9-6Maintenance and schedules
Fuel lines*:
Check the fuel hoses, piping and connections
for leaks, looseness, or deterioration. Tight-
en connections or replace parts as necessary.
Spark plugs:
Replace at specified intervals. Install new
plugs of the type as originally equipped.
CHASSIS AND BODY MAINTE-
NANCE
Brake lines and cables:
Visually inspect for proper installation.
Check for chafing, cracks, deterioration,
and signs of leaking. Replace any deterio-
rated or damaged parts immediately.
Brake pads, rotors, drums and linings:
Check for wear, deterioration and fluid
leaks. Replace any deteriorated or damaged
parts immediately.
Exhaust system:
Visually inspect the exhaust pipes, muffler
and hangers for leaks, cracks, deterioration,
and damage. Tighten connections or replace
parts as necessary.
In-cabin microfilter:
Replace at specified intervals. When driving
for prolonged periods in dusty conditions,
replace the filter more frequently.Propeller shaft(s):
Check for damage, looseness, and grease
leakage. (4WD/AWD/RWD)
Steering gear and linkage, axle and suspen-
sion parts, drive shaft boots:
Check for damage, looseness, and leakage
of oil or grease. Under severe driving condi-
tions, inspect more frequently.
Tire rotation:
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 miles
(8,000 km) according to the instructions
under “Explanation of general maintenance
items” (P.9-2). When rotating tires, check for
damage and uneven wear. Replace if neces-
sary.
Transmission fluid/oil, differential oil and
transfer case oil:
Visually inspect for signs of leakage at
specified intervals.
To help ensure smooth, safe and economical
driving, INFINITI provides two maintenance
schedules that may be used, depending upon
the conditions in which you usually drive.
These schedules contain both distance and
time intervals, up to 120,000 miles
(192,000 km)/144 months. For most peo-
ple, the odometer reading will indicate when
service is needed. However, if you drive very
little, your vehicle should be serviced at the
regular time intervals shown in the schedule.
After 120,000 miles (192,000 km)/144
months, continue maintenance at the same
mileage/time intervals.
ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE
ITEMS FOR SEVERE OPERATING
CONDITIONS
Additional maintenance items for severe
operating conditions;should be performed
on vehicles that are driven under especially
demanding conditions. Additional mainte-
nance items should be performed if you
primarily operate your vehicle under the
following conditions:
.Repeated short trips of less than 5 miles
(8 km).
.Repeated short trips of less than 10 miles
(16 km) with outside temperatures re-
maining below freezing.
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
10 Technical and consumer information
Capacities and recommended fluids/lubricants...... 10-2
Fuel information (for VR30DDTT
engine model)............................................................... 10-3
Fuel information (for 2.0L turbo gasoline
engine model)............................................................... 10-5
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation............ 10-8
Air conditioning system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations .................................. 10-10
Specifications.................................................................. 10-11
Engine.......................................................................... 10-11
Wheels and tires ...................................................... 10-12
Dimensions ................................................................ 10-13
When traveling or registering in
another country............................................................. 10-14
Vehicle identification.................................................... 10-14
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate ....... 10-14
Vehicle identification number
(chassis number) ...................................................... 10-14
Engine serial number .............................................. 10-15
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification label.......... 10-15
Emission control information label..................... 10-16
Tire and loading information label...................... 10-16
Air conditioner specification label ...................... 10-16Installing front license plate....................................... 10-17
Removing air deflectors............................................... 10-17
Vehicle loading information....................................... 10-18
Terms ........................................................................ 10-18
Vehicle load capacity............................................ 10-19
Loading tips ............................................................ 10-20
Measurement of weights.................................... 10-20
Towing a trailer............................................................. 10-21
Flat towing.............................................................. 10-21
Uniform tire quality grading...................................... 10-22
Treadwear ............................................................... 10-22
Traction AA, A, B and C...................................... 10-22
Temperature A, B and C...................................... 10-22
Emission control system warranty.......................... 10-23
Reporting safety defects............................................ 10-23
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M)
test (US only)................................................................. 10-24
Event Data Recorders (EDR) .................................... 10-25
Owner’s Manual/Service Manual
order information ......................................................... 10-25
10-4Technical and consumer information
CAUTION
.Using a fuel other than that specified
could adversely affect the emission
control system, and may also affect
warranty coverage.
.Under no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, because this
will damage the three-way catalyst.
.Do not use a fuel containing more
than 15% ethanol in your vehicle.
Your vehicle is not designed to run on
a fuel containing more than 15%
ethanol. Using a fuel containing more
than 15% ethanol in a vehicle not
specifically designed for a fuel con-
taining more than 15% ethanol can
adversely affect the emission control
devices and systems of the vehicle.
Damage caused by such fuel is not
covered by the INFINITI new vehicle
limited warranty.
