maintenance NISSAN ARMADA 2010 Owner's Manual

Steering wheelCheck for changes in the steer-
ing system, such as excessive freeplay, hard
steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes Make sure all
warning lights and chimes are operating properly.
Windshield wiper and washer* Check that
the wipers and washer operate properly and that
the wipers do not streak.
Windshield defroster Check that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly and in
sufficient quantity when operating the heater or
air conditioner.
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. Ve-
hicles operated in high temperatures or under
severe conditions require frequent checks of the
battery fluid level.
Brake fluid level* Make sure that the brake fluid
level is between the MIN and MAX lines on the
reservoir.
Engine coolant level* Check the coolant level
when the engine is cold. Engine drive belts*
Make sure the drive belts
are not frayed, worn, cracked or oily.
Engine oil level* Check the level after parking
the vehicle on a level surface with the engine off.
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, immediately have the exhaust
system inspected by a NISSAN dealer. See the
carbon monoxide warning in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
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 imme-
diately.
Power steering fluid level* and lines Check
the level when the fluid is cold, 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 from the
underbody, otherwise rust may form on the floor
pan, frame, fuel lines and exhaust system. At the
end of winter, the underbody should be thor-
oughly flushed with plain water, in those areas
where mud and dirt may have accumulated. See
the “Appearance and care” section of this
manual.
Windshield washer fluid* Check that there is
adequate fluid in the reservoir.
8-4Maintenance and do-it-yourself
REVIEW COPY—2010 Armada (wzw)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/18/09—debbie


When performing any inspection or maintenance
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.

5. Remove the dipstick again and check the oillevel. It should be between the H (High) and
L (Low) marks
B. This is the normal oper-
ating oil level range. If the oil level is below
the L (Low) mark
A, remove the oil filler cap
and pour recommended oil through the
opening. Do not overfill
C.
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 severity
of operating conditions.

If excessive tire wear is found, it is recommended
that all four tires be replaced with tires of the
same size, brand, construction and tread pattern.
The tire pressure and wheel alignment should
also be checked and corrected as necessary.
Contact a NISSAN dealer.
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 bal-
anced as required.
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle.
Spin balancing the wheels on the vehicle
could lead to mechanical damage.● For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety Infor-
mation” (Canada) in the Warranty In-
formation Booklet.
Care of wheels
●Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle
to maintain their appearance.
● Clean the inner side of the wheels when the
wheel is changed or the underside of the
vehicle is washed. ●
Do not use abrasive cleaners when washing
the wheels.
● Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause loss of
pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
● NISSAN recommends waxing the road
wheels to protect against road salt in areas
where it is used during winter.
8-44Maintenance and do-it-yourself
REVIEW COPY—2010 Armada (wzw)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/18/09—debbie


The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be slightly different. When refilling, follow the procedure
described in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section to determine the proper refill capacity.

ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATIONS
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose the correct grade, quality
and viscosity engine oil to ensure satisfactory
engine life and performance. See “Capacities
and recommended fuel/lubricants” earlier in this
section. NISSAN recommends the use of an
energy conserving oil in order to improve fuel
economy.
Select only engine oils that meet the American
Petroleum Institute (API) certification or Interna-
tional Lubricant Standardization and ApprovalCommittee (ILSAC) certification and SAE vis-
cosity standard. These oils have the API certifica-
tion mark on the front of the container. Oils which
do not have the specified quality label should not
be used as they could cause engine damage.Oil additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not neces-
sary when the proper oil type is used and main-
tenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has been
previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness changes
with temperature. Because of this, it is important
to select the engine oil viscosity based on the
temperatures at which the vehicle will be oper-
ated before the next oil change. Choosing an oil
viscosity other than that recommended could
cause serious engine damage.
Selecting the correct oil filter
Your new NISSAN vehicle is equipped with a
high-quality genuine NISSAN oil filter. When re-
placing, use a genuine NISSAN oil filter or its
equivalent for the reason described in “Change
intervals.”
Change intervals
The oil and oil filter change intervals for your
engine are based on the use of the specified
quality oils and filters. Using engine oil and filters
that are not of the specified quality, or exceeding
recommended oil and filter change intervals could
reduce engine life. Damage to the engine caused
by improper maintenance or use of incorrect oil
and filter quality and/or viscosity is not covered by
the NISSAN new vehicle limited warranty.

Your engine was filled with a high-quality engine
oil when it was built. You do not have to change
the oil before the first recommended change
interval. Oil and filter change intervals depend
upon how you use your vehicle.
Operation under the following conditions may
require more frequent oil and filter changes:● repeated short distance driving at cold out-
side temperatures
● driving in dusty conditions
● extensive idling
● towing a trailer
● stop and go commuting
Refer to the “NISSAN Service and Maintenance
Guide” for the maintenance schedule.
AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM
REFRIGERANT AND OIL
RECOMMENDATIONS
The air conditioner system in your NISSAN
vehicle must be charged with the refriger-
ant HFC-134a (R-134a) and the oil, NISSAN
A/C system oil Type S or the exact equiva-
lents.

