7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior ....................................................................... 7-2Washing ........................................................................\
......... 7-2
Waxing ........................................................................\
........... 7-2
Removing spots ................................................................... 7-3
Underbody ........................................................................\
..... 7-3
Glass ........................................................................\
.............. 7-3
Wheels ........................................................................\
........... 7-3
Chrome parts ....................................................................... 7-3
Tire dressing ........................................................................\
. 7-4 Cleaning interior ....................................................................... 7-4
Air fresheners ..................................................................... 7-5
Floor mats ........................................................................\
... 7-5
Seat belts ........................................................................\
.... 7-6
Corrosion protection ................................................................ 7-7 Most common factors contributing to
vehicle corrosion ............................................................... 7-7
Environmental factors influence the rate
of corrosion ........................................................................\
7-7
To protect your vehicle from corrosion ....................... 7-7
7-2Appearance and care
In order to maintain the appearance of your
vehicle, it is important to take proper care of it.
To protect the paint surface, wash your vehicle
as soon as you can:
.after a rainfall to prevent possible damage
from acid rain
. after driving on coastal roads
. when contaminants such as soot, bird
droppings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs
get on the paint surface
. when dust or mud builds up on the surface
Whenever possible, store or park your vehicle
inside a garage or in a covered area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in a
shady area or protect the vehicle with a body
cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint surface
when putting on or removing the body
cover.
WASHING
Wash dirt off the vehicle with a wet sponge and
plenty of water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly
using a mild soap, a special vehicle soap or
general purpose dishwashing liquid mixed with
clean, lukewarm (never hot) water.
CAUTION
. Do not use car washes that use acid
in the detergent. Some car washes,
especially brushless ones, use some
acid for cleaning. The acid may react
with some plastic vehicle compo-
nents, causing them to crack. This
could affect their appearance, and
also could cause them not to func-
tion properly. Always check with
your car wash to confirm that acid
is not used.
. Do not wash the vehicle with strong
household soap, strong chemical
detergents, gasoline or solvents.
. Do not wash the vehicle in direct
sunlight or while the vehicle body is
hot, as the surface may become
water-spotted.
. Avoid using tight-napped or rough
cloths, such as washing mitts. Care
must be taken when removing
caked-on dirt or other foreign sub-
stances so the paint surface is not
scratched or damaged.
Rinse the vehicle again with plenty of clean water.
Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors,
hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable to
the effects of road salt. Therefore, these areas
must be regularly cleaned. Make sure that the
drain holes in the lower edge of the door are
open. Spray water under the body and in the
wheel wells to loosen the dirt and wash away
road salt.
Avoid leaving water spots on the paint surface
by using a damp chamois to dry the vehicle.
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface and
helps retain new vehicle appearance. Polishing
is recommended to remove built-up wax residue
and to avoid a weathered appearance before
reapplying wax.
A NISSAN dealer can assist you in choosing the
proper product.
.
Wax your vehicle only after a thorough
washing. Follow the instructions supplied
with the wax.
. Do not use a wax containing any abrasives,
cutting compounds or cleaners that may
damage the vehicle finish.
Machine compound or aggressive polishing on a
base coat/clear coat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
CLEANING EXTERIOR
REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust,
insects, and tree sap as quickly as possible
from the paint surface to avoid lasting damage
or staining. Special cleaning products are
available at a NISSAN dealer or any automotive
accessory stores.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, the
underbody must be cleaned regularly. This will
prevent dirt and salt from building up and
causing the acceleration of corrosion on the
underbody and suspension. Before the winter
period and again in the spring, the underseal
must be checked and, if necessary, re-treated.
GLASS
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust
film from the glass surfaces. It is normal for glass
to become coated with a film after the vehicle is
parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner and a soft
cloth will easily remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dows, do not use sharp-edged tools,
abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based
disinfectant cleaners. They could da-mage the electrical conductors, radio
antenna elements or rear window
defroster elements.
WHEELS
Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle to
maintain their appearance.
.
