Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline contain-
ing oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE
and methanol with or without advertising
their presence. NISSAN does not recom-
mend the use of fuels of which the
oxygenate content and the fuel compat-
ibility for your NISSAN 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 sys-
tem damage.
.The fuel should be unleaded and
have an octane rating no lower than
that recommended for unleaded
gasoline.
. If an oxygenate-blend, excepting a
methanol blend, is used, it should
contain no more than 15% oxyge-
nate.
. 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 appropriate cosolvents
and corrosion inhibitors. If not prop-
erly formulated with appropriate
cosolvents and corrosion inhibitors,
such methanol blends may cause fuel system damage and/or vehicle
performance problems. At this time,
sufficient data is not available to
ensure that all methanol blends are
suitable for use in NISSAN vehicles.
If any undesirable driveability problems
such as engine stalling or hard hot
starting are experienced after using oxy-
genate-blend fuels, immediately change
to a non-oxygenate fuel or a fuel with a
low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during
refueling. Gasoline containing oxyge-
nates can cause paint damage.
E-15 fuel
E-15 fuel is a mixture of approximately
15% fuel ethanol and 85% unleaded gaso-
line. E-15 can only be used in vehicles
designed to run on E-15 fuel. U.S. govern-
ment regulations require fuel ethanol
dispensing pumps to be identified with
small, square, orange and black label with
the common abbreviation or the appro-
priate percentage for that region.
E-85 fuel
E-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately
85% fuel ethanol and 15% unleaded gaso-
line. E-85 can only be used in a Flexible
Fuel Vehicle (FFV). Do not use E-85 fuel in
your vehicle. U.S. government regulations
require fuel ethanol dispensing pumps to
be identified by a small, square, orange
and black label with the common abbre-
viation or the appropriate percentage for
that region.
Fuel containing MMT
MMT, or methylcyclopentadienyl manga-
nese tricarbonyl, is an octane boosting
additive. NISSAN does not recommend
the use of fuel containing MMT. Such fuel
may adversely affect vehicle perfor-
mance, including the emissions control
system. Note that while some fuel pumps
label MMT content, not all do, so you may
have to consult your gasoline retailer for
more details.
Aftermarket fuel additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
any aftermarket fuel additives (Example:
fuel injector cleaner, octane booster, in-
take valve deposit removers, etc.) which
are sold commercially. Many of these
additives intended for gum, varnish or
deposit removal may contain active sol-
Technical and consumer information10-5
JVT0159X
API certification markAPI service symbol
ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER RE-
COMMENDATION
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). NISSAN recommends
the use of an energy conserving oil in
order to improve fuel economy.
Select only engine oils that meet the
American Petroleum Institute (API) certifi-
cation or International Lubricant Standar-dization and Approval Committee (ILSAC)
certification 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
NISSAN 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 fol-
lowed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or
has been previously used should not be
used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness
changes with temperature. Because of
this, it is important that the engine oil
viscosity be selected based on the tem-
peratures at which the vehicle will be
operated before the next oil change.
Choosing an oil viscosity other than that
recommended could cause serious en-
gine damage.
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 viscosity is not cov-
ered by the new NISSAN vehicle limited
warranties.
Your engine was filled with a high quality
engine oil when it was built. You do not
Technical and consumer information10-7
