.If it is difficult to free the vehicle,
repeat forward and backward move-
ment to increase the movement.
. If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, tire
chains may be effective.
CAUTION
.Do not spin the tires excessively.
Tires will sink deep into the mud,
making it difficult to free the
vehicle.
. Avoid shifting gears with the en-
gine running at high speeds as
this may cause malfunction.
SSD1048
4WD SHIFT SWITCH
.Shift the 4WD shift switch to either the
AUTO, 4H or 4L position, depending on
driving conditions.
. With the switch set to the AUTO
position, distribution of torque to the
front and rear wheels changes auto-
matically, depending on road condi-
tions encountered [ratio; 0 : 100 (2WD)
? 50 : 50 (4WD)]. This results in
improved driving stability.
. If the 4WD shift switch is operated
while making a turn, accelerating or
decelerating or if the ignition switch
is placed in the OFF position while in
the AUTO, 4H or 4L, you may feel a jolt. This is not abnormal.
. When the vehicle is stopped after
making a turn, you may feel a slight
jolt after the shift lever is shifted to N
(Neutral) or P (Park) position. This
occurs because the transfer clutch is
released and not because of a mal-
function.
CAUTION
.When driving straight, shift the
4WD shift switch to the AUTO or
4H position. Do not move the 4WD
shift switch when making a turn
or reversing.
. Do not shift the 4WD shift switch
while driving on steep downhill
grades. Use the engine brake and
low automatic transmission
gears for engine braking.
. Do not operate the 4WD shift
switch with the rear wheels spin-
ning.
. Before placing the 4WD shift
switch in the 4H position from
AUTO, ensure the vehicle speed is
less than 62 MPH (100 km/h).
Failure to do so can damage the
4WD system.
Starting and driving5-121
6-10In case of emergency
ignition switch ON/OFF one time.
SCE0910
Installing the spare tire
The full-size temporary use only spare
tire (if so equipped) is designed for
emergency use. (See specific instruc-
tions under the heading “Wheels and
tires” (P.8-30).)
1. Clean any mud or dirt from the sur-face between the wheel and hub.
2. Carefully put the spare tire on and tighten the wheel nuts finger tight.
3. With the wheel nut wrench, tighten wheel nuts alternately and evenly in
the sequence illustrated (
,,,,,) until they are tight. 4. Lower the vehicle slowly until the tire
touches the ground. Then, with the
wheel nut wrench, tighten the wheel
nuts securely in the sequence as
illustrated. Lower the vehicle comple-
tely.
WARNING
.Incorrect wheel nuts or impro-
perly tightened wheel nuts can
cause the wheel to become loose
or come off. This could cause an
accident.
. Do not use oil or grease on the
wheel studs or nuts. This could
cause the nuts to become loose.
. Retighten the wheel nuts when
the vehicle has been driven for
600 miles (1,000 km) (also in
cases of a flat tire, etc.).
.As soon as possible, tighten the
wheel nuts to the specified torque
with a torque wrench.
Wheel nut tightening torque: 98 ft-lb (133 N·m)
The wheel nuts must be kept
tightened to specification at all
times. It is recommended that
wheel nuts be tightened to speci-
.The 4 bolts are tightened to
temporarily install the 4WD shift
motor so that water, dirt or sand
does not enter inside the system.
Therefore, they should only be
tightened to the proper tighten-
ing torque. It is recommended
you contact a NISSAN dealer for
inspection and repair.
9. With the 4WD system in the 4L posi- tion, free the stuck vehicle. (See “Ve-
hicle recovery (freeing a stuck vehicle)”
(P.6-19) for details.)
CAUTION
After manually shifting the vehicle to
the 4L position, it is recommended
you contact a NISSAN dealer for
inspection and repair as soon as
possible.
In case of emergency6-23
SDI2528
Engine oil and filter
1. Place a large drain pan under thedrain plug.
2. Remove the oil filler cap.
3. Remove the drain plug
with a
wrench and completely drain the oil.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself, as
the engine oil is hot.
.Waste oil must be disposed of properly.
.Check your local regulations.
4. (Perform steps 4 to 7 only when the engine oil filter change is needed.)
