tire wear NISSAN LEAF 2020 Owner´s Manual

8 Maintenance and do-it yourself
Maintenance requirement.......................8-2
Scheduled maintenance .....................8-2
General maintenance ........................8-2
Where to go for service .......................8-2
General maintenance ...........................8-2
Explanation of maintenance items ...........8-2
Maintenance precautions .......................8-5
Motor compartment check locations ...........8-7
Cooling system .................................8-8
Checking coolant level .......................8-9
Changing coolant ............................8-9
Reduction gear fluid ............................ 8-10
Brake fluid ...................................... 8-10
Windshield-washer fluid .........................8-11
12-volt battery .................................. 8-12
Jump starting ............................... 8-14
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-14
Cleaning .................................... 8-14
Replacing ................................... 8-14Rear window wiper blade
...................8-17
Brakes ......................................... 8-17
Brake pad wear warning ....................8-17
Fuses .......................................... 8-18
Motor compartment ........................ 8-18
Passenger compartment ...................8-21
Nissan Intelligent Key® battery replacement ....8-22
Lights .......................................... 8-24
Headlights .................................. 8-25
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-25
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-26
Wheels and tires ............................... 8-28
Tire pressure ................................ 8-28
Tire labeling ................................. 8-33
Types of tires ................................ 8-35
Tire chains .................................. 8-36
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-37
Emergency tire puncture repair kit ..........8-39

that the secondary latch keeps the motor
hood from opening when the primary latch
is released.
When driving in areas using road salt or
other corrosive materials, check lubrica-
tion frequently.
Lights*:Clean the headlights on a regular
basis. Make sure that the headlights, stop
lights, tail lights, turn signal lights and other
lights are all operating properly and in-
stalled securely. Also check the aim of the
headlights.
Road wheel nuts (lug nuts)*: When check-
ing the tires, make sure that no wheel nuts
are missing, and check for any loose wheel
nuts. Tighten if necessary.
Tire rotation*: Tires should be rotated ev-
ery 7,500 miles (12,000 km).
Tires*: Check the pressure with a gauge
of ten and always prior to long distance
trips. If necessary, adjust the pressure in all
tires to the pressure specified. Check care-
fully 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. Wheel alignment and balance:
If the ve-
hicle pulls to either side while driving on a
straight and level road, or if you detect un-
even 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 Warranty Information Booklet.
Windshield: Clean the windshield on a
regular basis. Check the windshield at least
every six months for cracks or other dam-
age. Have a damaged windshield repaired
by a qualified repair facility.
Wiper blades*: Check for cracks or wear if
they do not wipe properly.
Inside 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 that the pedal does not catch or require uneven
effort. Keep the floor mat away from the
pedal.
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, it is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN certified LEAF 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.
Electric shif t P (Park) position mecha-
nism: On a steep hill, check that the vehicle
is held securely while the vehicle is in the P
(Park) position without applying the brakes.
Parking brake: Check the parking brake
operation regularly. The vehicle should be
securely held on a steep hill with only the
parking brake applied. If the parking brake
cannot keep a vehicle position, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN certified
LEAF dealer for this service.
Seat: Check seat position controls such as
the seat adjusters, seatback recliners, etc.
to ensure that they operate smoothly and
that all latches lock securely in every posi-
tion. Check that the head restraints/
headrests move up and down smoothly
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-3

Tire and Loading Information
label
O1Seating capacity: The maximum
number of occupants that can be
seated in the vehicle.
O2Original size: The size of the tires
originally installed on the vehicle at
the factory.
O3Cold tire pressure: Inflate the tires
to this pressure when the tires are
cold. Tires are considered COLD af- ter the vehicle has been parked for 3
or more hours, or driven less than 1
mile (1.6 km) at moderate speeds.
The recommended cold tire inflation
is set by the manufacturer to pro-
vide the best balance of tire wear,
vehicle handling, driveability, tire
noise, etc., up to the vehicle’s GVWR.O4Tire size — refer to “Tire labeling” in
this section.
O5Spare tire size or compact spare
tire size (if so equipped)
O6Vehicle load limit: For additional
information, refer to “Vehicle loading
information” in the “Technical and
consumer information” section of
this manual.
LDI2644
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-31

