5.Use Cruise Control
∙ Using cruise control during highway driving helps maintain a steady
speed.
∙ Cruise control is particularly effective in providing fuel savings when driving
on flat terrains.
6. Plan for the Shortest Route
∙ Utilize a map or navigation system to determine the best route to save
time.
7. Avoid Idling
∙ Shutting off your engine when safe for stops exceeding 30–60 seconds
saves fuel and reduces emissions.
8. Buy an Automated Pass for Toll
Roads
∙ Automated passes permit drivers to use special lanes to maintain cruis-
ing speed through the toll and avoid
stopping and starting. 9.
Winter Warm Up
∙ Limit idling time to minimize impact to fuel economy.
∙ Vehicles typically need no more than 30 seconds of idling at start-up to
effectively circulate the engine oil be-
fore driving.
∙ Your vehicle will reach its ideal oper- ating temperature more quickly
while driving versus idling.
10. Keeping your Vehicle Cool
∙ Park your vehicle in a covered parking area or in the shade whenever pos-
sible.
∙ When entering a hot vehicle, opening the windows will help to reduce the
inside temperature faster, resulting in
reduced demand on your A/C sys-
tem. ∙ Keep your engine tuned up.
∙ Follow the recommended scheduled
maintenance.
∙ Keep the tires inflated to the correct pressure. Low tire pressure increases
tire wear and lowers fuel economy.
∙ Keep the wheels in correct alignment. Improper alignment increases tire wear
and lowers fuel economy.
∙ For vehicles equipped with
, use
4H or 4L position only when necessary.
4-wheel drive operation lowers fuel
economy.
∙ Use the recommended viscosity engine oil. For additional information, refer to
“Engine oil and oil filter recommenda-
tions” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
Starting and driving5-25
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
When performing any inspection or main-
tenance work on your vehicle, always take
care to prevent serious accidental injury to
yourself or damage to the vehicle. The fol-
lowing are general precautions which
should be closely observed.
WARNING
∙ Park the vehicle on a level surface, ap-ply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving. For manual trans-
mission models, move the shif t lever
to N (Neutral). For Automatic Trans-
mission (A/T) move the shif t lever to P
(Park)
∙ Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
∙ If you must work with the engine run- ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans,
belts and any other moving parts.
∙ It is advisable to secure or remove any loose clothing and remove any jew-
elry, such as rings, watches, etc. be-
fore working on your vehicle. ∙ Always wear eye protection whenever
you work on your vehicle.
∙ If you must run the engine in an en- closed space such as a garage, be sure
there is proper ventilation for exhaust
gases to escape.
∙ Never get under the vehicle while it is supported only by a jack. If it is neces-
sary to work under the vehicle, sup-
port it with safety stands.
∙ Keep smoking materials, flame and sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
∙ On gasoline engine models, the fuel filter or fuel lines should be serviced
because the fuel lines are under high
pressure even when the engine is off.
It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
CAUTION
∙ Do not work under the hood while theengine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down. ∙
Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, engine coolant and/or other vehicle
fluids can damage the environment. Al-
ways conform to local regulations for
disposal of vehicle fluid.
∙ Never leave the engine or the trans- mission related component harness
connector disconnected while the ig-
nition switch is in the ON position.
∙ Never connect or disconnect the bat- tery or any transistorized component
while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
This “Do-it-yourself ” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A Genuine NISSAN service manual is also
available. For additional information, refer
to “Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order
information” in the “Technical and con-
sumer information” section of this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
difficulties or excessive emissions, and
could affect warranty coverage. If in doubt
about any servicing, it is recommended
that you have it done by a NISSAN dealer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself
4. Place a large drain pan under the drainplug
B.
5. Remove the drain plug with a wrench by turning it counterclockwise and
completely drain the oil.
If the oil filter is to be changed, remove
and replace it at this time. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Changing
engine oil filter” in this section.
∙ Waste oil must be disposed of prop-
erly.
∙ Check your local regulations.
WARNING
∙ Prolonged and repeated contact with
used engine oil may cause skin
cancer.
∙ Try to avoid direct skin contact with used oil. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner
as soon as possible.
∙ Keep used engine oil out of reach of children.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The en-
gine oil may be hot.
6. Clean and reinstall the drain plug and a new washer. Securely tighten the drain
plug with a wrench. Do not use exces-
sive force.
Drain plug tightening torque: 25 f t-lb (34 N·m)
7. Refill engine with recommended oil through the oil filler opening, then install
the oil filler cap securely.
For additional information on drain
and refill capacity, refer to “Recom-
mended fluids/lubricants and capaci-
ties” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
The drain and refill capacity depends
on the oil temperature and drain time.
Use these specifications for reference
only. Always use the dipstick to deter-
mine when the proper amount of oil is
in the engine.