.Do not use fuel that contains the
octane booster methylcyclopentadie-
nyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
Using fuel containing MMT may
adversely affect vehicle performance
and vehicle emissions. Not all fuel
dispensers are labeled to indicate
MMT content, so you may have toconsult your gasoline retailer for
more details. Note that Federal and
California laws prohibit the use of
MMT in reformulated gasoline.
.U.S. government regulations require
ethanol dispensing pumps to be iden-
tified by a small, square, orange and
black label with the common abbre-
viation or the appropriate percen-
tage for that region.
Gasoline specifications
INFINITI recommends using gasoline that
meets the World-Wide Fuel Charter
(WWFC) specifications where it is available.
Many of the automobile manufacturers
developed this specification to improve
emission system and vehicle performance.
Ask your service station manager if the
gasoline meets the World-Wide Fuel Char-
ter (WWFC) specifications.
Reformulated gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are
specially designed to reduce vehicle emis-
sions. INFINITI supports efforts towards
cleaner air and suggests that you use
reformulated gasoline when available.
Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE and
methanol with or without advertising their
presence. INFINITI does not recommend the
use of fuels of which the oxygenate content
and the fuel compatibility for your INFINITI
cannot be readily determined. If in doubt, ask
your service station manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please
take the following precautions as the usage
of such fuels may cause vehicle performance
problems and/or fuel system damage.
.The fuel should be unleaded and have an
octane rating no lower than that re-
commended for unleaded gasoline.
.If an oxygenate-blend, excepting a
methanol blend, is used, it should con-
tain no more than 15% oxygenate.
.If a methanol blend is used, it should
contain no more than 5% methanol
(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). It should
also contain a suitable amount of ap-
propriate cosolvents and corrosion in-
hibitors. If not properly formulated with
appropriate cosolvents and corrosion
inhibitors, such methanol blends may
cause fuel system damage and/or vehi-
cle performance problems. At this time,
sufficient data is not available to ensure
that all methanol blends are suitable for
10-6Technical and consumer information
porarily used, but only under the following
precautions:
.Have the fuel tank filled only partially
with unleaded regular gasoline, and fill
up with unleaded premium gasoline as
soon as possible.
.Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.
Use unleaded premium gasoline for max-
imum vehicle performance.
CAUTION
.Using a fuel other than that specified
could adversely affect the emission
control system, and may also affect
warranty coverage.
.Under no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, because this
will damage the three-way catalyst.
.Do not use E-15 or E-85 fuel in your
vehicle. Your vehicle is not designed
to run on E-15 or E-85 fuel. Using E-
15 or E-85 fuel in a vehicle not
specifically designed for E-15 or E-
85 fuel can adversely affect the
emission control devices and systems
of the vehicle. Damage caused by
such fuel is not covered by the
INFINITI new vehicle limited war-ranty.
.Do not use fuel that contains the
octane booster methylcyclopentadie-
nyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
Using fuel containing MMT may
adversely affect vehicle performance
and vehicle emissions. Not all fuel
dispensers are labeled to indicate
MMT content, so you may have to
consult your gasoline retailer for
more details. Note that Federal and
California laws prohibit the use of
MMT in reformulated gasoline.
.U.S. government regulations require
ethanol dispensing pumps to be iden-
tified by a small, square, orange and
black label with the common abbre-
viation or the appropriate percen-
tage for that region.
Gasoline specifications
INFINITI recommends using gasoline that
meets the World-Wide Fuel Charter
(WWFC) specifications where it is available.
Many of the automobile manufacturers
developed this specification to improve
emission system and vehicle performance.
Ask your service station manager if the
gasoline meets the World-Wide Fuel Char-
ter (WWFC) specifications.
Reformulated gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are
specially designed to reduce vehicle emis-
sions. INFINITI supports efforts towards
cleaner air and suggests that you use
reformulated gasoline when available.
Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE and
methanol with or without advertising their
presence. INFINITI does not recommend the
use of fuels of which the oxygenate content
and the fuel compatibility for your INFINITI
cannot be readily determined. If in doubt, ask
your service station manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please
take the following precautions as the usage
of such fuels may cause vehicle performance
problems and/or fuel system damage.
.The fuel should be unleaded and have an
octane rating no lower than that re-
commended for unleaded gasoline.
.If an oxygenate-blend, excepting a
methanol blend, is used, it should con-
tain no more than 10% oxygenate.
(MTBE may, however, be added up to
15%.)
.E-15 fuel contains more than 10%
oxygenate. E-15 fuel will adversely
10-8Technical and consumer information
hicle checked. It is recommended you visit an
INFINITI retailer for servicing.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is no
cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.
