
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 the P (Park) position
(CVT model) or the shift lever to the
N (Neutral) position (MT model) .
. Be sure the ignition switch is in the
OFF or LOCK position when per-
forming any parts replacement or
repairs.
. 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.
. 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, and engine coolant and/or other vehicle fluids
can damage the environment. Al-
ways conform to local regulations
for disposal of vehicle fluid.
. Never leave the engine or the CVT
related component harnesses dis-
connected while the ignition switch
is in the ON position.
. Never connect or disconnect the
battery or any transistorized com-
ponent while the ignition switch is
in the ON position.
. 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.
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 manual
order information” (P.10-22) .)
You should be aware that incomplete or
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS

8-4Do-it-yourself
The engine cooling system is filled at the factory
with a pre-diluted mixture of 50% Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) and
50% water to provide year-round anti-freeze
and coolant protection. The anti-freeze solution
contains rust and corrosion inhibitors. Additional
engine cooling system additives are not neces-
sary.
WARNING
.Never remove the radiator or cool-
ant reservoir cap when the engine is
hot. Wait until the engine and
radiator cool down. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure
fluid escaping from the radiator.
See precautions in “If your vehicle
overheats” (P.6-11) of this manual.
. The radiator is equipped with a
pressure type radiator cap. To pre-
vent engine damage, use only a
genuine NISSAN radiator cap.
. If the engine was stopped soon
when the engine is hot, the cooling
fan may operate for approximately
10 minutes after the engine was
stopped to cool the components in
the engine compartment. When the cooling fan is operating, be sure
that hands or other items do not get
caught in it.
CAUTION
.
Never use any cooling system ad-
ditives such as radiator sealer. Ad-
ditives may clog the cooling system
and cause damage to the engine,
transmission and/or cooling sys-
tem.
. When adding or replacing coolant,
be sure to use only Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Cool-
ant (blue) or equivalent. Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Cool-
ant (blue) is pre-diluted to provide
antifreeze protection to -348 F
(-378C) . If additional freeze protec-
tion is needed due to weather where
you operate your vehicle, add Gen-
uine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (blue) concentrate follow-
ing the directions on the container.
If an equivalent coolant other than
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Anti-
freeze/Coolant (blue) is used, fol- low the coolant manufacture’s
instructions to maintain minimum
antifreeze protection to -348
F
(-378C) . The use of other types of
coolant solutions other than Genu-
ine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (blue) or equivalent may
damage the engine cooling system.
. The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 105,000 miles (168,000
km) or 7 years. Mixing any other
type of coolant other than Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Cool-
ant (blue) , including Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Cool-
ant (green) , or the use of non-
distilled water will reduce the life
expectancy of the factory-fill cool-
ant. Refer to the “9. Maintenance
and schedules” section of this man-
ual for more details.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM

8-6Do-it-yourself
opening.Do not overfill*B.
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 cov-
ered by the warranty.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL AND FILTER
Vehicle set-up
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches the operating temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes.
4. Raise and support the vehicle using a suitable floor jack and safety jack stands.
.Place the safety jack stands under the
vehicle jack-up points.
.A suitable adapter should be attached tothe jack stand saddle.
CAUTION
Make sure the correct lifting and sup-
port points are used to avoid vehicle
damage.
SDI2652
For NISMO RS models
JVM0518XExcept for NISMO RS models

in poor condition or loose, have it replaced
or adjusted. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
2. Have the belt condition checked regularly.
WARNING
Be sure the engine and 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.
SDI2670
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
If replacement is required, it is recommended
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Iridium platinum-tipped spark plugs
It is not necessary to replace the iridium
platinum-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. Do not reuse the iridium
platinum-tipped spark plugs by cleaning or
regapping.
Always replace spark plugs with recom-
mended or equivalent ones.
Do-it-yourself8-13
SPARK PLUGS

