3.8L 6 cylinder (VQ38DD engine model)
1. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir(P. 8-13)
2. Fusible link (P. 8-21)
3. Fuse/Fusible link box (P. 8-21)
4. Fuse and Relay box (P. 8-21)
5. Engine oil filler cap (P. 8-6)
6. Engine oil dipstick (P. 8-6)
7. Brake fluid reservoir (P. 8-12)
8. Air cleaner (P. 8-18)
9. Drive belt location (P. 8-16)
10. Power steering fluid reservoir (P. 8-11)
11. Radiator cap (P. 8-4)
12. Battery (P. 8-14)
13. Engine coolant reservoir (P. 8-4)
NOTE:
Your vehicle may not be equipped with
an engine cover.
Refer to the page number indicated in
parentheses for operating details.
LDI3520
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
0-8Illustrated table of contents
•Shif t the 4WD switch into the 2WD, 4H
or 4LO position again to turn off the
ATP warning light when the shif t le-
ver is in the P (Park) position and the
ATP warning light is on. (Before shif t-
ing the 4WD switch into the 4LO posi-
tion, move the shif t lever into the N
(Neutral) position once, shif t the shif t
lever into P (Park) again and make
sure the ATP warning light is off.)
If the 4WD mode indicator is off or the ATP
warning light is on, this indicates that the
automatic transmission P (Park) position
will not function and could result in the ve-
hicle moving unexpectedly, causing seri-
ous personal injury or property damage.
Always set the parking brake. For additional
information, see “Using 4–Wheel Drive
(4WD) (P. 5-109).
This light indicates that the automatic
transmission parking function is not en-
gaged. If the transfer control is not secured
in any drive position while the shif t lever is
in the P (Park) position, the transmission will
disengage and the drive wheels will not
lock.orBrake warning
light
This light functions for both the parking
brake and the foot brake systems.
Parking brake indicator
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the light comes on when the park-
ing brake is applied.
Low brake fluid warning light
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the light warns of a low brake fluid
level. If the light comes on while the engine
is running with the parking brake not ap-
plied, stop the vehicle and perform the
following:
1. Check the brake fluid level. Add brake fluid as necessary. For additional infor-
mation, see “Brake fluid” (P. 8-12).
2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have the warning system checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
WARNING
• Your brake system may not be work-
ing properly if the warning light is on.
Driving could be dangerous. If you
judge it to be safe, drive carefully to
the nearest service station for re-
pairs. Otherwise, have your vehicle
towed because driving it could be
dangerous.
• Pressing the brake pedal with the en-
gine stopped and/or a low brake
fluid level may increase your stop-
ping distance and braking will re-
quire greater pedal effort as well as
pedal travel.
• If the brake fluid level is below the
MINIMUM or MIN mark on the brake
fluid reservoir, do not drive until the
brake system has been checked. It is
recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
2-12Instruments and controls
Maintenance
The maintenance menu allows the user to set reminders for various vehicle maintenance items.
Some menu items shown below may not be equipped on your vehicle.
WARNING
The tire replacement indicator is not a substitute for regular tire checks, including tire pressure checks. For additional informa-
tion, see “Changing wheels and tires” (P. 8-39). Many factors including tire inflation, alignment, driving habits and road conditions
affect tire wear and when tires should be replaced. Setting the tire replacement indicator for a certain driving distance does not
mean your tires will last that long. Use the tire replacement indicator as a guide only and always perform regular tire checks.
Failure to perform regular tire checks, including tire pressure checks could result in tire failure. Serious vehicle damage could
occur and may lead to a collision, which could result in serious personal injury or death.
Menu item Explanation
Maintenance Allows user to cycle through various maintenance items and set reminders to perform maintenance at spe-
cific intervals.
Oil and Filter Allows user to set an oil and filter reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Air Filter Allows user to set an air filter reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Tire Allows user to set a tire reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Brake Pad Allows user to set a brake pad reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Brake Fluid Allows user to set a brake fluid reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Battery Allows user to set a battery reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Transmission Fluid Allows user to set a transmission fluid reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Engine Coolant Allows user to set an engine coolant reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Spark Plug Allows user to set a spark plug reminder at a specific interval or reset the current one.
Other Allows user to set a reminder, other than for the maintenance items listed above, at a specific interval or re-
set the current one.
