8-2Do-it-yourself
When performing any inspection or main-
tenance work on your vehicle, always
take care to prevent serious accidental
injury to yourself or damage to the
vehicle. The following are general precau-
tions which should be closely observed.
WARNING
.Park the vehicle on a level sur-
face, apply the parking brake
securely and block the wheels to
prevent the vehicle from moving.
Move the shift lever to the P
(Park) position (CVT model) or
the shift lever to the N (Neutral)
position (MT model).
. Be sure the ignition switch is in
the OFF or LOCK position when
performing any parts replace-
ment or repairs.
. If you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, cloth-
ing, hair and tools away from
moving fans, belts and any other
moving parts.
. It is advisable to secure or re-
move any loose clothing and
remove any jewelry, such as
rings, watches, etc. before work-
ing on your vehicle. .
Always wear eye protection
whenever you work on your ve-
hicle.
. If you must run the engine in an
enclosed space such as a garage,
be sure there is proper ventilation
for exhaust gases to escape.
. Never get under the vehicle while
it is supported only by a jack. If it
is necessary to work under the
vehicle, support it with safety
stands.
. Because the fuel lines are under
high pressure even when the
engine is off, it is recommended
you visit a NISSAN dealer for
service of the fuel filter or fuel
lines.
. Do not work under the hood while
the engine is hot. Always turn off
the engine and wait until it cools
down.
. If you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, cloth-
ing, hair and tools away from
moving fans, belts and any other
moving parts.
. Keep smoking materials, flame
and sparks away from fuel and
the battery. .
On gasoline engine models with
the Multiport Fuel Injection (MFI)
system, the fuel filter and fuel
lines should be serviced because
the fuel lines are under high
pressure even when the engine
is turned off. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic engine cooling fan. It
may come on at any time without
warning, even if the ignition
switch is in the OFF position and
the engine is not running. To
avoid injury, always disconnect
the negative battery cable before
working near the fan.
. Avoid direct contact with used
engine oil and coolant. Impro-
perly disposed engine oil, engine
coolant, and/or other vehicle
fluids can hurt the environment.
Always conform to local regula-
tions for disposal of vehicle fluids.
CAUTION
.Do not work under the hood while
the engine is hot. Turn the engine
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
off and wait until it cools down.
. Avoid direct contact with used
engine oil and coolant. Impro-
perly disposed engine oil, and
engine coolant and/or other ve-
hicle fluids can damage the en-
vironment. Always conform to
local regulations for disposal of
vehicle fluid.
. Never leave the engine or the CVT
related component harnesses
disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
. Never connect or disconnect the
battery or any transistorized
component while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic engine cooling fan. It
may come on at any time without
warning, even if the ignition key is
in the OFF position and the en-
gine is not running. To avoid
injury, always disconnect the ne-
gative battery cable before work-
ing near the fan.
This “8. Do-it-yourself” section gives in-
structions regarding only those items
which are relatively easy for an owner to
perform. A genuine NISSAN Service Manual is also
available. (See “Owner’s manual/service
manual order information” (P.10-21).)
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operat-
ing difficulties or excessive emissions, and
could affect your warranty coverage.
If in
doubt about any servicing, it is recom-
mended you have it done by a NISSAN
dealer.
WAA0212X
Remove the air duct if necessary.
To remove the air duct
:
1. Remove the clips
with a suitable
tool.
2. Loosen the bolt
with a suitable tool.
3. Pull the air duct upward and then sideways.
To install the air duct, perform the in-
stallation procedure in reverse order.
Do-it-yourself8-3
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK LOCATIONS
8-4Do-it-yourself
WAA0211X
MR20DD ENGINE MODEL
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake and clutch* fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Window washer fluid reservoir
6. Drive belt7. Engine oil dipstick
8. Battery
9. Fuse/fusible link box
*: For Manual Transmission (MT) Model
The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (blue) and 50% water to provide
year-round anti-freeze and coolant pro-
tection. The anti-freeze solution contains
rust and corrosion inhibitors. Additional
engine cooling system additives are not
necessary.
WARNING
.
Never remove the radiator or
coolant reservoir cap when the
engine is hot. Wait until the en-
gine and radiator cool down.