Loosen the oil filter
with an oil filter
wrench. Remove the oil filter by turn-
ing it by hand.
5. Wipe the engine oil filter mounting surface with a clean rag.
CAUTION
Be sure to remove any old rubber
gasket remaining on the mounting
surface of the engine. Failure to do
so could lead to engine damage.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with clean engine oil.
7. Screw in the oil filter clockwise until a slight resistance is felt, then tighten
additionally more than 2/3 turn.
Oil filter tightening torque:11 to 15 ft-lb
(15 to 21 N·m)
8. Clean and re-install the drain plug with a new washer. Securely tighten
the drain plug with a wrench.
Drain plug tightening torque:22 to 29 ft-lb
(29 to 39 N·m) Do not use excessive force.
9. Refill engine with recommended oil and install the oil filler cap securely.
CAUTION
The dipstick must be inserted in
place to prevent oil spillage from
the dipstick hole while filling the
engine with oil.
See “Capacities and recommended
fluids/lubricants” (P.10-2) for drain
and refill capacity. The drain and refill
capacity depends on the oil tempera-
ture and drain time. Use these speci-
fications for reference only. Always
use the dipstick to determine the
proper amount of oil in the engine.
10. Start the engine and check for leak- age around the drain plug and the oil
filter. Correct as required.
11. Turn the engine off and wait more than 15 minutes. Check the oil level
with the dipstick. Add engine oil if
necessary.
Do-it-yourself8-7
tires. Skid and traction capabilities of
studded snow tires, on wet or dry sur-
faces, may be poorer than that of non-
studded snow tires.
TIRE CHAINS
Use of tire chains may be prohibited
according to location. Check the local
laws before installing tire chains. When
installing tire chains, make sure they are
the proper size for the tires on your
vehicle and are installed according to
the chain manufacturer’s suggestions.
Use only SAE Class S chains.Class “S”
chains are used on vehicles with re-
stricted tire to vehicle clearance. Vehicles
that can use Class “S” chains are designed
to meet the SAE standard minimum
clearances between the tire and the
closest vehicle suspension or body com-
ponent required to accommodate the
use of a winter traction device (tire chains
or cables). The minimum clearances are
determined using the factory equipped
tire size. Other types may damage your
vehicle. Use chain tensioners when re-
commended by the tire chain manufac-
turer to ensure a tight fit. Loose end links
of the tire chain must be secured or
removed to prevent the possibility of
whipping action damage to the fenders
or underbody. If possible, avoid fully load-
ing your vehicle when using tire chains. In addition, drive at a reduced speed. Other-
wise, your vehicle may be damaged and/
or vehicle handling and performance may
be adversely affected.
Tire chains must be installed only on
the rear wheels and not on the front
wheels.
Never install tire chains on the full-size
temporary use only spare tire (if so
equipped).
Do not use tire chains on dry roads.
Driving with tire chains in such conditions
can cause damage to the various me-
chanisms of the vehicle due to some
overstress.
SDI1662
CHANGING WHEELS AND TIRES
Tire rotation
NISSAN recommends rotating the
tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km).
(See “Flat tire” (P.6-3) for tire repla-
cing procedures.)
As soon as possible, tighten the
wheel nuts to the specified torque
with a torque wrench.
Wheel nut tightening torque:98 ft-lb (133 N·m)
The wheel nuts must be kept
tightened to the specification at
Do-it-yourself8-37
JVT0458X
To install the trailer hitch cover:
1. Insert the upper clips to the recesses
, and then push in the cover to its
original position.
2. Install the 2 bolts
.
Bolt tightening torque:
2.2 to 3.3 ft-lb (3 to 4.4 N·m)
Do not use excessive force.
WARNING
Trailer hitch components have spe-
cific weight ratings. Your vehicle may
be capable of towing a trailer heavier
than the weight rating of the hitch components. Never exceed the
weight rating of the hitch compo-
nents. Doing so can cause serious
personal injury or property 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 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.
Additionally, 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
cannot 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
trailers with a maximum weight over
5,000 lbs (2,267 kg). Check with the trailer
Technical and consumer information10-23