WARNING
∙ The ABLS system helps provide in-creased traction, but will not prevent
accidents due to abrupt steering op-
eration or by careless driving or dan-
gerous driving practices. Reduce ve-
hicle speed and be especially careful
when driving and cornering on slip-
pery surfaces. Always drive carefully.
∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen- sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN approved for your vehicle
or are extremely deteriorated, the
ABLS system may not operate prop-
erly. This could adversely affect ve-
hicle handling performance, and the
slip indicator light may illuminate.
∙ If brake related parts such as brake pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the ABLS sys-
tem may not operate properly and the
slip indicator light may illuminate. ∙ If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the ABLS system may not operate
properly and the slip indicator light
may illuminate. The VDC system uses various sensors to
monitor driver inputs and vehicle motion.
Under certain driving conditions, the VDC
system helps to perform the following
functions:
∙ 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 control func-
tion).
∙ If the 4WD transfer case is shif ted into 4LO the
indicator light will come
on and the VDC system will be turned
off. For additional information, refer to
“Using 4–wheel drive (4WD)” in this sec-
tion.
∙ 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 fol- low the steered path despite in-
creased steering input)
– Oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving conditions)
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM
5-38Starting and driving
The VDC system can help the driver to
maintain control of the vehicle, but it can-
not prevent loss of vehicle control in all driv-
ing situations.
When the VDC system operates, the
indicator 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 indi-
cates that the VDC system is working
properly.
∙ Adjust your speed and driving to the road conditions.
For additional information, refer to “Slip in-
dicator light” and ”Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) OFF indicator light” in the ”Instru-
ments and controls” section of this manual.
If a malfunction occurs in the system,
the
indicator light will come on in the
instrument panel. The VDC system auto-
matically turns off when these indicator
lights are off. The VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the
VDC system. The
indicator illumi-
nates to indicate the VDC system 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
indicator flashes if this oc-
curs. All other VDC functions are off and
the
indicator 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.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle for-
ward 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 indica-
tion 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 surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.
∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen- sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator may flash or
the
indicator light may
illuminate.
Starting and driving5-39
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or
the engine cooling fan. The engine cool-
ing fan can start at any time.6. Af ter the engine cools down, check the coolant level in the engine coolant res-
ervoir tank with the engine running.
Add coolant to the engine coolant res-
ervoir tank if necessary. Have your ve-
hicle repaired. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this ser-
vice. When towing your vehicle, all jurisdictional
and local regulations for towing must be
followed. Incorrect towing equipment
could damage your vehicle. Towing in-
structions are available from a NISSAN
dealer. Local service operators are gener-
ally familiar with the applicable laws and
procedures for towing. To assure proper
towing and to prevent accidental damage
to your vehicle, NISSAN recommends hav-
ing a service operator tow your vehicle. It is
advisable to have the service operator
carefully read the following precautions:
WARNING
∙ Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
∙ Never get under your vehicle af ter it has been lif ted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
∙ When towing, make sure that thetransmission, axles, steering system
and powertrain are in working condi-
tion. If any of these conditions apply,
dollies or a flatbed tow truck must be
used.
∙ Always attach safety chains before towing. For additional information, refer to “Flat
towing — 4WD with automatic transmis-
sion,” “Flat towing — 2WD with automatic
transmission” and “Flat towing — 2WD/4WD
with manual transmission” in the “Technical
and consumer information” section of this
manual.
