1-40Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
Other supplemental front-impact
air bag precautions
WARNING
.Do not place any objects on the
steering wheel pad or on the
instrument panel. Also, do not
place any objects between any
occupant and the steering wheel
or instrument panel. Such objects
may become dangerous projec-
tiles and cause injury if the front
air bag inflates.
. Do not place objects with sharp
edges on the seat. Also, do not
place heavy objects on the seat
that will leave permanent impres-
sions in the seat. Such objects
can damage the seat or occupant
classification sensor (pattern
sensor). This can affect the op-
eration of the air bag system and
result in serious personal injury.
. Do not use water or acidic clea-
ners (hot steam cleaners) on the
seat. This can damage the seat or
occupant classification sensor.
This can also affect the operation
of the air bag system and result in
serious personal injury. .
Immediately after inflation, sev-
eral front air bag system compo-
nents will be hot. Do not touch
them; you may severely burn
yourself.
. No unauthorized changes should
be made to any components or
wiring of the air bag system. This
is to prevent accidental inflation
of the supplemental air bag or
damage to the supplemental air
bag system.
. Do not make unauthorized
changes to your vehicle’s electri-
cal system, suspension system or
front end structure. This could
affect proper operation of the
front air bag system.
. Tampering with the front air bag
system may result in serious per-
sonal injury. Tampering includes
changes to the steering wheel
and the instrument panel assem-
bly by placing material over the
steering wheel pad and above the
instrument panel or by installing
additional trim material around
the air bag system.
. Modifying or tampering with the
front passenger seat may result
in serious personal injury. For example, do not change the front
seats by placing material on the
seat cushion or by installing ad-
ditional trim material, such as
seat covers, on the seat that is
not specifically designed to as-
sure proper air bag operation.
Additionally, do not stow any
objects under the front passen-
ger seat or the seat cushion and
seatback. Such objects may inter-
fere with the proper operation of
the occupant classification sen-
sor.
. No unauthorized changes should
be made to any components or
wiring of the seat belt system.
This may affect the front air bag
system. Tampering with the seat
belt system may result in serious
personal injury.
. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for work on and
around the front air bag. It is also
recommended you visit a NISSAN
dealer for installation of electrical
equipment. The Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) wiring
harnesses* should not be modi-
fied or disconnected. Unauthor-
ized electrical test equipment
and probing devices should not
1-42Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
bags and curtain air bags do not provide
restraint to the lower body.
The seat belts should be correctly worn
and the driver and passenger seated
upright as far as practical away from the
side air bag, and seated as far away as
practical from the door finishers and side
roof rails. The side air bags and curtain air
bags inflate quickly in order to help
protect the occupants. Because of this,
the force of the side air bags and curtain
air bags inflating can increase the risk of
injury if the occupant is too close to, or is
against, these air bag modules during
inflation. The side air bags and curtain air
bags will remain inflated for a short
period of time. For Coupe models, in a
rollover, the curtain air bags on both side-
impact situations, the curtain air bags will
remain inflated for a short period of time.
The side air bags and curtain air bags
operate only when the ignition switch is
in the ON position.
After placing the ignition switch in the
ON position, the supplemental air bag
warning light illuminates. The air bag
warning light will turn off after about 7
seconds if the systems are operational.
WARNING
.Do not place any objects near the
seatback of the front seats. Also,
do not place any objects (an
umbrella, bag, etc.) between the
front door finisher and the front
seat. Such objects may become
dangerous projectiles and cause
injury if a side air bag inflates.
. Right after inflation, several side
air bags and curtain air bag sys-
tem components will be hot. Do
not touch them; you may severely
burn yourself.
. No unauthorized changes should
be made to any components or
wiring of side air bag and curtain
air bag systems. This is to prevent
accidental inflation of the side air
bag and curtain air bag or da-
mage to side air bag and curtain
air bag systems.
. Do not make unauthorized
changes to your vehicle’s electri-
cal system, suspension system or
side panel. This could affect prop-
er operation of the side air bag
and curtain air bag systems. .
Tampering with the air bag sys-
tem may result in serious perso-
nal injury. For example, do not
change the front seats by placing
material near the seatback or by
installing additional trim materi-
al, such as seat covers, around
the side air bags.
. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for work on and
around the pretensioner system.
It is also recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for installation of
electrical equipment. The SRS
wiring harnesses* should not be
modified or disconnected. Un-
authorized electrical test equip-
ment and probing devices should
not be used on the side-impact
air bag system.
* The SRS wiring harness connectors are
yellow and orange for easy identifica-
tion.
When selling your vehicle, we request that
you inform the buyer about the side air
bag and curtain air bag systems and
guide the buyer to the appropriate sec-
tions in this Owner’s Manual.
5-30Starting and driving
The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) sys-
tem uses various sensors to monitor
driver inputs and vehicle motion. Under
certain driving conditions, the VDC sys-
tem helps to perform the following func-
tions.
.Controls brake pressure to reduce
wheel slip on one slipping drive wheel
so power is transferred to a non
slipping drive wheel on the same axle.
. Controls brake pressure and engine
output to reduce drive wheel slip
based on vehicle speed (traction con-
trol function).
