tires NISSAN 370Z COUPE 2012 Owner's Manual

VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
WARNING
.Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
. Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode
and result in serious injury. Parts of
your vehicle could also overheat
and be damaged.
Pulling a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use a tow strap or other device designed
specifically for vehicle recovery. Always follow
the manufacturer’s instructions for the recovery
device.
SCE0793
1. Access the mounting hole for the recovery
hook.
Except for NISMO models: To remove the
cover
*A, first unhook the claws*1using
a suitable tool wrapped in a cloth, and then
pull the lower side of the cover
*2.
For NISMO models: When the front license plate and bracket are installed, temporarily
remove them. (See “Installing front license
plate” (P.9-14) for the installation proce-
dures.) A screwdriver is supplied with the
jacking tools for removal.
2. Securely install the vehicle recovery hook
*3
(stored with jacking tools) as illustrated.
Attach the tow strap to the recovery hook.
Do not use the tie down hooks
*4for towing or
vehicle recovery.
Make sure that the hook is properly secured in
the original place after use.
Replace the recovery hook cover (except for
NISMO models) or the front license plate (for
NISMO models) .
CAUTION
. Tow chains or cables must be at-
tached only to the vehicle recovery
hooks or main structural members
of the vehicle. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle body will be damaged.
. Do not use the vehicle tie downs to
free a vehicle stuck in sand, snow,
mud, etc.
. Never tow a vehicle using the vehi-
cle tie downs or recovery hooks.
In case of emergency6-21

6-22In case of emergency
.Always pull the cable straight out
from the front of the vehicle. Never
pull on the vehicle at an angle.
. Pulling devices should be routed so
they do not touch any part of the
suspension, steering, brake or cool-
ing systems.
. Pulling devices such as ropes or
canvas straps are not recommended
for use in vehicle towing or recov-
ery.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
system.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear an area around the front tires.
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and back- ward.
.Shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and D (Drive) (automatic transmission
models) or 1st and R (Reverse) (manual
transmission models) .
.Apply the accelerator as little as possibleto maintain the rocking motion.
.Release the accelerator pedal beforeshifting between R (Reverse) and D
(Drive) (automatic transmission models)
or 1st and R (Reverse) (manual transmis-
sion models) .
.Do not spin the tires above 35 MPH (55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few tries, contact a professional towing service
to remove the vehicle.

CAUTION
Do not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
Aluminum alloy wheels
Wash regularly with a sponge dampened in a
mild soap solution, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used. Salt
could discolor the wheels if not removed.
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
after the cleaner is applied.
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 discoloration of the
rubber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires, it
may react with the coating and form a com-
pound. 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 coat-
ing 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 recom-
mended by tire dressing manufacturer. 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 dam-
pened 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 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 classifica-
tion sensor. This can also affect the
operation of the air bag system and
result in serious personal injury.
Appearance and care7-5
CLEANING INTERIOR

8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirement ........................................................ 8-3Scheduled maintenance .................................................... 8-3
General maintenance ......................................................... 8-3
Where to go for service .................................................... 8-3
General maintenance ............................................................... 8-3 Explanation of maintenance items ................................... 8-3
Maintenance precautions ........................................................ 8-6
Engine compartment check locations .................................. 8-8 VQ37VHR engine model .................................................. 8-8
Engine cooling system ............................................................. 8-9
Checking engine coolant level ...................................... 8-10
Changing engine coolant ............................................... 8-10
Engine oil ........................................................................\
......... 8-11
Checking engine oil level ............................................... 8-11
Changing engine oil and filter ....................................... 8-11
Automatic transmission fluid ............................................... 8-13
Power steering fluid ............................................................... 8-13
Brake and clutch fluid ........................................................... 8-14 Brake fluid ........................................................................\
.. 8-14
Clutch fluid (Manual transmission models) ............... 8-15
Window washer fluid ............................................................ 8-15
Battery ........................................................................\
............... 8-16 Jump starting ..................................................................... 8-17 Variable voltage control system ......................................... 8-18
Drive belts ........................................................................\
....... 8-18
Spark plugs ........................................................................\
..... 8-19
Replacing spark plugs .................................................. 8-19
Air cleaner ........................................................................\
....... 8-19
Windshield wiper blades ..................................................... 8-20
Cleaning ........................................................................\
... 8-20
Replacing ........................................................................\
. 8-21
Brakes ........................................................................\
.............. 8-22 Self-adjusting brakes .................................................... 8-22
Brake pad wear warning .............................................. 8-22
Fuses ........................................................................\
................ 8-22 Engine compartment ..................................................... 8-22
Passenger compartment .............................................. 8-24
Intelligent Key battery replacement ................................... 8-25
Lights ........................................................................\
................ 8-27
Coupe ........................................................................\
....... 8-27
Roadster ........................................................................\
... 8-28
Headlights ........................................................................\
8-29
Exterior and interior lights ............................................ 8-29
Wheels and tires ................................................................... 8-31 Tire pressure ................................................................... 8-31
Tire labeling ..................................................................... 8-34

