The transfer case 4WD shif t switch is used
to select either 2WD or 4WD depending on
the driving conditions. There are three
types of drive modes available: 2WD, 4H and
4LO.
The 4WD shif t switch electronically controls
the transfer case operation. Rotate the
switch to move between each mode: 2WD,
4H and 4LO.
To change into or out of 4LO, the vehicle
MUST be stationary, move the shif t lever
to N (Neutral), and depress the brake
pedal. The switch must be pushed and
turned to select 4LO.
WARNING
∙ When parking, apply the parkingbrake before stopping the engine and
make sure that the 4WD shif t indica-
tor light is on and the Automatic
Transmission park (ATP) warning light
goes off. Otherwise, the vehicle could
unexpectedly move even if the A/T is
in the P position. ∙ The 4LO indicator light must stop
blinking and remain illuminated or
turn off before shif ting the transmis-
sion into gear. If the shif t lever is
shif ted from the N (Neutral) position
to any other gear when the 4LO indi-
cator light is blinking, the vehicle may
move unexpectedly.
CAUTION
∙ Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be-tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
∙ The 4H position provides greater trac- tion. Avoid excessive speed, as it will
cause increased fuel consumption
and higher oil temperatures, and
could damage drivetrain compo-
nents. Speeds over 62 mph
(100 km/h) in 4H is not recommended.
∙ The 4LO position provides maximum power and traction. Avoid raising ve-
hicle speed excessively, as the maxi-
mum speed is approximately 31 mph
(50 km/h).
∙ When driving straight, shif t the 4WD shif t switch to the 2WD or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shif t switch
when making a turn or reversing. ∙ Do not shif t the 4WD shif t switch (be-
tween 2WD and 4H) while driving on
steep downhill grades. Use the engine
brake and low A/T gears (M1 or M2) for
engine braking.
∙ Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch (between 2WD and 4H) with the rear
wheels spinning.
∙ Do not drive on dry hard surface roads in the 4H or 4LO position. Driving on
dry hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO may
cause unnecessary noise and tire
wear. NISSAN recommends driving in
the 2WD position under these
conditions.
∙ The 4WD transfer case may not be shif ted between 4H and 4LO at low
ambient temperatures and the trans-
fer 4LO position indicator light may
blink even when the 4WD shif t switch
is shif ted. Af ter driving for a while you
can change the 4WD transfer case be-
tween 4H and 4LO.
When driving on rough roads, ∙ Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
∙ Drive carefully according to the road surface conditions.
5-48Starting and driving
When the vehicle is stuck,∙ Set the 4WD shif t switch to 4H or 4LO.
∙ Place stones or wooden blocks under the tires to free the vehicle.
∙ Use the Electronic locking rear differen- tial (E-Lock) system (if so equipped). For
additional information, refer to “Elec-
tronic locking rear differential (E-lock)
system” in this section.
∙ If it is difficult to free the vehicle, rock the vehicle back and forth between reverse
and drive gears.
∙ If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, place stones or wooden blocks under the
tires. Then try the recovery procedures
above. Tire chains may be effective.
CAUTION
∙ Do not spin the tires excessively. Tireswill sink deep into the mud, making it
difficult to free the vehicle.
∙ Avoid shif ting gears with the engine running at high speeds as this may
cause malfunction.
4WD shif t switch operations
∙ Shif t the 4WD shif t switch to either the
2WD, 4H or 4LO position, depending on
driving conditions.
∙ If the 4WD shif t switch is operated
while making a turn, accelerating or
decelerating or if the key switch is
turned off while in the 4H or 4LO, you
may feel a jolt. This is not abnormal.
∙ You may hear some noise as the sys-
tem shif ts or engages. This is not ab-
normal.
CAUTION
∙ When driving straight, shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to the 2WD or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shif t switch
when making a turn or reversing.
∙ Do not shif t the 4WD shif t switch while driving on steep downhill
grades. Use the engine brake and low
automatic transmission gears (M1 or
M2) for engine braking.
∙ Do not operate the 4WD shif t switch with the rear wheels spinning.
∙ Before placing the 4WD shif t switch in the 4H position from 2WD, ensure the
vehicle speed is less than 62 mph
(100 km/h). Failure to do so can dam-
age the 4WD system.
∙ Never shif t the 4WD shif t switch be- tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
LSD2463
Starting and driving5-49
Do not attempt to start the engine by
pushing.
CAUTION
∙ Automatic transmission models can-not be push-started or tow-started.
Attempting to do so may cause trans-
mission damage.
∙ Three way catalyst equipped models should not be started by pushing
since the three way catalyst may be
damaged.
∙ Never try to start the vehicle by tow- ing it; when the engine starts, the for-
ward surge could cause the vehicle to
collide with the tow vehicle.
WARNING
∙ Do not continue to drive if your vehicleoverheats. Doing so could cause en-
gine damage or a vehicle fire.