JVT0342X
API certification mark
API service symbol
ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION
VR30DDTT engine model
Selecting the correct oil:
It is essential to choose the correct grade,
quality, and viscosity engine oil to ensure
satisfactory engine life and performance,
see “Capacities and recommended fluids/
lubricants” (P.10-2). INFINITI recommends
the use of an energy conserving oil in order
to improve fuel economy.Select only engine oils that meet the Amer-
ican Petroleum Institute (API) certification
or International Lubricant Standardization
and Approval Committee (ILSAC) certifica-
tion and SAE viscosity standard. These oils
have the API certification mark on the front
of the container. Oils which do not have the
specified quality label should not be used as
they could cause engine damage.
Oil additives:
INFINITI does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used
and maintenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.
10-10Technical and consumer information
JVT0428X
Selecting the correct oil filter:
Your new vehicle is equipped with a high-
quality genuine NISSAN oil filter. When
replacing, use the genuine oil filter or its
equivalent for the reason described in
change intervals.Change intervals:
The oil and oil filter change intervals for your
engine are based on the use of the specified
quality oils and filters. Oil and filter other
than the specified quality, or oil and filter
change intervals longer than recommended
could reduce engine life. Damage to engines
caused by improper maintenance or use of
incorrect oil and filter quality and/or vis-
cosity is not covered by the new INFINITI
vehicle limited warranties.
Your engine was filled with a high quality
engine oil when it was built. You do not have
to change the oil before the first recom-
mended change interval.
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM RE-
FRIGERANT AND LUBRICANT
RECOMMENDATIONS
The air conditioning system in your INFINITI
vehicle must be charged with the refriger-
ant HFC-134a (R-134a) and the lubricant,
NISSAN A/C system oil PAG or the exact
equivalents.
CAUTION
The use of any other refrigerant or
lubricant may cause severe damage to
the air conditioning system and mayrequire the replacement of all air condi-
tioner system components.
The refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a) in your
INFINITI vehicle will not harm the earth’s
ozone layer. Although this refrigerant does
not affect the earth’s atmosphere, certain
governmental regulations require the recov-
ery and recycling of any refrigerant during
automotive air conditioning system service.
Your INFINITI retailer has the trained tech-
nicians and equipment needed to recover
and recycle your air conditioning system
refrigerant.
It is recommended you visit an INFINITI
retailer when servicing your air conditioning
system.
10-22Technical and consumer information
DOT (Department Of Transportation) Qual-
ity Grades: All passenger car tires must
conform to federal safety requirements in
addition to these grades.
Quality grades can be found where applic-
able on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
TREADWEAR
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road character-
istics and climate.
TRACTION AA, A, B AND C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B and C. Those grades represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of as-
phalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking trac-
tion tests, and does not include accel-
eration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
TEMPERATURE A, B AND C
The temperature grades A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire’s resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive tempera-
ture can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
mance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor VehicleSafety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, under-inflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in combina-
tion, can cause heat build-up and possi-
ble tire failure.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an
EDR is to record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data
that will assist in understanding how a
vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR is
designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short
period of time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record
such data as:
.How various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
.Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
.How far (if at all) the driver was depres-
sing the accelerator and/or brake pedal;
and,
.How fast the vehicle was traveling.
.Sounds are not recorded.
These data can help provide a better under-
standing of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your
vehicle only if a nontrivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR
under normal driving conditions and no
personal data (e.g. name, gender, age and
crash location) are recorded. However, other
parties, such as law enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type ofpersonally identifying data routinely ac-
quired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required and access to the
vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to
the vehicle manufacturer and INFINITI re-
tailer, other parties, such as law enforce-
ment, that have the special equipment, can
read the information if they have access to
the vehicle or the EDR. EDR data will only be
accessed with the consent of the vehicle
owner or lessee or as otherwise required or
permitted by law.Genuine INFINITI Service Manual for this
model year and prior can be purchased. A
genuine INFINITI Service Manual is the best
source of service and repair information for
your vehicle. This manual is the same one
used by the factory-trained technicians
working at INFINITI retailers. Genuine
INFINITI Owner’s Manuals can also be
purchased.
For USA:
For current pricing and availability of genu-
ineINFINITI Service Manuals, contact:
1-800-450-9491
www.infiniti-techinfo.com
For current pricing and availability of genu-
ineINFINITI Owner’s Manuals, contact:
1-800-247-5321
For Canada:
To purchase a copy of a genuine INFINITI
Service Manual or Owner’s Manual for this
model year and prior, contact an INFINITI
retailer. For the phone number and location
of an INFINITI retailer in your area call the
INFINITI Satisfaction Center at 1-800-361-
4792 and a bilingual INFINITI representative
will assist you.
Technical and consumer information10-25
EVENT DATA RECORDERS (EDR)OWNER’S MANUAL/SERVICE
MANUAL ORDER INFORMATION