
prevent one drive wheel from slipping by
transferring power to a non-slipping drive
wheel. The
indicator light flashes if
this occurs. All other VDC functions are off
and the
indicator light will not flash.
The VDC system is automatically reset to
on when the ignition switch is placed in the
OFF position then back to the ON position.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle for-
ward or in reverse at a slow speed. When
the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to help the driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed and
be especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully. ∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator light may flash or
the
indicator light may
illuminate.
∙ If brake related parts such as brake pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and both
the
and theindicator
lights may illuminate.
∙ If engine control related parts are not NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, both the
andindicator lights may
illuminate. ∙ When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or the
indicator light
may illuminate. Do not drive on these
types of roads.
∙ When driving on an unstable surface such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash or the
indicator light may
illuminate. This is not a malfunction.
Restart the engine af ter driving onto
a stable surface.
∙ If wheels or tires other than the NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or the
indicator light
may illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
5-34Starting and driving

BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the four wheels depending
on the radius of the turn.
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to helpthe driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed and
be especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.
∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen- sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator light may flash or
the
indicator light may
illuminate. ∙ If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and both
the
andindicator lights
may illuminate.
∙ If engine control related parts are not NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, both the
and theindicator lights may
illuminate.
∙ When driving on extremely inclined surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or the
indicator light
may illuminate. Do not drive on these
types of roads.
∙ When driving on an unstable surface such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash or the
indicator light may
illuminate. This is not a malfunction.
Restart the engine af ter driving onto
a stable surface. ∙ If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash or the
indicator light
may illuminate.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
Starting and driving5-35

∙ Use the correct jack-up points. Neveruse any other part of the vehicle for
jack support.
∙ Never jack up the vehicle more than necessary.
∙ Never use blocks on or under the jack.
∙ Do not start or run the engine while vehicle is on the jack. It may cause the
vehicle to move. This is especially true
for vehicles with limited slip
differentials.
∙ Do not allow passengers to stay in the vehicle while it is on the jack.
∙ Never run the engine with a wheel(s) off the ground. It may cause the ve-
hicle to move. Always refer to the illustrations for the cor-
rect placement and jack-up points for your
specific vehicle model and jack type.
Carefully read the caution label attached
to the jack body and the following in-
structions.
1. Loosen each wheel nut 1 or 2 turns by turning counterclockwise with the
wheel nut wrench. Do not remove the
wheel nuts until the tire is off the
ground. 2. Place the jack directly under the
jack-up point as illustrated so the top
of the jack contacts the vehicle at the
jack-up point. Align the jack head be-
tween the 2 notches in the front or the
rear as shown. Also fit the groove of the
jack head between the notches as
shown.
The jack should be used on firm and
level ground.
3. To lif t the vehicle, securely hold the jack lever and rod with both hands. Carefully
raise the vehicle until the tire clears the
ground. Remove the wheel nuts, and
then remove the tire.
SCE0002
In case of emergency6-7

∙ Wax your vehicle only af ter a thoroughwashing. Follow the instructions sup-
plied with the wax.
∙ Do not use a wax containing any abra- sives, cutting compounds or cleaners
that may damage the vehicle finish.
Machine compounding or aggressive pol-
ishing on a base coat/clear coat paint fin-
ish may dull the finish or leave swirl marks.
REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust,
insects, and tree sap as quickly as possible
from the surface of the paint to avoid last-
ing damage or staining. Special cleaning
products are available at a NISSAN dealer
or any automotive accessory store. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for these products.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, it
is necessary to clean the underbody regu-
larly in order to prevent dirt and salt from
building up and causing the acceleration of
corrosion on the underbody and suspen-
sion. Before the winter period and again in
the spring, the underseal must be checked
and, if necessary, re-treated.
GLASS
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and
dust film from the glass surfaces. It is nor-
mal for glass to become coated with a film
af ter the vehicle is parked in the hot sun.
Glass cleaner and a sof t cloth will easily
remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dows, do not use sharp-edged tools,
abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based
disinfectant cleaners. They could dam-
age the electrical conductors, radio an-
tenna elements or rear window de-
froster elements.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS (if so
equipped)
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge
dampened in a mild soap solution, espe-
cially during winter months in areas where
road salt is used. If not removed, road salt
can discolor the wheels.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining or discoloring the wheels:
∙ Do not use a cleaner that uses strong acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
∙ Do not apply wheel cleaners to the wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as
ambient temperature.
∙ Rinse the wheel to completely remove the cleaner within 15 minutes af ter
the cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a
non-abrasive chrome polish to maintain
the finish.
TIRE DRESSINGS
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a
coating to the tires to help reduce discolor-
ation of the rubber. If a tire dressing is ap-
plied to the tires, it may react with the coat-
ing and form a compound. This compound
may come off the tire while driving and
stain the vehicle paint.
Appearance and care7-3

