steering NISSAN 370Z COUPE 2013 Z34 Service Manual

Black plate (318,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
5-32Starting and driving
.Watch for slippery spots (glare ice) .
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a
patch of ice is seen ahead, brake
before reaching it. Try not to brake
while on the ice, and avoid any
sudden steering maneuvers.
. Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads.
. Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)
GUID-B66B836E-8957-4821-B18D-D308ADF63156Engine block heaters are used to assist with
cold temperature starting.
The engine block heater should be used when
the outside temperature is 208F (−78C) or lower.
To use the engine block heaterGUID-FE32890E-CDEC-4D19-B00B-0CDF0D3368C21. Turn the engine off.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the engine
block heater cord.
3. Plug the engine block heater cord into a grounded 3-wire, 3-pronged extension cord. 4. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault
Interrupt (GFI) protected, grounded 110-
volt AC (VAC) outlet.
5. The engine block heater must be plugged in for at least 2 - 4 hours, depending on
outside temperatures, to properly warm the
engine coolant. Use an appropriate timer to
turn the engine block heater on.
6. Before starting the engine, unplug and
properly store the cord to keep it away from
moving parts.
WARNING
.Do not use your engine block heater
with an ungrounded electrical sys-
tem or a 2-pronged adapter. You can
be seriously injured by an electrical
shock if you use an ungrounded
connection.
. Disconnect and properly store the
engine block heater cord before
starting the engine. Damage to the
cord could result in an electrical
shock and can cause serious injury.
. Use a heavy-duty 3-wire, 3-pronged
extension cord rated for at least
10A. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) pro-
tected, grounded 110-VAC outlet.
Failure to use the proper extension
cord or a grounded outlet can result
in a fire or electrical shock and
cause serious personal injury.

Black plate (320,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
6-2In case of emergency
GUID-3E9E938E-A3E3-423E-B834-CC8CEDED686DTo shut off the engine in an emergency situation
while driving, perform the following procedure:
.Rapidly push the push-button ignition switch
3 consecutive times in less than 1.5
seconds, or
. Push and hold the push-button ignition
switch for more than 2 seconds.
GUID-5DE4E947-B84D-4D47-B2EC-879369E4200DTIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYS-
TEM (TPMS)
GUID-798990E0-F0C8-4003-8F39-B9227314C28FThis 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 and the
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning appears on
the vehicle information display, one or more of
your tires is significantly under-inflated. If the
vehicle is being driven with low tire pressure, the
TPMS will activate and warn you of it by the low
tire pressure warning light. This system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h). For more
details, see “Warning/indicator lights and audi-
ble reminders” (P.2-9) and “Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS)” (P.5-3) .
WARNING
.If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull
off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possi-
ble. Driving with under-inflated tires
may permanently damage the tires
and increase the likelihood of tire failure. Serious vehicle damage
could occur and may lead to an
accident and could result in serious
personal injury. Check the tire pres-
sure for all four tires. Adjust the tire
pressure to the recommended COLD
tire pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light
OFF. If the light still illuminates
while driving after adjusting the tire
pressure, a tire may be flat. If you
have a flat tire, replace it with a
spare tire as soon as possible.
. 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 approxi-
mately 1 minute. The light will
remain on after 1 minute. Contact
your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/
or system resetting.
. Replacing tires with those not ori-
ginally specified by NISSAN could
affect the proper operation of the
TPMS.
. Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,
EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF FLAT TIRE

Black plate (328,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
6-10In case of emergency
ging a flat tire (for models with spare tire)”
(P.6-3) for usage of jacking tools and tire
replacement.
Before using emergency tire puncture
repair kit
GUID-9F5059ED-1AF3-4162-BEBE-B8FBB17A3190.If any foreign object (for example, a screw or
nail) is embedded in the tire, do not remove
it.
. Check the expiration date of the sealant
(shown on the label attached to the bottle) .
Never use a sealant whose expiration date
has passed.
Repairing tireGUID-13AA0834-2C22-475D-A716-6A989874535A
WARNING
Observe the following precautions
when using the tire repair compound.
.Swallowing the compound is dan-
gerous. Immediately drink as much
water as possible and seek prompt
medical assistance.
. Rinse well with lots of water if the
compound comes into contact with
skin or eyes. If irritation persists,
seek prompt medical attention. .
Keep the repair compound out of
the reach of children.
. The emergency repair compound
may cause a malfunction of the tire
pressure sensors and cause the low
tire pressure warning light to illumi-
nate. Have the tire pressure sensor
replaced as soon as possible.
NOTE:
Do not remove any nails or screws that
have penetrated the tire when performing
repairs.
SCE0867
1. Open the lid of the air compressor and take out the speed restriction sticker, then put it
in a location where the driver can see it while
driving.
CAUTION
Do not put the speed restriction label
on the steering wheel pad, the speed-
ometer or the warning light locations.

