2020 NISSAN MAXIMA steering

∙ Whatever the condition, drive withcaution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shif ting too fast, the drive wheels will
lose even more traction.
∙ Allow more stopping distance under these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
∙ Allow greater following distances on slippery roads.
∙ Watch for slippery spots (glare ice). These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch
of ice is seen ahead, brake before
reaching it. Try not to brake while on
the ice, and avoid any sudden steering
maneuvers.
∙ Do not use the cruise control on slip- pery roads.
∙ Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under your vehicle. Keep snow
clear of the exhaust pipe and from
around your vehicle.ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)
Engine block heaters are used to assist
with cold temperature starting.
The engine block heater should be used
when the outside temperature is 20°F (-7°C)
or lower.
WARNING
∙Do not use your engine block heater
with an ungrounded electrical system
or a 2-pronged adapter. You can be se-
riously injured by an electrical shock if
you use an ungrounded connection.
∙ Disconnect and properly store the en- gine block heater cord before starting
the engine. Damage to the cord could
result in an electrical shock and can
cause serious injury.
∙ Use a heavy-duty 3-wire, 3-pronged extension cord rated for at least 10 A.
Plug the extension cord into a Ground
Fault Interrupt (GFI) protected,
grounded 110-VAC outlet. Failure to
use the proper extension cord or a
grounded outlet can result in a fire or
electrical shock and cause serious
personal injury. To use the engine block heater:
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the engine block heater cord.
3. Plug the engine block heater cord into a grounded 3-wire, 3-pronged exten-
sion cord.
4. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) protected,
grounded 110-volt AC (VAC) outlet.
5. The engine block heater must be plugged in for at least2-4hours, de-
pending on outside temperatures, to
properly warm the engine coolant. Use
an appropriate timer to turn the engine
block heater on.
6. Before starting the engine, unplug and properly store the cord to keep it away
from moving parts.
Starting and driving5-131

TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with TPMS. It moni-
tors tire pressure of all tires except the
spare. When the low tire pressure warning
light is lit and the “Tire Pressure Low - Add
Air” warning appears in the vehicle infor-
mation display, one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. If the vehicle is
being driven with low tire pressure, the
TPMS will activate and warn you of it by the
low tire pressure warning light. This system
will activate only when the vehicle is driven
at speeds above 16 mph (25 km/h). For ad-
ditional information, refer to “Warning
lights, indicator lights and audible remind-
ers” in the “Instruments and controls” sec-
tion and “Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)” in the “Starting and driving” section
of this manual.
WARNING
∙ Radio waves could adversely affectelectric medical equipment. Those
who use a pacemaker should contact
the electric medical equipment
manufacturer for the possible influ-
ences before use. ∙ If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull off
the road to a safe location and stop
the vehicle as soon as possible. Driv-
ing with under-inflated tires may per-
manently damage the tires and in-
crease the likelihood of tire failure.
Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to an accident and could
result in serious personal injury.
Check the tire pressure for all four
tires. Adjust the tire pressure to the
recommended COLD tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation label to turn the low tire pres-
sure warning light OFF. If the light still
illuminates while driving af ter adjust-
ing the tire pressure, a tire may be flat
or the TPMS may be malfunctioning. If
you have a flat tire, replace it with a
spare tire as soon as possible. If no tire
is flat and all tires are properly in-
flated, have the vehicle checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. ∙ When replacing a wheel without the
TPMS such as the spare tire, the TPMS
will not function and the low tire pres-
sure warning light will flash for ap-
proximately 1 minute. The light will re-
main 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 these services.
∙ Replacing tires with those not origi- nally specified by NISSAN could affect
the proper operation of the TPMS.
∙ Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pres-
sure sensors.
∙ If the light still comes on while driving af ter adjusting the tire pressure, a tire
may be flat or the TPMS may be mal-
functioning. If you have a flat tire, re-
place it with a spare tire as soon as
possible. If no tire is flat and all tires
are properly inflated, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
FLAT TIRE
In case of emergency6-3

6. Af ter the engine cools down, check thecoolant level in the engine coolant res-
ervoir tank with the engine running.
Add coolant to the engine coolant res-
ervoir tank if necessary. Have your ve-
hicle repaired. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this ser-
vice. When towing your vehicle, all State (Provin-
cial in Canada) and local regulations for
towing must be followed. Incorrect towing
equipment could damage your vehicle.
Towing instructions are available from a
NISSAN dealer. Local service operators are
generally familiar with the applicable laws
and procedures for towing. To assure
proper towing and to prevent accidental
damage to your vehicle, NISSAN recom-
mends having a service operator tow your
vehicle. It is advisable to have the service
operator carefully read the following pre-
cautions:
WARNING
∙ Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
∙ Never get under your vehicle af ter it has been lif ted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
∙ When towing, make sure that thetransmission, axles, steering system
and powertrain are in working condi-
tion. If any of these conditions apply,
dollies or a flatbed tow truck must be
used.
∙ Always attach safety chains before towing.
For additional information, refer to “Flat
towing” in the “Technical and consumer in-
formation” section of this manual.
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
NISSAN recommends towing your vehicle
based upon the type of drivetrain. For addi-
tional information, refer to the diagrams in
this section to ensure that your vehicle is
properly towed.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
6-12In case of emergency

Two-Wheel Drive models with
Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT)
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flatbed
truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
∙ Never tow CVT models with the frontwheels on the ground or four wheels
on the ground (forward or backward),
as this may cause serious and expen-
sive damage to the transmission. If it
is necessary to tow the vehicle with
the rear wheels raised always use
towing dollies under the front wheels.
∙ When towing CVT models with the rear wheels on the ground or on tow-
ing dollies: – Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
secure the steering wheel by plac-
ing the ignition switch in the LOCK
position. This may damage the
steering lock mechanism (for
models with a steering lock
mechanism).
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a
stuck vehicle)
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
∙ Contact a professional towing serviceto recover the vehicle if you have any
questions regarding the recovery
procedure.
∙ Tow chains or cables must be at- tached only to main structural mem-
bers of the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to tow or free a stuck vehicle.
LCE2369
In case of emergency6-13

∙ Only use devices specifically designedfor vehicle recovery and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions.
∙ Always pull the recovery device straight out from the front of the ve-
hicle. Never pull at an angle.
∙ Route recovery devices so they do not touch any part of the vehicle except
the attachment point.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device de-
signed specifically for vehicle recovery. Al-
ways follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for the recovery device.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
WARNING
∙ Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
∙ Do not spin your tires at high speed. This could cause them to explode and
result in serious injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged. If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and lef t to clear an area around the front tires.
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and backward.
∙ Shif t back and forth between R (Re- verse) and D (Drive).
∙ Apply the accelerator as little as pos- sible to maintain the rocking motion.
∙ Release the accelerator pedal before shif ting between R (Reverse) and D
(Drive).
∙ Do not spin the tires above 35 mph (55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed af ter a few tries, contact a professional towing
service to remove the vehicle.
6-14In case of emergency

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
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid ............................................ 8-10
Power Steering Fluid (PSF) .......................8-11
Brake fluid ....................................... 8-11
Windshield-washer fluid ........................8-12
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ............8-12
Battery......................................... 8-13
Jump starting ............................... 8-14
Drive belt ....................................... 8-15
Spark plugs .................................... 8-15
Replacing spark plugs ....................... 8-15
Air cleaner ...................................... 8-16
In-cabin microfilter .......................... 8-16Windshield wiper blades
........................8-17
Cleaning .................................... 8-17
Replacing ................................... 8-17
Brakes.......................................... 8-18
Fuses ........................................... 8-19
Engine compartment ....................... 8-19
Passenger compartment ....................8-20
Battery replacement ........................... 8-21
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ......................8-22
Lights .......................................... 8-23
Headlights ................................... 8-23
Front park/turn signal/side marker
light ......................................... 8-23
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-23
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-24
Wheels and tires ................................ 8-26
Tire pressure ................................ 8-26
Tire labeling ................................. 8-30
T

ypes of tires ................................ 8-33
Tire chains .................................. 8-34
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-34

VQ35DE engine
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Drive belt location
3. Engine oil filler cap
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Air cleaner
6. Fuse box
7. Fuse box/Fusible links
8. Fusible links
9. Battery
10. Engine oil dipstick
11. Radiator cap
12. Power steering fluid reservoir
13. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
LDI3419
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Do-it-yourself8-3

Check the fluid level in the reservoir.
The fluid level should be checked when the
fluid is cold at fluid temperatures of 32 to
86ºF (0 to 30ºC). The fluid level can be
checked with the level gauge which is at-
tached to the cap. To check the fluid level,
remove the cap. The fluid level should be
between the MAX
Aand MINBlines.
If the fluid is below the MIN
Bline, add
Genuine NISSAN E-PSF or equivalent. Re-
move the cap and fill through the opening.
WARNING
Power steering fluid is poisonous and
should be stored carefully in marked
containers out of the reach of children.
CAUTION
∙ DO NOT OVERFILL.
∙ Use of a power steering fluid other than Genuine NISSAN E-PSF or
equivalent will prevent the power
steering system from operating
properly.
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 system.
The use of improper fluids can dam-
age the brake system and affect the
vehicle’s stopping ability.
∙ Clean the filler cap before removing.
LDI2752LDI2753
POWER STEERING FLUID (PSF) BRAKE FLUID
Do-it-yourself8-11