Types of tires ..................................................................... 8-36
Tire chains ........................................................................\
.. 8-37
Changing wheels and tires ............................................ 8-38 Emergency tire puncture repair kit
(if so equipped) .............................................................. 8-41

8-4Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Make sure that the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights are all
operating properly and installed securely. Also
check headlight aim.
Road wheel nuts (lug nuts)*:When checking
the tires, make sure no wheel nuts are missing,
and check for any loose wheel nuts. Tighten if
necessary.
Tire rotation*: Tires cannot be rotated, as the
front tires are a different size from the rear tires
and the direction of wheel rotation is fixed in
each tire.
Tires*: Check the pressure with a gauge often
and always prior to long distance trips. If
necessary, adjust the pressure in all tires,
including the spare, to the pressure specified.
Check carefully for damage, cuts or excessive
wear.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
transmitter components: Replace the TPMS
transmitter grommet seal, valve core and cap
when the tires are replaced due to wear or age.
Tire, wheel alignment and balance: If the
vehicle should pull to either side while driving on
a straight and level road, or if you detect uneven
or abnormal tire wear, there may be a need for
wheel alignment.
If the steering wheel or seat vibrates at normal
highway speeds, wheel balancing may be needed.
For additional information regarding tires, refer
to “Important Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information” (Canada) in the
NISSAN Warranty Information Booklet.
Windshield:
Clean the windshield on a regular
basis. Check the windshield at least every six
months for cracks or other damage. Have a
damaged windshield repaired by a qualified
repair facility.
Windshield wiper blades*: Check for cracks
or wear if they do not wipe properly.
Inside the vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked on a regular basis, such as when
performing scheduled maintenance, cleaning
the vehicle, etc.
Accelerator pedal: Check the pedal for
smooth operation and make sure the pedal
does not catch or require uneven effort. Keep
the floor mat away from the pedal.
Automatic transmission P (Park) mechan-
ism: On a fairly steep hill, check that your
vehicle is held securely with the selector lever in
the P (Park) position without applying any
brakes.
Brake pedal: Check the pedal for smooth
operation. If the brake pedal suddenly goes down further than normal, the pedal feels
spongy or the vehicle seems to take longer to
stop, see a NISSAN dealer immediately. Keep
the floor mat away from the pedal.
Brakes:
Check that the brakes do not pull the
vehicle to one side when applied.
Parking brake: Check the parking brake
operation regularly. The vehicle should be
securely held on a fairly steep hill with only the
parking brake applied. If the parking brake needs
adjusted, see a NISSAN dealer.
Seat belts: Check that all parts of the seat belt
system (for example, buckles, anchors, adjuster
and retractors) operate properly and smoothly,
and are installed securely. Check the belt
webbing for cuts, fraying, wear or damage.
Seats: Check seat position controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, 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.

