7-8Appearance and care
Temperature
A temperature increase will accelerate
the rate of corrosion to those parts which
are not well ventilated.
Air pollution
Industrial pollution, the presence of salt in
the air in coastal areas, or heavy road salt
use will accelerate the corrosion process.
Road salt will also accelerate the disin-
tegration of paint surfaces.
TO PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE FROM
CORROSION
.Wash and wax your vehicle often to
keep the vehicle clean.
. Always check for minor damage to the
paint and repair it as soon as possible.
. Keep drain holes at the bottom of the
doors open to avoid water accumula-
tion.
. Check the underbody for accumula-
tion of sand, dirt or salt. If present,
wash with water as soon as possible.
CAUTION
.NEVER remove dirt, sand or other
debris from the passenger com-
partment by washing it out with a
hose. Remove dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
. Never allow water or other liquids
to come in contact with electronic
components inside the vehicle as
this may damage them.
Chemicals used for road surface deicing
are extremely corrosive. They accelerate
corrosion and deterioration of underbody
components such as the exhaust system,
fuel and brake lines, brake cables, floor
pan and fenders.
In winter, the underbody must be
cleaned periodically.
For additional protection against rust and
corrosion, which may be required in some
areas, it is recommended you consult a
NISSAN dealer.
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ...................................................... 8-2
Engine compartment check locations ........................ 8-3PR25DD engine model ...................................................... 8-3
Engine cooling system ............................................................. 8-4 Checking engine coolant level .................................... 8-5
Changing engine coolant ................................................ 8-5
Engine oil ........................................................................\
..................... 8-5 Checking engine oil level ................................................. 8-5
Changing engine oil and filter ..................................... 8-6
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) fluid ........................................................................\
.................... 8-8
Brake fluid ........................................................................\
.................. 8-9
Window washer fluid ................................................................. 8-9
Battery ........................................................................\
........................ 8-11 Jump starting ........................................................................\
. 8-12
Variable voltage control system ................................... 8-13
Drive belt ........................................................................\
.................. 8-13
Spark plugs ........................................................................\
............. 8-14 Replacing spark plugs ..................................................... 8-14
Air cleaner ........................................................................\
............... 8-15 Windshield wiper blades ..................................................... 8-16
Cleaning ........................................................................\
........... 8-16
Replacing ........................................................................\
........ 8-16
Rear window wiper blade .................................................. 8-17
Brakes ........................................................................\
........................ 8-17 Self-adjusting brakes ..................................................... 8-17
Brake pad wear warning ............................................ 8-17
Fuses ........................................................................\
........................... 8-18 Engine compartment .................................................... 8-18
Passenger compartment ........................................... 8-19
Intelligent Key battery replacement .......................... 8-20
Lights ........................................................................\
.......................... 8-22 Headlights ........................................................................\
...... 8-23
Exterior and interior lights ........................................ 8-23
Wheels and tires ........................................................................\
8-25 Tire pressure ........................................................................\
8-25
Tire labeling ........................................................................\
.. 8-29
Types of tires ....................................................................... 8-31
Tire chains ........................................................................\
...... 8-32
Changing wheels and tires ...................................... 8-33
8-2Do-it-yourself
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 following are general precau-
tions which should be closely observed.
WARNING
.Park the vehicle on a level sur-
face, apply the parking brake
securely and block the wheels to
prevent the vehicle from moving.
Push the park button to shift to
the P (Park) position.
. Be sure the ignition switch is in
the OFF position when perform-
ing any parts replacement 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.
. Because the fuel lines are under
high pressure even when the
engine is off, it is recommended
you visit a NISSAN dealer for
service of the fuel filter or fuel
lines.
. Keep smoking materials, flame
and sparks away from fuel and
the battery.
. On gasoline engine models with
the Multiport Fuel Injection (MFI)
system, the fuel filter and fuel
lines should be serviced because
the fuel lines are under high
pressure even when the engine
is turned off. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service. .
Your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic engine cooling fan. It
may come on at any time without
warning, 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.
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, and
engine coolant and/or other ve-
hicle fluids can damage the en-
vironment. Always conform to
local regulations for disposal of
vehicle fluid.
. Never leave the engine or the CVT
related component harnesses
disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
. Never connect or disconnect the
battery or any transistorized
component while the ignition
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
switch is in the ON position.
This “8. Do-it-yourself” section gives in-
structions regarding only those items
which are relatively easy for an owner to
perform.
A genuine NISSAN Service Manual is also
available. (See “Owner’s manual/service
manual order information” (P.10-31).)
