and remove rings, metal bands,
or any other jewelry. Do not lean
over the battery when jump start-
ing.
. 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.
Check the coolant level in the pressurized
coolant reservoir. Adjust the level so that
the fluid is between the MAX and MIN
markings. For the coolant, use genuine
NISSAN Long Life coolant or equivalent.
(On delivery of new vehicle, the reservoir
is filled to the MIN level. Be sure to
replenish approximately 3/8 US quart
(0.3 to 0.4 liter) of coolant.)
NOTICE
Do not overfill the coolant. This may
increase the pressure in the cooling
system and cause coolant leaks.
To maximize vehicle performance, the
coolant mixture ratio should be a combi-
nation of 30% coolant antifreeze and 70%
demineralized or distilled water for max-
imum cooling system performance re-
gardless of ambient temperatures.
If ambient temperatures are anticipated
below 5°F (−15°C), make sure a proper
mixture ratio of 50% antifreeze and 50%
demineralized or distilled water mix is
used.Engine and powertrainThe information and specifications in
this section apply only when engaging in performance driving.
.
Check the engine, transmission, differ-
ential and under the vehicle for oil and
coolant leaks.
. Inspect the areas surrounding of the
catalytic converter for heat deteriora-
tion.
. Always perform the transmission
setting. After that, adjust the clutch
clearance so that the clearance is less
than the clearance used for daily
driving. Your GT-R certified NISSAN
dealer has the necessary information
and equipment to set the clutch
clearance to the correct specification.
The clearance used for daily driving
increases clutch heat generated dur-
ing Performance Driving. This leads to
an increase in temperature of the
transmission oil. In addition, a more
direct shifting feel can be obtained by
reducing the clutch clearance for
Performance Driving. The clutch clear-
ance should be reset to the daily
driving specification after Perfor-
mance Driving. It is recommended
you see a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer
for information.
NOTICE
Failure to have the clutch properly
adjusted before performance driving
may cause the transmission oil tem-
perature to increase which may
cause transmission damage.
. Inspect and confirm the clearance
between the exhaust finisher and rear
bumper is more than 0.24 in (6 mm)
(up/down) and more than 0.20 in (5
mm) (left/right).
. Inspect the dust boot of the drive
shaft universal joint for cracks or
damage.Suspension and wheel alignmentThe information and specifications in
this section apply only when engaging
in performance driving.
.Check the steering and suspension
system and other links for loose and/
or damaged parts.
. Measure and adjust the wheel align-
ment. (
“Wheel alignment” page
GTR-10) It is recommended you con-
tact a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer to
adjust the wheel alignment to the
recommended setting for high perfor-
, open the
reservoir cap (pressure type)and add
coolant up to between the MAX
and
MIN
level. If the reservoir is empty, open
the radiator filler cap
and check the
coolant level in the radiator when the
engine is cold. If there is insufficient
coolant in the radiator, fill the radiator
with coolant up to the filler opening and
also add it to the reservoir up to between
the MAX
and MIN
level. This vehicle contains Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue). The
life expectancy of the factory-fill coolant
is 24,000 miles (38,400 km) or 2 years.
Mixing any other type of coolant or the
use of non-distilled water will reduce the
life expectancy of the factory-fill coolant.
Refer to the “9. Maintenance and sche-
dules” section of this manual for more
details.
If the cooling system frequently re-
quires coolant, it is recommended you
have it checked by a GT-R certified
NISSAN dealer.
Check that the level of coolant is between
MAX and MIN on the pressurized radiator
reservoir. If the level is below the mid-
point, the amount of coolant circulating
may be insufficient for maximum vehicle
performance, possibly causing engine
overheating or other trouble.
For the coolant level and mixture ratio
when engaging in performance driving,
see
“Coolant level and mixture ratio”
page GTR-15.
Except for NISMO models:
If it is difficult to determine the midpoint
between MAX and MIN, remove the cool-
ant reservoir cap and look inside through
the opening to check that the coolant
level is above the divider
between the
top half and bottom half of the pressur- ized coolant reservoir.
NOTICE
.
The coolant reservoir is equipped
with a pressure type cap, and the
radiator is equipped with a non-
pressure type cap. Do not switch
the radiator filler cap and the
coolant reservoir cap. Doing so
will cause substandard cooling
performance and overheating.
. If you have added only water as
the coolant in an emergency,
change it to a coolant mixture
ratio specified as soon as possi-
ble.CHANGING ENGINE COOLANTIf major cooling system repairs are re-
quired, it is recommended you contact a
GT-R certified NISSAN dealer. The service
procedures can be found in the appro-
priate NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in re-
duced heater performance and engine
overheating.
Check the coolant level in the pressurized
coolant reservoir. Adjust the level so that
the fluid is between the MAX and MIN
markings. For the coolant, use genuine
NISSAN Long Life coolant or equivalent.
(On delivery of new vehicle, the reservoir
is filled to the MIN level. Be sure to
replenish approximately 3/8 US quart
(0.3 to 0.4 liter) of coolant.)
NOTICE
Do not overfill the coolant. This may
increase the pressure in the cooling
system and cause coolant leaks.
To maximize vehicle performance, the
coolant mixture ratio should be a combi-
nation of 30% coolant antifreeze and 70%
demineralized or distilled water for max-
imum cooling system performance re-
gardless of ambient temperatures.
If ambient temperatures are anticipated
below 5°F (−15°C), make sure a proper
mixture ratio of 50% antifreeze and 50%
demineralized or distilled water mix is
used.Engine and powertrainThe information and specifications in
this section apply only when engaging in performance driving.
