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
possible.
• 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. • Keep your engine tuned up.
• Follow the recommended scheduled
maintenance.
• Keep the tires inflated to the correct pres- sure. Low tire pressure increases tire
wear and lowers fuel economy.
• Keep all the wheels in correct alignment. Improper alignment increases tire wear
and lowers fuel economy.
• Use the recommended viscosity engine oil. For additional information, see “Engine
oil and oil filter recommendations”
(P. 10-7).
If any malfunction occurs in the AWD sys-
tem while the engine is running, messages
are displayed in the meter.
If the AWD error warning message is dis-
played, there may be a malfunction in the
AWD system. Reduce vehicle speed and
have your vehicle checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer as
soon as possible.
LSD2528
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMYALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (if so
equipped)
5-114Starting and driving
The AWD high temperature message may
be displayed while trying to free a stuck
vehicle due to increased oil temperature.
The driving mode may change to 2-Wheel
Drive (2WD). If this message is displayed,
stop the vehicle with the engine idling, as
soon as it is safe to do so. Then if the mes-
sage turns off, you can continue driving.The tire size message may be displayed if
there is a large difference between the di-
ameters of front and rear wheels. Pull off
the road in a safe area, with the engine
idling. Check that all tire sizes are the same,
that the tire pressure is correct and that
the tires are not excessively worn.
If any warning messages continue to be
displayed, have your vehicle checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING
• Do not drive beyond the perfor-
mance capability of the tires. Acceler-
ating quickly, sharp steering maneu-
vers or sudden braking may cause
loss of control, even with AWD
engaged.
• For AWD 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 personal injury or vehicle
damage.
LSD2529LSD2530
Starting and driving5-115
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.
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
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 affixed to
the driver side center pillar.
Af ter adjusting tire pressure to the COLD
tire pressure, the display (if so equipped)
of the tire pressure information may
show higher pressure than the COLD tire
pressure af ter the vehicle has been
driven more than 1 mi. (1.6 km). This is
because the tire pressure increases as
the tire temperature rises. This does not
indicate a system malfunction.
5. Securely store the flat tire in the tire well
and jacking equipment in the vehicle.
NOTE:Remove the center wheel cap before
storing the flat tire. 6. Place the spare tire cover and the floor
carpeting over the damaged tire.
7. Close the rear lif tgate.
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.
In case of emergency6-9
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface
and helps retain new vehicle appearance.
Polishing is recommended to remove
built-up wax residue and to avoid a weath-
ered appearance before re-applying wax.
A NISSAN dealer can assist you in choosing
the proper product.
• Wax your vehicle only af ter a thoroughwashing. Follow the instructions supplied
with the wax.
• Do not use a wax containing any abra- sives, cutting compounds or cleaners
that may damage the vehicle finish.
Machine compounding or aggressive pol-
ishing on a base coat/clear coat paint fin-
ish may dull the finish or leave swirl marks.
REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust,
insects, and tree sap as quickly as possible
from the surface of the paint to avoid last-
ing damage or staining. Special cleaning
products are available at a NISSAN dealer
or any automotive accessory store. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for these products.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, it
is necessary to clean the underbody regu-
larly in order to prevent dirt and salt from
building up and causing the acceleration of
corrosion on the underbody and suspen-
sion. Before the winter period and again in
the spring, the underseal must be checked
and, if necessary, re-treated.
GLASS
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and
dust film from the glass surfaces. It is nor-
mal for glass to become coated with a film
af ter the vehicle is parked in the hot sun.
Glass cleaner and a sof t cloth will easily
remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dows, do not use sharp-edged tools,
abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based
disinfectant cleaners. They could dam-
age the electrical conductors, radio an-
tenna elements or rear window de-
froster elements.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge
dampened in a mild soap solution, espe-
cially during winter months in areas where
road salt is used. If not removed, road salt
can discolor the wheels.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining or discoloring the wheels:
• Do not use a cleaner that uses strong
acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
• Do not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as
ambient temperature.
• Rinse the wheel to completely re-
move the cleaner within 15 minutes
af ter the cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a
non-abrasive chrome polish to maintain
the finish.
