7-2Appearance and care
In order to maintain the appearance of
your vehicle, it is important to take proper
care of it.
To protect the paint surfaces, wash your
vehicle as soon as you can:
.after a rainfall to prevent possible
damage from acid rain
. after driving on coastal roads
. when contaminants such as soot, bird
droppings, tree sap, metal particles or
bugs get on the paint surface
. when dust or mud builds up on the
surface
Whenever possible, store or park your
vehicle inside a garage or in a covered
area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park
in a shady area or protect the vehicle with
a body cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint
surface when putting on or removing
the body cover.
WASHING
Wash dirt off the vehicle with a wet
sponge and plenty of water. Clean the
vehicle thoroughly using a mild soap, a
special vehicle soap or general purpose
dishwashing liquid mixed with clean, lu-
kewarm (never hot) water.
CAUTION
. Do not use car washes that use
acid in the detergent. Some car
washes, especially brushless
ones, use some acid for cleaning.
The acid may react with some
plastic vehicle components, caus-
ing them to crack. This could
affect their appearance, and also
could cause them not to function
properly. Always check with your
car wash to confirm that acid is
not used.
. Do not wash the vehicle with
strong household soap, strong
chemical detergents, gasoline or
solvents.
. Do not wash the vehicle in direct
sunlight or while the vehicle body
is hot, as the surface may become
water-spotted.
. Avoid using tight-napped or
rough cloths, such as washing
mitts. Care must be taken when
removing caked-on dirt or other
foreign substances so the paint
surface is not scratched or da-
maged. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty
of clean water.
Inside flanges, seams and folds on the
doors, hatches and hood are particularly
vulnerable to the effects of road salt.
Therefore, these areas must be regularly
cleaned. Make sure that the drain holes in
the lower edge of the door are open.
Spray water under the body and in the
wheel wells to loosen the dirt and wash
away road salt.
Avoid leaving water spots on the paint
surface by using a damp chamois to dry
the vehicle.
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
weathered appearance before reapplying
wax.
A NISSAN dealer can assist you in choos-
ing the proper product.
.
Wax your vehicle only after a thorough
washing. Follow the instructions sup-
plied with the wax.
. Do not use a wax containing any
abrasives, cutting compounds or clea-
ners that may damage the vehicle
finish.
Machine compound or aggressive polish-
CLEANING EXTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care
CHROME PARTS
Clean chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the
finish.
TIRE DRESSING
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a
coating to the tires to help reduce dis-
coloration of the rubber. If a tire dressing
is applied to the tires, it may react with
the coating 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. The
coating on the tire dissolves more
easily 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 completely removed from the tire
tread/grooves.
. Allow the tire dressing to dry as
recommended by tire dressing manu-
facturer.
Occasionally remove loose dust from the
interior trim, plastic parts and seats using
a vacuum cleaner or soft bristled brush.
Wipe the vinyl and leather surfaces with a
clean, soft cloth dampened in mild soap
solution, then wipe clean with a dry soft
cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in
order to maintain the appearance of the
leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read
the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Some fabric protectors contain chemicals
that may stain or bleach the seat materi-
al.
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
classification sensors. This can also
affect the operation of the air bag
system and result in serious perso-
nal injury.
CAUTION
.Never use benzine, thinner, or any
similar material.
. For cleaning, use a soft cloth,
dampened with water. Never use
a rough cloth, alcohol, benzine,
thinner or any kind of solvent or
paper towel with a chemical
cleaning agent. They will scratch
or cause discoloration to the lens.
. Do not spray any liquid such as
water on the meter lens. Spraying
liquid may cause the system to
malfunction.
. Small dirt particles can be abra-
sive and damaging to the leather
surfaces and should be removed
promptly. Do not use saddle soap,
car waxes, polishes, oils, cleaning
fluids, solvents, detergents or
ammonia-based cleaners as they
may damage the leather’s natural
finish.
. Never use fabric protectors un-
less recommended by the manu-
facturer.
. Do not use glass or plastic cleaner
on meter or gauge lens covers. It
CLEANING INTERIOR
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ...................................................... 8-2
Engine compartment check locations ........................ 8-3MR20DD engine model ..................................................... 8-4
Engine cooling system ............................................................. 8-4 Checking engine coolant level .................................... 8-5
Changing engine coolant ................................................ 8-6
Engine oil ........................................................................\
..................... 8-6 Checking engine oil level ................................................. 8-6
Changing engine oil and filter ..................................... 8-6
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) fluid ........................................................................\
.................... 8-9
Brake and clutch (if so equipped) fluid ....................... 8-9
Window washer fluid .............................................................. 8-10
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
Air duct removal .................................................................. 8-15
Air cleaner filter replacement ................................... 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 ........................................... 8-20
Key fob battery replacement .......................................... 8-21
Intelligent Key battery replacement .......................... 8-23
Lights ........................................................................\
.......................... 8-25 Headlights ........................................................................\
...... 8-25
Exterior and interior lights ........................................ 8-27
Wheels and tires ........................................................................\
8-29
Tire pressure ........................................................................\
8-29
Tire labeling ........................................................................\
.. 8-33
Types of tires ....................................................................... 8-35
Tire chains ........................................................................\
...... 8-36
Changing wheels and tires ...................................... 8-37
8-8Do-it-yourself
JVM0421X
1. Oil filler cap
2. Oil drain plug
3. Oil filter
Engine oil and filter
1. Place a large drain pan under thedrain plug.
2. Remove the oil filler cap.
3. Remove the drain plug with a wrench and completely drain the oil.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself, as
the engine oil is hot.
.Waste oil must be disposed ofproperly.