∙ To avoid the danger of being scalded, never remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap while the engine is still
hot. When the radiator or coolant res-
ervoir cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
∙ Do not open the hood if steam is com- ing out.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by
an extremely high temperature gauge
reading), or if you feel a lack of engine
power, detect abnormal noise, etc. take the
following steps: 1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, ap- ply the parking brake and move the
shif t lever to P (Park).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maxi-
mum hot and fan control to high
speed. 3. If engine overheating is caused by
climbing a long hill on a hot day, run the
engine at a fast idle (approximately
1,500 rpm) until the temperature gauge
indication returns to normal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the
radiator before opening the hood. If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off
the engine. Do not open the hood fur-
ther until no steam or coolant can be
seen.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check drive belts for damage or looseness. Also check if the cooling
fan is running. The radiator hoses and
radiator should not leak water. If cool-
ant is leaking, the water pump belt is
missing or loose, or the cooling fan
does not run, stop the engine.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-15
4WD models with automatic
transmission
NISSAN recommends that towing dollies
be used when towing your vehicle or place
the vehicle on a flatbed truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
Never tow 4WD models equipped with
an automatic transmission with any of
the wheels on the ground as this may
cause serious and expensive damage
to the transfer case and transmission.2WD models with automatic
transmission
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (rear) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flatbed
truck as illustrated.
LCE2141
LCE2140
In case of emergency6-17
CAUTION
∙ Never tow automatic transmissionmodels with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the ground
(forward or backward), as this may
cause serious and expensive damage
to the transmission. If it is necessary
to tow the vehicle with the front
wheels raised always use towing dol-
lies under the rear wheels.
∙ When towing automatic transmission models with the front wheels on the
ground or on towing 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 cause damage
to the lock mechanism (if so
equipped).
When towing long distances or speeds in
excess of 60 mph (97 km/h), remove the
propeller shaf t before towing to prevent
damage to the transmission. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
additional information.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a
stuck vehicle)
There are two options to recover a stuck
vehicle: pulling and rocking. For additional
information regarding these options,
please refer to the following sections.
Pulling a stuck vehicle
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
∙ Contact a professional towing service to recover the vehicle if you have any
questions regarding the recovery
procedure.
∙ Attach recovery devices only to main structural members of the vehicle or
the recovery hooks.
∙ Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to tow or free a stuck vehicle.
∙ Only use devices specifically designed for vehicle recovery and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions. ∙ Always pull the recovery device
straight out from the front of the ve-
hicle. Never pull at an angle.
∙ Route recovery devices so they do not touch any part of the vehicle except
the attachment point.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device de-
signed specifically for vehicle recovery. Al-
ways follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for the recovery device.
Rocking 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 injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged.
6-18In case of emergency
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 .....................8-9
Fuel filter (CUMMINS 5.0L) ........................8-11
Fuel filter replacement (stage 1) ...............8-11
Fuel filter replacement (stage 2) ..............8-11
Draining water ............................... 8-11
Fuel system priming .......................... 8-11
Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) .....................8-11
Automatic regeneration ......................8-11
6-speed Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)
(diesel engine only) ............................. 8-12
7-speed Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)
(gasoline engine only) .......................... 8-12
Power steering fluid ............................ 8-12
Brake fluid ...................................... 8-13
Windshield-washer fluid ........................8-14
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ............8-14Battery.........................................
8-15
Jump starting ............................... 8-16
Variable voltage control (if so equipped) ........8-17
Drive belt ....................................... 8-17
Spark plugs (gasoline engine only) ..............8-18
Replacing spark plugs .......................8-18
Air cleaner ...................................... 8-19
In-cabin microfilter .......................... 8-19
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-20
Cleaning .................................... 8-20
Replacing ................................... 8-20
Brakes.......................................... 8-21
Fuses ........................................... 8-22
Engine compartment .......................8-22
Passenger compartment ....................8-24
Batter y
replacement ........................... 8-26
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ......................8-26
Lights .......................................... 8-28
Headlights ................................... 8-28
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-28
Daytime Running Light (DRL)
(if so equipped) .............................. 8-29
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-31
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. ∙
The automatic engine cooling fan (if so
equipped) may come on at any time
without warning, even if the ignition
switch is in the OFF position and the
engine is not running. To avoid injury,
always disconnect the negative bat-
tery cable before working 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 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 automatic
transmission related component har-
nesses disconnected while the igni-
tion 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
When checking or replacement is required,
it is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
CAUTION
∙ NISSAN recommends using GenuineNISSAN Matic K ATF. Do not mix with
other fluids.
∙ Do not use CVT fluid or manual trans- mission fluid in this transmission.
Damage caused by the use of fluids
other than as recommended is not
covered under NISSAN’s New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
∙ Using fluids that are not equivalent to Genuine NISSAN Matic K ATF may also
damage the transmission. Damage
caused by the use of fluids other than
as recommended is not covered un-
der NISSAN’s New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
The specified automatic transmission fluid
is also described on caution labels located
in the engine compartment. When checking or replacement is required,
it is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
CAUTION
∙ NISSAN recommends using Genuine
NISSAN Matic S ATF. Do not mix with
other fluids.
∙ Do not use CVT fluid or manual trans- mission fluid in this transmission.
Damage caused by the use of fluids
other than as recommended is not
covered under NISSAN’s New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
∙ Using fluids that are not equivalent to Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF may also
damage the transmission. Damage
caused by the use of fluids other than
as recommended is not covered un-
der NISSAN’s New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
The specified automatic transmission fluid
is also described on caution labels located
in the engine compartment. Check the power steering fluid level when
the engine is stopped.
The fluid level should be between the COLD
MAX line and the COLD MIN line on the
power steering fluid reservoir at cold fluid
temperatures of 32° - 86°F (0° - 30°C) or at
the HOT MAX line on the power steering
fluid reservoir at hot fluid temperatures of
122° - 176°F (50° - 80°C).
LDI3077
6-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION FLUID (ATF) (diesel
engine only)
7-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION FLUID (ATF)
(gasoline engine only)POWER STEERING FLUID
8-12Do-it-yourself