
The illustration shows the location of the floor mat
positioning hooks.
SEAT BELTS
The seat belts can be cleaned by wiping them
with a sponge dampened in a mild soap solution.
Allow the belts to dry completely in the shade
before using them. For additional information,
refer to “Seat belt maintenance” in the “Safety-
–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint
system” section of this manual.
WARNING
Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in the
retractor. NEVER use bleach, dye or
chemical solvents to clean the seat belts,
since these materials may severely
weaken the seat belt webbing.
MOST COMMON FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO VEHICLE
CORROSION
Most vehicle corrosion is caused by:● The accumulation of moisture-retaining dirt
and debris in body panel sections, cavities,
and other areas.
● Damage to paint and other protective coat-
ings caused by gravel and stone chips or
minor traffic collisions.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
INFLUENCE THE RATE OF
CORROSION
Moisture
Accumulation of sand, dirt and water on the ve-
hicle body underside can accelerate corrosion.
Wet floor coverings will not dry completely inside
the vehicle and should be removed for drying to
avoid floor panel corrosion.
Relative humidity
Corrosion will be accelerated in areas of high
relative humidity, especially those areas where
the temperatures stay above freezing and where
atmospheric pollution exists and road salt is
used.
Positioning hooks
LAI2047
CORROSION PROTECTION
7-6Appearance and care

8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions...........................8-2
Engine compartment check locations ................8-3
Engine cooling system .............................8-4
Checking engine coolant level ...................8-5
Changing engine coolant ........................8-5
Engine oil .........................................8-6
Checking engine oil level ........................8-6
Changing engine oil ............................8-7
Changing engine oil filter ........................8-8
4-speed automatic transmission fluid (ATF)
(if so equipped) ...................................8-8
Brake and clutch (if so equipped) fluid ...............8-9
Brake fluid .....................................8-9
Clutch (if so equipped) fluid .....................8-9
Windshield-washer fluid ........................... 8-10
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ...............8-10
Battery .......................................... 8-10
Jump starting ................................. 8-12
Drive belt ........................................ 8-12
Spark plugs ...................................... 8-13
Replacing spark plugs ......................... 8-13
Air cleaner ....................................... 8-14In-cabin microfilter (if so equipped)
..............8-14
Windshield wiper blades .......................... 8-15
Cleaning ..................................... 8-15
Replacing .................................... 8-15
Brakes .......................................... 8-16
Fuses ........................................... 8-17
Engine compartment ........................... 8-17
Passenger compartment .......................8-18
Battery replacement .............................. 8-20
Key fob (if so equipped) ........................ 8-20
Lights ........................................... 8-21
Headlights .................................... 8-21
Headlight aim ................................. 8-23
Fog lights (if so equipped) ......................8-25
Exterior and interior lights .......................8-26
Wheels and tires ................................. 8-31
Tire pressure .................................. 8-31
Tire
labeling ................................... 8-33
Types of tires .................................. 8-36
Tire chains .................................... 8-37
Changing wheels and tires .....................8-37

When performing any inspection or maintenance
work on your vehicle, always take care to prevent
serious accidental injury to yourself or damage to
the vehicle. The following are general precau-
tions which should be closely observed.
WARNING
●Park the vehicle on a level surface, ap-
ply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the vehicle
from moving. For manual transmission
models, move the shift lever to N (Neu-
tral) . For Automatic Transmission (A/T)
move the shift lever to P (Park)
● Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or
LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
● Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come
on at any time without warning, 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.
● If you must work with the engine run-
ning, 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 whenever
you work on your vehicle.
● If you must run the engine in an en-
closed 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 neces-
sary to work under the vehicle, support
it with safety stands.
● Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
● On gasoline engine models, the fuel
filter or fuel lines should be serviced
because the fuel lines are under high
pressure even when the engine is off. It
is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
CAUTION
● Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down.
● Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, 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 automatic
transmission related component har-
nesses disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
● Never connect or disconnect the battery
or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
This “Do-it-yourself” section gives instructions
regarding only those items which are relatively
easy for an owner to perform.
You should be aware that incomplete or improper
servicing may result in operating difficulties or
excessive emissions, and could affect warranty
coverage. If in doubt about any servicing, it
is recommended that you have it done by a
NISSAN dealer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-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 antifreeze and
coolant protection. The antifreeze solution con-
tains rust and corrosion inhibitors. Additional en-
gine cooling system additives are not necessary.
WARNING
●Never remove the radiator or coolant
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. For additional information
on precautions, refer to “If your vehicle
overheats” in the “In case of emer-
gency” section of this manual.
● The radiator is equipped with a pres-
sure type radiator cap. To prevent en-
gine damage, use only a Genuine
NISSAN radiator cap.
CAUTION
● Never use any cooling system additives
such as radiator sealer. Additives may
clog the cooling system and cause dam-
age to the engine, transmission and/or
cooling system.
● When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted
to provide antifreeze protection to -34°
F (-37° C) . If additional freeze protection
is needed due to weather where you
operate your vehicle, add Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant
(blue) concentrate following the direc-
tions on the container. If an equivalent
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is
used, follow the coolant manufacturer’s
instructions to maintain minimum anti-
freeze protection to -34° F (-37° C) . The
use of other types of coolant solutions
other than Genuine 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 cool-
ant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) , includ-
ing Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green) , or the use
of non-distilled water will reduce the
life expectancy of the factory-fill cool-
ant. For additional information, refer to
the Maintenance and schedules sec-
tion of this manual.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
8-4Do-it-yourself