.Check your local regulations.
(Perform steps 4 to 7 only when the
engine oil filter change is needed.)
4. Loosen the oil filter with an oil filter wrench. Remove the oil filter by turn-
ing it by hand.
5. Wipe the engine oil filter mounting surface with a clean rag.
CAUTION
Be sure to remove any old gasket
material remaining on the mounting
surface of the engine. Failure to do
so could lead to engine damage.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with clean engine oil.
7. Screw in the oil filter clockwise until a slight resistance is felt, then tighten
additionally more than 2/3 turn.
Oil filter tightening torque:11 to 15 ft-lb
(14.7 to 20.5 N·m)
8. Clean and re-install the drain plug with a new washer. Securely tighten
the drain plug with a wrench. Drain plug tightening torque:
22 to 29 ft-lb
(29 to 39 N·m)
Do not use excessive force.
9. Refill the engine with the recom- mended oil through the oil filler open-
ing, and install the oil filler cap
securely.
See “Capacities and recommended
fluids/lubricants” (P.10-2) for drain
and refill capacity. The drain and refill
capacity depends on the oil tempera-
ture and drain time. Use these speci-
fications for reference only. Always
use the dipstick to determine the
proper amount of oil in the engine.
10. Start the engine and check for leak- age around the drain plug and the oil
filter. Correct as required.
11. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level
with the dipstick. Add engine oil if
necessary.
After the operation
1. Lower the vehicle carefully to the
ground.
2. Dispose of waste oil and filter properly.
8-10Do-it-yourself
JVM0789X
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the
fluid is below the MIN lineor the brake
warning light comes on, add Genuine
NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or
equivalent DOT 3fluid up to the MAX line
. If fluid must be added frequently, the
system should be checked. It is recom-
mended you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
JVM0788X
Type A
JVM0380XType B
Type A: Check the fluid level in the
window washer reservoir. If the fluid level
is low, add window washer fluid.
Type B: To check the fluid level, use your
finger to plug the center hole
of the
cap/tube assembly, then remove it from
the reservoir. If there is no fluid in the
tube, add fluid.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for
better cleaning. In the winter season, add
a windshield washer antifreeze. Follow
the manufacturer’s instructions for the
mixture ratio.
Fill the window washer fluid reservoir
periodically.
Add fluid when the low washer fluid
warning appears (if so equipped).
Refill the reservoir more frequently when
driving conditions require an increased
amount of window washer fluid.
Recommended fluid:
Genuine NISSAN Windshield Washer Con-
centrate Cleaner & Antifreeze or equiva-
lent
CAUTION
. Do not substitute engine anti-
freeze coolant for window
washer solution. This may result
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
8-18Do-it-yourself
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is
normal and does not affect the function
or performance of the brake system.
Proper brake inspection intervals
should be followed.For additional infor-
mation, see the maintenance schedule
shown in the “9. Maintenance and sche-
dules” section.
JVM0386X
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
WARNING
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified
on the fuse box cover. This could
damage the electrical system or
electronic control units or cause a
fire.
If any electrical equipment does not
operate, check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch is turned off, and the headlight switch is in the OFF position (if so equipped) or the
AUTO position and the headlights are
OFF.
2. Open the engine hood.
3. Remove the fuse/fusible link box cov- er by using a suitable tool and pushing
the tab.
4. Locate the fuse that needs to be replaced.
5. Remove the fuse using the fuse puller located in the passenger compart-
ment fuse box.
FUSES
8-20Do-it-yourself
JVM0387X
PASSENGER COMPARTMENT
WARNING
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified
on the fuse box cover. This could
damage the electrical system or
electronic control units or cause a
fire.
If any electrical equipment does not
operate, check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch is turned off, and the headlight switch is in the OFF position (if so equipped) or the
AUTO position and the headlights are
OFF.
2. Remove the fuse box cover.
3. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller.
SDI1754
4. If the fuse is open, replace it with a
new fuse.
5. If a new fuse also opens, have the electrical system checked and re-
paired. It is recommended you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
JVM0415X
Extended storage fuse switch (if so
equipped)
To reduce battery drain, the extended
storage fuse switch comes from the
factory switched off. Prior to delivery of
your vehicle, the switch is pushed in
(switched on) and should always remain
on.
If the extended storage fuse switch is not
pushed in (switched on), the meter may
display a warning message. See “21. Ship-
ping Mode On Push Storage Fuse warn-
ing” (P.2-33).
If any electrical equipment does not
operate, remove the extended storage
fuse switch and check for an open fuse.NOTE:
If the extended storage fuse switch
malfunctions or if the fuse is open, it is
not necessary to replace the switch. In
this case, remove the extended storage
fuse switch and replace it with a new
fuse of the same rating.
How to remove the extended storage
fuse switch:
1. To remove the extended storage fuse
switch, be sure the ignition switch is in
the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Be sure the headlights are off. (See “Headlight switch” (P.2-52) or “Intelli-
gent Auto Headlight system” (P.2-52).)
3. Remove the fuse box cover.
4. Pinch the locking tabs
found on
each side of the extended storage
fuse switch.
5. Pull the extended storage fuse switch straight out from the fuse box
.
CAUTION
.Be careful not to allow children to
swallow the battery and removed
parts.
. An improperly disposed battery
can harm the environment. Al-
ways confirm local regulations
for battery disposal.
. When changing batteries, do not
let dust or oil get on the compo-
nents.
. There is danger of explosion if the
lithium battery is incorrectly re-
placed. Replace only with the
same or equivalent type.
Do-it-yourself8-21
KEY FOB BATTERY REPLACEMENT