8-14Do-it-yourself
SDI2667
To remove the filter, pull the air duct*1upward
to remove it. Pull the tabs
*2, then pull the
cover
*3upward.
The air cleaner filter should not be cleaned and
reused. Replace it according to the maintenance
schedule shown in the “9. Maintenance and
schedules” section. When replacing the filter,
wipe the inside of the air cleaner housing and
the cover with a damp cloth.
WARNING
. Operating the engine with the air
cleaner removed can cause you or
others to be burned. The air cleaner not only cleans the air, it stops
flame if the engine backfires. If it
is not there, and the engine back-
fires, you could be burned. Do not
drive with the air cleaner removed,
and be careful when working on the
engine with the air cleaner removed.
. Never pour fuel into the throttle
body or attempt to start the engine
with the air cleaner removed. Doing
so could result in serious injury.
AIR CLEANER

Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional 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, see the
maintenance schedule shown in the “9. Main-
tenance and schedules” section.
JVM0620X
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 and the headlight switch are turned off. 2. Open the engine hood.
3. Remove the fuse/fusible link holder cover by
pushing the tab
*1and lifting the cover
from the right side
*2, then the left side
*3.
4. Locate the fuse that needs to be replaced.
5. Remove the fuse using the fuse puller located in the passenger compartment fuse
box.
Do-it-yourself8-17
FUSES

9 Maintenance and schedules
Maintenance requirement ........................................................ 9-2General maintenance ......................................................... 9-2
Scheduled maintenance .................................................... 9-2
Where to go for service .................................................... 9-2
General maintenance ............................................................... 9-2 Explanation of general maintenance items ................... 9-2
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items .................... 9-5 Emission control system maintenance ........................... 9-5
Chassis and body maintenance ...................................... 9-6 Maintenance schedules .......................................................... 9-7
Additional maintenance items for severe
operating conditions ......................................................... 9-7
Standard maintenance ............................................................ 9-7 Emission control system maintenance ........................ 9-8
Chassis and body maintenance ................................. 9-11
Maintenance under severe driving conditions ............... 9-14
Maintenance log .................................................................... 9-15

9-2Maintenance and schedules
Some day-to-day and regular maintenance is
essential to maintain your vehicle good mechan-
ical condition, as well as its emission and engine
performance.
It is the owner’s responsibility to make sure that
the scheduled maintenance, as well as general
maintenance, is performed.
As the vehicle owner, you are the only one who
can ensure that your vehicle receives the proper
maintenance care. You are a vital link in the
maintenance chain.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
General maintenance includes those items
which should be checked during normal day-
to-day operation. They are essential for proper
vehicle operation. It is your responsibility to
perform these procedures regularly as pre-
scribed.
Performing general maintenance checks re-
quires minimal mechanical skill and only a few
general automotive tools.
These checks or inspections can be done by
yourself, a qualified technician or, if you prefer, a
NISSAN dealer.
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
The maintenance items listed in this section are
required to be serviced at regular intervals.
However, under severe driving conditions, addi-
tional or more frequent maintenance will be
required.
WHERE TO GO FOR SERVICE
If maintenance service is required or your vehicle
appears to malfunction, have the systems
checked and serviced. It is recommended you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
NISSAN technicians are well-trained specialists
and are kept up-to-date with the latest service
information through technical bulletins, service
tips, and training programs. They are completely
qualified to work on NISSAN vehiclesbefore
work begins.
You can be confident that a NISSAN dealer’s
service department performs the best job to
meet the maintenance requirements on your
vehicle. During the normal day-to-day operation of the
vehicle, general maintenance should be per-
formed regularly as prescribed in this section. If
you detect any unusual sounds, vibrations or
smell, be sure to check for the cause or it is
recommended to have a NISSAN dealer do it
promptly. In addition, it is recommended you visit
a NISSAN dealer if you think that repairs are
required.
When performing any checks or maintenance
work, see “Maintenance precautions” (P.8-2) .
EXPLANATION OF GENERAL MAIN-
TENANCE ITEMS
Additional information on the following
items with “*” is found in the “8. Do-it
yourself” section of this manual.
Outside the vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
performed from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Doors and engine hood:
Check that all doors
and the engine hood operate properly. Also
ensure that all latches lock securely. Lubricate
hinges, latches, latch pins, rollers and links if
necessary. Make sure that the secondary latch
keeps the hood from opening when the primary
latch is released.
When driving in areas using road salt or other
MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT GENERAL MAINTENANCE