.
Check the engine, transmission, differ-
ential and under the vehicle for oil and
coolant leaks.
. Inspect the areas surrounding of the
catalytic converter for heat deteriora-
tion.
. Always perform the transmission
setting. After that, adjust the clutch
clearance so that the clearance is less
than the clearance used for daily
driving. Your GT-R certified NISSAN
dealer has the necessary information
and equipment to set the clutch
clearance to the correct specification.
The clearance used for daily driving
increases clutch heat generated dur-
ing Performance Driving. This leads to
an increase in temperature of the
transmission oil. In addition, a more
direct shifting feel can be obtained by
reducing the clutch clearance for
Performance Driving. The clutch clear-
ance should be reset to the daily
driving specification after Perfor-
mance Driving. It is recommended
you see a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer
for information.
NOTICE
Failure to have the clutch properly
adjusted before performance driving
may cause the transmission oil tem-
perature to increase which may
cause transmission damage.
. Inspect and confirm the clearance
between the exhaust finisher and rear
bumper is more than 0.24 in (6 mm)
(up/down) and more than 0.20 in (5
mm) (left/right).
. Inspect the dust boot of the drive
shaft universal joint for cracks or
damage.Suspension and wheel alignmentThe information and specifications in
this section apply only when engaging
in performance driving.
.Check the steering and suspension
system and other links for loose and/
or damaged parts.
. Measure and adjust the wheel align-
ment. (
“Wheel alignment” page
GTR-10) It is recommended you con-
tact a GT-R certified NISSAN dealer to
adjust the wheel alignment to the
recommended setting for high perfor-
position, and to
4,000 rpm when the engine oil or
coolant temperature is low or higher
than normal.
. If the ignition switch is pushed
before the shift lever is moved to
the
position, the ignition switch
will not change to the OFF position.
If this occurs, the SHIFT
warning
display appears on the vehicle in-
formation display. When stopping
the engine, be sure to move the shift
lever to the
position and then
push the ignition switch. Failure to
do so may result in discharge of the
battery. (“Shift “P” warning”
page 2-46)
. If the shift lever was in the
position when the engine was
stopped, then be sure to move the
shift lever to the
position before
starting the engine the next time. If the engine is started with the shift
lever in the
position, then it may
not be possible to drive the vehicle
even when the shift lever is moved
to the
position. If this
occurs, the SHIFTwarning appears
on the vehicle information display.
(
“Shift “P” warning” page 2-46)
CAUTION
If the engine was stopped soon
when the engine is hot, the cooling
fan may operate for approximately 2
minutes after the engine was
stopped to cool the components in
the engine compartment. When the
cooling fan is operating, be sure that
hands or other items do not get
caught in it.
DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSIONThe GT-R dual clutch transmission is a
newly-developed system that uses an
electronically controlled multiple-disc
wet clutch attached to the highly efficient
manual transmission. This transmission
has two driving modes.
.
position
and operate the paddle shifter to shift
down to 1st gear similar to a manual
transmission vehicle.
The GT-R dual clutch transmission was
developed specifically to maximize vehi-
cle performance and driving enjoyment.
The GT-R transmission components were
designed using different engineering
standards than typical passenger car
transmissions. Because of this, the GT-R
has different operating characteristics,
and various rattle noises may be heard
during some driving conditions because
Starting and driving
5-15
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
and remove rings, metal bands,
or any other jewelry. Do not lean
over the battery when jump start-
ing.
. 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.
position.
. Be sure the ignition switch is in
the OFF or LOCK position when
performing any parts replace-
ment or repairs.
. If you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, cloth-
ing, hair and tools away from
moving fans, belts and any other
moving parts.
. It is advisable to secure or re-
move any loose clothing and
remove any jewelry, such as
rings, watches, etc. before work-
ing on your vehicle.
. Always wear eye protection whenever you work on your ve-
hicle.
. If you must run the engine in an
enclosed 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 necessary to work under the
vehicle, support it with safety
stands.
. Keep smoking materials, flame
and sparks away from fuel tank
and the battery.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic engine cooling fan. It
may come on at any time without
warning, even if the ignition key is
in the OFF position and the en-
gine is not running. To avoid
injury, always disconnect the ne-
gative battery cable before work-
ing near the fan.
. The fuel filter or fuel lines should
be serviced by a GT-R certified
NISSAN dealer because the fuel
lines are under high pressure
even when the engine is off.
CAUTION
.Do not work under the hood while
the engine is hot. Turn the engine
off and wait until it cools down.
. Avoid direct contact with used
engine oil and coolant. Impro-
perly disposed engine oil, coolant,
and/or other vehicle fluids can
damage the environment. Always
conform to local regulations for
disposal of vehicle fluid.
NOTICE
.Never connect or disconnect the
battery or any transistorized
component while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
. Never leave the engine or trans-
mission related component har-
nesses disconnected while the
ignition switch is in the ON posi-
tion.
This “8. Do-it-yourself” section gives in-
structions regarding only those items
which are relatively easy for an owner to
perform.
Do-it-yourself
8-3
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
NOTICE
The coolant reservoir is equipped
with a pressure type cap, and the
radiator is equipped with a non-
pressure type cap. Do not switch
the radiator filler cap and the coolant
reservoir cap. Doing so will cause
substandard cooling performance
and overheating.
REMOVING THE COWL TOP COVERRemove the cowl top cover if necessary.
1. Remove the battery cover.
2. Unfasten the 5 clips and remove thecowl top cover
by pulling it up.Do-it-yourself
8-5