NISSAN XTERRA 2003 WD22 / 1.G Owners Manual

Trailer tow harness and module (if so
equipped)
The trailer tow module on your vehicle allows
turn/stop lamp control of a trailer being towed by
your NISSAN.The trailer tow module includes:
ctrailer tow module which draws power from
the vehicle stop lamp fuse
cone subharness containing a SAE J1239
specified connector
1. Vehicle harness connector end
2. Connector cap
3. SAE J1239 connector (to trailer)
4. Tow harness connector (to vehicle har-
ness)
To use the tow harness:
1. Remove the connector cap using a suitable
tool from the vehicle harness, located be-
hind the right rear wheel well attached to the
frame. Store the connector cap in vehicle
glove box for reinstallation.
2. Connect the tow harness so the vehicle
harness located behind the right rear wheel
well attached to the frame.
WTI0063
WTI0064
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3. Route the trailer tow harness so that it does
not block access to the spare tire winch
socket.
4. Connect the tow harness connector (SAE
J1239) to your trailer.
5. Confirm proper vehicle and trailer stop/turn
lamp operation.
6.
When towing is completed, disconnect the
tow harness from the trailer and the vehicle.
Store the tow harness in the glove box. Rein-
stall the connector cap to the vehicle harness.
If you need further assistance in wiring a trailer to
your NISSAN, contact a NISSAN dealer.
Always confirm proper vehicle and trailer
stop/turn lamp operation every time the
trailer light circuits are connected for use.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
make sure it conforms to federal and/or local
regulations and that it is properly installed.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system di-
rectly to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tips
cBe certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded and/or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive the vehicle if it
has an abnormal nose-up or nose-down
condition; check for improper tongue load,
overload, worn suspension or other possible
causes of either condition.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
cBe certain your rear view mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding of the
vehicle’s behavior, you should practice turning,
stopping and backing up in an area which is free
from traffic. Steering stability and braking perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than under
normal driving conditions.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
cAvoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.
c
Always drive your vehicle at a moderate speed.
cAlways block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is
not recommended; however, if you must do
so, and if your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic transmission, first block the
wheels and apply the parking brake, and
then move the transmission shift selector
lever into the P (Park) position. If you move
the shift selector lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion before blocking the wheels and applying
the parking brake, transmission damage
could occur.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When going up a long grade, downshift the
transmission to a lower gear and reduce
speed to reduce chances of engine over-
loading and/or overheating. However, for
long steep grades, do not stay in 1st or 2nd
gear when driving above 35 MPH (56 km/h) .
cIf the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioner
system is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Coolant heat can be additionally vented by
opening the windows, switching the fan
control to high and setting the temperature
control to the HOT position.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
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cAvoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
cHave your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.
cCrosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling. If swaying does occur, firmly
grip the steering wheel, steer straight ahead,
and immediately (but gradually) reduce ve-
hicle speed. This combination will help sta-
bilize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
cBe 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.cTo maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
5th gear (manual transmission) or overdrive
(automatic transmission) .
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
When towing a trailer, transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.DOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
Treadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on tire wear rate when tested under controlled
conditions on specified government test courses.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and a half (1-1/2) times as well on the govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. However,
relative tire performance depends on actual driv-
ing conditions, and may vary significantly due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the
tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as mea-
sured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
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WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your ve-
hicle tires is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hydroplan-
ing or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A, B and C
Temperature grades are A (the highest) , B, and
C. They represent a tire’s resistance to heat
build-up, and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause tire material to degenerate,
reducing tire life. Excessive temperatures can
lead to sudden tire failure. Grade C corresponds
to a performance level which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A and B rep-
resent higher levels of performance on laboratory
test wheels than the minimum required by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es-
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
under-inflation, or excessive loading, ei-
ther separately or in combination, can
cause heat build-up and possible tire
failure.Your NISSAN vehicle is covered by the following
emission warranties:
For US
1. Emission Defects Warranty
2. Emissions Performance Warranty
Details of these warranties may be found with
other vehicle warranties in your Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet which comes with your NISSAN
vehicle. If you did not receive a Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet, or it is lost, you may obtain a re-
placement by writing to:
cNissan North America, Inc.
Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 191
Gardena, CA 90248-0191
For Canada
Emission Control System Warranty
Details of these warranties may be found with
other vehicle warranties in your Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet which comes with your NISSAN
vehicle. If you did not receive a Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet, or it is lost, you may obtain a re-
placement by writing to:
cNissan Canada Inc.
5290 Orbitor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 4Z5
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
WARRANTY
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If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which
could cause a crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immediately inform the Na-
tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition 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 become involved in individual problems
between you, your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Auto Safety
Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236. You may
also write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Trans-
portation, Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also
obtain other information about motor vehicle
safety from the Hotline.