O6Term of “tubeless” or “tube type”
Indicates whether the tire requires
an inner tube (“tube type”) or not
(“tubeless”).
O7The word “radial”
The word “radial” is shown, if the tire
has radial structure.
O8Manufacturer or brand name
Manufacturer or brand name is
shown.
Other tire-related terminology:
In addition to the many terms that
are defined throughout this section,
Intended Outboard Sidewall is (1) the
sidewall that contains a whitewall,
bears white lettering or bears
manufacturer, brand and/or model
name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same molding on
the other sidewall of the tire, or (2)
the outward facing sidewall of an
asymmetrical tire that has a particu- lar side that must always face out-
ward when mounted on a vehicle.
TYPES OF TIRES
WARNING
• When changing or replacing tires, be
sure all four tires are of the same type
(Example: Summer, All Season or
Snow) and construction. A NISSAN
certified LEAF dealer may be able to
help you with information about tire
type, size, speed rating and
availability.
• Always use tires of the same type,
size, brand, construction and tread
pattern on all four wheels. Failure to
do so may result in a circumference
difference between tires on the front
and rear axles which can cause the
VDC system to malfunction resulting
in personal injury or death, excessive
tie wear and may damage the trans-
mission and differential gears.
• Replacement tires may have a lower
speed rating than the factory
equipped tires, and may not match
the potential maximum vehicle
speed. Never exceed the maximum
speed rating of the tire. •
Replacing tires with those not origi-
nally specified by NISSAN could af-
fect the proper operation of the
TPMS.
• For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety In-
formation” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.
All season tires
NISSAN specifies all season tires on some
models to provide good performance all
year, including snowy and icy road condi-
tions. All Season tires are identified by ALL
SEASON and/or M&S (Mud and Snow) on
the tire sidewall. Snow tires have better
snow traction than All Season tires and
may be more appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
NISSAN specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior performance
on dry roads. Summer tire performance is
substantially reduced in snow and ice.
Summer tires do not have the tire traction
rating M&S on the tire sidewall.
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-35

CHANGING WHEELS AND TIRES
Tire rotation
NISSAN recommends rotating the
tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km).
As soon as possible, tighten the
wheel nuts to the specified torque
using a torque wrench.Wheel nut tightening torque:83 f t-lb (113 N·m) The wheel nuts must be kept tight-
ened to the specification at all
times. It is recommended that
wheel nuts be tightened to the
specification at each tire rotation
interval.
WARNING
•
Af ter rotating the tires, check
and adjust the tire pressure.
• Retighten the wheel nuts when
the vehicle has been driven for
600 miles (1,000 km) (also in
cases of a flat tire, etc.).
• For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Impor-
tant Tire Safety Information”
(US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.
Tire wear and damage
1Wear indicator
2Wear indicator location mark
SDI1662SDI1663
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-37

WARNING
•Tires should be periodically in-
spected for wear, cracking,
bulging or objects caught in
the tread. If excessive wear,
cracks, bulging or deep cuts
are found, the tire(s) should be
replaced.
• The original tires have built-in
tread wear indicators. When
wear indicators are visible, the
tire(s) should be replaced.
• Tires degrade with age and
use. Have tires, over 6 years old
checked by a qualified techni-
cian, because some tire dam-
age may not be obvious. Re-
place the tires as necessary to
prevent tire failure and pos-
sible personal injury. •
For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Impor-
tant Tire Safety Information”
(US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.
Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size,
tread design, speed rating and load carry-
ing capacity as originally equipped. For ad-
ditional information, refer to “Specifica-
tions” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual for rec-
ommended types and sizes of tires and
wheels.
WARNING
• The use of tires other than those rec-
ommended or the mixed use of tires
of different brands, construction
(bias, bias-belted or radial), or tread
patterns can adversely affect the
ride, braking, handling, Vehicle Dy-
namic Control (VDC) system, ground
clearance, body-to-tire clearance,
tire chain clearance, speedometer
calibration, headlight aim and bum-
per height. Some of these effects
may lead to accidents and could re-
sult in serious personal injury.
• If your vehicle was originally
equipped with four tires that were
the same size and you are only re-
placing two of the four tires, install
the new tires on the rear axle. Placing
new tires on the front axle may cause
loss of vehicle control in some driving
conditions and cause an accident
and personal injury.
8-38Maintenance and do-it yourself

