transmission NISSAN MURANO 2008 User Guide

Black plate (320,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
terrain. Properly secure all cargo so
it will not be thrown forward and
cause injury to you or your passen-
gers.
.To avoid raising the center of gravity
excessively, do not exceed the rated
capacityoftheroofrack(ifso
equipped) and evenly distribute the
load. Secure heavy loads in the
cargo area as far forward and as
low as possible. Do not equip the
vehicle with tires larger than speci-
fied in this manual. This could cause
your vehicle to roll over.
.Do not grip the inside or spokes of
the steering wheel when driving off-
road. The steering wheel could
move suddenly and injure your
hands. Instead drive with your fin-
gers and thumbs on the outside of
the rim.
.Before operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers
have their seat belts fastened.
.Always drive with the floor mats in
place as the floor may became hot.
.Lower your speed when encounter-
ing strong crosswinds. With a highercenter of gravity, your NISSAN is
more affected by strong side winds.
Slower speeds ensure better vehicle
control.
.Do not drive beyond the perfor-
mance capability of the tires, even
with AWD engaged.
.For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with
the engine running. Doing so may
result in drivetrain damage or un-
expected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle da-
mage or personal injury.
.Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dy-
namometer (such as the dynam-
ometers used by some states for
emissions testing) , or similar equip-
ment even if the other two wheels
are raised off the ground. Make sure
you inform test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with
AWDbeforeitisplacedona
dynamometer. Using the wrong test
equipment may result in drivetrain
damage or unexpected vehiclemovement which could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal
injury. (AWD models)
.When a wheel is off the ground due
to an unlevel surface, do not spin
the wheel excessively.
.Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.
.If at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high
speeds. Your vehicle has a higher
center of gravity than a conventional
passenger car. The vehicle is not
designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional passenger
cars. Failure to operate this vehicle
correctly could result in loss of
control and/or a rollover accident.
.Always use tires of the same type,
size, brand, construction (bias, bias-
belted or radial) , and tread pattern
on all four wheels. Install tire chains
on the front wheels when driving on
slippery roads and drive carefully.
.Be sure to check the brakes imme-
diately after driving in mud or water.
See “BRAKE SYSTEM” later in this
5-8
Starting and driving

Black plate (326,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
cranking by pushing the ignition switch
to OFF. After cranking the engine,
release the accelerator pedal. Crank
the enginewith your foot off the
accelerator pedalby depressing the
brake pedal and pushing the push-
button ignition switch to start the engine.
If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start, push the ignition switch
to OFF and wait 10 seconds before
cranking again, otherwise the starter
could be damaged.
4.Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Do not race the
engine while warming it up. Drive at
moderate speed for a short distance first,
especially in cold weather. In cold weather,
keep the engine running for a minimum of 2 -
3 minutes before shutting it off. Starting and
stopping the engine over a short period of
time may make the vehicle more difficult to
start.5. To stop the engine, shift the selector lever to
the P (Park) position and push the ignition
switch to the OFF position.
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANS-
MISSION (CVT)The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
in your vehicle is electronically controlled to
produce maximum power and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for this
transmission are shown on the following pages.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
Engine power may be automatically re-
duced to protect the CVT if the engine
speed increases quickly when driving on
slippery roads or while being tested on
some dynamometers.Starting the vehicle1. After starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal before moving the selector
lever out of the P (Park) position.
This CVT is designed so that the foot
brake pedal must be depressed before
shifting from P (Park) to any driving
position while the ignition switch is in
the ON position.
The selector lever cannot be moved out
of the P (Park) position and into any of
the other positions if the ignition
switch is pushed to the LOCK, OFF or
ACC position.DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-14
Starting and driving

