• Keep your engine tuned up.
• Follow the recommended scheduledmaintenance.
• Keep the tires inflated to the correct pres- sure. Low tire pressure increases tire
wear and lowers fuel economy.
• Keep the wheels in correct alignment. Im- proper alignment increases tire wear and
lowers fuel economy.
• For vehicles equipped with
, use 4H
or 4L position only when necessary.
4-Wheel Drive operation lowers fuel
economy.
• Use the recommended viscosity engine oil. For additional information, refer to “En-
gine oil and oil filter recommendations” in
the “Technical and consumer informa-
tion” section of this manual.
WARNING
• For 4WD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shif t the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with the
engine running. Doing so may result
in drivetrain damage or unexpected
vehicle movement which could result
in serious vehicle damage or per-
sonal injury.
• Do not attempt to test a 4WD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dyna-
mometer (such as the dynamom-
eters used by some states for emis-
sions testing), or similar equipment
even if the other two wheels are
raised off the ground. Make sure you
inform test facility personnel that
your vehicle is equipped with 4WD
before it is placed on a dynamom-
eter. Using the wrong test equipment
may result in drivetrain damage or
unexpected vehicle movement
which could result in serious vehicle
damage or personal injury.CAUTION
• Do not drive the vehicle in the 4H or
4LO position on dry hard surface
roads. Driving on dry, hard surfaces in
4H or 4LO may cause unnecessary
noise, tire wear and increased fuel
consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on
when you are driving on dry hard sur-
face roads:
– In the 4H position, shif t the 4WD
shif t switch to 2–Wheel Drive
(2WD).
– In the 4LO position for automatic
transmission vehicles, stop the
vehicle and shif t the shif t lever to
the N (Neutral) position with the
brake pedal depressed and shif t
the 4WD shif t switch to 2WD.
• If the warning light is still on af ter the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMYUSING 4–WHEEL DRIVE (4WD)
(if so equipped)
Starting and driving5-23
•If the wheels are changed for any
reason, always replace with wheels
which have the same off-set dimen-
sion. Wheels of a different off-set
could cause premature tire wear, de-
grade vehicle handling characteris-
tics, affect the VDC system and/or in-
terference with the brake discs. Such
interference can lead to decreased
braking efficiency and/or early brake
pad wear. For additional information
on wheel off-set dimensions, refer to
“Wheels and tires” in the “Technical
and consumer information” section
of this manual.
• When replacing a wheel without the
TPMS such as the spare tire, the TPMS
will not function and the low tire
pressure warning light will flash for
approximately 1 minute. The light will
remain on af ter 1 minute. Have your
tires replaced and/or TPMS system
reset as soon as possible. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
• Replacing tires with those not origi-
nally specified by NISSAN could af-
fect the proper operation of the
TPMS. •
The TPMS sensor may be damaged if
it is not handled correctly. Be careful
when handling the TPMS sensor.
• When replacing the TPMS sensor, the
ID registration may be required. It is
recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for ID registration.
• Do not use a valve stem cap that is
not specified by NISSAN. The valve
stem cap may become stuck.
• Be sure that the valve stem caps are
correctly fitted. Otherwise the valve
may be clogged up with dirt and
cause a malfunction or loss of
pressure.
• Do not install a damaged or de-
formed wheel or tire even if it has
been repaired. Such wheels or tires
could have structural damage and
could fail without warning.
• The use of retread tires is not
recommended.
• For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety In-
formation” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.Four-wheel drive models
CAUTION
Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted
or radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Failure to do so may result in a
circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and may
damage the transmission, transfer
case and differential gears.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recom-
mended that all four tires be replaced with
tires of the same size, brand, construction
and tread pattern. The tire pressure and
wheel alignment should also be checked
and corrected as necessary. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Even with regular use,
wheels can get out of balance. Therefore,
they should be balanced as required.
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle.
8-40Do-it-yourself
secondary latch keeps the hood from
opening when the primary latch is re-
leased.
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 in-
stalled securely. Also check headlight aim.
Road wheel nuts (lug nuts)*: When check-
ing the tires, make sure no wheel nuts are
missing, and check for any loose wheel
nuts. Tighten if necessary.
Tire rotation*: Tires should be rotated ev-
ery 7,500 miles (12,000 km).
Tires*: Check the pressure with a gauge
of ten 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 ve-
hicle 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 steer-
ing wheel or seat vibrates at normal high-
way speeds, wheel balancing may be
needed.
For additional information regarding tires,
refer to “Important Tire Safety Information”
(US) or “Tire Safety Information” (Canada) in
the Warranty Information Booklet.
Windshield: Clean the windshield on a
regular basis. Check the windshield at least
every six months for cracks or other dam-
age. Have a damaged windshield repaired
by a qualified repair facility. It is recom-
mended that you have a damaged wind-
shield repaired by a NISSAN dealer, or a
NISSAN Certified Collision Center. To locate
a collision center in your area, refer to
http://collision.nissanusa.com.
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 maintenance,
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) mecha-
nism: On a fairly steep hill check that the
vehicle is held securely with the shif t 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 imme-
diately. It is recommended that 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
Maintenance and schedules9-3