•If the wheels are changed for any
reason, always replace with wheels
which have the same off-set dimen-
sion. Wheels of a different off-set
could cause premature tire wear, de-
grade vehicle handling characteris-
tics, affect the VDC system and/or in-
terference with the brake discs. Such
interference can lead to decreased
braking efficiency and/or early brake
pad/shoe wear. For additional infor-
mation on wheel-off set dimensions,
refer to “Wheels and tires” in the
“Technical and consumer informa-
tion” section of this manual.
• When replacing a wheel without the
TPMS such as the spare tire, the TPMS
will not function when a wheel is re-
placed, the TPMS will not function
and the low tire pressure warning
light will flash for approximately 1
minute. The light will remain on af ter
1 minute. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer
for this service.
• Replacing tires with those not origi-
nally specified by NISSAN could af-
fect the proper operation of the
TPMS. •
The TPMS sensor may be damaged if
it is not handled correctly. Be careful
when handling the TPMS sensor.
• When replacing the TPMS sensor, the
ID registration may be required. It is
recommended that you visit a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for ID
registration.
• Do not use a valve stem cap that is
not specified by NISSAN. The valve
stem cap may become stuck.
• Be sure that the valve stem caps are
correctly fitted. Otherwise the valve
may be clogged up with dirt and
cause a malfunction or loss of
pressure.
• Do not install a damaged or de-
formed wheel or tire even if it has
been repaired. Such wheels or tires
could have structural damage and
could fail without warning.
• The use of retread tire is not
recommended.
• For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety In-
formation” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.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 balanced 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 Information” (Canada) in
the Warranty Information Booklet.
Care of wheels
For additional information on care of
wheels, refer to “Cleaning exterior” in the
“Appearance and care” section of this
manual.
EMERGENCY TIRE PUNCTURE
REPAIR KIT
The emergency tire puncture repair kit
(Emergency Tire Sealant) is supplied with
the vehicle instead of a spare tire. It can be
used to temporarily repair minor tire punc-
tures.
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-39

9 Technical and consumer information
Recommended fluids/lubricants and
capacities.......................................9-2
Air conditioning system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations .................9-2
Specifications ...................................9-4
Charging system .............................9-4
Motor ........................................9-4
Wheels and tires .............................9-5
Dimensions and weights .....................9-5
When traveling or registering in another
country .........................................9-6
Vehicle identification ............................9-7
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
plate .........................................9-7
Vehicle identification number
(chassis number) .............................9-7
Traction motor serial number ................9-8
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S Certification label ..........9-8
Emission control information label ...........9-8
Tire and Loading Information label ...........9-9
Air conditioner specification label ............9-9
Installing front license plate .....................9-9
Vehicle loading information ....................9-10Terms
....................................... 9-10
Vehicle load capacity ......................... 9-11
Loading tips ................................. 9-13
Measurement of weights ....................9-13
Towing a trailer ................................. 9-14
Flat towing ..................................... 9-14
Uniform tire quality grading ....................9-14
Treadwear .................................. 9-14
Traction AA, A, B and C ....................... 9-15
Temperature A, B and C .....................9-15
Reporting safety defects .......................9-15
Telematics overview (models with Navigation
System) ........................................ 9-16
Telematic Control Unit Gen2K ..................9-18
Event Data Recorders (EDR) ....................9-20
Additional Data Recording (on vehicles
equipped with optional ProPILOT
Assist) ....................................... 9-20
Owner's Manual/Service Manual order
information .................................... 9-21
Charging information .......................... 9-22
Cold tire pressures ............................. 9-24

Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle.Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is sometimes called flat towing.
This method is typically used when towing
a vehicle behind a recreational vehicle,
such as a motor home.
CAUTION
• Failure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe reduction gear
damage.
• DO NOT tow this vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground (flat towing).
• For emergency towing procedures
refer to “Towing your vehicle” in the
“In case of emergency ” section of this
manual. DOT (Department Of Transportation) Qual-
ity Grades: All passenger car tires must
conform to federal safety requirements in
addition to these grades.
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature
A
TREADWEAR
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon actual conditions of their use how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
TOWING A TRAILER
FLAT TOWINGUNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
9-14Technical and consumer information