radiator cap NISSAN PATHFINDER 2002 R50 / 2.G Owners Manual

FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCKTo prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer or glycerin to it through the key hole. If
the lock becomes frozen, heat the key before
inserting it into the key hole.ANTI-FREEZEIn the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32ÉF (0ÉC), check
anti-freeze (ethylene glycol base) to assure
proper winter protection. For details, see ªEn-
gine cooling systemº in the ª8. Maintenance
and do-it-yourselfº section.BATTERYIf the battery is not fully charged during ex-
tremely cold weather conditions, the battery
fluid may freeze and damage the battery. To
maintain maximum efficiency, the battery
should be checked regularly. For details, see
ªBatteryº in the ª8. Maintenance and do-it-
yourselfº section.DRAINING OF COOLANT WATERIf the vehicle is to be left outside without
anti-freeze, drain the cooling system by open-
ing the drain valves located under the radiator
and on the engine block. Refill before operat-
ing the vehicle. See ªEngine cooling systemº in
the ª8. Maintenance and do-it-yourselfº sectionfor Changing Engine Coolant.
TIRE EQUIPMENT1. SUMMER tires are of a tread design to
provide superior performance on dry pave-
ment. However, the performance of these
tires will be substantially reduced 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.
Please consult your 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 Prov-
inces and States prohibit their use, so,
before installing studded tires, check local,
state and provincial laws.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow tires.
3. TIRE CHAINS may be used if desired.
Make sure they are of proper size for the
tires on your vehicle and are installed ac-
cording to the chain manufacturer's sug-
gestions. Use of tire chains may be prohib-
ited according to location. Check the local
laws before installing tire chains. Wheninstalling tire chains, make sure they are of
proper size for the tires on your vehicle and
are installed according to the chain manu-
facturer's suggestions.Use only SAE
Class S chains.Other types may damage
your vehicle. Use chain tensioners when
recommended by the tire chain manufac-
turer to ensure a tight fit. Loose end links of
the tire chain must be secured or removed
to prevent the possibility of whipping action
damage to the fenders or underbody. If
possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle
when using tire chains. In addition, drive at
a reduced speed. Otherwise, your vehicle
may be damaged and/or vehicle handling
and performance may be adversely af-
fected.
Do not use the chains on dry roads.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
rear wheels and not on the front wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved roads
which are clear of snow. Driving with chains
in such conditions can cause damage to the
various mechanisms of the vehicle due to
some overstress. When driving on clear
paved roads, be sure to change to 2WD.
4. For four wheel drive:
If you install snow tires, they must also be
the same size, brand, construction and
COLD WEATHER DRIVING5-34
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If your vehicle is overheating indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading, or
if you feel a lack of engine power, detect
abnormal noise, etc., take the following steps:
WARNING
IDo not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
ITo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the radia-
tor cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
IDo not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the gearshift
lever to the neutral position (automatic
transmission to P (Park)).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner switch. Open all
the windows, move the heater or air condi-tioner temperature control to maximum hot
and fan control to high speed.
3. If engine overheating is caused by climbing
a long hill on a hot day, run the engine at a
fast idle (approximately 1,500 rpm) until the
temperature gauge indication returns to
normal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. Wait until no
steam or coolant can be seen before pro-
ceeding.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leaking,
the cooling fan belt is missing or loose or
the cooling fan does not run, stop the
engine.
WARNING
IBe careful not to allow your hands,
hair, jewelry or clothing to come into
contact with, or to get caught in, the
cooling fan, or drive belt.
IThe engine cooling fan can start at
any time when the coolant tempera-
ture is high.
7. After the engine cools down, check the
coolant level in the reservoir tank with the
engine running. Add coolant to the reservoir
tank if necessary. Have your vehicle re-
paired at the nearest NISSAN dealer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency
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The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a high-quality, year-round, anti-
freeze coolant solution. The anti-freeze solu-
tion contains rust and corrosion inhibitors,
therefore additional cooling system additives
are not necessary.
CAUTION
When adding or replacing the coolant,
be sure to use only a genuine NISSAN
anti-freeze coolant or equivalent with
the proper mixture ratio of 50% anti-
freeze and 50% demineralized water/
distilled water. The use of other types of
coolant solutions may damage your en-
gine cooling system.Outside tempera-
ture down to
Anti-
freezeDeminer-
alized
water or
distilled
water ÉC ÉF
þ35 þ30 50% 50%
WARNING
INever remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure
fluid escaping from the radiator. Wait
until the engine and radiator cool
down. See ªIf your vehicle overheatsº
in the ª6. In case of emergencyº sec-
tion.
IThe radiator is equipped with a pres-
sure cap. To prevent engine damage,
use only a genuine NISSAN radiator
cap.
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVELCheck the coolant level in the reservoir tank
when the engine is cold. If the coolant level is
below the MIN level, add coolant to the MAX
level. If the reservoir tank is empty, check the
coolant level in the radiatorwhen the engine
is cold.If there is insufficient coolant in the
radiator, fill the radiator with coolant up to the
filler opening and also add it to the reservoir
tank up to the MAX level.
If the engine cooling system frequently
requires coolant, have it checked by your
NISSAN dealer.
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CHANGING ENGINE COOLANTIMajor cooling system repairs should be
performed by your NISSAN dealer. The
service procedures can be found in the
appropriate NISSAN Service Manual.
IImproper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING
ITo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
INever remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure
fluid escaping from the radiator.
IAvoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, washthoroughly with soap or hand cleaner
as soon as possible.
IKeep coolant out of reach of children
and pets.
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1. Perform the following procedure to open
the heater water cock.
ITurn the ignition key from OFF to ON.
IMove the heater or air conditioner tem-
perature control dial to the maximum hot
position then turn the ignition key to
OFF.
2. Open the radiator drain plugs and radiator
cap.
Open the drain plugs on the engine block.
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3. Open the air release plug(s) to drain the
coolant.
4. Flush the cooling system by running fresh
water through the radiator.
IWaste coolant must be disposed of
properly.
ICheck your local regulations.
5. Close the radiator drain plugs and engine
block drain plugs securely.
6. See the ª9. Technical and consumer infor-
mationº section for cooling system capacity.
Fill the radiator slowly with the proper mix-ture of coolant and water. Fill the reservoir
tank slowly up to the MAX level. Then install
the radiator cap and close the air release
plug(s).
7. Start the engine and warm it up until it
reaches normal operating temperature.
Then race the engine 2 or 3 times under no
load.
Watch the coolant temperature gauge for
signs of overheating.
8. Stop the engine. After it completely cools
down, refill the radiator up to the filler
opening. Fill the reservoir tank up the MAX
level.
9. Check the radiator drain plug and engine
block drain plugs for any sign of leakage.
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