5-142Starting and driving
Push the VDC OFF switch again or restart
the engine to turn ON the system.FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing,
apply deicer through the key hole. If the
lock becomes frozen, heat the key before
inserting it into the key hole or use the
Intelligent Key system.
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that
the outside temperature will drop below
32°F (0°C), check antifreeze to assure
proper winter protection. For additional
information, see “Engine cooling system”
(P.8-4).
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the
battery fluid may freeze and damage the
battery. To maintain maximum efficiency,
the battery should be checked regularly.
For additional information, see “Battery”
(P.8-11).
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be left outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, in-
cluding the engine block. Refill before
operating the vehicle. For details, see
“Engine cooling system” (P.8-4).
TIRE EQUIPMENT
SUMMER tires have a tread designed to
provide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance of
these tires will be substantially reduced in
snowy and icy conditions. If you operate
your vehicle on snowy or icy roads,
NISSAN recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON tires on all four
wheels. It is recommended you consult a
NISSAN dealer for the tire type, size, speed
rating and availability information.
For additional traction on icy roads,
studded tires may be used. However,
some U.S. states and Canadian provinces
prohibit their use. Check local, state and
provincial laws before installing studded
tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of
studded snow tires, on wet or dry
surfaces, may be poorer than that of
non-studded snow tires.
Tire chains may be used. For details, see
“Tire chains” (P.8-37).
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
For four-wheel drive
If you install snow tires, they must also be
the same size, brand, construction and
tread pattern on all four wheels.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following
items be carried in the vehicle during
winter:
.A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to
remove ice and snow from the win-
dows and wiper blades.
. A sturdy, flat board to be placed under
the jack to give it firm support.
. A shovel to dig the vehicle out of
snowdrifts.
. Extra window washer fluid to refill the
reservoir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
.Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing
rain), very cold snow or ice can be
slick and very hard to drive on.
The vehicle will have much less
traction or “grip” under these
conditions. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until the road is salted
or sanded. .
Whatever the condition, drive
with caution. Accelerate and slow
down with care. If accelerating or
downshifting too fast, the drive
wheels will lose even more trac-
tion.
. Allow more stopping distance
under these conditions. Braking
should be started sooner than on
dry pavement.
. Allow greater following distances
on slippery roads.
. Watch for slippery spots (glare
ice). These may appear on an
otherwise clear road in shaded
areas. If a patch of ice is seen
ahead, brake before reaching it.
Try not to brake while on the ice,
and avoid any sudden steering
maneuvers.
. Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads.
. Snow can trap dangerous ex-
haust gases under your vehicle.
Keep snow clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around your vehi-
cle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)
Engine block heaters are used to assist in
cold temperature starting.
The engine block heater should be used
when the outside temperature is 20°F
(−7°C) or lower.
To use the engine block heater
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the en-
gine block heater cord.
3. Plug the engine block heater cord into a grounded 3-wire, 3-pronged exten-
sion cord.
4. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) protected,
grounded 110-volt AC (VAC) outlet.
5. The engine block heater must be plugged in for at least 2 - 4 hours,
depending on outside temperatures,
to properly warm the engine coolant.
Use an appropriate timer to turn the
engine block heater on.
6. Before starting the engine, unplug and properly store the cord to keep it
away from moving parts.
Starting and driving5-143
8-32Do-it-yourself
SDI2496
Tire and Loading Information label
Seating capacity: The max-
imum number of occu-
pants that can be seated
in the vehicle.
Vehicle load limit: See “Ve-hicle loading information”
(P.10-14).
Original size: The size of
the tires originally installed
on the vehicle at the fac-
tory.
Cold tire pressure: Inflate
the tires to this pressure
when the tires are cold.
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. The recommended
cold tire inflation is set by
the manufacturer to pro-
vide the best balance of
tire wear, vehicle handling,
driveability, tire noise, etc.,
up to the vehicle’s GVWR.
Tire size — see “Tire label-
ing” (P.8-34).
Spare tire size or compact
spare tire size (if so
equipped)
SDI1949
Checking the tire pressure
1. Remove the valve stem cap fromthe tire.
2. Press the pressure gauge squarely onto the valve stem.
Do not press too hard or force
the valve stem sideways, or air
will escape. If the hissing sound
of air escaping from the tire is
heard while checking the pres-
sure, reposition the gauge to
eliminate this leakage. 3. Remove the gauge.
4. Read the tire pressure on the
gauge stem and compare it to
the specification shown on the
Tire and Loading Information
label.
5. Add air to the tire as needed. If too much air is added, press the
core of the valve stem briefly
with the tip of the gauge stem to
release pressure. Recheck the
pressure and add or release air
as needed.
6. Install the valve stem cap.
7. Check the pressure of all other tires, including the spare.
SIZE COLD
TIRE IN-
FLATION PRES-
SURE
FRONT ORIGI- NAL
TIRE 265/70R18
116H
240 kPa,
35 PSI
P275/60R20
114H 240 kPa,
35 PSI
REAR
ORIGI- NAL
TIRE 265/70R18
116H
240 kPa,
35 PSI
P275/60R20
114H 240 kPa,
35 PSI
SPARE TIRE 265/70R18
116H
240 kPa,
35 PSI
P275/60R20
114H 240 kPa,
35 PSI
Do-it-yourself8-33
8-34Do-it-yourself
SDI1575
Example
TIRE LABELING
Federal law requires tire manufac-
turers to place standardized infor-
mation on the sidewall of all tires.