Black plate (329,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
Accelerator downshift
— In D position —For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, depending
on the vehicle speed.High fluid temperature protection modeThis transmission has a high fluid temperature
protection mode. If the fluid temperature be-
comes too high (for example, when climbing
steep grades in high temperature with heavy
loads, such as when towing a trailer) , engine
power and, under some conditions, vehicle
speed will be decreased automatically to reduce
the chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed may be
limited.Fail-safeIf the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel spin-
ning and subsequent hard braking, the
fail-safe system may be activated. The MIL
may illuminate to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. (See “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” in the “2. Instruments
and controls” section.) This will occur even
if all electrical circuits are functioning
properly. In this case, turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position and wait for 10seconds. Then turn the switch back to the
ON position. The vehicle should return to
its normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condi-
tion, have a NISSAN dealer check the
transmission and repair if necessary.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection mode or fail-safe operation
occurs, vehicle speed may be gradually
reduced. The reduced speed may be
lower than other traffic, which could
increase the chance of a collision. Be
especially careful when driving. If ne-
cessary, pull to the side of the road at a
safe place and allow the transmission
to return to normal operation, or have it
repaired if necessary.
SSD0693
Shift lock releaseIf the battery charge is low or discharged, the
selector lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the selector lever button pushed.
To move the selector lever, perform the following
procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK
position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover
*A
using a suitable tool.
4. Push down the shift lock release
*B
using a
Starting and driving
5-17

Black plate (334,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
WARNING
.For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with
the engine running. Doing so may
result in drivetrain damage or un-
expected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle da-
mage or personal injury.
.Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dy-
namometer (such as the dynam-
ometers used by some states for
emissions testing) or similar equip-
ment even if the other two wheels
are raised off the ground. Make sure
that you inform the test facility
personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with AWD before it is
placed on a dynamometer. Using
the wrong test equipment may re-
sult in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle da-
mage or personal injury.
SSD0418
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) LOCK
SWITCH OPERATIONSThe AWD LOCK switch located on the lower
side of the instrument panel. This switch is used
to select the AUTO or LOCK mode depending
on the driving conditions.
Each time you push the lower part of the switch*A
, the AWD mode will switch:
AUTO?LOCK?AUTO.
LOCK modeThe AWD LOCK indicator light
will
illuminate.
AUTO modeThe AWD LOCK indicator light will turn off.AWD
modeWheel drivenAWD
LOCK
indica-
tor lightUse condi-
tions
AUTODistribution of tor-
que to the front and
rear wheels changes
automatically, de-
pending on road
conditions encoun-
tered
[100:0]↔[50:50].
This results in im-
proved driving stabi-
lity.*1Turns
off.For driving
on paved
or slippery
roads
LOCK All-wheel drive*2, *3AWD
LOCK
For driving
on rough
roads
*1: When the rotation difference between the
front and rear wheels is large, the AWD
mode may change from AUTO to LOCK for
a while, however, this is not a malfunction.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (if so
equipped)5-22
Starting and driving

Black plate (337,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
SSD0488
WARNING
.Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They
may ignite and cause a fire.
.Safe parking procedures require
that both the parking brake be set
and the transmission placed into P
(Park) . Failure to do so could cause
the vehicle to move unexpectedly or
roll away and result in an accident.
Make sure the selector lever has
been pushed as far forward as it cango and cannot be moved without
depressing the foot brake pedal.
.Never leave the engine running
while the vehicle is unattended.
.Do not leave children unattended
inside the vehicle. They could un-
knowingly activate switches or con-
trols. Unattended children could
become involved in serious acci-
dents.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Move the selector lever to the P (Park)
position.3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into
traffic when parked on an incline, it is a good
practice to turn the wheels as illustrated.
.HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
*1
Turn the wheels into the curb and move
the vehicle forward until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.
.HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
*2
Turn the wheels away from the curb and
move the vehicle back until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.
.HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
*3
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away from
the center of the road if it moves.
4. PushtheignitionswitchtotheLOCK
position.
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
Starting and driving
5-25