Appearance and care7-3
TIRE DRESSINGS
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a
coating to the tires to help reduce discolor-
ation of the rubber. If a tire dressing is ap-
plied to the tires, it may react with the coat-
ing and form a compound. This compound
may come off the tire while driving and
stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
• Use a water-based tire dressing. Thecoating on the tire dissolves more easily
than with an oil-based tire dressing.
• Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help prevent it from entering the tire tread/
grooves (where it would be difficult to
remove).
• Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry towel. Make sure the tire dressing is com-
pletely removed from the tire
tread/grooves.
• Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom- mended by the tire dressing
manufacturer. Occasionally remove loose dust from the
interior trim, plastic parts and seats using a
vacuum cleaner or sof t bristled brush. Wipe
the vinyl and leather (if so equipped) sur-
faces with a clean, sof t cloth dampened in
mild soap solution, then wipe clean with a
dry, sof t cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in
order to maintain the appearance of the
leather (if so equipped).
Before using any fabric protector, read the
manufacturer's recommendations. Some
fabric protectors contain chemicals that
may stain or bleach the seat material.
Use a cloth dampened only with water to
clean the meter and gauge lens.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can
damage the seat or occupant classifi-
cation sensor. This can also affect the
operation of the air bag system and re-
sult in serious personal injury.
CAUTION
• Never use benzine, thinner or any
similar material.
• Small dirt particles can be abrasive
and damaging to leather surfaces
and should be removed promptly. Do
not use saddle soap, car waxes, pol-
ishes, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents,
detergents or ammonia-based
cleaners as they may damage the
leather's natural finish.
• Never use fabric protectors unless
recommended by the manufacturer.
• Do not use glass or plastic cleaner on
meter or gauge lens covers. It may
damage the lens cover.
AIR FRESHENERS
Most air fresheners use a solvent that
could affect the vehicle interior. If you use
an air freshener, take the following
precautions:
• Hanging-type air fresheners can cause permanent discoloration when they con-
tact vehicle interior surfaces. Place the air
freshener in a location that allows it to
hang free and not contact an interior
surface.
CLEANING INTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care
• Liquid-type air fresheners typically clip onthe vents. These products can cause im-
mediate damage and discoloration
when spilled on interior surfaces.
Carefully read and follow the manufactur-
er's instructions before using the air
fresheners.
POWER MOONROOF (if so
equipped)
The sunshade is made from a tricot
material.
CAUTION
To help prevent damaging the moon-
roof while cleaning:
• Do not rub the material with a cloth.
Doing so can damage the surface of
the material or cause a stain to
spread.
• Never use benzine, thinner or any
similar chemical to clean the sun-
shade. This may discolor the moon-
roof and damage the surface. •
Clean water based stains by patting
the surface with a clean sof t cloth
dampened in warm water. Press a
clean dry cloth onto the surface to
remove as much dampness as pos-
sible and then let air dry.
• Clean oil based stains by patting the
surface with a clean sof t cloth damp-
ened in warm water. Press a clean dry
cloth onto the surface to remove as
much dampness as possible and
then let air dry.
FLOOR MATS (if so equipped)
WARNING
To avoid potential pedal interference
that may result in a collision, injury or
death:
• NEVER place a floor mat on top of
another floor mat in the driver front
position or install them upside down
or backwards.
• Use only Genuine NISSAN floor mats,
or equivalent floor mats, that are
specifically designed for use in your
vehicle model and model year.
LAI2096
Appearance and care7-5
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
.......................... 8-17
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-17
Cleaning .................................... 8-17
Replacing ................................... 8-17
Brakes ......................................... 8-19
Fuses .......................................... 8-19
Engine compartment .......................8-20
Passenger compartment ...................8-21
Battery replacement ........................... 8-23
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ......................8-23
Lights .......................................... 8-25
Headlights .................................. 8-25
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-25
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 au-
tomatic engine cooling fan. It may
come on at any time without warn-
ing, even if the ignition switch is in
the OFF position 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 vehicle fluids can damage the
environment. Always conform to lo-
cal regulations 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, see
“Owner's Manual/Service Manual order in-
formation” (P. 10-33).
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