Clean the inner side of the wheels when the
wheel is changed or the underside of the
vehicle is washed.
. Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause loss of
pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
. NISSAN recommends that the road wheels
be waxed to protect against road salt in
areas where it is used during winter.
CAUTION
Do not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
Aluminum alloy wheels
Wash regularly with a sponge dampened in a
mild soap solution, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used. Salt
could discolor the wheels if not removed.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining or discoloring the wheels:
. Do not use a cleaner that uses
strong acid or alkali contents to
clean the wheels.
. Do not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The
wheel temperature should be the
same as ambient temperature.
. Rinse the wheel to completely re-
move the cleaner within 15 minutes
after the cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.
Appearance and care7-3
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ........................................................ 8-2
Engine compartment check locations .................................. 8-3VQ35DE engine .................................................................. 8-3
Engine cooling system ............................................................. 8-4 Checking engine coolant level ......................................... 8-5
Changing engine coolant .................................................. 8-5
Engine oil ........................................................................\
............ 8-5 Checking engine oil level .................................................. 8-5
Changing engine oil and filter .......................................... 8-6
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid ............... 8-8
Power steering fluid .................................................................. 8-8
Brake fluid ........................................................................\
........... 8-9
Window washer fluid ............................................................ 8-10
Battery ........................................................................\
............... 8-10 Jump starting ..................................................................... 8-12
Variable voltage control system .......................................... 8-12
Drive belt ........................................................................\
.......... 8-12
Spark plugs ........................................................................\
..... 8-13 Replacing spark plugs .................................................... 8-13
Air cleaner ........................................................................\
........ 8-14 Windshield wiper blades ..................................................... 8-14
Cleaning ........................................................................\
... 8-14
Replacing ........................................................................\
. 8-15
Washer nozzle ................................................................ 8-16
Rear window wiper blade ................................................... 8-17
Brakes ........................................................................\
.............. 8-17
Self-adjusting brakes .................................................... 8-17
Brake pad wear warning .............................................. 8-17
Fuses ........................................................................\
................ 8-18 Engine compartment ..................................................... 8-18
Passenger compartment .............................................. 8-19
Intelligent Key battery replacement ................................... 8-20
Lights ........................................................................\
................ 8-22
Headlights ........................................................................\
8-22
Exterior and interior lights ............................................ 8-24
Wheels and tires ................................................................... 8-27
Tire pressure ................................................................... 8-27
Tire labeling ..................................................................... 8-31
Types of tires ................................................................... 8-33
Tire chains ....................................................................... 8-33
Changing wheels and tires .......................................... 8-35
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.
. 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 on gasoline
engine models are under high pres-
sure 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.10-27) .)
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
If you have a flat tire, see “Flat tire” (P.6-3) .
TIRE PRESSURE
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) . It monitors tire
pressure of all tires except the spare. When
the low tire pressure warning light is lit and the
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning appears on
the vehicle information display, one or more of
your tires is significantly under-inflated.
The TPMS will activate only when the vehicle is
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h) .
Also, this system may not detect a sudden drop
in tire pressure (for example a flat tire while
driving) .
For more details, see “Low tire pressure warning
light” (P.2-14) , “Tire Pressure Monitoring Sys-
tem (TPMS)” (P.5-3) and “Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS)” (P.6-3) .
Tire inflation pressure
Check the pressure of the tires (including
the spare) often and always prior to long
distance trips. The recommended tire
pressure specifications are shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label under
the “Cold Tire Pressure” heading. TheTire and Loading Information label is
affixed to the driver side center pillar.
Tire pressures should be checked reg-
ularly because:
.Most tires naturally lose air over time.
.Tires can lose air suddenly when
driven over potholes or other objects
or if the vehicle strikes a curb while
parking.
The tire pressures should be checked
when the tires are cold. The tires are
considered COLD after the vehicle has
been parked for 3 or more hours, or
driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at
moderate speeds.
The TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert
provides visual and audible signals out-
side the vehicle for inflating the tires to
the recommended COLD tire pressure.