Black plate (336,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
6-18In case of emergency
GUID-F34C3A72-9308-4283-A254-F9C9ED6D783FWhen towing your vehicle, all State (Provincial in
Canada) and local regulations for towing must
be followed. Incorrect towing equipment could
damage your vehicle. Towing instructions are
available from a NISSAN dealer. Local service
operators are familiar with the applicable laws
and procedures for towing. To assure proper
towing and to prevent accidental damage to
your vehicle, NISSAN recommends that you
have a service operator tow your vehicle. It is
advisable to have the service operator carefully
read the following precautions.
WARNING
.Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
. Never get under your vehicle after it
has been lifted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
.When towing, make sure that the
transmission, axles, steering system
and drivetrain are in working condi-
tion. If any unit is damaged, dollies
must be used. .
Always attach safety chains before
towing.
For information about towing your vehicle behind
a recreational vehicle (RV), see “Flat towing”
(P.9-21) of this manual.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE

Black plate (337,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
SCE0792
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN (except for NISMO models)
GUID-65B2F390-EBB8-4FBF-8FD4-945BDB884083NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (rear) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as
illustrated.
CAUTION
.Never tow automatic transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the
ground (forward or backward) , as
this may cause serious and expen- sive damage to the drivetrain. If it is
necessary to tow the vehicle with
the front wheels raised, always use
towing dollies under the rear
wheels.
. When towing rear wheel drive mod-
els with the front wheels on the
ground or on towing dollies: Push
the ignition switch to the ACC or ON
position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device.
. If you have to tow manual transmis-
sion models with the rear wheels on the ground (if you do not use towing
dollies) or four wheels on the
ground:
— Push the ignition switch to the
ON position and turn off all
accessories.
— Always release the parking brake.
— Move the transmission shift le- ver to the N (Neutral) position.
— Observe the following restricted towing speeds and distances for
manual transmission models
only:
.Rear wheels on the ground:
Speed: Below 50 MPH (80
km/h)
Distance: Less than 50 miles
(80 km)
.Four wheels on the ground:Speed: Below 70 MPH (112
km/h)
Distance: Less than 500 miles
(800 km)
— If the speed or distance must necessarily be greater, remove
the propeller shaft before tow-
In case of emergency6-19

Black plate (340,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
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 vehicleGUID-1F515541-8096-42B5-BC89-49A51BF43A3CIf 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.

Black plate (349,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirement...
........................................................ 8-3
Scheduled 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 ...
..................................................................... 8-18 Variable voltage control system
...
......................................... 8-18
Drive belts ...
........................................................................\
....... 8-19
Spark plugs ...
........................................................................\
..... 8-19
Replacing spark plugs ...
.................................................. 8-20
Air cleaner ...
........................................................................\
....... 8-20
Windshield wiper blades ...
..................................................... 8-21
Cleaning ...
........................................................................\
... 8-21
Replacing ...
........................................................................\
. 8-21
Brakes ...
........................................................................\
.............. 8-22
Self-adjusting brakes ...
.................................................... 8-22
Brake pad wear warning ...
.............................................. 8-22
Fuses ...
........................................................................\
................ 8-23
Engine compartment ...
..................................................... 8-23
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

Black plate (352,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
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 vehicleGUID-E15964BB-B42E-4249-B9EF-31ED8BEF32A4The 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.

Black plate (353,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
Windshield defroster:Check that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly and
in sufficient quantity when operating the heater
or air conditioner.
Windshield wiper and washer*: Check that
the wipers and washer operate properly and that
the wipers do not streak.
Under the hood and vehicleGUID-D0B58847-013F-491F-B263-6B869D9C88DDThe 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 temperatures 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 discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of electro-
nic 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 levels*:
Make sure
that the brake and clutch fluid levels are
between the MAX and MIN lines on the
reservoirs.
Engine coolant level*: Check the coolant level
when the engine is cold.
Engine drive belts*: Make sure that no belt is
frayed, worn, cracked or oily.
Engine oil level*: Check the level after parking
the vehicle on a level spot and turning off the
engine. Wait more than 15 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, immediately have the exhaust
system inspected by a NISSAN dealer. (See
“Precautions when starting and driving” (P.5-2)
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 fuel fumes are evident,
check for the cause and have it corrected
immediately. Power steering fluid level* and lines:
Check
the level with the engine off. Check the lines for
proper attachment, leaks, cracks, etc.
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 ex-
posed to corrosive substances such as those
used on icy roads or to control dust. It is very
important to remove these substances, other-
wise 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 accumu-
late. For additional information, see “Cleaning
exterior” (P.7-2).
Windshield washer fluid*: Check that there is
adequate fluid in the reservoir.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-5

Black plate (356,1)
[ Edit: 2012/ 4/ 11 Model: Z34-D ]
8-8Maintenance and do-it-yourself
GUID-7EA2D50B-7A0C-4012-9C54-7BD3CF10A3D8
JVM0086X
VQ37VHR ENGINE MODELGUID-E1841C16-4100-4792-B654-1F167FCA4F2B1. Fuse/fusible link holder
2. Battery
3. Radiator filler cap
4. Engine oil dipstick
5. Engine oil filler cap
6. Brake fluid reservoir7.
Clutch fluid reservoir (Manual Transmission
models)
8. Power steering fluid reservoir
9. Window washer fluid reservoir
10 Air cleaner
11. Drive belt location 12. Engine coolant reservoir
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS