8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ....................................................... 8-2
Engine compartment check locations ......................... 8-3VQ37VHR engine model .................................................... 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 and filter ...................................... 8-6
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) .............................. 8-8
Power steering fluid .................................................................... 8-8
Brake and clutch fluid ................................................................ 8-9 Brake fluid ........................................................................\
............. 8-9
Clutch fluid (Manual transmission models) ..... 8-10
Window washer fluid ............................................................... 8-10
Battery ........................................................................\
........................... 8-11
Jump starting ........................................................................\
... 8-13
Variable voltage control system ..................................... 8-13
Drive belts ........................................................................\
.................. 8-14
Spark plugs ........................................................................\
............... 8-14
Replacing spark plugs ....................................................... 8-15
Air cleaner ........................................................................\
................. 8-15 Windshield wiper blades ....................................................... 8-16
Cleaning ........................................................................\
............. 8-16
Replacing ........................................................................\
.......... 8-16
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 Coupe ........................................................................\
................. 8-22
Roadster ........................................................................\
........... 8-23
Headlights ........................................................................\
....... 8-23
Exterior and interior lights ......................................... 8-24
Wheels and tires ........................................................................\
. 8-26
Tire pressure ........................................................................\
. 8-26
Tire labeling ........................................................................\
.. 8-30
Types of tires ........................................................................\
8-32
Tire chains ........................................................................\
....... 8-33
Changing wheels and tires ....................................... 8-33
Emergency tire puncture repair kit (if
so equipped) ........................................................................\
.. 8-37
CAUTION
.Do not overfill.
. Use Genuine NISSAN PSF or
equivalent. For further brake and clutch fluid infor-
mation, see “Capacities and recom-
mended fluids/lubricants” (P.10-2) of this
manual.
WARNING
.
Use only new fluid from a sealed
container. Old, inferior or con-
taminated fluid may damage the
brake and clutch systems. The
use of improper fluids can da-
mage the brake and clutch sys-
tems, and affect the vehicle’s
stopping ability.
. Clean the filler cap before remov-
ing.
. Brake fluid and clutch fluid are
poisonous and should be stored
carefully in marked containers
out of the reach of children.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on painted
surfaces. This will damage the paint.
If fluid is spilled, wash the surface
with water.
SDI2025A
BRAKE FLUID
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the
fluid is below the MIN lineor the brake
warning light comes on, add Genuine
NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or
equivalent DOT3(except for NISMO mod-
els), or Genuine NISSAN Brake Fluid R35
Special ll fluid (for NISMO models) up to
the MAX line
. If fluid must be added
frequently, the system should be checked.
It is recommended you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
Do-it-yourself8-9
BRAKE AND CLUTCH FLUID
SDI2362
Be careful not to clog the washer nozzle. This may cause improper windshield
washer operation. If the nozzle is clogged,
remove any objects with a needle or small
pin
. Be careful not to damage the
nozzle. If the brakes do not operate properly, it is
recommended you have the brakes
checked by a NISSAN dealer.
SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKES
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjust-
ing brakes.
The disc-type brakes self-adjust every
time the brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
Have your brake system checked if
the brake pedal height does not
return to normal. It is recommended
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
BRAKE PAD WEAR WARNING
The disc brake pads have audible wear
warnings. When a brake pad requires
replacement, it will make a high pitched
scraping sound when the vehicle is in
motion. This scraping sound will first
occur only when the brake pedal is
depressed. After more wear of the brake
pad the sound will always be heard even
if the brake pedal is not depressed. Have
the brakes checked as soon as possible if
the wear warning sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,occasional 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 infor-
mation, see the maintenance schedule
shown in the “9. Maintenance and sche-
dules” section.
Do-it-yourself8-17
BRAKES
8-18Do-it-yourself
SDI1479A
SDI2566
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
WARNING
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified
on the fuse box cover. This could
damage the electrical system or
electronic control units or cause a
fire.
If any electrical equipment does not
operate, check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch is pushed to the OFF or LOCK position and the
headlight switch is turned to OFF.
2. Open the engine hood.
3. Remove the fuse/fusible link holder cover.
4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller located in the passenger compart-
ment fuse box.
SDI1754
5. If the fuse is open, replace it with a
new fuse. Spare fuses are stored in
the passenger compartment fuse box.
6. If a new fuse also opens, have the electrical system checked and re-
paired. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
Fusible links
If any electrical equipment does not
operate and fuses are in good condition,
check the fusible links. If any of these
fusible links are melted, replace only with
genuine NISSAN parts.
FUSES
SDI2361
PASSENGER COMPARTMENT
WARNING
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified
on the fuse box cover. This could
damage the electrical system or
electronic control units or cause a
fire.
If any electrical equipment does not
operate, check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch is pushed to the OFF or LOCK position and the headlight switch is turned to OFF.
2. Open the fuse box lid.
3. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller
.
4. If the fuse is open, replace it with a new fuse. Spare fuses are stored in the
fuse box.
5. If a new fuse also opens, have the electrical system checked and re-
paired. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
SDI2704
Extended storage fuse switch
To reduce battery drain, the extended
storage fuse switch comes from the
factory switched off.