8. Start the engine. Check for leakage around the drain plug and oil filter. Cor-
rect as required. 9. Turn the engine off and wait more than
10 minutes. Check the oil level with the
dipstick. Add engine oil if necessary.
Do-it-yourself8-9
CHANGING ENGINE OIL FILTER
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface andapply the parking brake.
2. Turn the engine off. 3. Place a large drain pan under the oil
filter.
4. Unscrew
Athe plate covering the oil
filter exposing the filter. (For VQ40DE
engine)
5. Loosen the oil filter
Bwith an oil filter
wrench by turning it counterclockwise.
Then remove the oil filter by turning it
by hand.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The en-
gine oil may be hot. 6. Wipe the engine oil filter sealing surface
with a clean rag.
CAUTION
Be sure to remove any old gasket mate-
rial remaining on the sealing surface of
the engine. Failure to do so could lead to
engine damage.
7. Coat the gasket on the new filter with clean engine oil.
8. Screw on the oil filter until a slight resis- tance is felt, then tighten an additional
2/3 turn.
9. Start the engine and check for leakage around the oil filter. Correct as required.
10. Install the plate covering the oil filter. (For VQ40DE engine)
11. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level. Add en-
gine oil if necessary.
VQ40DELDI2834
QR25DE
LDI2865
8-10Do-it-yourself
If replacement is required, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs
(VQ40DE models)
It is not necessary to replace iridium-
tipped
Aspark plugs as frequently as con-
ventional type spark plugs because they
last much longer. Follow the maintenance
log shown in the "Maintenance and sched-
ules" section of this manual. Do not service
iridium-tipped spark plugs by cleaning or
regapping.
∙ Always replace spark plugs with rec-
ommended or equivalent ones.
If replacement is required, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service. The air cleaner filter should not be cleaned
and reused. Replace it according to the
maintenance log shown in the "Mainte-
nance and schedules" section of this
manual. When replacing the filter, wipe the
inside of the air cleaner filter housing and
the cover with a damp cloth.
To remove the VQ40DE air cleaner filter:
1Unlatch the clips and remove the air
cleaner cover. Remove the air cleaner
filter.
To remove the QR25DE air cleaner filter: 1. Unlatch the clips
A,B,C. 2. Push down half of air cleaner to clear
the bottom retainers.
3. Lif t up on half of air cleaner to remove the air cleaner filter
VQ40DE
WDI0686
QR25DE
LDI0465
AIR CLEANER
8-18Do-it-yourself
WARNING
∙ Operating the engine with the aircleaner removed can cause you or
others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops the
flame if the engine backfires. If it isn’t
there, and the engine backfires, you
could be burned. Do not drive with the
air cleaner removed, and be careful
when working on the engine with the
air cleaner removed.
∙ Never pour fuel into the throttle body or attempt to start the engine with
the air cleaner removed. Doing so
could result in serious injury.
IN-CABIN MICROFILTER
The in-cabin microfilter restricts the entry
of airborne dust and pollen particles and
reduces some objectionable outside
odors. The filter is located behind the glove
box. For additional information on change
intervals, refer to the "Maintenance and
schedules" section of this manual.
To replace the filter, perform the following
procedure:
1. Open the glove box and press in on the sides so that it will open completely al-
lowing it to hang by the cord. 2. Gently lif t up on the tab
1.
3. Pull the filter cover toward you and then down
2.
4. Remove the old filter
3.
NOTE:
The filter is marked with air flow arrows.
The end of the filter with the arrow
should face the rear of the vehicle. The
arrows should face downward. 5. Insert the new filter into the housing and slide it over to the right.
LDI0442LDI2047
Do-it-yourself8-19
6. Replace the filter cover. The cover willclick into place under the tab.
7. Install the glove box door.CLEANING
If your windshield is not clear af ter using
the windshield-washer or if a wiper blade
chatters when running, wax or other mate-
rial may be on the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a
washer solution or a mild detergent. Your
windshield is clean if beads do not form
when rinsing with clear water.
Clean each blade by wiping it with a cloth
soaked in a washer solution or a mild de-
tergent. Then rinse the blades with clear
water. If your windshield is still not clear
af ter cleaning the blades and using the
wiper, replace the blades.
CAUTION
Worn windshield wiper blades can
damage the windshield and impair
driver vision.
REPLACING
Replace the wiper blades if they are worn.
1. Lif t the wiper arm away from the wind- shield.
2. Push and hold the release tab
A, and
then move the wiper blade down
B
the wiper arm to remove.
3. Remove the wiper blade.
4. Insert the new wiper blade onto the wiper arm until it clicks into place.
LDI2725
WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES
8-20Do-it-yourself