. Controls brake pressure at individual
wheels and engine output to help the
driver maintain control of the vehicle
in the following conditions:
— understeer (vehicle tends to not
follow the steered path despite
increased steering input)
— oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving condi-
tions).
The VDC system can help the driver to
maintain control of the vehicle, but it
cannot prevent loss of vehicle control in
all driving situations.
When the VDC system operates, the VDC
warning light
in the instrument panel
flashes so note the following: .
The road may be slippery or the
system may determine some action
is required to help keep the vehicle on
the steered path.
. You may feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal and hear a noise or vibration
from under the hood. This is normal
and indicates that the VDC system is
working properly.
. Adjust your speed and driving to the
road conditions.
See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warn-
ing light” (P.2-15).
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
VDC warning light
illuminates in the
instrument panel. The VDC system auto-
matically turns off.
The VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the
VDC system. The VDC off indicator light
illuminates to indicate the VDC sys-
tem is off. When the VDC switch is used to
turn off the system, the VDC system still
operates to prevent one drive wheel from
slipping by transferring power to a non
slipping drive wheel. The VDC warning
light
flashes if this occurs. All other
VDC functions are off, and the VDC
warning light
will not flash. The VDC
system is automatically reset to on when
the ignition switch is placed in the off
position then back to the on position.
See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warn- ing light” (P.2-15) and “Vehicle Dynamic
Control (VDC) off indicator light” (P.2-18).
The computer has a built-in diagnostic
feature that tests the system each time
you start the engine and move the vehicle
forward or in reverse at a slow speed.
When the self-test occurs, you may hear a
“clunk” noise and/or feel a pulsation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and is not an
indication of a malfunction.
WARNING
.
The VDC system is designed to
help the driver maintain stability
but does not prevent accidents
due to abrupt steering operation
at high speeds or by careless or
dangerous driving techniques.
Reduce vehicle speed and be
especially careful when driving
and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always drive carefully.
. Do not modify the vehicle’s sus-
pension. If suspension parts such
as shock absorbers, struts,
springs, stabilizer bars, bushings
and wheels are not NISSAN re-
commended for your vehicle or
are extremely deteriorated, the
VDC system may not operate
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC) SYSTEM
provincial laws before installing studded
tires. Skid and traction capabilities of
studded snow tires, on wet or dry sur-
faces, may be poorer than that of non-
studded snow tires.
TIRE CHAINS
CAUTION
Tire chains/cables should not be
installed on 19-inch size tires. Doing
so will cause damage to the vehicle.
If you plan to use tire chains/cables,
you should install 18-inch size tires
on your vehicle.
Use of tire chains may be prohibited
according to location. Check the local
laws before installing tire chains. When
installing tire chains, make sure they are
the proper size for the tires on your
vehicle and are installed according to
the chain manufacturer’s suggestions.
Use only SAE Class S chains. Class “S”
chains are used on vehicles with re-
stricted tire to vehicle clearance. Vehicles
that can use Class “S” chains are designed
to meet the SAE standard minimum
clearances between the tire and the
closest vehicle suspension or body com-
ponent required to accommodate the use of a winter traction device (tire chains
or cables). The minimum clearances are
determined using the factory equipped
tire size. Other types may damage your
vehicle. Use chain tensioners when re-
commended by the tire chain manufac-
turer to ensure a tight fit. Loose end links
of the tire chain must be secured or
removed to prevent the possibility of
whipping action damage to the fenders
or underbody. If possible, avoid fully load-
ing your vehicle when using tire chains. In
addition, drive at a reduced speed. Other-
wise, your vehicle may be damaged and/
or vehicle handling and performance may
be adversely affected.
Tire chains must be installed only on
the rear wheels and not on the front
wheels.
Never install tire chains on a TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire.
Do not use tire chains on dry roads.
Driving with tire chains in such conditions
can cause damage to the various me-
chanisms of the vehicle due to some
overstress.
CHANGING WHEELS AND TIRES
Tire rotation
Tires cannot be rotated on this
vehicle because the front tires are
a different size than the rear tires.
A pin is on the front brake rotor to
prevent the rear wheels from being
installed in place of the front
wheels. The spare tire can be
installed in place of the front and
rear wheels. When installing the
spare tire in the front wheel, the
hole in the spare tire wheel must be
aligned with the pin on the brake
rotor.
WARNING
.
Retighten the wheel nuts
when the vehicle has been
driven for 600 miles (1,000
km) (also in cases of a flat
tire, etc.).
. For additional information
regarding tires, refer to “Im-
portant Tire Safety Informa-
Do-it-yourself8-33
9-6Maintenance and schedules
Engine oil and oil filter:
Replace engine oil and oil filter at the
specified intervals. For recommended oil
grade and viscosity refer to “Capacities
and recommended fluids/lubricants”
(P.10-2).
Evaporative Emissions Control Vapor
Lines*:
Check vapor lines for leaks or looseness.
Tighten connections or replace parts as
necessary.
Fuel lines*:
Check the fuel hoses, piping and connec-
tions for leaks, looseness, or deterioration.
