
6-4In case of emergency
could affect the proper operation
of the TPMS.
. Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,
as this may cause a malfunction
of the tire pressure sensors.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instruc-
tions below.
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road
and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking brake. Move the shift lever to
the P (Park) position.
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic, and to signal professional road assis-
tance personnel that you need assis-
tance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
.Make sure the parking brake is
securely applied and the auto-
matic transmission is in the P
(Park) position.
. Never change tires when the ve-
hicle is on a slope, ice or slippery
areas. This is hazardous.
. Never change tires if oncoming
traffic is close to your vehicle.
Wait for professional road assis-
tance.
MCE0001A
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocksat both the front
and back of the wheel diagonally oppo-
site the flat tire to prevent the vehicle
from moving when it is jacked up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the
vehicle may move and result in
personal injury.

VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
WARNING
.Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
. Do not spin your tires at high
speed. This could cause them to
explode and result in serious in-
jury. Parts of your vehicle could
also overheat and be damaged.
Pulling a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device
designed specifically for vehicle recovery.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for the recovery device.
Attach the tow strap to the towing hook.
CAUTION
.Tow chains or cables must be
attached only to the main struc-
tural members of the vehicle or
the towing hooks. Otherwise, the
vehicle body will be damaged.
. Use the towing hook only to free
a vehicle stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc. Never tow the vehicle
for a long distance using only the
towing hook.
. The towing hook is under tre-
mendous force when used to free
a stuck vehicle. Never pull the
hook at an angle.
. Always pull the cable straight out
from the front or rear of the
vehicle.
. Pulling devices should be routed
so they do not touch any part of
the suspension, steering, brake or
cooling systems.
. Pulling devices such as ropes or
canvas straps are not recom-
mended for use in vehicle towing
or recovery.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) system.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the vehicle is clear of obstruc-
tions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear an area around the front tires. 4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and
backward.
.Shift back and forth between R(Reverse) and D (Drive).
.Apply the accelerator as little as possible to maintain the rocking
motion.
.Release the accelerator pedal be-
fore shifting between R and D.
.Do not spin the tires above 35 MPH(55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few tries, contact a professional tow-
ing service to remove the vehicle.
In case of emergency6-19

7-4Appearance and care
.Rinse the wheel to completely
remove the cleaner within 15
minutes after the cleaner is ap-
plied.
Bright wheels (if so equipped)
The bright wheels use a different coating
process than typical aluminum alloy
wheel and they are not plated wheels.
These wheels are clear-coated and re-
quire the following special cleaning. They
should be regularly washed with a soft
sponge soaked in a lot of water. After
washing with water, wipe clean with a
dry, soft cloth and dry completely. When
there is chemical or tire wax, or dirt such
as an antifreeze agent on the surface,
wash them with water as soon as possi-
ble.
CAUTION
.The surfaces of the wheels use a
different coating process than
typical aluminum alloy wheels.
Do not use aluminum alloy wheel
cleaners or abrasive cleaners to
clean the wheels. Using such
cleaners could damage the wheel
surfaces. .
Do not use an automatic car wash
if the vehicle is equipped with
bright wheels. The wheel coating
may be damaged.
. Do not use a brush to wash the
wheels if the vehicle is equipped
with bright wheels. The wheel
coating may be damaged.
CHROME PARTS
Clean chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the
finish.
TIRE DRESSING
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a
coating to the tires to help reduce dis-
coloration of the rubber. If a tire dressing
is applied to the tires, it may react with
the coating and form a compound. This
compound may come off the tire while
driving and stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take
the following precautions:
.Use a water-based tire dressing. The
coating on the tire dissolves more
easily with an oil-based tire dressing.
. Apply a light coat of tire dressing to
help prevent it from entering the tire
tread/grooves (where it would be difficult to remove).
. Wipe off excess tire dressing using a
dry towel. Make sure the tire dressing
is completely removed from the tire
tread/grooves.
. Allow the tire dressing to dry as
recommended by tire dressing manu-
facturer.

8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ...................................................... 8-2
Engine compartment check locations ........................ 8-3VK56VD engine ....................................................................... 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 fluid ........................................................................\
.................. 8-9
Window washer fluid .............................................................. 8-10
Battery ........................................................................\
........................ 8-11 Jump starting ........................................................................\
. 8-13
Variable voltage control system ................................... 8-13
Drive belts ........................................................................\
................ 8-13
Spark plugs ........................................................................\
............. 8-14 Replacing spark plugs ..................................................... 8-14
Air cleaner ........................................................................\
............... 8-15 Windshield wiper blades ..................................................... 8-16
Cleaning ........................................................................\
........... 8-16
Replacing ........................................................................\
........ 8-16
Rear window wiper blades ............................................... 8-17
Brakes ........................................................................\
........................ 8-17 Self-adjusting brakes ..................................................... 8-17
Brake pad wear warning ............................................ 8-17
Brake booster ...................................................................... 8-17
Fuses ........................................................................\
........................... 8-18 Engine compartment .................................................... 8-18
Passenger compartment ........................................... 8-20
Intelligent Key battery replacement .......................... 8-21
Lights ........................................................................\
.......................... 8-24
Headlights ........................................................................\
...... 8-24
Exterior and interior lights ........................................ 8-26
Wheels and tires ........................................................................\
8-30
Tire pressure ........................................................................\
8-30
Tire labeling ........................................................................\
.. 8-34
Types of tires ....................................................................... 8-36
Tire chains ........................................................................\
...... 8-37
Changing wheels and tires ...................................... 8-37

8-30Do-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 in the vehicle
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.2-15), “Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS)” (P.5-5) 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.
TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert pro-
vides visual and audible signals outside the vehicle for inflating the
tires to the recommended COLD
tire pressure. (See “TPMS with Easy
Fill Tire Alert” (P.5-8).)
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. cer-
tification label. The vehicle
weight capacity is indicated
on the Tire and Loading In-
formation label. Do not load
your vehicle beyond this ca-
pacity. Overloading your ve-
hicle may result in reduced
tire life, unsafe operating
conditions due to premature
tire failure, or unfavorable
WHEELS AND TIRES

handling characteristics and
could also lead to a serious
accident. Loading beyond
the specified capacity may
also result in failure of other
vehicle components.
. Before taking a long trip, or
whenever you heavily load
your vehicle, use a tire pres-
sure gauge to ensure that
the tire pressures are at the
specified level.
. For additional information
regarding tires, refer to “Im-
portant Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (US) or “Tire Safety
Information” (Canada) in the
Warranty Information Book-
let.
Do-it-yourself8-31

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