6-10In case of emergency
— when the sealant has passedits expiration date (shown on
the label attached to the bot-
tle)
— when the cut or the puncture is approximately 0.25 in (6
mm) or longer
— when the tire sidewall is da- maged
— when the vehicle has been driven with extremely low tire
pressure
— when the tire has come off the inside or the outside of the
wheel.
— when the tire wheel is da- maged
— when two or more tires are flat
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
4. Automatic Transmission models:
Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
Manual Transmission models:
Move the shift lever to the R (Reverse)
position.
5. Turn off the engine.
6. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to signal professional road assis-
tance personnel that you need assis-
tance.
7. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
Make sure the parking brake is se-
curely applied and the manual trans-
mission is shifted into R (Reverse) or
the automatic transmission into P
(Park).
.Never repair tires when the vehi-
cle is on a slope, ice or slippery
areas. This is hazardous.
. Never repair tires if oncoming
traffic is close to your vehicle.
Wait for professional road assis-
tance.
JVE0122X
Getting emergency tire puncture
repair kit
Take out the emergency tire puncture
repair kit located under the cargo room
or in the trunk. The repair kit consists of
the following items:
Tire sealant bottleAir compressor*Speed restriction sticker
*: The compressor shape may differ
depending on the models.
NOTE:
For models with the emergency tire
puncture repair kit, a spare tire, jack
and rod are not equipped as standard.
7. After starting your engine, carefullydisconnect the negative cable and
then the positive cable (
???).
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped). Be sure to dispose of the cloth used to
cover the vent holes as it may be
contaminated with corrosive acid.
9. Put the battery cover on. Do not attempt to start the engine by
pushing.CAUTION
.
Automatic transmission models
cannot be push-started or tow-
started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.
. Three way catalyst equipped
models should not be started by
pushing since the three way cat-
alyst may be damaged.
. Never try to start the vehicle by
towing it; when the engine starts,
the forward surge could cause
the vehicle to collide with the
tow vehicle.
CAUTION
. Do not continue to drive if your
vehicle overheats. Doing so could
cause engine damage or a vehicle
fire.
. To avoid the danger of being
scalded, never remove the radia-
tor cap while the engine is still
hot. When the radiator cap is
removed, pressurized hot water
will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
. Do not open the hood if steam is
coming 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, apply the parking brake and move the
shift lever to the P (Park) position
(Automatic transmission models).
Move the shift lever to the N (Neutral)
position (Manual transmission mod-
els).
Do not stop the engine.
In case of emergency6-17
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward andbackward.
.Shift back and forth between R(Reverse) and D (Drive) (automatic
transmission models) or 1st and R
(Reverse) (manual transmission
models).
.Apply the accelerator as little as
possible to maintain the rocking
motion.
.Release the accelerator pedal be-fore shifting between R (Reverse)
and D (Drive) (automatic transmis-
sion models) or 1st and R (Reverse)
(manual transmission models).
.Do not spin the tires above 35 MPH(55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few tries, contact a professional tow-
ing service to remove the 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 in-
jury. Parts of your vehicle could
also overheat and be damaged.
In case of emergency6-23
SAI0044
Floor mat installation
Your vehicle is equipped with floor mat
positioning hook(s). The number and
shape of the floor mat positioning hook
(s) for each seating position varies de-
pending on the vehicle.
When installing genuine NISSAN floor
mats, follow the installation instructions
provided with the floor mat and the
following:
1. Position the floor mat in the floorwellso that the 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 interfere with pedal operation. With
the ignition in the OFF position and
the shift lever in the P (Park) position
(Automatic Transmission models) or
the shift lever in the N (Neutral) posi-
tion (Manual Transmission models),
fully apply and release all pedals. The
floor mat must not interfere with
pedal operation or prevent the pedal
from returning to its normal position.
See a NISSAN dealer for details about
installing the floor mats in your vehi-
cle.
SAI0056Positioning hooks
The illustration shows the location of
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
completely in the shade before using
them.
See “Seat belts” (P.1-10).
