
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. Bat-
tery fluid is a corrosive sulfuric
acid solution which can cause
severe burns. If the fluid should
come into contact with anything,
immediately flush the contacted
area with water.
. Keep the battery out of the reach
of children.
. The booster battery must be
rated at 12 volts. Use of an im-
properly rated battery can da-
mage your vehicle. .
Whenever working on or near a
battery, always wear suitable eye
protectors (for example, goggles
or industrial safety spectacles)
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.
In case of emergency6-11
JUMP STARTING

CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor en-
gaged for more than 10 seconds. If
the engine does not start right away,
place the ignition switch in the OFF
position and wait 10 seconds before
trying again.
8. After starting your engine, carefully disconnect the negative cable and
then the positive cable (
???). Do not attempt to start the engine by
pushing.
CAUTION
.
Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion (CVT) models cannot be
push-started or tow-started. At-
tempting to do so may cause
transmission damage.
. Three-way catalyst equipped
models should not be started by
pushing since the three way cat-
alyst may be damaged.
. Never try to start the vehicle by
towing it; when the engine starts,
the forward surge could cause
the vehicle to collide with the
tow vehicle.
WARNING
.Never continue driving if your
vehicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
. Never open the hood if steam is
coming out.
. Never remove the radiator or
coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is hot. If the radiator or
coolant reservoir cap is removed
when the engine is hot, pressur-
ized hot water will spurt out and
possibly cause burning, scalding
or serious injury.
. If steam or coolant is coming
from the engine, stand clear of
the vehicle to prevent getting
burned.
. The engine cooling fan will start
at anytime when the coolant
temperature exceeds preset de-
grees.
. Be careful not to allow your
hands, hair, jewelry or clothing
to come into contact with, or to
get caught in the cooling fan or
drive belts.
In case of emergency6-13
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS

6-14In case of emergency
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by
an extremely high temperature gauge
reading), or if you feel a lack of engine
power, detect abnormal noise, etc., take
the following steps:
1. Move the vehicle safely off the roadand apply the parking brake.
2. Push the park button to shift to the P (Park) position.
Do not stop the engine.
3. Turn off the air conditioner (if so equipped). Open all the windows,
move the heater or air conditioner
temperature control to maximum hot
and fan control to high speed.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for steam or coolant escaping from
the radiator before opening the hood.
(If steam or coolant is escaping, turn
off the engine.) Do not open the hood
further until no steam or coolant can
be seen.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent get-
ting burned.
6. Visually check the drive belt for da- mage or looseness. Also check if the
cooling fan is running. The radiator
hoses and radiator should not leak
water. If coolant is leaking or the
cooling fan does not run, stop the
engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands,
hair, jewelry or clothing to come into
contact with, or get caught in, engine
belts or the engine cooling fan. The
engine cooling fan can start at any
time. 7. After the engine cools down, check
the coolant level in the reservoir with
the engine running. Add coolant to
the reservoir if necessary. Have your
vehicle repaired. It is recommended
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.

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

8-4Do-it-yourself
The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (blue) and 50% water to provide
year-round anti-freeze and coolant pro-
tection. The anti-freeze solution contains
rust and corrosion inhibitors. Additional
engine cooling system additives are not
necessary.
WARNING
.Never remove the radiator or
coolant reservoir cap when the
engine is hot. Wait until the en-
gine and radiator cool down.
Serious burns could be caused
by high pressure fluid escaping
from the radiator. See precau-
tions in “If your vehicle overheats”
(P.6-13) of this manual.
. The radiator is equipped with a
pressure type radiator cap. To
prevent engine damage, use only
a genuine NISSAN radiator cap.
. If the engine was stopped soon
when the engine is hot, the cool-
ing fan may operate for approxi-
mately 10 minutes after the
engine was stopped to cool the
components in the engine com- partment. When the cooling fan is
operating, be sure that hands or
other items do not get caught in
it.
CAUTION
.
Never use any cooling system
additives such as radiator sealer.
Additives may clog the cooling
system and cause damage to
the engine, transmission and/or
cooling system.
. When adding or replacing cool-
ant, be sure to use only Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (blue) or equivalent. Gen-
uine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted to
provide antifreeze protection to
-34°F(-37°C). If additional freeze
protection is needed due to
weather where you operate your
vehicle, add Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue)
concentrate following the direc-
tions on the container. If an
equivalent coolant other than
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Anti-
freeze/Coolant (blue) is used, fol- low the coolant manufacture’s
instructions to maintain mini-
mum antifreeze protection to
-34°F (-37°C). The use of other
types of coolant solutions other
than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent may damage the en-
gine cooling system.
. The life expectancy of the fac-
tory-fill coolant is 105,000 miles
(168,000 km) or 7 years. Mixing
any other type of coolant other
than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue), includ-
ing Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green), or
the use of non-distilled water will
reduce the life expectancy of the
factory-fill coolant. Refer to the
“9. Maintenance and schedules”
section of this manual for more
details.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM

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

Windshield washer fluid*:Check that
there is adequate fluid in the reservoir.The following descriptions are provided
to give you a better understanding of the
scheduled maintenance items that
should be regularly checked or replaced.
The maintenance schedule indicates at
which mileage/time intervals each item
requires service.
In addition to scheduled maintenance,
your vehicle requires that some items be
checked during normal day-to-day op-
eration. Refer to “General maintenance”
(P.9-2).
Items marked with “*” are recommended
by NISSAN for reliable vehicle operation.
You are not required to perform main-
tenance on these items in order to
maintain the warranties which come with
your vehicle. Other maintenance items
and intervals are required.
When applicable, additional information
can be found in the “8. Do-it-yourself”
section of this manual.
NOTE:
NISSAN does not advocate the use of
non-OEM approved aftermarket flush-
ing systems and strongly advises
against performing these services on a
NISSAN product. Many of the aftermar-
ket flushing systems use non-OEM ap-
proved chemicals or solvents, the use of
which has not been validated by
NISSAN. For recommended fuel, lubricants,
fluids, grease, and refrigerant, refer to
“Capacities and recommended fluids/
lubricants” (P.10-3) of this manual.
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM MAIN-
TENANCE
Drive belt*:
Check engine drive belt for wear, fraying
or cracking and for proper tension. Re-
place any damaged drive belt.
Engine air filter:
Replace at specified intervals. When driv-
ing for prolonged periods in dusty condi-
tions, check/replace the filter more
frequently.
Engine coolant*:
Replace coolant at the specified interval.
When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equiva-
lent with the proper mixture. (Refer to
“Engine cooling system” (P.8-4) to deter-
mine the proper mixture for your area.)
NOTE:
Mixing any other type of coolant or the
use of non-distilled water may reduce
the recommended service interval of
the coolant.
Maintenance and schedules9-5
EXPLANATION OF SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE ITEMS