If you have a flat tire, see “Flat tire” (P.6-2) .
TIRE PRESSURE
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) . It monitors tire
pressure of all tires except the spare. When
the low tire pressure warning light is lit, one or
more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
The TPMS will activate only when the vehicle is
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h).
Also, this system may not detect a sudden drop
in tire pressure (for example a flat tire while
driving) .
For more details, see “Low tire pressure warning
light” (P.2-12) , “Tire Pressure Monitoring Sys-
tem (TPMS)” (P.5-3) and “Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS)” (P.6-2) .
Tire inflation pressure
Check the pressure of the tires (including
the spare) often and always prior to long
distance trips. The recommended tire
pressure specifications are shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label under
the “Cold Tire Pressure” heading. The Tire
and Loading Information label is affixed to
the driver side center pillar. Tire pressuresshould be checked regularly because:
.
Most tires naturally lose air over time.
. Tires can lose air suddenly when driven
over potholes or other objects or if the
vehicle strikes a curb while parking.
The tire pressures should be checked
when the tires are cold. The tires are
considered COLD after the vehicle has
been parked for 3 or more hours, or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at moderate
speeds.
Incorrect tire pressure, including un-
der inflation, may adversely affect tire
life and vehicle handling.
WARNING
. Improperly inflated tires can fail
suddenly and cause an accident.
. The Gross Vehicle Weight rating
(GVWR) is located on the F.M.V.
S.S./C.M.V.S.S. label. The vehi-
cle weight capacity is indicated
on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation label. Do not load your
vehicle beyond this capacity. Overloading your vehicle may
result in reduced tire life, unsafe
operating conditions due to pre-
mature tire failure, or unfavor-
able handling characteristics
and could also lead to a serious
accident. Loading beyond the
specified capacity may also re-
sult in failure of other vehicle
components.
. Before taking a long trip, or
whenever you heavily load your
vehicle, use a tire pressure
gauge to ensure that the tire
pressures are at the specified
level.
. For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Important
Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information” (Cana-
da) in the Warranty Information
Booklet.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-31
WHEELS AND TIRES

8-32Maintenance and do-it-yourself
SDI2462
Tire and Loading Information label
*1Seating capacity: The maximum num-
ber of occupants that can be seated in
the vehicle.
*2Vehicle load limit: See “Vehicle load-
ing information” (P.9-17).
*3Original size: The size of the tires
originally installed on the vehicle at the
factory.
*4Cold tire pressure: Inflate the tires to
this pressure when the tires are cold.
Tires are considered COLD after the
vehicle has been parked for 3 or morehours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km) at moderate speeds. The recom-
mended cold tire inflation is set by the
manufacturer to provide the best
balance of tire wear, vehicle handling,
driveability, tire noise, etc., up to the
vehicle’s GVWR.
*5Tire size — see “Tire labeling” (P.8-
34).
*6Spare tire size or compact spare tire
size (if so equipped)

SDI1949
Checking the tire pressure
1. Remove the valve stem cap from thetire.
2. Press the pressure gauge squarely onto the valve stem. Do not press too hard or
force the valve stem sideways, or air will
escape. If the hissing sound of air
escaping from the tire is heard while
checking the pressure, reposition the
gauge to eliminate this leakage.
3. Remove the gauge.
4. Read the tire pressure on the gauge stem and compare it to the specifica- tion shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label.
5. Add air to the tire as needed. If too much air is added, press the core of the
valve stem briefly with the tip of the
gauge stem to release pressure. Re-
check the pressure and add or release
air as needed.
6. Install the valve stem cap.
7. Check the pressure of all other tires, including the spare.
Coupe models (except for NISMO models):
SIZE COLD TIRE
INFLATION PRES-
SURE
FRONT
ORIGINAL TIRE 225/50R18
95W
240 kPa,
35 PSI
245/40R19
94W 240 kPa,
35 PSI
REAR ORI- GINALTIRE 245/45R18
96W
240 kPa,
35 PSI
275/35R19
96W 240 kPa,
35 PSI
SPARE TIRE T145/80-
D17 107M
420 kPa,
60 PSI
T145/70-
R18 107M 420 kPa,
60 PSI
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-33

8-34Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Roadster models (except for NISMO mod-
els):
SIZECOLD TIRE
INFLATION
PRES-SURE
FRONT
ORIGINAL TIRE 225/50R18
95W
260 kPa,
38 PSI
245/40R19
94W 240 kPa,
35 PSI
REAR ORI- GINAL
TIRE 245/45R18
96W
260 kPa,
38 PSI
275/35R19
96W 240 kPa,
35 PSI
SPARE TIRE T145/80-
D17 107M
420 kPa,
60 PSI
T145/70-
R18 107M 420 kPa,
60 PSI
NISMO models:
SIZECOLD TIRE
INFLATION PRES-
SURE
FRONT
ORIGINAL TIRE 245/40R19
98Y
240 kPa,
35 PSI
REAR ORI- GINAL
TIRE 285/35R19
99Y
240 kPa,
35 PSI
SPARE TIRE T145/70-
R18 420 kPa,
60 PSI
SDI1575
Example
TIRE LABELING
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to
place standardized information on the side-
wall of all tires. This information identifies
and describes the fundamental character-
istics of the tire and also provides the tire
identification number (TIN) for safety stan-
dard certification. The TIN can be used to
identify the tire in case of a recall.