2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER ignition

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 rec-
ommended 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

2. Check the fluid level in each cell. If it isnecessary to add fluid, add only dis-
tilled water to bring the level up to the
bottom of the filler opening. Do not
overfill. Reinstall the vent caps. Vehicles operated in high temperatures or
under severe conditions require frequent
checks of the battery fluid level.
JUMP STARTING
If jump starting is necessary, refer to “Jump
starting” in the “In case of emergency” sec-
tion of this manual. If the engine does not
start by jump starting, the battery may
have to be replaced. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this ser-
vice.
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.WDI0529
VQ35DD engine
LDI2131
DRIVE BELT
8-14Do-it-yourself

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.
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.
SDI1895
SPARK PLUGS
Do-it-yourself8-15

Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is nor-
mal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.For additional information re-
garding brake inspections, refer to the ap-
propriate maintenance schedule informa-
tion in the "Maintenance and schedules"
section of this manual.
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 fuse
block in the passenger compartment.
LDI3117
FUSES
Do-it-yourself8-19

5. If the fuse is openA, 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.
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. 1. Be sure the ignition switch and the headlight switch are OFF.
2. Pull the fuse box cover to remove.
3. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller. 4. If the fuse is open
A, replace it with an
equivalent good fuse
B.
5. Reverse step 2 to reinstall the box cover.
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.
LDI0456LDI2092LDI0456
8-20Do-it-yourself

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 heavy
spark 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.
10-6Technical and consumer information

ENGINE
ModelVQ35DD
Type Gasoline, 4-cycle, DOHC
Cylinder arrangement 6-cylinder, V-block, Slanted at 60°
Bore x Stroke in (mm) 3.780 x 3.189 (96 x 81)
Displacement cu in (cm
3) 213.45 (3,498)
Firing order 1–2–3–4–5–6
Idle speed
No adjustment is necessary.
CVT in N (Neutral) position
Ignition timing (degree B.T.D.C. at idle speed)
CO%atidle
Spark plug
FXE22HR-11
Spark plug gap (Nominal) in (mm) 0.043 (1.1)
Camshaf t operation Timing chain
This spark ignition system complies with the Canadian standard ICES-002.
SPECIFICATIONS
Technical and consumer information10-9

WARNING
Trailer hitch components have specific
weight ratings. Your vehicle may be ca-
pable of towing a trailer heavier than
the weight rating of the hitch compo-
nents. Never exceed the weight rating
of the hitch components. Doing so can
cause serious personal injury or prop-
erty damage.
Hitch ball
Choose a hitch ball of the proper size and
weight rating for your trailer:∙ The required hitch ball size is stamped on most trailer couplers. Most hitch
balls also have the size printed on the
top of the ball.
∙ Choose the proper class hitch ball based on the trailer weight.
∙ The diameter of the threaded shank of the hitch ball must be matched to the
ball mount hole diameter. The hitch ball
shank should be no more than 1/16”
smaller than the hole in the ball mount. ∙ The threaded shank of the hitch ball
must be long enough to be properly
secured to the ball mount. There should
be at least 2 threads showing beyond
the lock washer and nut.
Ball mount
The hitch ball is attached to the ball mount
and the ball mount is inserted into the
hitch receiver. Choose a proper class ball
mount based on the trailer weight. Addi-
tionally, the ball mount should be chosen to
keep the trailer tongue level with the
ground.
Weight carrying hitches
A weight carrying or “dead weight” ball
mount is one that is designed to carry the
whole amount of tongue weight and gross
weight directly on the ball mount and on
the receiver.
Weight distribution hitch
This type of hitch is also called a “load-
leveling” or “equalizing” hitch. A set of bars
attach to the ball mount and to the trailer
to distribute the tongue weight (hitch
weight) of your trailer. Many vehicles can’t
carry the full tongue weight of a given
trailer, and need some of the tongue weight transferred through the frame and
pushing down on the front wheels. This
gives stability to the tow vehicle.
A weight-distributing hitch system (Class
IV) is recommended if you plan to tow trail-
ers with a maximum weight over 5,000 lbs.
(2,268 kg). Check with the trailer and towing
equipment manufacturers to determine if
they recommend the use of a weight-
distributing hitch system.
NOTE:
A weight-distributing hitch system may
affect the operation of trailer surge
brakes. If you are considering use of a
weight-distributing hitch system with a
surge brake-equipped trailer, check with
the surge brake, hitch or trailer manufac-
turer to determine if and how this can be
done.
Follow the instructions provided by the
manufacturer for installing and using the
weight-distributing hitch system.
General set-up instructions are as follows:
1. Park unloaded vehicle on a level sur- face. With the ignition on and the doors
closed, allow the vehicle to stand for
several minutes so that it can level.
Technical and consumer information10-23