You may notify NISSAN by contacting our Con-
sumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at 1-800-
NISSAN-1.
In Hawaii call 1-808-836-0888.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, 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.
WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic con-
ditions and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine when the engine coolant
temperature gauge needle points to C. Al-
low the engine to idle until the gauge needle
points between the C and H (normal oper-
ating temperature) .2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 mph (88 km/h) ,
then quickly release the accelerator pedal
completely and keep it released for at least 6
seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for a
moment, then drive the vehicle at a speed of
53 - 60 mph (85 - 97 km/h) for at least 5
minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 mph (55 km/h)
and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 through 5 at least three
times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 mph (88 km/h)
and maintain the speed for at least 3 min-
utes.
8. Stop the vehicle and turn the engine off.
9. Repeat steps 1 through 8 at least one more
time.
If steps 1 through 7 are interrupted, repeat the
preceding step. Any safe driving mode is accept-
able between steps. Do not stop the engine until
step 7 is completed. If you cannot or do not want
to perform the driving pattern, a NISSAN dealer
can conduct it for you.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (US
only)READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
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DYNAMOMETER TESTING FOR
INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE (I/M)
TEST (US only)
Due to legal requirements in some states/areas,
your vehicle may be tested for emissions on a
dynamometer. The transfer control lever (if so
equipped) MUST be in the 2H position for I/M
testing on a two wheel dynamometer.
WARNING
cIf the transfer control lever is not in the
2H position during the dynamometer
I/M testing, the vehicle could come off
the dynamometer and cause serious
personal injury and/or body damage to
the vehicle.
cSerious damage will occur to the 4WD
system if the transfer control lever is
not in the 2H position.
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A genuine NISSAN Service Manual is the best
source of service and repair information for your
vehicle. Filled with wiring diagrams, illustrations
and step-by-step diagnostic and adjustment pro-
cedures, this manual is the same one used by the
factory trained technicians working at NISSAN
dealerships. Also available are genuine NISSAN
Owner’s Manuals, and genuine NISSAN Service
and Owner’s Manuals for older NISSAN models.
For USA
For current pricing and availability of genuine
NISSAN Service Manualsfor the 2000 model
year and later contact:
Tweddle Litho Company
1-800-639-8841
www.nissan-techinfo.com
For current pricing and availability of genuine
NISSAN Service Manualsfor the 1999 model
year and prior, see a NISSAN dealer, or contact:
DDS Distribution Service, Ltd.
20770 Westwood Road
Strongsville, OH 44136
1-800-247-5321
OWNER’S MANUAL/SERVICE
MANUAL ORDER INFORMATION
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For current pricing and availability of genuine
NISSAN Owner’s Manualsfor the 2003 model
year and prior, see a NISSAN dealer, or contact:
DDS Distribution Service, Ltd.
20770 Westwood Road
Strongsville, OH 44136
1-800-247-5321
For Canada
To purchase a copy of a genuine NISSAN Ser-
vice Manual or Owner’s Manual please contact
your nearest NISSAN dealer. For the phone num-
ber and location of a NISSAN dealer in your area
call the NISSAN Information Center at 1-800-
387-0122 and a bilingual NISSAN representa-
tive will assist you.
Also available are genuine NISSAN Service and
Owner’s Manuals for older NISSAN models.
IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION
Unfortunately, accidents do occur. In this unlikely
event, there is some important information you
should know.
Many insurance companies routinely authorize
the use of non-genuine collision parts in order to
cut costs, among other reasons.
Insist on the use of genuine NISSAN
collision parts!
If you want your vehicle to be restored using parts
made to NISSAN’s original exacting specifica-
tions – if you want to help it to last and hold its
resale value, the solution is simple.Tell your
insurance agent and your repair shop to
only use Genuine NISSAN Collision Parts.
NISSAN does not warrant non-NISSAN parts,
nor does NISSAN’s warranty apply to damage
caused by a non-genuine part.
Using Genuine NISSAN Parts can help protect
your personal safety, preserve your warranty pro-
tection and maintain the resale value of your
vehicle. And if your vehicle was leased, using
Genuine NISSAN Parts may prevent or limit un-
necessary excess wear and tear expenses at the
end of your lease.
NISSAN designs its hoods with crumple zones to
minimize the risk that the hood will penetrate the
windshield of your vehicle in an accident. Non-
genuine (imitation) parts may not provide such
built in safeguards. Also, non-genuine parts often
show premature wear, rust and corrosion.
Why should you take a chance?
In over 40 states, the law says you must be
advised if non-genuine parts are used to repair
your vehicle. And some states have enacted lawsthat restrict insurance companies from authoriz-
ing the use of non-genuine collision parts during
the new vehicle warranty. These laws help pro-
tect you, so you can take action to protect your-
self.