Prior to delivery of your vehicle, the switch
is pushed in (switched on) and should
always remain on.
If the extended storage fuse switch is not
pushed in (switched on), the “SHIPPING
MODE ON, PUSH STORAGE FUSE” warning
may appear on the vehicle information
display. See “Warnings and alerts” (P.2-21).
If any electrical equipment does not
operate, remove the extended storage
fuse switch and check for an open fuse.
Do-it-yourself8-19
8-24Do-it-yourself
Replacing
WARNING
HIGH VOLTAGE
When xenon headlights are on, they
produce a high voltage. To prevent
an electric shock, never attempt to
modify or disassemble. We recom-
mend you have your xenon head-
lights replaced at a NISSAN dealer.
For additional information, see
“Headlight and turn signal switch”
(P.2-34).
Use the same number and wattage
shown in the following chart as originally
installed.
It is recommended you visit a NISSAN
dealer if replacement is required.
EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS
Item Wattage (W)Bulb No.
Headlight*
High/Low beams (Xenon) 35D2S
Front turn signal light* 28/87444NA
Front parking light* 5W5W
Front side marker light* LED—
Side turn signal light (if so equipped)* LED—
Daytime running light* LED—
Rear combination light*
back-up 16W16W
turn signal 21WY21W
stop/tail/side marker LED—
Rear fog light (if so equipped)* 21W21W
License plate light* 5W5W
Map light 8—
Vanity mirror light* 1.8—
Cargo area courtesy light (Roadster)* 5—
Cargo light (Coupe)* 5—
Trunk light (Roadster)* 3.4—
High-mounted stop light* LED—
*: It is recommended you visit a NISSAN dealer for replacement.
NOTE: Always check with the Parts Department at a NISSAN dealer for the latest information about parts.
8-26Do-it-yourself
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 vehi-
cle 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.2-13), “Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS)” (P.5-3) and “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)” (P.6-
3).
Tire inflation pressure
Check the pressure of the tires
(including the spare) often and al-
ways 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. The Tire and Loading In-
formation label is affixed to the
driver side center pillar. Tire pres-
sures should be checked regularly
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.
Incorrect tire pressure, including
under inflation, may adversely affect tire life and vehicle hand-
ling.
WARNING
.
Improperly inflated tires can
fail suddenly and cause an
accident.
. The Gross Vehicle Weight
rating (GVWR) is located on
the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. la-
bel. The vehicle weight ca-
pacity is indicated on the
Tire and Loading Informa-
tion label. Do not load your
vehicle beyond this capacity.
Overloading your vehicle
may result in reduced tire
life, unsafe operating condi-
tions due to premature tire
failure, or unfavorable hand-
ling characteristics and
could also lead to a serious
accident. Loading beyond
the specified capacity may
also result in failure of other
vehicle components.
WHEELS AND TIRES
portant Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (US) or “Tire Safety In-
formation” (Canada) in the
Warranty Information Book-
let.
Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size,
tread design, speed rating and load
carrying capacity as originally equipped.
(See “Specifications” (P.10-9) for recom-
mended types and sizes of tires and
wheels.)
WARNING
. The use of tires other than those
recommended or the mixed use
of tires of different brands, con-
struction (bias, bias-belted or ra-
dial), or tread patterns can
adversely affect the ride, braking,
handling, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, tire chain
clearance, speedometer calibra-
tion, headlight aim and bumper
height. Some of these effects
may lead to accidents and could
result in serious personal injury. .
If your vehicle was originally
equipped with 4 tires that were
the same size and you are only
replacing 2 of the 4 tires, install
the new tires on the rear axle.
Placing new tires on the front
axle may cause loss of vehicle
control in some driving condi-
tions and cause an accident and
personal injury.
. If the wheels are changed for any
reason, always replace with
wheels which have the same off-
set dimension. Wheels of a differ-
ent off-set could cause prema-
ture tire wear, degrade vehicle
handling characteristics and/or
interference with the brake
discs/drums. Such interference
can lead to decreased braking
efficiency and/or early brake
pad/shoe wear. See “Wheels and
tires” (P.10-10) of this manual for
wheel off-set dimensions.
. Since the spare tire is not
equipped with the TPMS, when a
spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, the TPMS will not
function and the low tire pressure
warning light will flash for ap-
proximately 1 minute. The light
will remain on after 1 minute. Have your tires replaced and/or
TPMS system reset as soon as
possible. It is recommended you
visit a NISSAN dealer for these
services.
. Replacing tires with those not
originally specified by NISSAN
could affect the proper operation
of the TPMS.
. The TPMS sensor may be da-
maged if it is not handled cor-
rectly. Be careful when handling
the TPMS sensor.
. When replacing the TPMS sensor,
the ID registration may be re-
quired. It is recommended you
visit a NISSAN dealer for ID regis-
tration.
. Do not use a valve stem cap that
is not specified by NISSAN. The
valve stem cap may become
stuck.
. Be sure that the valve stem caps
are correctly fitted. Otherwise the
valve may be clogged up with dirt
and cause a malfunction or loss
of pressure.
. Do not install a deformed wheel
or tire even if it has been repaired.
Such wheels or tires could have
structural damage and could fail
Do-it-yourself8-35