winter tires NISSAN MAXIMA 2020 Owner´s Manual

When the vehicle information display is
used to turn off the system, the VDC sys-
tem still operates to prevent one drive
wheel from slipping by transferring power
to a non-slipping drive wheel. The
in-
dicator light flashes if this occurs. All other
VDC functions are off and the
indica-
tor light will not flash.
The VDC system is automatically reset to
ON when the ignition switch is placed in the
OFF position then back to the ON position.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle for-
ward or in reverse at a slow speed. When
the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to help the driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed and
be especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.
∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen- sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator light may flash.
∙ If brake related parts such as brake pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and
the
indicator light may
illuminate. ∙ If engine control related parts are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the
indica-
tor light may illuminate.
∙ When driving on extremely inclined surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash. Do not drive on these types
of roads.
∙ When driving on an unstable surface such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash. This is not a malfunction. Re-
start the engine af ter driving onto a
stable surface.
∙ If wheels or tires other than the NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
Starting and driving5-123

BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the four wheels depending
on the radius of the turn.
WARNING
∙ The VDC system is designed to helpthe driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed and
be especially careful when driving and
cornering on slippery surfaces and al-
ways drive carefully.
∙ Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen- sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator light may flash. ∙ If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and
the
indicator light may
illuminate.
∙ If engine control related parts are not NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the
indica-
tor light may illuminate.
∙ When driving on extremely inclined surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash. Do not drive on these types
of roads.
∙ When driving on an unstable surface such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash. This is not a malfunction. Re-
start the engine af ter driving onto a
stable surface. ∙ If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are used,
the VDC system may not operate
properly and the
indicator light
may flash.
∙ The VDC system is not a substitute for winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
5-124Starting and driving

FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer through the key hole. If the lock
becomes frozen, heat the key before in-
serting it into the key hole or use the re-
mote keyless entry function on the Intelli-
gent Key.
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32°F (0°C),
check the antifreeze to assure proper win-
ter protection. For additional information,
refer to “Engine cooling system” in the “Do-
it-yourself ” section of this manual.
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the
battery fluid may freeze and damage the
battery. To maintain maximum efficiency,
the battery should be checked regularly.
For additional information, refer to “Battery”
in the “Do-it-yourself ” section of this
manual.
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be lef t outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, includ-
ing the engine block. Refill before operating
the vehicle. For additional information, refer
to “Changing engine coolant” in the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed toprovide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance
of these tires will be substantially re-
duced in snowy and icy conditions. If
you operate your vehicle on snowy or
icy roads, NISSAN recommends the use
of MUD & SNOW or ALL SEASON TIRES
on all four wheels. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for the tire
type, size, speed rating and availability
information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, studded tires may be used. However,
some U.S. states and Canadian prov-
inces prohibit their use. Check local,
state and provincial laws before install-
ing studded tires. Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
∙ A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to re- move ice and snow from the windows
and wiper blades.
∙ A sturdy, flat board to be placed under the jack to give it firm support.
∙ A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow- drif ts.
∙ Extra washer fluid to refill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
∙ Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain),very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip” un-
der these conditions. Try to avoid driv-
ing on wet ice until the road is salted
or sanded.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
5-130Starting and driving

To remove the high-mounted stop light (if
so equipped):1. Push downward on the plastic shelf around the stop light
1,liftupwardson
the stop light, releasing it from the shelf
2.
2. Once it is released from the shelf, gently pull the stop light towards the rear
seatback
3.
The high-mounted stop light must be
properly reinstalled before driving your ve-
hicle.
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and
dust film from the glass surfaces. It is nor-
mal for glass to become coated with a film
af ter the vehicle is parked in the hot sun.
Glass cleaner and a sof t cloth will easily
remove this film.
To reinstall the high-mounted stop light,
reverse steps
3, then2.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dows, do not use sharp-edged tools,
abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based
disinfectant cleaners. They could dam-
age the electrical conductors, radio an-
tenna elements or rear window defog-
ger elements.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge
dampened in a mild soap solution, espe-
cially during winter months in areas where
road salt is used. If not removed, road salt
can discolor the wheels.
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 remove
the cleaner within 15 minutes af ter
the cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a
non-abrasive chrome polish to maintain
the finish.
TIRE DRESSINGS
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a
coating to the tires to help reduce discolor-
ation of the rubber. If a tire dressing is ap-
plied to the tires, it may react with the coat-
ing and form a compound. 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 coating on the tire dissolves more easily
than 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 diffi-
cult to remove).
7-4Appearance and care

∙ Do not install a damaged or deformedwheel or tire even if it has been re-
paired. Such wheels or tires could
have structural damage and could fail
without warning.
∙ The use of retread tires is not recommended.
∙ For additional information regarding tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety Infor-
mation” (Canada) in the Warranty In-
formation 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 In-
formation” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.
Care of wheels
∙ Wash the wheels when washing the ve-
hicle 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.
Spare tire (TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire)
When replacing a wheel without the TPMS
such as the spare tire, the TPMS will not
function.
Observe the following precautions if the
TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire must be
used. Otherwise, your vehicle could be
damaged or involved in an accident:
WARNING
∙ The spare tire should be used foremergency use only. It should be re-
placed with the standard tire at the
first opportunity to avoid possible tire
or differential damage.
∙ Drive carefully while the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire is installed. Avoid
sharp turns and abrupt braking while
driving.
∙ Periodically check spare tire inflation pressure. Always keep the pressure of
the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire
at 60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 bar).
∙ With the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire installed do not drive the vehicle
at speeds faster than 50 mph
(80 km/h).
∙ When driving on roads covered with snow or ice, the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire should be used on the
rear wheels and the original tire used
on the front wheels (drive wheels).
Do-it-yourself8-37