8-34Do-it-yourself
SDI1606
Example
Tire size (example: P215/60R16
94H)
1. P: The “P” indicates the tire is designed for passenger vehicles.
(Not all tires have this informa-
tion.)
2. Three-digit number (215): This number gives the width in milli-
meters of the tire from sidewall
edge to sidewall edge.
3. Two-digit number (60): This number, known as the aspect
ratio, gives the tire’s ratio of height to width.
4. R: The “R” stands for radial.
5. Two-digit number (16): This number is the wheel or rim
diameter in inches.
6. Two- or three-digit number (94): This number is the tire’s load
index. It is a measurement of
how much weight each tire can
support. You may not find this
information on all tires because
it is not required by law.
7. H: Tire speed rating. You should not drive the vehicle faster than
the tire speed rating.
JVM0694X
Example
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
for a new tire (example: DOT XX XX
XXX XXXX)
1. DOT: Abbreviation for the “De- partment of Transportation”.
The symbol can be placed
above, below or to the left or
right of the Tire Identification
Number.
2. Two-digit code: Manufacturer’s identification mark
3. Two-digit code: Tire size
addition, drive at a reduced speed. Other-
wise, your vehicle may be damaged and/
or vehicle handling and performance may
be adversely affected.
Tire chains must be installed only on
the front wheels and not on the rear
wheels.
Never install tire chains on a TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire (if so equipped).
Do not use tire chains on dry roads.
Driving with tire chains in such conditions
can cause damage to the various me-
chanisms of the vehicle due to some
overstress.
SDI1662
CHANGING WHEELS AND TIRES
Tire rotation
NISSAN recommends rotating the
tires at the specified interval shown
in the maintenance schedule. (See
the "9. Maintenance and sche-
dules" section. For tire replacing
procedure, see “Flat tire” (P.6-3).)
As soon as possible, tighten the
wheel nuts to the specified torque
with a torque wrench.Wheel nut tightening torque:80 ft-lb (108 N·m) The wheel nuts must be kept
tightened to the specification at
all times. It is recommended that
wheel nuts be tightened to the
specification at each tire rotation
interval.
WARNING
.After rotating the tires,
check and adjust the tire
pressure.
.Retighten the wheel nuts
when the vehicle has been
driven for 600 miles (1,000
km) (also in cases of a flat
tire, etc.).
.Do not include the spare tire
(if so equipped) in the tire
rotation.
.For additional information
regarding tires, refer to “Im-
portant Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (US) or “Tire Safety
Information” (Canada) in the
Warranty Information Book-
let.
Do-it-yourself8-37
8-38Do-it-yourself
SDI1663
1. Wear indicator
2. Wear indicator location mark
Tire wear and damage
WARNING
.Tires should be periodically
inspected for wear, cracking,
bulging or objects caught in
the tread. If excessive wear,
cracks, bulging or deep cuts
are found, the tire(s) should
be replaced.
.The original tires have built-
in tread wear indicators.
When wear indicators are
visible, the tire(s) should be
replaced.
.Tires degrade with age and
use. Have tires, including the
spare (if so equipped), over 6
years old checked by a qua-
lified technician, because
some tire damage may not
be obvious. Replace the tires
as necessary to prevent tire
failure and possible perso-
nal injury.
.Improper service of the
spare tire (if so equipped)
may result in serious perso-
nal injury. If it is necessary to
repair the spare tire, it is
recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this ser-
vice.
.For additional information
regarding tires, refer to “Im-
portant Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (US) or “Tire SafetyInformation” (Canada) in the
Warranty Information Book-
let.
Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size,
tread design, speed rating and load
carrying capacity as originally equipped.
(See “Specifications” (P.10-7) for recom-
mended types and sizes of tires and
wheels.)
WARNING
. The use of tires other than those
recommended or the mixed use
of tires of different brands, con-
struction (bias, bias-belted or ra-
dial), or tread patterns can
adversely affect the ride, braking,
handling, VDC system, ground
clearance, body-to-tire clearance,
tire chain clearance, speed-
ometer calibration, headlight
aim and bumper height. Some of
these effects may lead to acci-
dents and could result in serious
personal injury.