3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal-anced as described earlier in this section.
● Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
● Use the Tow Mode or downshift the trans-
mission to a lower gear for engine braking
when driving down steep or long hills. This
will help slow the vehicle without applying
the brakes.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
● Increase your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
● NISSAN recommends that the cruise con-
trol not be used while towing a trailer.
● Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits. ●
Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
● When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
● Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
Tow mode
Using tow mode is recommended when pulling a
heavy trailer or hauling a heavy load. Press the
TOW MODE switch to activate tow mode. The
indicator light on the TOW MODE switch illumi-
nates when tow mode is selected. Press the
TOW MODE switch again to turn tow mode off.
Tow mode is automatically cancelled when the
ignition switch is turned OFF.
Tow mode includes the following features: ●
Grade logic — Adjusts transmission shifts
when pulling a trailer or hauling a load up a
grade.
● Downhill Speed Control (DSC) — automati-
cally downshifts when driving down a grade
with a trailer or heavy load to help control
vehicle speed.
Driving the vehicle in the tow mode with no
trailer/load or light trailer/light load will not cause
any damage. However, fuel economy may be
reduced and the transmission/engine driving
characteristics may feel unusual.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
FLAT TOWING
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor
home.
9-28Technical and consumer information
REVIEW COPY—2010 Armada (wzw)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/18/09—debbie


If you believe that your vehicle has a de-
fect which could cause a crash or could
cause injury or death, you should immedi-
ately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addi-
tion to notifying NISSAN.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot be-
come involved in individual problems be-
tween you, your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Ve-
hicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-
327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go
to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590.
You can also obtain other information
about motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov.
You may notify NISSAN by contacting our
Consumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at
1-800-NISSAN-1.Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready condi-
tion” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of
the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition” when it
is driven through certain driving patterns. Usually,
the ready condition can be obtained by ordinary
usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired or
the battery is disconnected, the vehicle may be
reset to a “not ready” condition. Before taking the
I/M test, check the vehicle’s
inspection/maintenance test readiness condi-
tion. Turn the ignition switch ON without starting
the engine. If the Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) comes on steady for 20 seconds and then
blinks for 10 seconds , the I/M test condition is
“not ready”. If the MIL does not blink after 20
seconds, the I/M test condition is “ready”. If the
MIL indicates the vehicle is in a “not ready” con-
dition, drive the vehicle through the following
pattern to set the vehicle to the ready condition. If
you cannot or do not want to perform the driving
pattern, a NISSAN dealer can conduct it for you.

Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Engine coolant ................8-7
Engine oil ...................8-8
Power steering fluid .............8-11
Window washer fluid ............8-13
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ..........9-11
Fog light switch .................2-33
Front air bag system (See supplemental
restraint system) ................1-61
Front seats ....................1-2
Front sonar system ...............5-32
Fuel Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Fuel economy ................5-20
Fuel gauge ..................2-7
Fuel octane rating ..............9-4
Fuel recommendation ............9-3
Fuel-filler door and cap ...........3-28
Fuses ......................8-22
Fusible links ...................8-24
G
Garage door opener, HomeLink Universal
Transceiver ...................2-58
Gascap.....................3-28
Gauge Automatic transmission fluid temperature
gauge .....................2-9
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-6
Engine oil pressure gauge ..........2-8
Fuel gauge ..................2-7
Odometer ...................2-5 Speedometer
.................2-5
Tachometer ..................2-6
Trip odometer .................2-5
Voltmeter ...................2-8
General maintenance ..............8-2
Glass hatch ...................3-28
Glove box ....................2-41
Glove box lock ................

.2-41
H
Hands-free phone system, Bluetooth . . . .4-92,
4-107
Hazard warning flasher switch .........2-34
Headlight and turn signal switch ........2-30
Headlight control switch ............2-30
Headlights ....................8-28
Headphones (See NISSAN mobile
entertainment system) .............4-80
Heated seats ..................2-35
Heated steering wheel .............2-35
Heater Heater and air conditioner controls . . . .4-36
Heater operation ..............4-37
Rear seat air conditioner ..........4-38
HomeLink Universal Transceiver .......2-58
Hood release ..................3-23
Hook Luggage hook ................2-47
Horn .......................2-34
I
Ignition switch ..................5-9 Immobilizer system
.........2-27, 3-4, 5-12
Important vehicle information label .......9-11
In-cabin microfilter ...............8-17
Increasing fuel economy ............5-20
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders) ....................2-13
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror .......3-32
Inside mirror ...................3-32
Instrument brightness control .........2-33
Instrument panel ..............0-6, 2-2
Instrument panel dimmer switch ........2-33
Intelligent Key system Key operating range ............3-14
Key operation ................3-15
Mechanical key ................3-3
Remote keyless entry operation ......3-17
Troubleshooting guide ...........3-22
Warning signals..............

.3-22
Interior light ...................2-55
ISOFIX child restraints .............1-34
J
Jump starting ...................6-8
K
Key ........................3-2
Keyfob battery replacement ..........8-25
Keyless entry With Intelligent Key system
(See Intelligent Key system) ........3-17
10-3
REVIEW COPY—2010 Armada(wzw)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
03/09/09—tbrooks