2020 NISSAN FRONTIER cooling

3.Use Air Conditioning (A/C) at Higher
Vehicle Speeds
• Below 40 mph (64 km/h), it is more efficient to open windows to cool the
vehicle due to reduced engine load.
• Above 40 mph (64 km/h), it is more efficient to use A/C to cool the vehicle
due to increased aerodynamic drag.
• Recirculating the cool air in the cabin when the A/C is on reduces cooling
load.
4. Drive at Economical Speeds and
Distances
• Observing the speed limit and not ex- ceeding 60 mph (97 km/h) (where le-
gally allowed) can improve fuel effi-
ciency due to reduced aerodynamic
drag.
• Maintaining a safe following distance behind other vehicles reduces unnec-
essary braking.
• Safely monitoring traffic to anticipate changes in speed permits reduced
braking and smooth acceleration
changes.
• Select a gear range suitable to road conditions. 5.
Use Cruise Control
• Using cruise control during highway driving helps maintain a steady speed.
• Cruise control is particularly effective in providing fuel savings when driving
on flat terrains.
6. Plan for the Shortest Route
• Utilize a map or navigation system to determine the best route to save time.
7. Avoid Idling
• Shutting off your engine when safe for stops exceeding 30–60 seconds saves
fuel and reduces emissions.
8. Buy an Automated Pass for Toll Roads
• Automated passes permit drivers to use special lanes to maintain cruising
speed through the toll and avoid stop-
ping and starting. 9.
Winter Warm Up
• Limit idling time to minimize impact to fuel economy.
• Vehicles typically need no more than 30 seconds of idling at start-up to ef-
fectively circulate the engine oil before
driving.
• Your vehicle will reach its ideal operat- ing temperature more quickly while
driving versus idling.
10. Keeping your Vehicle Cool
• Park your vehicle in a covered parking area or in the shade whenever pos-
sible.
• When entering a hot vehicle, opening the windows will help to reduce the
inside temperature faster, resulting in
reduced demand on your A/C system.
5-22Starting and driving

FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer through the key hole. If the lock
becomes frozen, heat the key before in-
serting it into the key hole or use the re-
mote keyless entry key fob (if so equipped).
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32°F (0°C),
check the antifreeze to assure proper win-
ter protection. For additional information,
refer to “Engine cooling system” in the “Do-
it-yourself ” section of this manual.
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during ex-
tremely cold weather conditions, the battery
fluid may freeze and damage the battery. To
maintain maximum efficiency, the battery
should be checked regularly. For additional
information, refer to “Battery” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be lef t outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, includ-
ing the engine block. Refill before operating
the vehicle. For additional information, refer
to “Changing engine coolant” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed toprovide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance of
these tires will be substantially reduced
in snowy and icy conditions. If you oper-
ate your vehicle on snowy or icy roads,
NISSAN recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON TIRES on all four
wheels. It is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for the tire type, size,
speed rating and availability information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, studded tires may be used. However,
some U.S. states and Canadian prov-
inces prohibit their use. Check local,
state and provincial laws before install-
ing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires.
3. Tire chains may be used. For additional information, refer to “Tire chains” in the
“Do-it-yourself ” section of this manual.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
• A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to re-move ice and snow from the windows
and wiper blades.
• A sturdy, flat board to be placed under the jack to give it firm support.
• A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow- drif ts.
• Extra washer fluid to refill the windshield- washer fluid reservoir.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
• Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain),
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip” un-
der these conditions. Try to avoid
driving on wet ice until the road is
salted or sanded.
• Whatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shif ting too fast, the drive wheels will
lose even more traction.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
5-40Starting and driving