It’s your right!
If you should need further information visit us at:
www.nissanusa.com.
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10 Index
A
Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system)......................1-8
Air bag warning light...........1-19, 2-12
Air cleaner housing filter............8-22
Air conditioner
Air conditioner operation...........4-5
Air conditioner service............4-9
Air conditioner specification label.....9-12
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
lubrication recommendations........9-6
Heater and air conditioner controls.....4-2
Servicing air conditioner...........4-9
Air flow charts..................4-6
Alarm system
(See vehicle security system).........2-15
Anchor point locations.............1-42
Antenna.....................4-28
Anti-lock brake system (ABS).........5-24
Anti-lock brake warning light..........2-10
Audible reminders................2-15
Audio system..................4-10
Compact disc (CD) player.........4-15
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
changer...................4-16
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-12
Radio....................4-10
Steering wheel audio control switch. . . .4-28
Auto-lock free-running hubs..........5-20Automatic
Automatic power window switch.....2-32
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF). . . .8-14
Driving with automatic transmission. . . .5-10
Transmission selector lever lock release .5-12
B
Battery......................8-18
Charge warning light............2-11
Battery replacement
(See remote keyless entry system).......3-7
Before starting the engine............5-9
Belts (See drive belts).............8-19
Brake
Anti-lock brake system (ABS).......5-24
Brake booster................8-30
Brake fluid..................8-16
Brake light (See stop light).........8-36
Brake pedal.................8-29
Brake system................5-23
Brake warning light.............2-10
Brake wear indicators........2-15, 8-29
Parking brake check............8-29
Parking brake operation..........5-15
Self-adjusting brakes............8-29
Break-in schedule................5-18
Brightness control
Instrument panel..............2-21
Bulb check/instrument panel..........2-9
Bulb replacement................8-36C
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants...................9-2
Car phone or CB radio.............4-29
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) . . .9-13
CD player (See audio system).........4-15
Check engine indicator light
(See malfunction indicator light)........2-13
Child restraint with top tether strap......1-41
Child restraints.......1-23, 1-24, 1-30, 1-39
Precautions on child restraints.......1-30
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-42
Child safety rear door lock............3-4
Chimes, audible reminders...........2-15
Cleaning exterior and interior..........7-2
Clock...................4-13, 4-18
Clutch
Clutch fluid.................8-16
Cold weather driving..............5-27
Compact disc (CD) player...........4-15
Controls
Audio controls (steering wheel)......4-28
Heater and air conditioner controls.....4-2
Coolant
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-10
Checking engine coolant level........8-9
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Corrosion protection...............7-5
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Cover
Tonneau cover................2-30
Cruise control..................5-16
Cup holders...................2-27
D
Daytime running light system
(Canada only)..................2-21
Defogger switch
Rear window defogger switch.......2-20
Dimensions and weights.............9-9
Door locks....................3-2
Door open warning light............2-11
Drive belts....................8-19
Driving
Auto-lock free-running hubs........5-20
Cold weather driving............5-27
Driving with automatic transmission. . . .5-10
Driving with manual transmission.....5-13
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
E
Economy - fuel.................5-18
Emission control information label.......9-12
Emission control system warranty.......9-24
Engine
Before starting the engine..........5-9
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-10
Changing engine oil............8-11
Changing engine oil filter..........8-13Checking engine coolant level........8-9
Checking engine oil level..........8-10
Engine compartment check locations. . . .8-9
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Engine cooling system............8-9
Engine oil..................8-10
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil pressure warning light.....2-11
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Engine serial number............9-11
Engine specifications.............9-7
Starting the engine..............5-9
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)........5-2
F
First aid kit....................6-2
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher switch)
..........................2-22
Flat tire......................6-2
Floor mat positioning aid.............7-4
Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF). . . .8-14
Brake fluid..................8-16
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants
.........................9-2
Clutch fluid.................8-16
Engine coolant................8-9
Engine oil..................8-10
Power steering fluid.............8-15
Window washer fluid............8-17
F.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-11
Fog light switch.................2-22
Front seats....................1-2Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Fuel economy................5-18
Fuel filler cap................3-13
Fuel filler lid.................3-13
Fuel gauge..................2-6
Fuel octane rating..............9-4
Fuel recommendation............9-3
Fuses......................8-31
G
Gascap.....................3-13
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Fuel gauge..................2-6
Odometer...................2-3
Speedometer.................2-3
Tachometer..................2-5
Gear Basket
(see roof rack with gear basket)........3-10
General maintenance..............8-2
Glove box....................2-27
Glove box lock.................2-27
H
Hazard warning flasher switch.........2-22
Head restraints..................1-7
Headlight and turn signal switch........2-20
Headlights....................8-33
Heater
Heater and air conditioner controls.....4-2
Heater operation...............4-4
10-2
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