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 engine oil be-
tween oil maintenance intervals depending
on the severity of operating conditions or
depending on the property of the engine oil
used. More engine oil is consumed by fre-
quent acceleration/deceleration especially
when the engine rpm is high. Consumption
is likely to be higher when the engine is
new. If the rate of oil consumption, after
driving for 3,000 miles (5,000 km), is more
than 0.5 liter per 600 miles (1,000 km), con-
sult a NISSAN dealer
CAUTION
Oil level should be checked regularly. Op-
erating the engine with an insufficient
amount of oil can damage the engine, and
such damage is not covered by warranty.LDI2855LDI2795
ENGINE OIL
8-6Do-it-yourself

1. Visually inspect the belt for signs of unusualwear, cuts, or fraying. If the belt is in poor
condition, have it replaced or adjusted. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
2. Have the belt checked regularly for condi- tion.
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
Platinum-tipped spark plugs
It is not necessary to replace platinum-tippedA
spark plugs as frequently as conventional type
spark plugs because they last much longer. Fol-
low the maintenance log shown in the Mainte-
nance and Schedules section of this manual. Do
not service platinum-tipped spark plugs by clean-
ing or regapping.
● Always replace spark plugs with rec-
ommended or equivalent ones.
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 re-
move the spark plugs. An incorrect socket
can damage the spark plugs.
If replacement is required, it is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs
It is not necessary to replace iridium-tippedA
spark plugs as frequently as conventional type
spark plugs because they last much longer. Fol-
low the maintenance log shown in the “Mainte-
nance and schedules” section of this manual. Do
not service iridium-tipped spark plugs by clean-
ing or regapping. ● Always replace spark plugs with rec-
ommended or equivalent ones.
WARNING
Be sure the engine and ignition switch are
off and that the parking brake is engaged
securely.
SDI1895
SPARK PLUGS
Do-it-yourself8-13

CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to re-
move the spark plugs. An incorrect socket
can damage the spark plugs.
If replacement is required, it is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
WARNING
● Operating the engine with the air
cleaner filter off can cause you or others
to be burned. The air cleaner filter not
only cleans the intake air, it also stops
the flame if the engine backfires. If the
air cleaner is not installed and the en-
gine backfires, you could be burned.
Never drive with the air cleaner filter off.
Be cautious working on the engine
when the air cleaner is off. ●
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.
To remove the filter from the air cleaner, release
the retaining clips
A, then release the holders at
the back of the unit. Pull the unit upward
B.
The viscous paper type filter element should not
be cleaned and reused. Replace the air filter
according to the maintenance log shown in a
separate maintenance booklet.
When replacing the air filter, wipe the inside of
the air cleaner housing and the cover with a damp
cloth.
IN-CABIN MICROFILTER (if so
equipped)
The in-cabin microfilter restricts the entry of air-
borne dust and pollen particles and reduces
some objectionable outside odors. The filter is
located behind the glove box. For additional in-
formation, refer to the Maintenance and sched-
ules section of this manual for change intervals.
If replacement is required, it is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
LDI2708
AIR CLEANER
8-14Do-it-yourself

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 Main-
tenance and Schedules section of this manual.
If any electrical equipment does not operate,
check for an open fuse.
Fuses are used in the passenger compartment.
Spare fuses are provided and can be found in the
passenger compartment fuse box.
When installing a fuse make sure the fuse is
installed in the fuse box securely.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Fusible links
If any electrical equipment does not operate and
the fuses are in good condition, check the fusible
links
Ain the holder. If any of the fusible links are
melted, replace only with Genuine NISSAN
parts.
For checking and replacing the fusible links, it is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer.
LDI2385LDI2858
FUSES
Do-it-yourself8-17