2-26Instruments and controls
Low Fuel
This warning appears when the fuel level in
the fuel tank is getting low. Refuel as soon
as it is convenient, preferably before the
fuel gauge reaches 0 (Empty).There will be
a small reserve of fuel in the tank when
the fuel gauge needle reaches 0 (Empty).
Low Tire Pressure Error —
Info
This warning appears when the low tire
pressure warning light in the meter illumi-
nates and low tire pressure is detected.
Press the ENTER button for information
about the low tire pressure. For additional
information, see “Low tire pressure warning
light” (P. 2-15) and “Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)” (P. 5-5).
Low Washer Fluid
This warning appears when the
windshield-washer fluid is at a low level.
Add windshield-washer fluid as necessary.
For additional information, see
“Windshield-washer fluid” (P. 8-13).
Maintenance indicators
When engine oil service is due, one or more
of these icons will appear automatically to
remind you. For additional information, see
“Engine oil” (P. 8-6).
These will also appear when the user-set
reminders are met. For additional informa-
tion, see “Vehicle information display”
(P. 2-20).
Power turned off to save the battery
This warning appears af ter the ignition
switch is automatically turned off to save
the battery.
Power will turn off to save the battery
This message appears in the vehicle infor-
mation display af ter a period of time if the
ignition switch is in the ACC or the ON po-
sition and if the vehicle is in P (Park). For
additional information, see “Push-button
ignition switch positions” (P. 5-14).
Push brake and start
switch to drive
This indicator appears when the shif t lever
is in the P (Park) position.
This indicator means that the engine will
start by pushing the ignition switch with the brake pedal depressed. You can start
the engine from any position of the ignition
switch.
Push Ignition to OFF
Af ter the Push ignition to OFF warning ap-
pears, the warning will appear if the ignition
switch is placed in the ACC position when
the shif t lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
To turn off the Push warning, place the ig-
nition switch in the ON position and then in
the LOCK position.
Range XX miles
This warning appears to indicate the ap-
proximate distance remaining before the
fuel reaches 0 (Empty).
Check Rear Seat For All Articles
When the system is enabled, this message
appears when the vehicle comes to a com-
plete stop, the vehicle is transitioned from
the D (Drive) position to P (Park) position,
and the driver exits the vehicle. This mes-
sage alerts the driver, af ter a period of time,
to check for items in the rear seat af ter the
audible alert has been provided.
Instruments and controls2-29
• Make sure the area around the vehicle isclear.
• Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool- ant, brake, and windshield-washer fluid
as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
• Check that all windows and lights are clean.
• Visually inspect tires for their appearance and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
• Check that all doors are closed.
• Position seat and adjust head restraints/headrests.
• Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
• Fasten the seat belt and ask all passen- gers to do likewise.
• Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
see “Warning lights, indicator lights and
audible reminders” (P. 2-10). 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral). P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the shif t lever is in either P
(Park) or N (Neutral).
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi- tion. Depress the brake pedal and push
the ignition switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push
and release the ignition switch while de-
pressing the brake pedal with the igni-
tion switch in any position.
• If the engine is very hard to start in extremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to the
floor) and while holding, crank the en-
gine. Release the accelerator pedal
when the engine starts.
• If the engine is very hard to start be- cause it is flooded, depress the accel-
erator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Push the ignition switch to
the ON position to start cranking the
engine. Af ter 5 or 6 seconds, stop
cranking by pushing the ignition
switch to the LOCK position. Af ter
cranking the engine, release the accel- erator pedal. Crank the engine with
your foot off the accelerator pedal by
depressing the brake pedal and push-
ing the ignition switch to start the en-
gine. If the engine starts, but fails to
run, repeat the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start, push the ignition switch
to the OFF position and wait 10 seconds
before cranking again, otherwise the
starter could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds af ter starting. Do not race the
engine while warming it up. Drive at a
moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather. In cold
weather, keep the engine running for a
minimum of 2 to 3 minutes before shut-
ting it off. Starting and stopping the en-
gine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, move the shif t lever to the P (Park) position and push the
ignition switch to the OFF position.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving5-17
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tem-
perature protection mode. If the fluid tem-
perature becomes too high (for example,
when climbing steep grades in high tem-
peratures with heavy loads, such as when
towing a trailer), engine power and, under
some conditions, vehicle speed will be de-
creased automatically to reduce the
chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelera-
tor pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed
may be limited.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
may come on to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. For additional infor-
mation, see “Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL)” (P. 2-17). This will occur even if all
electrical circuits are functioning prop-
erly. In this case, place the ignition switch
in the OFF position and wait for 10 sec-
onds. Then push the switch back to the
ON position. The vehicle should return toits normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condi-
tion, have the transmission checked and
repaired, if necessary. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection mode or fail-safe operation oc-
curs, vehicle speed may be gradually
reduced. The reduced speed may be
lower than other traffic, which could in-
crease the chance of a collision. Be es-
pecially careful when driving. If neces-
sary, pull to the side of the road at a safe
place and allow the transmission to re-
turn to normal operation, or have it re-
paired if necessary.