. For Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) mod-
els, if your vehicle was originally
equipped with 4 tires that were
the same size and you are only
replacing 2 of the 4 tires, install
the new tires on the rear axle.
Placing new tires on the front
axle may cause loss of vehicle
control in some driving condi-
tions and cause an accident and
personal injury.
. If the wheels are changed for any
reason, always replace with
wheels which have the same off-
set dimension. Wheels of a differ-
ent off-set could cause prema-
ture tire wear, degrade vehicle
handling characteristics and/or
interference with the brake
discs/drums. Such interference
can lead to decreased braking
efficiency and/or early brake
pad/shoe wear. See “Wheels and
tires” (P.10-7) of this manual for
wheel off-set dimensions.
. Since the spare tire (if so
equipped) is not equipped with
the TPMS, when a spare tire is
mounted or a wheel is replaced,
the TPMS will not function and
the low tire pressure warning
light will flash for approximately
1 minute. The light will remain on
after 1 minute. Have your tires replaced and/or TPMS system
reset as soon as possible. It is
recommended you visit a NISSAN
dealer for these services.
. Replacing tires with those not
originally specified by NISSAN
could affect the proper operation
of the TPMS.
. The TPMS sensor may be da-
maged if it is not handled cor-
rectly. Be careful when handling
the TPMS sensor.
. When replacing the TPMS sensor,
the ID registration may be re-
quired. It is recommended you
visit a NISSAN dealer for ID regis-
tration.
. Do not use a valve stem cap that
is not specified by NISSAN. The
valve stem cap may become
stuck.
. Be sure that the valve stem caps
are correctly fitted. Otherwise the
valve may be clogged up with dirt
and cause a malfunction or loss
of pressure.
. Do not install a damaged or
deformed wheel or tire even if it
has been repaired. Such wheels
or tires could have structural
damage and could fail without warning.
. The use of retread tire is not
recommended.
. For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Important
Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information” (Cana-
da) in the Warranty Information
Booklet.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) models
CAUTION
.Always use tires of the same size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-
belted or radial), and tread pat-
tern on all four wheels. Failure to
do so may result in a circumfer-
ence difference between tires on
the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and
may damage the transmission,
transfer case and rear differential
gears.
. Only use spare tires (if so
equipped) specified for each
AWD model.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is
Do-it-yourself8-39
8-40Do-it-yourself
recommended that all four tires be re-
placed with tires of the same size, brand,
construction and tread pattern. The tire
pressure and wheel alignment should
also be checked and corrected as neces-
sary. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Even with regular
use, wheels can get out of balance.
Therefore, they should be balanced as
required.
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle.
Spin balancing the wheels on the vehi-
cle could lead to mechanical damage.
For additional information regarding tires,
refer to “Important Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (US) or “Tire Safety Information”
(Canada) in the Warranty Information
Booklet.
Care of wheels
See “Cleaning exterior” (P.7-2) for details
about care of the wheels.
Spare tire (if so equipped)
Since the spare tire is not equipped with
the TPMS, when a spare tire is mounted
(TEMPORARY USE ONLY), the TPMS will
not function.
Observe the following precautions if the
TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire must be
used, otherwise your vehicle could be
damaged or involved in an accident.
WARNING
.The TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare
tire should be used for emer-
gency use. It should be replaced
with the standard tire at the first
opportunity to avoid possible tire
or differential damage.
. Drive carefully while the TEMPOR-
ARY USE ONLY spare tire is in-
stalled. Avoid sharp turns and
abrupt braking while driving.
. Periodically check spare tire in-
flation pressure. Always keep the
pressure of the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire at 60 psi (420
kPa, 4.2 bar).
. With the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire installed, do not drive
your vehicle at speeds faster than 50 MPH (80 km/h).