(See “TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert”
(P.5-6) .)
Incorrect tire pressure, including
under inflation, may adversely affect
tire life and vehicle handling.
WARNING
.Improperly inflated tires can
fail suddenly and cause an
accident.
.The Gross Vehicle Weight rat-
ing (GVWR) is located on the F.
M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certifica-
tion label. The vehicle weight
capacity is indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information
label. Do not load your vehicle
beyond this capacity. Over-
loading your vehicle may re-
sult in reduced tire life, unsafe
operating conditions due to
premature tire failure, or un-
favorable handling character-
istics and could also lead to a
serious accident. Loading be-
yond the specified capacity
may also result in failure of
other vehicle components.
.Before taking a long trip, or
whenever you heavily load
Do-it-yourself8-27
WHEELS AND TIRES
SDI1575
Example
TIRE LABELING
Federal law requires tire manufacturers
to place standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This information
identifies and describes the fundamental
characteristics of the tire and also
provides the tire identification number
(TIN) for safety standard certification.
The TIN can be used to identify the tire
in case of a recall.
SDI1606
Example
*1Tire size (example: P215/60R16
94H)
1. P: The “P” indicates the tire is designed for passenger vehicles.
(Not all tires have this information.)
2. Three-digit number (215): This num- ber gives the width in millimeters of
the tire from sidewall edge to sidewall
edge.
3. Two-digit number (60): This number, known as the aspect ratio, gives the
tire’s ratio of height to width. 4. R: The “R” stands for radial.
5. Two-digit number (16): This number
is the wheel or rim diameter in inches.
6. Two- or three-digit number (94): This number is the tire’s load index. It is a
measurement of how much weight
each tire can support. You may not
find this information on all tires
because it is not required by law.
7. H: Tire speed rating. You should not drive the vehicle faster than the tire
speed rating.
Do-it-yourself8-31
trical tire that has a particular side that
must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
TYPES OF TIRES
WARNING
.When changing or replacing tires,
be sure all four tires are of the same
type (Example: Summer, All Season
or Snow) and construction. A
NISSAN dealer may be able to help
you with information about tire type,
size, speed rating and availability.
. Replacement tires may have a lower
speed rating than the factory
equipped tires, and may not match
the potential maximum vehicle
speed. Never exceed the maximum
speed rating of the tire.
. Replacing tires with those not ori-
ginally specified by NISSAN could
affect the proper operation of the
TPMS.
. For additional information regard-
ing tires, refer to “Important Tire
Safety Information” (US) or“Tire
Safety Information” (Canada) in the Warranty Information Booklet.
All season tires
NISSAN specifies all season tires on some
models to provide good performance all year,
including snowy and icy road conditions. All
Season tires are identified by ALL SEASON
and/or M&S (Mud and Snow) on the tire
sidewall. Snow tires have better snow traction
than All Season tires and may be more appro-
priate in some areas.
Summer tires
NISSAN specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior performance on dry
roads. Summer tire performance is substantially
reduced in snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating M&S on the tire
sidewall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in snowy or
icy conditions, NISSAN recommends the use of
SNOW tires or ALL SEASON tires on all four
wheels.
Snow tires
If snow tires are needed, it is necessary to select
tires equivalent in size and load rating to the
original equipment tires. If you do not, it can
adversely affect the safety and handling of your
vehicle.
Generally, snow tires will have lower speed
ratings than factory equipped tires and may not
match the potential maximum vehicle speed.
Never exceed the maximum speed rating of the
tire.
If you install snow tires, they must be the same
size, brand, construction and tread pattern on all
four wheels.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some U.S. states
and Canadian provinces prohibit their use.
Check local, state and provincial laws before
installing studded tires. Skid and traction cap-
abilities of studded snow tires, on wet or dry
surfaces, may be poorer than that of non-
studded snow tires.
TIRE CHAINS
CAUTION
.
NISSAN recommends using the fol-
lowing tire cables made by Peerless
Do-it-yourself8-33