REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, insects,
and tree sap as quickly as possible from the
surface of the paint to avoid lasting damage or
staining. Special cleaning products are available
at a NISSAN dealer or any automotive accessory
store. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for these products.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, it is
necessary to clean the underbody regularly in
order to prevent dirt and salt from building up and
causing the acceleration of corrosion on the un-
derbody and suspension. Before the winter pe-
riod and again in the spring, the underseal must
be checked and, if necessary, re-treated.
GLASS
When cleaning the rear window, it may be easier
to clean if the high-mounted stop light (if so
equipped) is removed first.
Be careful when removing the high-mounted
stop light to reduce the risk of damaging the
high-mounted stop light wires.
To remove the high-mounted stop light:
1Push toward rear of vehicle.
2Lift to remove.
The high-mounted stop light must be properly
reinstalled before driving your vehicle. 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 windows,
do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage the electrical
conductors, radio antenna elements or
rear window defroster elements.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge damp-
ened in a mild soap solution, especially during
winter months in areas where road salt is used. If
not removed, road salt can discolor the wheels.
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.
WAI0007
Appearance and care7-3
●Do not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as am-
bient temperature.
● Rinse the wheel to completely remove
the cleaner within 15 minutes after the
cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.
TIRE DRESSINGS
NISSAN does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating to
the tires to help reduce discoloration of the rub-
ber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires, it may
react with the coating and form a compound. This
compound may come off the tire while driving and
stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
● Use a water-based tire dressing. The coat-
ing on the tire dissolves more easily than
with an oil-based tire dressing. ●
Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help
prevent it from entering the tire
tread/grooves (where it would be difficult to
remove) .
● Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry
towel. Make sure the tire dressing is com-
pletely removed from the tire tread/grooves.
● Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom-
mended by the tire dressing manufacturer. Occasionally remove loose dust from the interior
trim, plastic parts and seats using a vacuum
cleaner or soft bristled brush. Wipe the vinyl and
leather surfaces with a clean, soft cloth damp-
ened in mild soap solution, then wipe clean with a
dry, soft cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in order to
maintain the appearance of the leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read the manu-
facturer’s recommendations. Some fabric pro-
tectors contain chemicals that may stain or
bleach the seat material.
Use a cloth dampened only with water to clean
the meter and gauge lens.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can dam-
age the seat or occupant classification
sensor. This can also affect the operation
of the air bag system and result in serious
personal injury.
CLEANING INTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care
CAUTION
●Never use benzine, thinner or any simi-
lar material.
● Small dirt particles can be abrasive and
damaging to leather surfaces and
should be removed promptly. Do not
use saddle soap, car waxes, polishes,
oils, cleaning fluids, solvents, deter-
gents or ammonia-based cleaners as
they may damage the leather’s natural
finish.
● Never use fabric protectors unless rec-
ommended by the manufacturer.
● Do not use glass or plastic cleaner on
meter or gauge lens covers. It may dam-
age the lens cover.
AIR FRESHENERS
Most air fresheners use a solvent that could affect
the vehicle interior. If you use an air freshener,
take the following precautions:
● Hanging-type air fresheners can cause per-
manent discoloration when they contact ve-
hicle interior surfaces. Place the air fresh-
ener in a location that allows it to hang free
and not contact an interior surface. ●
Liquid-type air fresheners typically clip on
the vents. These products can cause imme-
diate damage and discoloration when
spilled on interior surfaces.
Carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s in-
structions before using the air fresheners.
FLOOR MATS
WARNING
To avoid potential pedal interference that
may result in a collision, injury or death:
● NEVER place a floor mat on top of an-
other floor mat in the driver front posi-
tion or install them upside down or
backwards.
● Use only Genuine NISSAN floor mats, or
equivalent floor mats, that are specifi-
cally designed for use in your vehicle
model and model year.
LAI2010
Appearance and care7-5
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
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid
(if so equipped) ...................................8-8
4-speed automatic transmission fluid (ATF)
(if so equipped) ...................................8-9
Power steering fluid ................................8-9
Brake and clutch (if so equipped) fluid ..............8-10
Brake fluid .................................... 8-10
Clutch (if so equipped) fluid ....................8-10
Windshield-washer fluid ........................... 8-11
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ...............8-11
Battery .......................................... 8-11
Jump starting ................................. 8-13
Variable voltage control system (if so equipped) ......8-13
Drive belt ........................................ 8-14Spark plugs
...................................... 8-15
Replacing spark plugs ......................... 8-15
Air cleaner ....................................... 8-15
In-cabin microfilter (if so equipped) ..............8-16
Windshield wiper blades .......................... 8-16
Cleaning ..................................... 8-16
Replacing .................................... 8-16
Brakes .......................................... 8-17
Fuses ........................................... 8-18
Engine compartment ........................... 8-18
Passenger compartment .......................8-19
Battery replacement .............................. 8-21
Key fob (if so equipped) ........................ 8-21
NISSAN Intelligent Key® (if so equipped) ........8-23
Lights ........................................... 8-24
Headlights .................................... 8-24
Fog lights (if so equipped) ......................8-25
Exterior and
interior lights ....................... 8-26
Wheels and tires ................................. 8-30
Tire pressure .................................. 8-30
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, apply
the parking brake securely and block the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing. For manual transmission models,
move the shift lever to N (Neutral) . For
Automatic Transmission (A/T) or CVT
models, move the shift lever to P (Park) .
●Be sure the ignition switch is placed in
the OFF or LOCK position when perform-
ing 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 switch is placed 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.
● Because the fuel lines on gasoline en-
gine models are under high pressure
even when the engine is off, it is recom-
mended that 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 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 the transmis-
sion related component harness con-
nector 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.
A Genuine NISSAN service manual is also avail-
able. For additional information, refer to “Owner’s
Manual/Service Manual order information” in the
“Technical and consumer information” section of
this manual.
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
HR16DE engine
1. Drive belt location
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Air cleaner
4. Brake and clutch (if so equipped) fluidreservoir
5. Fusible link
6. Battery
7. Engine coolant reservoir
8. Radiator cap
9. Engine oil dipstick
10. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
LDI3055
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Do-it-yourself8-3
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.LDI2687LDI2795
ENGINE OIL
8-6Do-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
Aby turning it
counterclockwise.
4. Place a large drain pan under the drain plug
B.
5. Remove the drain plug
Bwith 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
Band a
new washer. Securely tighten the drain plug
Bwith a wrench. Do not use excessive
force.
Drain plug tightening torque: 25 ft-lb (34 N·m)
7. Refill engine with recommended oil through the oil filler opening, then install the oil filler
cap
Asecurely.
For additional information on drain and refill
capacity, refer to “Recommended
fluids/lubricants and capacities” in the
“Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion of this manual.
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
Band oil filter. Correct as
required.
9. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level with the
dipstick. Add engine oil if necessary.LDI2788
Do-it-yourself8-7