•When this situation occurs, the Con-
tinuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
position indicator light will blink and
the chime will sound.
• In the manual shif t mode, the trans-
mission may shif t up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the en-
gine speed is too high. When the ve-
hicle speed decreases, the transmis-
sion automatically shif ts down and
shif ts to first gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
• CVT operation is limited to automatic drive mode when CVT fluid temperature
is extremely low even if manual shif t
mode is selected. This is not a malfunc-
tion. When CVT fluid warms up, manual
mode can be selected.
• When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shif t range may upshif t in lower rpm
than usual. This is not a malfunction.
Shif t lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged,
the shif t lever may not be moved from the
P (Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the shif t lever button
pressed. To move the shif t lever, perform
the following procedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shif t lock release cover us- ing a suitable tool. 4. Push down the shif t lock release using a
suitable tool.
5. Press the shif t lever button and move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position
while holding down the shif t lock
release. The vehicle may be moved to
the desired location. Replace the re-
moved shif t lock release cover af ter the
operation. If the shif t lever cannot be
moved out of the P (Park) position, have
the Continuously Variable Transmission
system checked as soon as possible. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WARNING
If the shif t lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position while the engine is
running and the brake pedal is de-
pressed, the stop lights may not work.
Malfunctioning stop lights could cause
an accident injuring yourself and others.
LSD3163
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
NISSAN Intelligent Key®.
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
extremely 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, referto “Changing engine coolant” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed to
provide 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
Starting and driving5-137
4. Lower the vehicle slowly until the tiretouches the ground. Then, with the
wheel nut wrench, tighten the wheel
nuts securely in the sequence illustrated
(
OA,OB,OC,OD,OE). Lower the vehicle
completely.
5. Securely store the jack and tools back in their storage compartment. Ensure the
jack is expanded and tools snapped into
place to prevent rattle noise from hap-
pening while driving.
WARNING
• Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly
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 621 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:
83 f t-lb (113 N·m)
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 inter-
val.
Adjust tire pressure to the COLD pres-
sure.
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 affixed to
the driver side center pillar. 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.
JUMP STARTING
In case of emergency6-9
•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.
• Your vehicle has an automatic engine
cooling fan. It could come on at any
time. Keep hands and other objects
away from it.
WARNING
Always follow the instructions below.
Failure to do so could result in damage
to the charging system and cause per-
sonal injury.
1. If the booster battery is in another ve- hicle, position the two vehicles to bring
their batteries near each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.
2. Apply the parking brake. Move the shif t lever to P (Park). Switch off all unneces-
sary electrical systems (lights, heater, air
conditioner, etc.). 3. Connect the jumper cables in the se-
quence illustrated (OA,OB,OC,OD).
CAUTION
• Always connect positive (+) to posi-
tive (+) and negative (−) to body
ground (for example, strut mounting
bolt, engine lif t bracket, etc.) — not to
the battery.
• Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine
compartment and that the cable
clamps do not contact any other
metal.
LCE2223
6-10In 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 ..................................... 8-16In-cabin microfilter
.......................... 8-16
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-17
Cleaning .................................... 8-17
Replacing ................................... 8-17
Brakes ......................................... 8-18
Fuses .......................................... 8-19
Engine compartment ....................... 8-19
Passenger compartment ...................8-21
Battery replacement ........................... 8-22
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ......................8-22
Lights .......................................... 8-24
Headlights .................................. 8-24
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-24
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-25
Wheels and tires ............................... 8-27
Tire pressure ................................ 8-27
Tire labeling ................................. 8-30
Types of tires ................................
8-33
Tir
e chains .................................. 8-34
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-35
When performing any inspection or main-
tenance work on your vehicle, always take
care to prevent serious accidental injury to
yourself or damage to the vehicle. The fol-
lowing are general precautions which
should be closely observed.
WARNING
• Park the vehicle on a level surface,
apply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving. Move the shif t le-
ver to P (Park).
• Be sure the ignition switch is in the
OFF or LOCK position when perform-
ing any parts replacement or repairs.
• If you must work with the engine run-
ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans,
belts and any other moving parts.
• It is advisable to secure or remove
any loose clothing and remove any
jewelry, such as rings, watches, etc.
before working on your vehicle.
• Always wear eye protection when-
ever you work on your vehicle.
•
Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come
on at any time without warning, even if the ignition switch is in the OFF posi-
tion and the engine is not running. To
avoid injury, always disconnect the
negative battery cable before working
near the fan.
•
If you must run the engine in an en-
closed space such as a garage, be
sure there is proper ventilation for
exhaust gases to escape.
• Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is nec-
essary to work under the vehicle,
support it with safety stands.
• Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
• Because the fuel lines on gasoline
engine models are under high pres-
sure even when the engine is off, it is
recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for service of the fuel
filter or fuel lines.
CAUTION
• Do not work under the hood while
the engine is hot. Turn the engine off
and wait until it cools down. •
Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, engine coolant and/or other ve-
hicle fluids can damage the environ-
ment. Always conform to local regula-
tions for disposal of vehicle fluid.
• Never leave the engine or Continu-
ously Variable Transmission (CVT) re-
lated component harnesses discon-
nected while the ignition switch is in
the ON position.
• Never connect or disconnect the bat-
tery or any transistorized compo-
nent while the ignition switch is in
the ON position.
This “Do-it-yourself ” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A Genuine NISSAN service manual is also
available. For additional information, refer
to “Owner's Manual/Service Manual order
information” in the “Technical and con-
sumer information” section of this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
difficulties or excessive emissions, and
could affect warranty coverage. If in doubt
about any servicing, it is recommended
that you have it done by a NISSAN dealer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself
VQ35DE engine
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Drive belt location
3. Engine oil dipstick
4. Engine oil filler cap
5. Brake fluid reservoir
6. Air cleaner
7. Fuse box
8. Fuse/Fusible link box
9. Battery
10 Radiator cap
11. Power steering fluid reservoir
12. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
LDI3345
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Do-it-yourself8-3
Caution symbols for batteryWARNING
O1No smoking, No exposed flames, NoSparks Do not expose the battery to electrical sparks, flames or smoking. Hydrogen gas generated by the
battery is explosive. Explosive gases can cause blindness or injury.
O2Shield eyes Handle the battery cautiously. Always wear eye protection glasses to protect against explosion or
battery acid.
O3Keep away from childrenNever allow children to handle the battery. Keep the battery out of the reach of children.
O4Battery acidDo not allow battery fluid to contact your skin, eyes, fabrics, or painted surfaces. Sulfuric acid can
cause blindness or severe burns. Af ter touching a battery or battery cap, do not touch or rub your eyes. Thoroughly wash your hands. If the acid contacts your eyes, skin or clothing, immediately
flush with water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention. Battery fluid is acid. If the bat- tery fluid gets into your eyes or onto your skin, it could cause loss of your eyesight or burns.
O5Note operating instructions Before handling the battery, read this instruction carefully to ensure correct and safe handling.
O6Explosive gas Hydrogen gas generated by battery fluid is explosive. Explosive gases can cause blindness or injury.
BATTERY
Do-it-yourself8-13