. When driving on roads covered
with snow or ice, the TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire should be
used on the rear wheels and
original tire used on the front
wheels (drive wheels). Use tire
chains only on the front (original)
tires.
. Tire tread of the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire will wear at a
faster rate than the standard tire.
Replace the spare tire as soon as
the tread wear indicators appear.
. Do not use the spare tire on other
vehicles.
. Do not use more than one spare
tire at the same time.
CAUTION
.Do not use tire chains on a
TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire.
Tire chains will not fit properly
and may cause damage to the
vehicle.
. Because the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire is smaller than
the original tire, ground clearance
is reduced. To avoid damage to
the vehicle, do not drive over
obstacles. Also do not drive the
vehicle through an automatic car
wash since it may get caught.
Emergency tire puncture repair kit
(if so equipped)
The emergency tire puncture repair kit is
supplied to the vehicle instead of a spare
tire. The kit must be used for temporarily
fixing a minor tire puncture. After using
the repair kit, it is recommended that visit
a NISSAN dealer as soon as possible for
tire inspection and repair/replacement.
See “Flat tire” (P.6-3) for more details.
Do-it-yourself8-41
9-4Maintenance and schedules
Seats:Check seat position controls such
as seat adjusters, seatback recliners, etc.
to ensure they operate smoothly and that
all latches lock securely in every position.
Check that the head restraints move up
and down smoothly and that the locks (if
so equipped) hold securely in all latched
positions.
Steering wheel: Check for changes in the
steering conditions, such as excessive
free play, hard steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes: Make sure
that all warning lights and chimes are
operating properly.
Windshield defroster: Check that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets prop-
erly and in sufficient quantity when oper-
ating the heater or air conditioner.
Windshield wiper and washer*: Check
that the wipers and washers operate
properly and that the wipers do not
streak.
Under the hood and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should
be checked periodically (for example,
each time you check the engine oil or
refuel).
Battery*: Check the fluid level in each cell.
It should be between the MAX and MIN
lines. Vehicles operated in high tempera- tures or under severe condition require
frequent checks of the battery fluid level.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery dis-
charge and potential no-start condi-
tions such as:
1.
Installation or extended use of elec-
tronic accessories that consume
battery power when the engine is
not running (Phone chargers, GPS,
DVD players, etc.)
2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/
or only driven short distances.
In these cases, the battery may need to
be charged to maintain battery health.
Brake and clutch fluid level*: Make sure
that the brake and clutch fluid level is
between the MAX and MIN lines on the
reservoir.
Engine coolant level*: Check the coolant
level when the engine is cold.
Engine drive belt*: Make sure that the
drive belt is not frayed, worn, cracked or
oily.
Engine oil level*: Check the level after
parking the vehicle on a level surface and
turning off the engine. Wait more than 10
minutes for the oil to drain back into the
oil pan. Exhaust system:
Make sure there are no
loose supports, cracks or holes. If the
sound of the exhaust seems unusual or
there is a smell of exhaust fumes, im-
mediately have the exhaust system in-
spected. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service. (See “Pre-
cautions when starting and driving” (P.5-
4) for exhaust gas (carbon monoxide).)
Fluid leaks: Check under the vehicle for
fuel, oil, water or other fluid leaks after the
vehicle has been parked for a while. Water
dripping from the air conditioner after use
is normal. If you should notice any leaks
or if gasoline fumes are evident, check for
the cause and have it corrected immedi-
ately.
Radiator and hoses: Check the front of
the radiator and clean off any dirt, insects,
leaves, etc., that may have accumulated.
Make sure the hoses have no cracks,
deformation, rot or loose connections.
Underbody: The underbody is frequently
exposed to corrosive substances such as
those used on icy roads or to control
dust. It is very important to remove these
substances, otherwise rust will form on
the floor pan, frame, fuel lines and around
the exhaust system. At the end of winter,
the underbody should be thoroughly
flushed with plain water, being careful to
clean those areas where mud and dirt
may accumulate. For additional informa-
tion, see “Cleaning exterior” (P.7-2).
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.10-2) 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