Tighten connections or replace parts as
necessary.
Spark plugs:
Replace at specified intervals. Install new
plugs of the type as originally equipped.
CHASSIS AND BODY MAINTENANCE
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 and rotors:
Check for wear, deterioration and fluid
leaks. Replace any deteriorated or da-
maged parts immediately.Exhaust system:
Visually inspect the exhaust pipes, muffler
and hangers for leaks, cracks, deteriora-
tion, and damage. Tighten connections or
replace parts as necessary.
In-cabin microfilter:
Replace at specified intervals. When driv-
ing for prolonged periods in dusty condi-
tions, replace the filter more frequently.
Steering gear and linkage, axle and
suspension parts:
Check for damage, looseness, and leak-
age of oil or grease. Under severe driving
conditions, inspect more frequently.
Tire rotation:
Tires cannot be rotated, as the front tires
are a different size from the rear tires and
the direction of wheel rotation is fixed in
each tire.
Transmission fluid/oil, differential oil:
Visually inspect for signs of leakage at
specified intervals.
To help ensure smooth, safe and eco-
nomical driving, NISSAN 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 people, 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 sche-
dule.
After 120,000 miles (192,000 km)/144
months, continue maintenance at the
same mileage/time intervals.
ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS
FOR SEVERE OPERATING CONDI-
TIONS
Additional maintenance items for se-
vere operating conditions;
should be
performed on vehicles that are driven
under especially demanding conditions.
Additional maintenance 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 tempera-
tures remaining below freezing.
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
CHASSIS AND BODY MAINTENANCE
Abbreviations: I = Inspect and correct or replace as necessary, R = Replace
MAINTENANCE OPERATION
Perform at of miles, kilo-
meters or months, whichever
comes first.Miles × 1,000
(km × 1,000) Months MAINTENANCE INTERVAL
5
(8) 6 10
(16) 12 15
(24) 18 20
(32) 24 25
(40) 30 30
(48) 36 35
(56) 42 40
(64) 48 45
(72) 54 50
(80) 60 55
(88) 66 60
(96) 72
Brake lines and cables II II I I
Brake pads and rotors$ II I I I I
Brake fluid$ RR R
Automatic transmission fluid See NOTE (1)
Manual transmission gear oil
and differential gear oil See NOTE (2)
II II I I
Steering gear and linkage,
axle and suspension parts$ II I
Tire rotation See NOTE (3)
Exhaust system$ II I
In-cabin microfilter RR R R
Intelligent Key battery RR R R
Maintenance and schedules9-11
9-12Maintenance and schedules
MAINTENANCE OPERATION
Perform at of miles, kilo-
meters or months, which-
ever comes first.Miles × 1,000
(km × 1,000) Months MAINTENANCE INTERVAL
65
(104) 78 70
(112) 84 75
(120) 90 80
(128) 96 85
(136) 102 90
(144) 108 95
(152) 114 100
(160) 120 105
(168) 126 110
(176) 132 115
(184) 138 120
(192) 144
Brake lines & cables II II I I
Brake pads & rotors$ II II I I
Brake fluid$ RR R
Automatic transmission fluid See NOTE (1)
Manual transmission gear oil
& differential gear oil See NOTE (2)
II II I I
Steering gear & linkage, axle
& suspension parts$ II I
Tire rotation See NOTE (3)
Exhaust system$ III
In-cabin microfilter RRR R
Intelligent Key battery RRR R
NOTE:
Maintenance items with “$” should be
performed more frequently according
to “Maintenance under severe driving
conditions” (P.9-13).
(1) Periodic maintenance is not required.
(2) If using a car-top carrier, or driving
on rough or muddy roads, change (not
just inspect) oil at every 20,000 miles
(32,000 km) or 24 months. (3) Refer to “Tire rotation” under “Gen-
eral maintenance” (P.9-2).
The maintenance intervals shown on the
preceding pages are for normal operating
conditions. If the vehicle is mainly oper-
ated under severe driving conditions as
shown below, more frequent mainte-
nance must be performed on the follow-
ing items as shown in the table.
Severe driving conditions
.Repeated short trips of less than 5
miles (8 km).
. Repeated short trips of less than 10
miles (16 km) with outside tempera-
tures remaining below freezing.
. Operating in hot weather in stop-and-
go “rush hour” traffic.
. Extensive idling and/or low speed
driving for long distances, such as
police, taxi or door-to-door delivery
use.
. Driving in dusty conditions.
. Driving on rough, muddy, or salt
spread roads.
. Using a car-top carrier.
Maintenance operation: Inspect = Inspect
and correct or replace as necessary.Maintenance item Maintenance opera- tionMaintenance interval
Brake fluid ReplaceEvery 10,000 miles (16,000 km) or 12
months
Brake pads & rotors InspectEvery 5,000 miles (8,000 km) or 6
months
Steering gear & linkage, axle &
suspension parts Inspect
Every 5,000 miles (8,000 km) or 6
months
Exhaust system InspectEvery 5,000 miles (8,000 km) or 6
months
Maintenance and schedules9-13
MAINTENANCE UNDER SEVERE
DRIVING CONDITIONS