WARNING
• Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to
an accident.
• Do not release the parking brake
from outside the vehicle.
• Do not use the shif t lever in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
engaged.
• To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the
vehicle and/or its systems, do not
leave children, people who require
the assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly be-
come high enough to cause a signifi-
cant risk of injury or death to people
and pets.
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-23
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
WARNING
• The ABS is a sophisticated device, but
it cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain ve-
hicle control during braking on slip-
pery surfaces. Remember that stop-
ping distances on slippery surfaces
will be longer than on normal sur-
faces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if
you are using tire chains. Always
maintain a safe distance from the ve-
hicle in front of you. Ultimately, the
driver is responsible for safety.
• Tire type and condition may also af-
fect braking effectiveness.
– When replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all four
wheels.
– When installing a spare tire, make
sure that it is the proper size and
type as specified on the Tire and
Loading Information label. For ad-
ditional information, see “Tire and
Loading Information label”
(P. 10-14). –
For additional information, see
“Wheels and tires” (P. 8-30).
The ABS controls the brakes so the wheels
do not lock during hard braking or when
braking on slippery surfaces. The system
detects the rotation speed at each wheel
and varies the brake fluid pressure to pre-
vent each wheel from locking and sliding.
By preventing each wheel from locking, the
system helps the driver maintain steering
control and helps to minimize swerving
and spinning on slippery surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
Depress the brake pedal with firm steady
pressure, but do not pump the brakes. The
Anti-lock Braking System will operate to
prevent the wheels from locking up. Steer
the vehicle to avoid obstacles.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping
distances.
Self-test feature
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) in-
cludes electronic sensors, electric pumps,
hydraulic solenoids and a computer. The
computer has a built-in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you start
the engine and move the vehicle at a low
speed in forward or reverse. When the self-
test occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise
and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal.
This is normal and does not indicate a mal-
function. If the computer senses a mal-
function, it switches the ABS off and illumi-
nates the ABS warning light on the
instrument panel. The brake system then
operates normally but without anti-lock
assistance.
If the ABS warning light illuminates during
the self-test or while driving, have the ve-
hicle checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Starting and driving5-119
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
• A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to re-move ice and snow from the windows
and wiper blades.
• A sturdy, flat board to be placed under the jack to give it firm support.
• A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snowdrif ts.
• Extra washer fluid to refill the windshield- washer fluid reservoir.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
• Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain),
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip” un-
der these conditions. Try to avoid
driving on wet ice until the road is
salted or sanded.
• Whatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shif ting too fast, the drive wheels will
lose even more traction. •
Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry
pavement.
• Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
• Watch for slippery spots (glare ice).
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch
of ice is seen ahead, brake before
reaching it. Try not to brake while on
the ice, and avoid any sudden steer-
ing maneuvers.
• Do not use the cruise control on slip-
pery roads.
• Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep snow
clear of the exhaust pipe and from
around your vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)
Engine block heaters are used to assist
with cold temperature starting.
The engine block heater should be used
when the outside temperature is 20°F (-7°C)
or lower.
WARNING
• Do not use your engine block heater
with an ungrounded electrical sys-
tem or a 2-pronged adapter. You can
be seriously injured by an electrical
shock if you use an ungrounded
connection.
• Disconnect and properly store the
engine block heater cord before
starting the engine. Damage to the
cord could result in an electrical
shock and can cause serious injury.
• Use a heavy-duty 3-wire, 3-pronged
extension cord rated for at least 10 A.
Plug the extension cord into a
Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) pro-
tected, grounded 110-VAC outlet.
Failure to use the proper extension
cord or a grounded outlet can result
in a fire or electrical shock and cause
serious personal injury.
5-130Starting and driving