Page 391 of 516

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 and oil filter ..............8-8
5-speed Automatic Transmission
(if so equipped) Fluid (ATF) ......................8-12
Power Steering Fluid (PSF) ......................8-12
Brake and clutch (if so equipped) fluid ..........8-13
Brake fluid ................................... 8-13
Clutch (if so equipped) fluid ..................8-14
Windshield-washer fluid ........................8-14
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ............8-14
Battery......................................... 8-15
Jump starting ............................... 8-16
Variable voltage control system ................8-17
Drive belt ....................................... 8-17
Spark plugs .................................... 8-18
Replacing spark plugs .......................8-18Air cleaner
...................................... 8-19
In-cabin microfilter .......................... 8-20
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-21
Cleaning .................................... 8-21
Replacing ................................... 8-21
Brakes.......................................... 8-22
Fuses ........................................... 8-23
Engine compartment .......................8-24
Passenger compartment ....................8-25
Battery replacement ........................... 8-26
Key fob (if so equipped) ......................8-27
Lights .......................................... 8-28
Headlights ................................... 8-28
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-29
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-30
Wheels and tires ................................ 8-33
Tir e
pressure ................................ 8-33
Tire labeling ................................. 8-36
Types of tires ................................ 8-39
Tire chains .................................. 8-40
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-41
Page 392 of 516

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 vehicle
from moving. For manual transmission
models, move the shif t lever to N (Neu-
tral). For Automatic Transmission (A/T)
move the shif t lever to P (Park)
∙ Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF orLOCK 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
Page 393 of 516
QR25DE engine
1. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
2. Fuse/Fusible link box
3. Fuse box
4. Air cleaner
5. Engine oil filler cap
6. Engine oil dipstick
7. Brake and clutch (if so equipped)fluid reservoir
8. Drive belt location
9. Radiator cap
10. Power steering fluid reservoir
11. Battery
12. Engine coolant reservoir
WDI0643
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Do-it-yourself8-3
Page 394 of 516
VQ40DE engine
1. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
2. Fuse/Fusible link box
3. Fuse box
4. Engine oil filler cap
5. Engine oil dipstick
6. Brake and clutch (if so equipped)fluid reservoir
7. Air cleaner
8. Drive belt location
9. Radiator cap
10. Power steering fluid reservoir
11. Battery
12. Engine coolant reservoir
LII0167
8-4Do-it-yourself
Page 397 of 516
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface andapply the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches operating temperature.
3. Turn off the engine. Wait more than
10 minutes for the oil to drain back
into the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Reinsert it all the way. 5. Remove the dipstick again and check
the oil level. It should be between the H
(High) and L (Low) marksB. This is the
normal operating oil level range. If the
oil level is below the L (Low) mark
A,
remove the oil filler cap and pour rec-
ommended oil through the opening.
Do not overfill
C.
6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the
break-in period, depending on the sever-
ity of operating conditions.
VQ40DE
LDI0437
QR25DE
LDI0467LDI0371
ENGINE OIL
Do-it-yourself8-7
Page 398 of 516
CAUTION
Oil level should be checked regularly.
Operating the engine with an insuffi-
cient amount of oil can damage the en-
gine, and such damage is not covered
by warranty.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL AND OIL
FILTER
For additional information on engine oil
and oil filter change, refer to the instruc-
tions outlined in this section.
Vehicle set-up
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface andapply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches operat- ing temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for 15 min- utes.
4. Raise and support the vehicle using a suitable floor jack and safety jack
stands.
∙ Place the safety jack stands under the vehicle jack-up points.
∙ A suitable adapter should be attached to the jack stand saddle.
CAUTION
Make sure the correct lif ting and sup-
port points are used to avoid vehicle
damage.
1Oil filler cap (QR25DE)
LDI3360
8-8Do-it-yourself
Page 403 of 516

CAUTION
∙ DO NOT OVERFILL.
∙ Recommended fluid is GenuineNISSAN PSF-II or equivalent For additional information on brake fluid
specification, refer to “Recommended
fluids/lubricants and capacities” in the
“Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion of this manual.
WARNING
∙ Use only new fluid from a sealed con-
tainer. Old, inferior or contaminated
fluid may damage the brake and
clutch (if so equipped) systems. The
use of improper fluids can damage
the brake and clutch system and af-
fect the vehicle’s stopping ability.
∙ Clean the filler cap before removing.
∙ Brake and clutch fluid is poisonous and should be stored carefully in
marked containers out of reach of
children.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on any painted sur-
faces. This will damage the paint. If fluid
is spilled, immediately wash the surface
with water.
BRAKE FLUID
Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir. If
the fluid level is below the MIN line
Bor the
brake warning light comes on, add Genu-
ine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or
equivalent DOT 3fluid up to the MAX line
A.
If fluid must be added frequently, the sys-
tem should be checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
LDI2835
BRAKE AND CLUTCH (if so equipped)
FLUID
Do-it-yourself8-13
Page 404 of 516

CLUTCH (if so equipped) FLUID
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. The
brake fluid reservoir is shared with the
clutch hydraulic system for manual trans-
missions. If the level is below the MIN line
B,
or the brake warning light comes on, add
Genuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake
Fluid or equivalent DOT 3fluid up to the
MAX line
A. If fluid must be added fre-
quently, the system should be checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
RESERVOIR
Fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir
periodically. Add windshield-washer fluid
when the low windshield-washer fluid
warning light (if so equipped) comes on.
To fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir,
lif t the cap off the reservoir and pour the
windshield-washer fluid into the reservoir
opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for
better cleaning. In the winter season, add a windshield-washer antifreeze. Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for the mix-
ture ratio.
Refill the reservoir more frequently when
driving conditions require an increased
amount of windshield-washer fluid.
Recommended fluid is Genuine NISSAN
Windshield-Washer Concentrate Cleaner &
Antifreeze or equivalent.
CAUTION
∙Do not substitute engine antifreeze cool-
ant for windshield-washer solution. This
may result in damage to the paint.
∙ Do not fill the windshield-washer res-
ervoir with washer fluid concentrates
at full strength. Some methyl alcohol
based washer fluid concentrates may
permanently stain the grille if spilled
while filling the windshield-washer
reservoir.
∙ Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates with water to the manufacturer’s rec-
ommended levels before pouring the
fluid into the windshield-washer res-
ervoir. Do not use the windshield-
washer reservoir to mix the washer
fluid concentrate and water.
LDI2835LDI3136
WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
8-14Do-it-yourself