
Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) models
with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT)
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flatbed
truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
∙ Never tow CVT models with the frontwheels on the ground or four wheels
on the ground (forward or backward),
as this may cause serious and expen-
sive damage to the transmission. If it
is necessary to tow the vehicle with
the rear wheels raised always use
towing dollies under the front wheels.
∙ When towing CVT models with the rear wheels on the ground or on tow-
ing dollies: – Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
secure the steering wheel by plac-
ing the ignition switch in the LOCK
position. This may damage the
steering lock mechanism (for
models with a steering lock
mechanism).
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a
stuck vehicle)
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
∙ Contact a professional towing serviceto recover the vehicle if you have any
questions regarding the recovery
procedure.
∙ Tow chains or cables must be at- tached only to main structural mem-
bers of the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to tow or free a stuck vehicle.
LCE2221
In case of emergency6-15 

Floor mat installation
Your vehicle is equipped with floor mat po-
sitioning hook(s). The number and shape of
the floor mat positioning hooks for each
seating position varies depending on the
vehicle.
When installing Genuine NISSAN floor mats,
follow the installation instructions provided
with the mat and the following:1. With the ignition in the OFF position, the shif t lever in P (Park) position and with
the parking brake fully applied, position
the floor mat in the floorwell so that the
floor mat grommet holes are aligned
with the hook(s).
2. Secure the grommet holes into the hook(s) and ensure that the floor mat is
properly positioned.
3. Make sure the floor mat does not inter- fere with pedal operation. With the igni-
tion still in the OFF position, the shif t
lever in the P (Park) position and with
the parking brake applied, fully apply
and release all pedals. The floor mat
must not interfere with pedal opera-
tion or prevent the pedal from return-
ing to its normal position. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for details about installing the floor
mats in your vehicle.
The illustration shows the location of the
floor mat positioning hooks.
SEAT BELTS
The seat belts can be cleaned by wiping
them with a sponge dampened in a mild
soap solution. Allow the belts to dry com-
pletely in the shade before using them. For
additional information, refer to “Seat belt
maintenance” in the “Safety—Seats, seat
belts and supplemental restraint system”
section of this manual.
Positioning hooks
LAI2016
7-6Appearance and care 

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. Move the shif t le-
ver to P (Park).
∙ Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or LOCK position when perform-
ing 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. ∙ Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come
on at any time without warning, even
if the ignition switch is in the OFF po-
sition and the engine is not running.
To avoid injury, always disconnect the
negative battery cable before work-
ing near the fan.
∙ 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.
∙
Because the fuel lines on gasoline en-
gine models are under high pressure
even when the engine is off, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for service of the fuel filter or fuel lines.
CAUTION
∙ Do not work under the hood while the engine 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 Continu-
ously Variable Transmission (CVT) re-
lated component harnesses discon-
nected while the ignition 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 

1. Crankshaf t pulley
2. Drive belt automatic tensioner pul-ley
3. Generator pulley
4. Air conditioner compressor pulley
WARNING
Be sure the ignition switch is placed in
the OFF or LOCK position before servic-
ing drive belt. The engine could rotate
unexpectedly.
1. Visually inspect the belt for signs of un- usual wear, cuts, fraying or looseness. If
the belt is in poor condition or is loose, have it replaced or adjusted. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
2. Have the belt checked regularly for condition and tension in accordance
with the maintenance schedule found
in the "Maintenance and schedules"
section of this manual.
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
Iridium-tipped spark plugs
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.
VQ35DE engine
LDI2131SDI1895
DRIVE BELT SPARK PLUGS
8-16Do-it-yourself 

WARNING
Be sure the engine and ignition switch
are off and that the parking brake is
engaged securely.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to re-
move the spark plugs. An incorrect
socket can damage the spark plugs.
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.
To remove the air cleaner filter:1. Unlatch the retaining clips
A.
2. Move the air cleaner cover upwards.
3. Remove the air cleaner filter. Wipe the inside of the air cleaner filter housing
and the cover with a damp cloth, then
replace air cleaner filter. NOTE:
Af ter installing a new air cleaner filter,
make sure the air cleaner cover is seated
in the housing and latch the clips.
WARNING
∙ Operating the engine with the air
cleaner 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, refer to the
“Maintenance and schedules” section of
this manual for change intervals.
LDI2553
AIR CLEANER
Do-it-yourself8-17 

ENGINE COMPARTMENT
WARNING
Never use a fuse of higher or lower am-
perage rating than that specified on the
fuse box cover. This could damage the
electrical system or electronic control
units or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not come
on, check for an open fuse. 1. Be sure the ignition switch and the headlight switch are OFF.
2. Open the engine hood. 3. Remove the fuse box cover by pushing
the tab and lif ting the cover up.
4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller. The fuse puller is located in the center
of the fuse block in the passenger
compartment.
5. If the fuse is open
A, replace it with a
new fuse
B.
6. If a new fuse also opens, have the elec- trical system checked and repaired. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
LDI2636LDI0456
Do-it-yourself8-21 

Fusible links
If the electrical equipment does not oper-
ate and fuses are in good condition, check
the fusible links. If any of these fusible links
are melted, replace with only Genuine
NISSAN parts.
PASSENGER COMPARTMENT
WARNING
Never use a fuse of higher or lower am-
perage rating than that specified on the
fuse box cover. This could damage the
electrical system or electronic control
units or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not oper-
ate, check for an open fuse. NOTE:
The fuse box is located on the driver’s
side of the instrument panel.
1. Be sure the ignition switch and the headlight switch are OFF.
2. Pull down on fuse box cover
Ato re-
move.
3. Locate the fuse that needs to be re- placed.
LDI2560LDI2901
8-22Do-it-yourself 

Fuel containing MMT
MMT, or methylcyclopentadienyl manga-
nese tricarbonyl, is an octane boosting ad-
ditive. NISSAN does not recommend the
use of fuel containing MMT. Such fuel may
adversely affect vehicle performance, in-
cluding 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 de-
tails.
Af termarket fuel additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
any af termarket fuel additives (for ex-
ample, fuel injector cleaner, octane
booster, intake valve deposit removers,
etc.) which are sold commercially. Many of
these additives intended for gum, varnish
or deposit removal may contain active sol-
vents or similar ingredients that can be
harmful to the fuel system and engine.
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can
cause persistent, heavy “spark knock.”
(“Spark knock” is a metallic rapping
noise.) If severe, this can lead to engine
damage. If you detect a persistent heavyspark knock even when using gasoline
of the stated octane rating, or if you hear
steady spark knock while holding a
steady speed on level roads, it is recom-
mended that you have a NISSAN dealer
correct the condition. Failure to correct
the condition is misuse of the vehicle, for
which NISSAN is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may result in
spark knock, af ter-run and/or overheating,
which may cause excessive fuel consump-
tion or engine damage. If any of the above
symptoms are encountered, have your ve-
hicle checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for servicing.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is not
a cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.
Technical and consumer information10-5