CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause
serious damage to the engine almost
immediately. Such damage is not cov-
ered by warranty. Turn off the engine as
soon as it is safe to do so.
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shif t mode). Always depress
the brake pedal until shif ting is com-
pleted. Failure to do so could cause
you to lose control and have an
accident.
• Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control. •
Never shif t to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D
(Drive) position while the vehicle is
reversing. This could cause an acci-
dent or damage the transmission.
CAUTION
• To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on
an uphill grade, do not hold the ve-
hicle by depressing the accelerator
pedal. The foot brake should be used
for this purpose.
• Except in an emergency, do not shif t
to the N (Neutral) position while driv-
ing. Coasting with the transmission
in the N (Neutral) position may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
The CVT in your vehicle is electronically
controlled to produce maximum power
and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures
for this transmission are shown on the fol-
lowing pages. Follow these procedures for
maximum vehicle performance and driv-
ing enjoyment. Engine power may be automatically re-
duced to protect the CVT if the engine
speed increases quickly when driving on
slippery roads or while being tested on
some dynamometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. Af ter starting the engine, fully depress
the foot brake pedal before moving the
shif t lever out of the P (Park) position.
This Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion is designed so that the foot brake
pedal must be depressed before shif t-
ing from P (Park) to any driving posi-
tion while the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of
the other positions if the ignition
switch is placed in the LOCK, OFF or
ACC position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shif t lever to a driving
position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal, and then gradually start the
vehicle in motion.
Starting and driving5-19
• Recirculating the cool air in the cabinwhen the A/C is on reduces cooling
load.
4. Drive at Economical Speeds and
Distances
• Observing the speed limit and not ex- ceeding 60 mph (97 km/h) (where le-
gally allowed) can improve fuel effi-
ciency due to reduced aerodynamic
drag.
• Maintaining a safe following distance behind other vehicles reduces unnec-
essary braking.
• Safely monitoring traffic to anticipate changes in speed permits reduced
braking and smooth acceleration
changes.
• Select a gear range suitable to road conditions.
5. Use Cruise Control
• Using cruise control during highway driving helps maintain a steady speed.
• Cruise control is particularly effective in providing fuel savings when driving
on flat terrains.
6. Plan for the Shortest Route
• Utilize a map or navigation system to determine the best route to save time. 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).
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
5-116Starting and driving
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.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.
LSD2528LSD2529LSD2530
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (if so
equipped)
Starting and driving5-117
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,
polishes, oils, cleaning fluids, sol-
vents, 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.
• Never use chloride solutions for
cleaning aluminum decoratives (if so
equipped), damage may occur.
CLEANING INTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care
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 causepermanent 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.
• Liquid-type air fresheners typically clip on the 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......................................... 8-14
Jump starting ............................... 8-15
Drive belt ....................................... 8-16
Spark plugs .................................... 8-16
Replacing spark plugs .......................8-16
Air cleaner ..................................... 8-17In-cabin microfilter
.......................... 8-18
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-18
Cleaning .................................... 8-18
Replacing ................................... 8-18
Brakes ......................................... 8-20
Fuses .......................................... 8-20
Engine compartment ....................... 8-21
Passenger compartment ...................8-22
Battery replacement ........................... 8-23
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ......................8-24
Lights .......................................... 8-25
Headlights .................................. 8-25
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-25
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-26
Wheels and tires ............................... 8-28
Tire pressure ................................ 8-28
Tire labeling ................................. 8-32
Types of tires ................................
8-35
Tir
e chains .................................. 8-36
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-37