MOST COMMON FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO VEHICLE
CORROSION
Most vehicle corrosion is caused by:∙ The accumulation of moisture- retaining dirt and debris in body panel
sections, cavities, and other areas.
∙ Damage to paint and other protective coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor traffic collisions.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
INFLUENCE THE RATE OF
CORROSION
Moisture
Accumulation of sand, dirt and water on
the vehicle body underside can accelerate
corrosion. Wet floor coverings will not dry
completely inside the vehicle and should
be removed for drying to avoid floor panel
corrosion.
Relative humidity
Corrosion will be accelerated in areas of
high relative humidity, especially those ar-
eas where the temperatures stay above freezing and where atmospheric pollution
exists and road salt is used.
Temperature
High temperatures 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 accelerates the corrosion process.
Road salt also accelerates the disintegra-
tion of paint surfaces.
PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE FROM
CORROSION
∙ Wash and wax your vehicle of ten 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 accumulation of sand, dirt or salt. If present, wash with
water as soon as possible.
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface andapply the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches operating 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 between the H
(High) and L (Low) marksB. This is the
normal operating oil level range. If the
oil level is below the L (Low) mark
A,
remove the oil filler cap and pour rec-
ommended oil through the opening.
Do not overfill
C.
6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick. It is normal to add some engine oil be-
tween oil maintenance intervals de-
pending on the severity of operating
conditions or depending on the property
of the engine oil used. More engine oil is
consumed by frequent acceleration/
deceleration especially when the engine
rpm is high. Consumption is likely to be
higher when the engine is new. If the rate
of oil consumption, af ter driving for
3,000 miles (5,000 km), is more than
0.5 liter per 600 miles (1,000 km), consult
a NISSAN dealer