WARNING
Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up
in the retractor. NEVER use bleach,
Appearance and care7-7
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ...................................................... 8-2
Engine compartment check locations ........................ 8-3VQ37VHR engine model .................................................. 8-3
Engine cooling system ............................................................. 8-4 Checking engine coolant level .................................... 8-5
Changing engine coolant ................................................ 8-5
Engine oil ........................................................................\
..................... 8-6 Checking engine oil level ................................................. 8-6
Changing engine oil and filter ..................................... 8-6
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) ............................. 8-8
Power steering fluid ................................................................... 8-8
Brake and clutch fluid ............................................................... 8-9 Brake fluid ........................................................................\
............ 8-9
Clutch fluid (Manual
transmission models) ...................................................... 8-10
Window washer fluid .............................................................. 8-10
Battery ........................................................................\
........................ 8-11 Jump starting ........................................................................\
. 8-13
Variable voltage control system ................................... 8-13
Drive belts ........................................................................\
................ 8-14
Spark plugs ........................................................................\
............. 8-14 Replacing spark plugs ..................................................... 8-15
Air cleaner ........................................................................\
............... 8-15 Windshield wiper blades ..................................................... 8-16
Cleaning ........................................................................\
........... 8-16
Replacing ........................................................................\
........ 8-16
Brakes ........................................................................\
........................ 8-17 Self-adjusting brakes ..................................................... 8-17
Brake pad wear warning ............................................ 8-17
Fuses ........................................................................\
........................... 8-18 Engine compartment .................................................... 8-18
Passenger compartment ........................................... 8-19
Intelligent Key battery replacement .......................... 8-20
Lights ........................................................................\
.......................... 8-22 Coupe ........................................................................\
................ 8-22
Roadster ........................................................................\
.......... 8-23
Headlights ........................................................................\
...... 8-24
Exterior and interior lights ........................................ 8-24
Wheels and tires ........................................................................\
8-26
Tire pressure ........................................................................\
8-26
Tire labeling ........................................................................\
.. 8-30
Types of tires ....................................................................... 8-32
Tire chains ........................................................................\
...... 8-33
Changing wheels and tires ...................................... 8-34
Emergency tire puncture repair kit (if
so equipped) ........................................................................\
. 8-37
8-2Do-it-yourself
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 following are general precau-
tions which should be closely observed.
WARNING
.Park the vehicle on a level sur-
face, apply the parking brake
securely and block the wheels to
prevent the vehicle from moving.
For manual transmission models,
move the shift lever to N (Neutral).
For automatic transmission mod-
els, move the shift lever to P
(Park).
. Be sure the ignition switch is in
the OFF or LOCK position when
performing any parts replace-
ment or repairs.
. Never connect or disconnect the
battery or any transistorized
component while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
. Never leave the engine or auto-
matic transmission related com-
ponent harnesses disconnected
while the ignition switch is in the
ON position. .
If you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, cloth-
ing, hair and tools away from
moving fans, belts and any other
moving parts.
. It is advisable to secure or re-
move any loose clothing and
remove any jewelry, such as
rings, watches, etc. before work-
ing on your vehicle.
. Always wear eye protection
whenever you work on your ve-
hicle.
. If you must run the engine in an
enclosed 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 necessary to work under the
vehicle, support it with safety
stands.
. Keep smoking materials, flame
and sparks away from fuel tank
and the battery.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic engine cooling fan. It
may come on at any time without
warning, even if the ignition key is
in the OFF position and the en-
gine is not running. To avoid injury, always disconnect the ne-
gative battery cable before work-
ing near the fan.
. Because the fuel lines are under
high pressure even when the
engine is off, it is recommended
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 direct contact with used
engine oil and coolant. Impro-
perly disposed engine oil, coolant,
and/or other vehicle fluids can
damage the environment. Always
conform to local regulations for
disposal of vehicle fluid.
This “8. Do-it-yourself” section gives in-
structions regarding only those items
which are relatively easy for an owner to
perform.
A genuine NISSAN Service Manual is also
available. (See “Owner’s Manual/Service
Manual order information” (P.10-26).)
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-8Do-it-yourself
d. Install the bolts that hold the un-dercover in place. Be careful not to
strip the bolts or over-tighten them.