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
NISSAN recommends towing your vehicle
based upon the type of drivetrain. For addi-
tional information, refer to the diagrams in
this section to ensure that your vehicle is
properly towed.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
In case of emergency6-15
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions.......................8-2
Engine compartment check locations ...........8-3
Engine cooling system ..........................8-5
Checking engine coolant level ................8-6
Changing engine coolant .....................8-6
Engine oil ........................................8-7
Checking engine oil level .....................8-7
Changing engine oil ..........................8-8
Changing engine oil filter ....................8-10
5-speed Automatic Transmission
(if so equipped) Fluid (ATF) .......................8-11
Power Steering Fluid (PSF) .......................8-11
Brake and clutch (if so equipped) fluid ..........8-12
Brake fluid ................................... 8-12
Clutch (if so equipped) fluid ..................8-12
Windshield-washer fluid ........................8-13
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ............8-13
Battery......................................... 8-14
Jump starting ............................... 8-15
Variable voltage control system ................8-16
Drive belt ....................................... 8-16
Spark plugs .................................... 8-17Replacing spark plugs
....................... 8-17
Air cleaner ...................................... 8-18
In-cabin microfilter .......................... 8-19
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-20
Cleaning .................................... 8-20
Replacing ................................... 8-20
Brakes.......................................... 8-21
Fuses ........................................... 8-22
Engine compartment .......................8-23
Passenger compartment ....................8-24
Battery replacement ........................... 8-25
Key fob (if so equipped) ......................8-26
Lights .......................................... 8-27
Headlights ................................... 8-27
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-28
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-29
Wheels
and tires ................................ 8-31
Tire pressure ................................ 8-31
Tire labeling ................................. 8-34
Types of tires ................................ 8-37
Tire chains .................................. 8-38
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-39
QR25DE engine
1. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
2. Fuse/Fusible link box
3. Fuse box
4. Air cleaner
5. Engine oil filler cap
6. Engine oil dipstick
7. Brake and clutch (if so equipped)fluid reservoir
8. Drive belt location
9. Radiator cap
10. Power steering fluid reservoir
11. Battery
12. Engine coolant reservoir
WDI0643
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Do-it-yourself8-3
VQ40DE engine
1. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
2. Fuse/Fusible link box
3. Fuse box
4. Engine oil filler cap
5. Engine oil dipstick
6. Brake and clutch (if so equipped)fluid reservoir
7. Air cleaner
8. Drive belt location
9. Radiator cap
10. Power steering fluid reservoir
11. Battery
12. Engine coolant reservoir
LII0167
8-4Do-it-yourself
When checking or replacement is required,
it is recommend that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
CAUTION
∙ Use Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF. IfGenuine NISSAN Matic S ATF is not
available, Genuine NISSAN Matic J ATF
may also be used.
∙ Using automatic transmission fluid other than Genuine NISSAN Matic S
ATF or Matic J ATF will cause deterio-
ration in driveability and automatic
transmission durability, and may
damage the automatic transmission,
which is not covered by the NISSAN
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
The specified automatic transmission fluid
is also described on caution labels located
in the engine compartment. The fluid level should be checked using the
HOT MAX range on the power steering fluid
reservoir at fluid temperatures of 122° -
176°F (50° - 80°C) or using the COLD MAX
range on the power steering fluid reservoir
at fluid temperatures of 32° - 86°F (0° - 30°C).
If the fluid is at or below the MIN line, add
Genuine NISSAN PSF-II or equivalent to HOT
MAX or COLD MAX depending on system
fluid temperature. Remove the cap and fill
through the opening.
CAUTION
∙ DO NOT OVERFILL.
∙ Recommended fluid is Genuine
NISSAN PSF-II or equivalent
WDI0256
5-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION (if so equipped)
FLUID (ATF) POWER STEERING FLUID (PSF)
Do-it-yourself8-11
CAUTION
∙ Do not ground accessories directly tothe battery terminal. Doing so will by-
pass the variable voltage control sys-
tem and the vehicle battery may not
charge completely.
∙ Use electrical accessories with the en- gine running to avoid discharging the
vehicle battery.
Your vehicle is equipped with a variable
voltage control system. This system mea-
sures the amount of electrical discharge
from the battery and controls voltage gen-
erated by the generator. The current sensor
Ais located near the
battery along the negative battery cable. If
you add electrical accessories to your ve-
hicle, be sure to ground them to a suitable
body ground such as the frame or engine
block area.
1. Power steering fluid pump pulley
2. Automatic belt tensioner pulley
3. Cooling fan pulley
4. Air conditioner compressor pulley
5. Crankshaf t pulley
6. Generator pulley
WARNING
Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or
LOCK position before servicing drive
belt. The engine could rotate
unexpectedly.
LDI3236VQ40DE
WDI0639
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
SYSTEM DRIVE BELT
8-16Do-it-yourself