Serious burns could be caused
by high pressure fluid escaping
from the radiator. See precau-
tions in “If your vehicle overheats”
(P.6-16) of this manual.
. The radiator is equipped with a
pressure type radiator cap. To
prevent engine damage, use only
a genuine NISSAN radiator cap.
. If the engine was stopped soon
when the engine is hot, the cool-
ing fan may operate for approxi-
mately 10 minutes after the
engine was stopped to cool the
components in the engine com-
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
8-6Do-it-yourself
recommended you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
A NISSAN dealer can change the engine
coolant. The service procedure can be
found in the NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in re-
duced heater performance and engine
overheating.
WARNING
.To avoid being scalded, never
change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
. Never remove the radiator or
coolant reservoir cap when the
engine is hot. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid
escaping from the radiator.
. Avoid direct skin contact with
used coolant. If skin contact is
made, wash thoroughly with soap
or hand cleaner as soon as pos-
sible.
. Keep coolant out of the reach of
children and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of
properly. Check your local regulations.SDI1993
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches oper- ating 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 within the
range
. If the oil level is below,
remove the oil filler cap and pour
recommended oil through the open- ing.
Do not overfill
.
6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the
break-in period, depending on the se-
verity of operating conditions.
CAUTION
Oil level should be checked regularly.
Operating the engine with an insuffi-
cient amount of oil can damage the
engine, and such damage is not
covered by the warranty.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL AND FILTER
WARNING
. Used oil must be disposed of
properly. Never pour or dump oil
into the ground, canals, rivers,
etc. It should be disposed of at
proper waste facilities. NISSAN
recommends having your oil
changed by a NISSAN dealer.
. Be careful not to burn yourself, as
the engine oil may be hot.
ENGINE OIL
.Prolonged and repeated contact
with used engine oil may cause
skin cancer.
. Avoid direct skin contact with
used oil. If contacted, wash thor-
oughly with soap or hand cleaner
and plenty of water as soon as
possible.
. Store used engine oil in marked
containers out of the reach of
children.
Vehicle set-up
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches the operating temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes.
4. Raise and support the vehicle using a suitable floor jack and safety jack
stands.
.Place the safety jack stands underthe vehicle jack-up points.
.A suitable adapter should be at-tached to the jack stand saddle.
CAUTION
Make sure the correct lifting and
support points are used to avoid
vehicle damage.
JVM0414X
Do-it-yourself8-7
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.
WARNING
.Prolonged and repeated contact
with used engine oil may cause
skin cancer.
. Try to avoid direct skin contact
with used oil. If skin contact is
made, wash thoroughly with soap
or hand cleaner as soon as pos-
sible.
. Keep used engine oil out of reach
of children. When checking or replacement is re-
quired, we recommend a NISSAN dealer
for servicing.
CAUTION
.
NISSAN recommends using Gen-
uine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 (or
equivalent) ONLY in NISSAN CVTs.
Do not mix with other fluids.
. Do not use Automatic transmis-
sion fluid (ATF) or Manual Trans-
mission fluid in a NISSAN CVT, as
it may damage the CVT. Damage
caused by the use of fluids other
than as recommended is not
covered by the NISSAN’s New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
. Using fluids that are not equiva-
lent to Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid
NS-3 may also damage the CVT.
Damage caused by the use of
fluids other than as recom-
mended is not covered by the
NISSAN’s New Vehicle Limited
Warranty. For additional brake and clutch fluid
information, see “Capacities and recom-
mended fluids/lubricants” (P.10-2) of this
manual.
WARNING
.
Use only new fluid from a sealed
container. Old, inferior or con-
taminated fluid may damage the
brake and clutch systems. The
use of improper fluids can da-
mage the brake and clutch sys-
tems, and affect the vehicle’s
stopping ability.
. Clean the filler cap before remov-
ing.
. Brake and clutch fluid is poiso-
nous and should be stored care-
fully in marked containers out of
the reach of children.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on any painted
surfaces. This will damage the paint.
If fluid is spilled, immediately wash
the surface with water.
Do-it-yourself8-9
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) FLUIDBRAKE AND CLUTCH (if so equipped) FLUID
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