This information identifies and de-
scribes the fundamental character-
istics of the tire and also provides
the tire identification number (TIN)
for safety standard certification.
The TIN can be used to identify
the tire in case of a recall.
SDI1606
Example
Tire size (example:
P215/60R16 94H)
1. P: The “P” indicates the tire isdesigned for passenger vehicles.
(Not all tires have this informa-
tion.)
2. Three-digit number (215): This number gives the width in milli-
meters of the tire from sidewall
edge to sidewall edge.
3. Two-digit number (60): This number, known as the aspect
ratio, gives the tire’s ratio of height to width.
4. R: The “R” stands for radial.
5. Two-digit number (16): This number is the wheel or rim
diameter in inches.
6. Two- or three-digit number (94): This number is the tire’s load
index. It is a measurement of
how much weight each tire can
support. You may not find this
information on all tires because
it is not required by law.
7. H: Tire speed rating. You should not drive the vehicle faster than
the tire speed rating.
JVM0694X
Example
TIN (Tire Identification
Number) for a new tire
(example: DOT XX XX XXX
XXXX)
1. DOT: Abbreviation for the “De-partment of Transportation”.
The symbol can be placed
above, below or to the left or
right of the Tire Identification
Number.
2. Two-digit code: Manufacturer’s identification mark 3. Two-digit code: Tire size
4. Three-digit code: Tire type code
(Optional)
5. Four numbers represent the week and year the tire was built.
For example, the numbers 3103
means the 31st week of 2003. If
these numbers are missing, then
look on the other sidewall of the
tire.
Tire ply composition and
material
The number of layers or
plies of rubber-coated fab-
ric in the tire.
Tire manufacturers also
must indicate the materials
in the tire, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and
others.
Maximum permissible infla-
tion pressure
This number is the greatest
amount of air pressure
that should be put in the
tire. Do not exceed the maximum permissible in-
flation pressure.
Maximum load rating
This number indicates the
maximum load in kilo-
grams and pounds that
can be carried by the tire.
When replacing the tires on
the vehicle, always use a
tire that has the same load
rating as the factory in-
stalled tire.
Term of “tubeless” or “tube
type”
Indicates whether the tire
requires an inner tube
(“tube type”) or not (“tube-
less”).
The word “radial”
The word “radial” is shown,
if the tire has radial struc-
ture.
Manufacturer or brand
name
Manufacturer or brand
name is shown.
Do-it-yourself8-35
8-36Do-it-yourself
Other tire-related terminology:
In addition to the many terms that
are defined throughout this sec-
tion, Intended Outboard Sidewall is
(1) the sidewall that contains a
whitewall, bears white lettering or
bears manufacturer, brand and/or
model name molding that is higher
or deeper than the same molding
on the other sidewall of the tire, or
(2) the outward facing sidewall of
an asymmetrical tire that has a
particular side that must always
face outward when mounted on a
vehicle.
TYPES OF TIRES
WARNING
.When changing or replacing tires,
be sure all four tires are of the
same type (Example: Summer, All
Season or Snow) and construc-
tion. A NISSAN dealer may be able
to help you with information
about tire type, size, speed rating
and availability. .
Replacement tires may have a
lower speed rating than the fac-
tory equipped tires, and may not
match the potential maximum
vehicle speed. Never exceed the
maximum speed rating of the
tire.
. Replacing tires with those not
originally specified by NISSAN
could affect the proper operation
of the TPMS.
. For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Important
Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information” (Cana-
da) in the Warranty Information
Booklet.
All season tires
NISSAN specifies all season tires on some
models to provide good performance all
year, including snowy and icy road con-
ditions. All Season tires are identified by
ALL SEASON and/or M&S (Mud and Snow)
on the tire sidewall. Snow tires have
better snow traction than All Season tires
and may be more appropriate in some
areas.
Summer tires
NISSAN specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior performance
on dry roads. Summer tire performance is
substantially reduced in snow and ice.
Summer tires do not have the tire trac-
tion rating M&S on the tire sidewall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in
snowy or icy conditions, NISSAN recom-
mends the use of SNOW tires or ALL
SEASON tires on all four wheels.
Snow tires
If snow tires are needed, it is necessary to
select tires equivalent in size and load
rating to the original equipment tires. If
you do not, it can adversely affect the
safety and handling of your vehicle.
Generally, snow tires will have lower
speed ratings than factory equipped tires
and may not match the potential max-
imum vehicle speed. Never exceed the
maximum speed rating of the tire.
If you install snow tires, they must be the
same size, brand, construction and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
For additional traction on icy roads,
studded tires may be used. However,
some U.S. states and Canadian provinces
prohibit their use. Check local, state and
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
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.
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
SDI1662
Tire rotation
NISSAN recommends rotating the
tires every 5,000 miles (8,000 km).
(See “Flat tire” (P.6-3) for tire repla-
cing procedures.)
As soon as possible, tighten the
wheel nuts to the specified torque
with a torque wrench.
Wheel nut tightening torque:98 ft-lb (133 N·m)
The wheel nuts must be kept
tightened to the specification at
all times. It is recommended that
Do-it-yourself8-37