Black plate (354,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
unnecessary electrical systems (lights, hea-
ter, air conditioner, etc.) .
3. Remove vent caps on the battery (if so
equipped) . Cover the battery with a firmly
wrung out moist cloth to reduce explosion
hazard.
4. Connect jumper cables in the sequence as
illustrated (
*1
?
*2
?
*3
?
*4).
If the battery is disconnected or dis-
charged, the steering wheel will lock
and cannot be turned. Supply power
using jumper cables before pushing
the ignition switch and disengaging
the steering lock.
CAUTION
.Always connect positive (+) to posi-
tive (+) and negative () to body
ground (for example, as illustrated) ,
not to the battery.
.Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine
compartment and that the cable
clamps do not contact any other
metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
*B
and let it run for a few minutes.6. Keep the engine speed of the booster
vehicle
*B
at about 2,000 rpm, and start
the engine of the vehicle
*A
being jump
started.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged
for more than 10 seconds. If the engine
does not start right away, turn the
ignition switch to the OFF position
and wait 10 seconds before trying
again.
7. After starting your engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable (
*4
?
*3
?
*2
?
*1).
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped) . Be
sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.Do not attempt to start the engine by pushing.
CAUTION
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) models cannot be push-started
or tow-started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.PUSH STARTING
6-10
In case of emergency

Black plate (356,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
When 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 powertrain are in working con-
dition. If any unit is damaged, dol-
lies must be used.
.Always attach safety chains before
towing.For information about towing your vehicle behind
a recreational vehicle (RV) , see “FLAT TOW-
ING” in the “9. Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.TOWING YOUR VEHICLE6-12
In case of emergency

Black plate (357,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
SCE0438
Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) modelsNISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as
illustrated.
CAUTION
.Never tow Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) models with
the front wheels on the ground or
four wheels on the ground (forwardor backward) , as this may cause
serious and expensive damage to
the transmission. If it is necessary to
tow the vehicle with the rear wheels
raised, always use towing dollies
under the front wheels.
.When towing CVT models with the
front wheels 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. Never secure the
steering wheel by pushing theignition switch to the LOCK posi-
tion. This may damage the steer-
ing lock mechanism.
.
Move the selector lever to the N
(Neutral) position.
.When towing a CVT model with the
rear wheels on the ground (if you do
not use towing dollies): Always
release the parking brake.
In case of emergency
6-13

Black plate (25,1)
8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 23
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
Engine compartment check locations...................... 8-6
VQ35DE engine............................................ 8-6
Engine cooling system......................................... 8-7
Checking engine coolant level........................... 8-7
Changing engine coolant................................. 8-8
Engine oil......................................................... 8-8
Checking engine oil level................................. 8-8
Changing engine oil and filter............................ 8-8
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid........ 8-11
Power steering fluid.......................................... 8-11
Brake fluid...................................................... 8-12
Window washer fluid........................................ 8-12
Battery.......................................................... 8-13
Jump starting.............................................. 8-14
Variable voltage control system (if so equipped)...... 8-15
Drive belts...................................................... 8-15Spark plugs.................................................... 8-16
Replacing spark plugs................................... 8-16
Air cleaner...................................................... 8-16
Windshield wiper blades.................................... 8-17
Cleaning.................................................... 8-17
Replacing................................................... 8-18
Rear window wiper blade................................... 8-19
Brakes........................................................... 8-19
Self-adjusting brakes.................................... 8-19
Brake pad wear indicators.............................. 8-19
Fuses............................................................ 8-20
Engine compartment..................................... 8-20
Passenger compartment................................ 8-21
Battery replacement.......................................... 8-21
Lights............................................................ 8-24
Headlights.................................................. 8-25
Exterior and interior lights............................... 8-27
Wheels and tires.............................................. 8-30
Tire pressure............................................... 8-30
Tire labeling................................................ 8-33
Types of tires.............................................. 8-35
Tire chains.................................................. 8-36
Changing wheels and tires............................. 8-37

Black plate (369,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
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 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 should be rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km).
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.
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 War-
ranty 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 vehicleThe 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.
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.Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
P (Park) position mechanism:On a fairly
steep hill, check that the vehicle is held securely
with the selector lever in the P (Park) position
without applying any brakes.
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
adjustment, see a NISSAN dealer.
Seat belts:Check that all parts of the seat belt
system (for example, buckles, anchors, adjusters
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.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-3