn
injury.
. Make sure that the parts that will be
operated as well as related parts
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD)
MANUAL SHIFTING (4WD models)
8-2Do-it-yourself
When performing any inspection or mainte-
nance work on your vehicle, always take care
to prevent serious accidental injury to yourself or
damage to the vehicle. The following are general
precautions which should be closely observed.
WARNING
.Park the vehicle on a level surface,
apply the parking brake securely
and block the wheels to prevent
the vehicle from moving. Move the
shift lever to P (Park) .
. Be sure the ignition switch is in the
OFF or LOCK position when per-
forming any parts replacement or
repairs.
. Never connect or disconnect the
battery or any transistorized com-
ponent while the ignition switch is
in the ON position.
. Never leave the engine or automatic
transmission related component
harnesses disconnected while the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
. If you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, clothing,
hair and tools away from moving fans, belts and any other moving
parts.
. It is advisable to secure or remove
any loose clothing and remove any
jewelry, such as rings, watches, etc.
before working on your vehicle.
. Always wear eye protection when-
ever you work on your vehicle.
. If you must run the engine in an
enclosed space such as a garage, be
sure there is proper ventilation for
exhaust gases to escape.
. Never get under the vehicle while it
is supported only by a jack. If it is
necessary to work under the vehicle,
support it with safety stands.
. Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from fuel tank and the
battery.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic engine cooling fan. It may
come on at any time without warn-
ing, even if the ignition key is in the
OFF position and the engine is not
running. To avoid injury, always
disconnect the negative battery
cable before working near the fan. .
Because the fuel lines are under
high pressure even when the engine
is off, it is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for service of the
fuel filter or fuel lines.CAUTION
.Do not work under the hood while
the engine is hot. Turn the engine
off and wait until it cools down.
. Avoid direct contact with used en-
gine oil and coolant. Improperly
disposed engine oil, coolant, and/
or other vehicle fluids can damage
the environment. Always conform to
local regulations for disposal of
vehicle fluid.
This “8. Do-it-yourself” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A genuine NISSAN Service Manual is also
available. (See “Owner’s Manual/Service Man-
ual order information” (P.10-33).)
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
JVM0733X
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir when
the engine is cold. If the coolant level is below
MIN
*2, open the reservoir tank cap and add
coolant up to the MAX
*1level. If the reservoir
tank 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 tank up to the MAX level
*1.
Tighten the cap securely after adding engine
coolant.
If the cooling system requires coolant
frequently, have it checked. It is recom-
mended you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
It is recommended that major cooling system
repairs be performed by a NISSAN dealer. The
service procedures can be found in the appro-
priate 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 engine is hot.
. Never remove the radiator cap or
coolant reservoir cap when the en-
gine is hot. Serious burns could be
caused by high pressure fluid es-
caping 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 reach of chil-
dren and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of properly. Check your local regulations.
Do-it-yourself8-5
8-10Do-it-yourself
SDI2513
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the fluid is
below the MIN line
*1or the brake warning
light comes on, add Genuine NISSAN Super
Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or equivalent DOT 3
fluid up to the MAX line
*2.
To add brake fluid:
1. Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Depress and release the foot brake pedal more than 40 times.
3. Open the reservoir filler cap and add brake fluid up to the MAX line
*2. (See “Capa-
cities and recommended fluids/lubricants”
(P.10-2) for the recommended types of brake fluid.)
NOTE:
When the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position after adding brake fluid up to
the MAX line
*2in the reservoir, the
brake fluid decreases below the MAX line
*2. This is normal.
If fluid must be added frequently, the system
should be checked. It is recommended you visit
a NISSAN dealer for this service.
SDI2517
WARNING
Antifreeze is poisonous and should be
stored carefully in marked containers
out of the reach of children and pets.
Fill the window washer fluid reservoir periodi-
cally. Add window washer fluid when the low
window washer fluid warning illuminates.
To fill the window washer fluid reservoir, lift the
cap off the reservoir tank and pour the window
washer fluid into the tank opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a windshield
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
JUMP STARTING
If jump starting is necessary, see “Jump starting”
(P.6-12) . If the engine does not start by jump
starting, the battery may have to be replaced. It
is recommended you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.CAUTION
.Do not ground accessories directly
to the battery terminal. Doing so will
bypass the variable voltage control
system and the vehicle battery may
not charge completely.
. Use electrical accessories with the
engine running to avoid discharging
the vehicle battery.
The variable voltage control system measures
the amount of electrical discharge from the
battery and controls voltage generated by the
generator.
SDI2533
1. Power steering fluid pump
2. Water pump
3. Alternator
4. Crankshaft pulley
5. Air conditioner compressor
WARNING
Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF
or LOCK position before servicing drive
belts. The engine could rotate unex-
pectedly.
1. Visually inspect each belt for signs of unusual wear, cuts, fraying or looseness. If
Do-it-yourself8-13
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
SYSTEM DRIVE BELTS
8-14Do-it-yourself
the belt is in poor condition or loose, have it
replaced or adjusted. It is recommended you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
2. Have the belts checked regularly for condi- tion and tension in accordance with the
maintenance schedule shown in the “9.
Maintenance and schedules” section.
WARNING
Be sure the engine and the ignition
switch are off and that the parking
brake is engaged securely.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to
remove the spark plugs. An incorrect
socket can damage the spark plugs.
SDI2020
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
If replacement is required, it is recommended
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs
It is not necessary to replace the iridium-tipped
spark plugs as frequently as the conventional
type spark plugs since they will last much longer.
Follow the maintenance schedule shown in the
“9. Maintenance and schedules” section, but do
not reuse them by cleaning or regapping.
Always replace spark plugs with recom-
mended or equivalent ones.
SPARK PLUGS
SDI2516
Be careful not to clog the washer nozzle*A.
This may cause improper windshield washer
operation. If the nozzle is clogged, remove any
objects with a needle or small pin
*B.Be
careful not to damage the nozzle. It is recommended you visit a NISSAN dealer if
checking or replacement is required.
If the brakes do not operate properly, it is
recommended you have the brakes checked by
a NISSAN dealer.
SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKES
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The disc-type brakes self-adjust every time the
brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
Have your brake system checked if the
brake pedal height does not return to
normal. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
BRAKE PAD WEAR WARNING
The disc brake pads have audible wear warn-
ings. When a brake pad requires replacement, it
will make a high pitched scraping sound when
the vehicle is in motion. This scraping sound will
first occur only when the brake pedal is
depressed. After more wear of the brake pad,
the sound will always be heard even if the brake
pedal is not depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wear warning
sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,
Do-it-yourself8-17
REAR WINDOW WIPER BLADES BRAKES
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
WARNING
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified on
the fuse box cover. This could damage
the electrical system or electronic con-
trol units or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not operate,
check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch is pushed to the OFF or LOCK position and the headlight
switch is turned to OFF.
2. Open the engine hood and remove the cover on the battery.
3. Remove the fuse/fusible link holder cover
*1,*2or*3.
4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller.
SDI1753Type A (if so equipped)
SDI1754Type B (if so equipped)
5. If the fuse is open*A, replace it with a new
fuse
*B. Spare fuses are stored in the
passenger compartment fuse box.
6. If a new fuse also opens, have the electrical system checked and repaired. It is recom-
mended you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
Fusible links
If any electrical equipment does not operate and
fuses are in good condition, check the fusible
links. If any of these fusible links are melted,
replace only with genuine NISSAN parts.
Do-it-yourself8-19