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operat-
ing difficulties or excessive emissions, and
could affect your warranty coverage. If in
doubt about any servicing, it is recom-
mended you have it done by a NISSAN
dealer.
WAA0174X
PR25DD ENGINE MODEL1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Engine oil dipstick
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Battery
6. Fuse/fusible link box 7. Window washer fluid reservoir
8. Drive belt
9. Air cleaner
Do-it-yourself8-3
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK LOCATIONS
WAI0190X
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir
when the engine is cold. If the coolant
level is below the MIN level
, open the
reservoir cap and add coolant up to the
MAX level
.
Tighten the cap securely after adding
engine coolant.
If the cooling system frequently re-
quires coolant, have it checked. It is
recommended you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
A NISSAN dealer can change the engine
coolant. The service procedure can be
found in the NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in re-
duced heater performance and engine
overheating.
WARNING
. To avoid being scalded, never
change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
. Never remove the radiator or
coolant reservoir cap when the
engine is hot. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid
escaping from the radiator.
. Avoid direct skin contact with
used coolant. If skin contact is
made, wash thoroughly with soap
or hand cleaner as soon as pos-
sible.
. Keep coolant out of the reach of
children and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of
properly. Check your local regulations.
SDI1993
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches oper- ating temperature.
3. Turn off the engine. Wait more than
10 minutes for the oil to drain back
into the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Reinsert it all the way.
5. Remove the dipstick again and check the oil level. It should be within the
range
. If the oil level is below,
remove the oil filler cap and pour
recommended oil through the open-
Do-it-yourself8-5
ENGINE OIL
8-6Do-it-yourself
ing.Do not overfill.
6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the
break-in period, depending on the se-
verity of operating conditions.
CAUTION
Oil level should be checked regularly.
Operating the engine with an insuffi-
cient amount of oil can damage the
engine, and such damage is not
covered by the warranty.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL AND FILTER
WARNING
. Used oil must be disposed of
properly. Never pour or dump oil
into the ground, canals, rivers,
etc. It should be disposed of at
proper waste facilities. NISSAN
recommends having your oil
changed by a NISSAN dealer.
. Be careful not to burn yourself, as
the engine oil may be hot. .
Prolonged and repeated contact
with used engine oil may cause
skin cancer.
. Avoid direct skin contact with
used oil. If contacted, wash thor-
oughly with soap or hand cleaner
and plenty of water as soon as
possible.
. Store used engine oil in marked
containers out of the reach of
children.
Vehicle set-up
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches the operating temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes.
4. Raise and support the vehicle using a suitable floor jack and safety jack
stands.
.Place the safety jack stands underthe vehicle jack-up points.
.A suitable adapter should be at-tached to the jack stand saddle.
5. Remove the engine undercover.
.Remove clips at the around of the undercover.
.Then remove the other bolts thathold the undercover in place.
CAUTION
Make sure the correct lifting and
support points are used to avoid
vehicle damage.
For additional brake fluid information, see
“Capacities and recommended fluids/lu-
bricants” (P.10-3) of this manual.
WARNING
.Use only new fluid from a sealed
container. Old, inferior or con-
taminated fluid may damage the
brake system. The use of impro-
per fluids can damage the brake
system, and affect the vehicle’s
stopping ability.
. Clean the filler cap before remov-
ing.
. Brake fluid is poisonous and
should be stored carefully in
marked containers out of the
reach of children.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on any painted
surfaces. This will damage the paint.
If fluid is spilled, immediately wash
the surface with water.
WAI0186X
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the
fluid is below the MIN lineor the brake
warning light comes on, add Genuine
NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or
equivalent DOT 3fluid up to the MAX line
and it is recommended you have your
vehicle checked by a NISSAN dealer as
soon as possible. If fluid must be added
frequently, the system should be checked.
It is recommended you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WAI0207XType A (if so equipped)
WAI0208XType B (if so equipped)
Do-it-yourself8-9
BRAKE FLUID WINDOW WASHER FLUID
8-14Do-it-yourself
replaced. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
2. Have the belt condition checked reg- ularly.
WARNING
Be sure the engine and ignition
switch are off and that the parking
brake is applied.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to
remove the spark plugs. An incorrect
socket can damage the spark plugs.
SDI2670
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
If replacement is required, it is recom-
mended you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
Iridium platinum-tipped spark
plugs
It is not necessary to replace the iridium
platinum-tipped spark plugs as frequently
as the conventional type spark plugs
since they will last much longer. Follow
the maintenance schedule shown in the
“9. Maintenance and schedules” section.
Do not reuse the iridium platinum-tipped
spark plugs by cleaning or regapping.
SPARK PLUGS