2. Lower the vehicle carefully to the ground.
3. Dispose of waste oil and filter properly.
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 pos-
sible.
. Keep used engine oil out of reach
of children. When checking or replacement is re-
quired, we recommend a NISSAN dealer
for servicing.
CAUTION
.
It is recommended that you use
only Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF.
Do not mix with other fluids.
. Using automatic transmission
fluid other than Genuine NISSAN
Matic S ATF may cause deteriora-
tion in driveability and automatic
transmission durability, and may
damage the automatic transmis-
sion. Damage caused by the use
of fluid other than as recom-
mended is not covered by the
NISSAN new vehicle limited war-
ranty.
SDI1765A
Check the fluid level in the reservoir.
The fluid level should be checked with the
engine off using the HOT range (
: HOT
MAX.,: HOT MIN.) at fluid temperatures
of 122 to 176°F (50 to 80°C) or using the
COLD range (
: COLD MAX.,: COLD MIN.)
at fluid temperatures of 32 to 86°F (0 to
30°C).
If the fluid is below the MIN line, add
Genuine NISSAN PSF or equivalent. Re-
move the cap and fill through the open-
ing.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID (ATF)POWER STEERING FLUID
When driving in areas using road salt or
other corrosive materials, check lubrica-
tion frequently.
Lights*:Clean the headlights on a regular
basis. Make sure that the headlights, stop
lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, and
other lights are all operating properly and
installed securely. Also check headlight
aim.
Road wheel nuts (lug nuts)*: When
checking the tires, make sure no wheel
nuts are missing, and check for any loose
wheel nuts. Tighten if necessary.
Tire rotation*: Tires cannot be rotated, as
the front tires are a different size from the
rear tires and the direction of wheel
rotation is fixed in each tire.
Tires*: Check the pressure with a gauge
often and always prior to long distance
trips. If necessary, adjust the pressure in
all tires, including the spare, to the
pressure specified. Check carefully for
damage, cuts or excessive wear.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
transmitter components: Replace the
TPMS transmitter grommet seal, valve
core and cap when the tires are replaced
due to wear or age.
Wheel alignment and balance: If the
vehicle should pull to either side while
driving on a straight and level road, or if you detect uneven or abnormal tire wear,
there may be a need for wheel alignment.
If the steering wheel or seat vibrates at
normal highway speeds, wheel balancing
may be needed.
For additional information regarding tires,
refer to “Important Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (US) or “Tire Safety Information”
(Canada) in the NISSAN Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet.
Windshield:
Clean the windshield on a
regular basis. Check the windshield at
least every six months for cracks or other
damage. Have a damaged windshield
repaired by a qualified repair facility.
Windshield wiper blades*: Check for
cracks or wear if they do not wipe
properly.
Inside the vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should
be checked on a regular basis, such as
when performing scheduled mainte-
nance, cleaning the vehicle, etc.
Accelerator pedal: Check the pedal for
smooth operation and make sure the
pedal does not catch or require uneven
effort. Keep the floor mat away from the
pedal.
Automatic transmission P (Park) me-
chanism: On a fairly steep hill, check that your vehicle is held securely with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position without
applying any brakes.
Brake pedal:
Check the pedal for smooth
operation. If the brake pedal suddenly
goes down further than normal, the pedal
feels spongy or the vehicle seems to take
longer to stop, have your vehicle checked
immediately. It is recommended you visit
a NISSAN dealer for this service. Keep the
floor mat away from the pedal.
Brakes: Check that the brakes do not pull
the vehicle to one side when applied.
Parking brake: Check the parking brake
operation regularly. The vehicle should be
securely held on a fairly steep hill with
only the parking brake applied. If the
parking brake needs adjusted, it is re-
commended you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
Seats: Check seat position controls such
as seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. to
ensure they operate smoothly and that all
latches lock securely in every position.
Check that the head restraints move up
and down smoothly and that the locks (if
so equipped) hold securely in all latched
positions.
Seat belts: Check that all parts of the seat
belt system (for example, buckles, an-
chors, adjuster and retractors) operate
Maintenance and schedules9-3