WARNING
Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in
the retractor. NEVER use bleach, dye or
chemical solvents to clean the seat
belts, since these materials may se-
verely weaken the seat belt webbing.
MOST COMMON FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO VEHICLE
CORROSION
Most vehicle corrosion is caused by:∙ The accumulation of moisture- retaining dirt and debris in body panel
sections, cavities, and other areas.
∙ Damage to paint and other protective coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor traffic collisions.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
INFLUENCE THE RATE OF
CORROSION
Moisture
Accumulation of sand, dirt and water on
the vehicle body underside can accelerate
corrosion. Wet floor coverings will not dry
completely inside the vehicle and should
be removed for drying to avoid floor panel
corrosion.
Relative humidity
Corrosion will be accelerated in areas of
high relative humidity, especially those ar-
eas where the temperatures stay above
freezing and where atmospheric pollution
exists and road salt is used.
Temperature
High temperatures accelerate the rate of
corrosion to those parts which are not well
ventilated.
Air pollution
Industrial pollution, the presence of salt in
the air in coastal areas, or heavy road salt
use accelerates the corrosion process.
Road salt also accelerates the disintegra-
tion of paint surfaces.
CORROSION PROTECTION
Appearance and care7-7

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 engine oil be-
tween oil maintenance intervals de-
pending on the severity of operating
conditions or depending on the property
of the engine oil used. More engine oil is
consumed by frequent acceleration/
deceleration especially when the engine
rpm is high. Consumption is likely to be
higher when the engine is new. If the rate
of oil consumption, af ter driving for
3,000 miles (5,000 km), is more than
0.5 liter per 600 miles (1,000 km), it is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer.
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.
LDI2687LDI2795
ENGINE OIL
8-6Do-it-yourself

If the battery is removed for any reason
other than replacement, perform step 5.∙ An improperly disposed battery can
hurt the environment. Always con-
firm local regulations for battery dis-
posal.
∙ The key fob is water-resistant; how-
ever, if it does get wet, immediately
wipe completely dry.
∙ The operational range of the key fob
extends to approximately 33 f t (10 m)
from the vehicle. This range may vary
with conditions.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation of the device.
FCC Notice:
For USA:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation. Note:
Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s author-
ity to operate the equipment.
For Canada:
This device complies with Industry
Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s).
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must ac-
cept any interference, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired opera-
tion of the device.
LDI2001
Do-it-yourself8-23

FCC Notice:
For USA:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
Note:
Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s author-
ity to operate the equipment.
For Canada:
This device complies with Industry
Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s).
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must ac-
cept any interference, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired opera-
tion of the device.HEADLIGHTS
For additional information on headlight
bulb replacement, refer to the instructions
outlined in this section.
Replacing the halogen headlight
bulb
The headlight is a semi-sealed beam type
which uses a replaceable headlight (halo-
gen) bulb. They can be replaced from inside
the engine compartment without remov-
ing the headlight assembly.
LDI2240
LIGHTS
Do-it-yourself8-25