The wheel nuts must be kept tightened to
specification at all times. It is recom-
mended that wheel nuts be tightened to
specifications at each lubrication interval.
Adjust tire pressure to the COLD pressure.
COLD pressure: Af ter vehicle has been
parked for 3 hours or more or driven less
than 1 mile (1.6 km).
COLD tire pressures are shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label lo-
cated in the driver's door opening.
5. Securely store the jacking equipment inthe vehicle and the flat tire under the
vehicle. For additional information about
storing the flat tire, refer to “Getting the
spare tire and tools” in this section.
WARNING
• Always make sure that the spare tire
and jacking equipment are properly
secured af ter use. Such items can be-
come dangerous projectiles in an ac-
cident or sudden stop.
•
The spare tire is designed for emer-
gency use. For additional information,
refer to “Wheels and tires” in the “Do-
it-yourself ” section of this manual.
To start your engine with a booster battery,
the instructions and precautions below
must be followed.
WARNING
• If done incorrectly, jump starting can
lead to a battery explosion, resulting
in severe injury or death. It could also
damage your vehicle.
• Explosive hydrogen gas is always
present in the vicinity of the battery.
Keep all sparks and flames away
from the battery.
• Do not allow battery fluid to come
into contact with eyes, skin, clothing
or painted surfaces. Battery fluid is a
corrosive sulfuric acid solution which
can cause severe burns. If the fluid
should come into contact with any-
thing, immediately flush the con-
tacted area with water.
• Keep battery out of the reach of
children.
• The booster battery must be rated at
12 volts. Use of an improperly rated
battery can damage your vehicle. •
Whenever working on or near a bat-
tery, always wear suitable eye pro-
tectors (for example, goggles or in-
dustrial safety spectacles) and
remove rings, metal bands, or any
other jewelry. Do not lean over the
battery when jump starting.
• Do not attempt to jump start a frozen
battery. It could explode and cause
serious injury.
• The automatic engine cooling fan (if
so equipped) may come on at any
time without warning, even if the ig-
nition switch is in the OFF position
and the engine is not running. To
avoid injury, keep hands and other
objects away from it.
JUMP STARTING
In case of emergency6-11

CAUTION
• Do not push start this vehicle. The
three-way catalyst may be
damaged.
• Automatic transmission models can-
not be push-started or tow-started.
Attempting to do so may cause
transmission damage.WARNING
• Do not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could cause
engine 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
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, 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 maximum
hot and fan control to high speed. 3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator before opening the hood. If steam
or coolant is escaping, turn off the en-
gine. Do not open the hood further until
no steam or coolant can be seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5. Visually check drive belts for damage or looseness. Also check if the cooling fan
is running. The radiator hoses and radia-
tor should not leak water. If coolant is
leaking, the water pump belt is missing
or loose, or the cooling fan does not run,
stop the engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into con-
tact with, or get caught in, engine belts
or the engine cooling fan. The engine
cooling fan can start at any time.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-13

8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions.......................8-2
Engine compartment check locations ...........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 oil filter ..............8-6
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) .............8-10
Power Steering Fluid (PSF) ......................8-10
Brake fluid ....................................... 8-11
Brake fluid .................................... 8-11
Windshield-washer fluid ........................8-12
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ...........8-12
Battery......................................... 8-13
Jump starting ............................... 8-14
Variable voltage control system ................8-15
Drive belt ....................................... 8-15
Spark plugs .................................... 8-16
Replacing spark plugs .......................8-16Air cleaner
..................................... 8-17
In-cabin microfilter .......................... 8-17
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-18
Cleaning .................................... 8-18
Replacing ................................... 8-19
Brakes ......................................... 8-20
Fuses .......................................... 8-20
Engine compartment ....................... 8-21
Passenger compartment ...................8-22
Battery replacement ........................... 8-24
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ......................8-24
Lights .......................................... 8-26
Headlights .................................. 8-26
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-27
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-28
Wheels and tires ............................... 8-30
Tire pressure ................................ 8-30
Tire labeling ................................. 8-33
T
ypes of tires ................................ 8-36
Tire chains .................................. 8-37
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-38

The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (blue) and 50% water to provide
year-round antifreeze and coolant protec-
tion. The antifreeze solution contains rust
and corrosion inhibitors. Additional engine
cooling system additives are not neces-
sary.
WARNING
• Never remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap when the engine is hot.
Wait until the engine and radiator
cool down. Serious burns could be
caused by high pressure fluid escap-
ing from the radiator. For additional
information on precautions, refer to
“If your vehicle overheats” in the “In
case of emergency ” section of this
manual.
• The radiator and coolant reservoir
are equipped with a pressure type ra-
diator cap. To prevent engine dam-
age, use only a Genuine NISSAN ra-
diator cap.
CAUTION
• Never use any cooling system addi-
tives such as radiator sealer. Addi-
tives may clog the cooling system
and cause damage to the engine,
transmission and/or cooling system.
• When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue)
or equivalent. Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-
diluted to provide antifreeze protec-
tion to -34° F (-37° C). If additional
freeze protection is needed due to
weather where you operate your ve-
hicle, add Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) concen-
trate following the directions on the
container. If an equivalent coolant
other than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is used, fol-
low the coolant manufacturer’s in-
structions to maintain minimum an-
tifreeze protection to -34° F (-37° C).
The use of other types of coolant so-
lutions other than Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue)
or equivalent may damage the en-
gine cooling system. •
The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 105,000 miles (168,000 km)
or 7 years. Mixing any other type of
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue)
(or equivalent coolant), including
Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green), or the
use of non-distilled water may re-
duce the life expectancy of the
factory-fill coolant. For additional in-
formation, refer to the "Maintenance
and schedules" section of this
manual.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
8-4Do-it-yourself

CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir
when the engine is cold. If the coolant
level is below the MIN level
OB, add coolant
to the MAX level
OA. If the reservoir is empty,
check the coolant level in the radiator
when the engine is cold. If there is insuffi-
cient coolant in the radiator, fill the radiator
with coolant up to the filler opening and
also add it to the reservoir up to the MAX
level
OA. This vehicle contains Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue). The life ex-
pectancy of the factory-fill coolant is
105,000 miles (168,000 km) or 7 years. Mixing
any other type of coolant or the use of
non-distilled water will reduce the life ex-
pectancy of the factory-fill coolant. For ad-
ditional information, refer to the "Mainte-
nance and schedules" section of this
manual.
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, it is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for this service.
For additional information on the location
of the engine coolant reservoir, refer to “En-
gine compartment check locations” in this
section.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
A NISSAN dealer can change the engine
coolant. The service procedure can be
found in the NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine over-
heating.
WARNING
• To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
• Never remove the radiator or engine
coolant reservoir cap when the en-
gine is hot. Serious burns could be
caused by high pressure fluid escap-
ing from the radiator.
• Avoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand
cleaner as soon as possible.
• Keep coolant out of the reach of chil-
dren and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of prop-
erly. Check your local regulations.
LDI2831
Do-it-yourself8-5

Engine coolant*:Replace coolant at the
specified interval. When adding or replacing
coolant, be sure to use only Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent with the proper mixture. (For ad-
ditional information on the proper mixture
for your area, refer to “Engine cooling system”
in the “Do-it-yourself ” section of this manual.)
NOTE: Mixing any other type of coolant
or the use of non-distilled water may re-
duce the recommended service interval
of the coolant.
Engine oil and oil filter: Replace engine oil
and oil filter at the specified intervals. For
recommended oil grade and viscosity refer
to “Recommended fluids/lubricants and
capacities” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
Evaporative emissions control vapor
lines*: Check vapor lines for leaks or loose-
ness. Tighten connections or replace parts
as necessary.
Fuel lines*: Check the fuel hoses, piping
and connections for leaks, looseness, or
deterioration. Tighten connections or re-
place parts as necessary.
Spark plugs: Replace at specified intervals.
Install new plugs of the same type as origi-
nally equipped.
CHASSIS AND BODY
MAINTENANCE:
Brake lines and cables: Visually inspect for
proper installation. Check for chafing,
cracks, deterioration, and signs of leaking.
Replace any deteriorated or damaged
parts immediately.
Brake pads and rotors: Check for wear,
deterioration and fluid leaks. Replace any
deteriorated or damaged parts immedi-
ately.
Exhaust system: Visually inspect the ex-
haust pipes, muffler and hangers for leaks,
cracks, deterioration, and damage. Tighten
connections or replace parts as necessary.
Propeller shaf t(s): Check for damage,
looseness, and grease leakage.
In-cabin microfilter: Replace at specified
intervals. When driving for prolonged peri-
ods in dusty conditions, replace the filter
more frequently.
Steering gear and linkage, axle and sus-
pension parts, drive shaf t boots: Check
for damage, looseness, and leakage of oil
or grease. Under severe driving conditions,
inspect more frequently. Tire rotation:
Tires should be rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km). When rotating tires,
check for damage and uneven wear. Re-
place if necessary.
Transmission fluid/oil, differential oil: Vi-
sually inspect for signs of leakage at speci-
fied intervals.
Off-road maintenance: Check the follow-
ing items frequently whenever you drive
off-road through deep sand, mud or water:
• Brake pads and rotors
• Brake linings and drums
• Brake lines and hoses
• Differential, transmission and transfer case oil
• Steering linkage
• Propeller shaf t(s) and front drive shaf ts
• Engine air filter
• Clutch housing drain (AWD only)
9-6Maintenance and schedules