maintenance NISSAN XTERRA 2010 Owner´s Manual

Welcome to the growing family of new NISSAN
owners. This vehicle is delivered to you with
confidence. It was produced using the latest
techniques and strict quality control.
This manual was prepared to help you under-
stand the operation and maintenance of your
vehicle so that you may enjoy many miles (kilome-
ters) of driving pleasure. Please read through this
manual before operating your vehicle.
A separate Warranty Information Booklet
explains details about the warranties cov-
ering your vehicle. The “NISSAN Service
and Maintenance Guide” explains details
about maintaining and servicing your ve-
hicle. Additionally, a separate Customer
Care/Lemon Law Booklet (U.S. only) will
explain how to resolve any concerns you
may have with your vehicle, as well as
clarify your rights under your state’s lemon
law.
Your NISSAN dealership knows your vehicle
best. When you require any service or have any
questions, they will be glad to assist you with the
extensive resources available to them.Before driving your vehicle, please read this
Owner’s Manual carefully. This will ensure famil-
iarity with controls and maintenance require-
ments, assisting you in the safe operation of your
vehicle.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION RE-
MINDERS FOR SAFETY!
Follow these important driving rules to
help ensure a safe and comfortable trip
for you and your passengers!
●
NEVER drive under the influence of al-
cohol or drugs.
● ALWAYS observe posted speed limits
and never drive too fast for conditions.
●
ALWAYS give your full attention to driving
and avoid using vehicle features or taking
other actions that could distract you.
●ALWAYS use your seat belts and appro-
priate child restraint systems. Pre-teen
children should be seated in the rear seat.
● ALWAYS provide information about the
proper use of vehicle safety features to
all occupants of the vehicle.
● ALWAYS review this Owner’s Manual
for important safety information. For descriptions specified for four-wheel drive
models, a
mark is placed at the begin-
ning of the applicable sections/items.
As with other vehicles with features for
off-road use, failure to operate four-wheel
drive models correctly may result in loss of
control or an accident. Be sure to read
“Driving safety precautions” in the “Start-
ing and driving” section of this manual.
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD
DRIVING
This vehicle will handle and maneuver
differently from an ordinary passenger
car because it has a higher center of
gravity for off-road use. As with other
vehicles with features of this type, fail-
ure to operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control or an accident.
Be sure to read “On-pavement and off-
road driving precautions”, and “Avoid-
ing collision and rollover”, and “Driving
safety precautions”, in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
FOREWORD READ FIRST—THEN DRIVE SAFELY

Table of
ContentsIllustrated table of contents
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
Instruments and controls
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems
Starting and driving
In case of emergency
Appearance and care
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Technical and consumer information
Index
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

1 Safety—Seats, seat belts and
supplemental restraint system
Seats............................................1-2
Front manual seat adjustment ....................1-2
Head restraints .................................1-4
Adjustable headrest (if so equipped) ..............1-7
Flexible seating ................................ 1-10
Seat belts ....................................... 1-14
Precautions on seat belt usage ..................1-14
Pregnant women .............................. 1-17
Injured persons ................................ 1-17
Three-point type seat belt with retractor ..........1-17
Seat belt extenders ............................ 1-24
Seat belt maintenance ......................... 1-24
Child safety ...................................... 1-25
Infants ........................................ 1-26
Small children ................................. 1-26
Larger children ................................ 1-26
Child restraints ................................... 1-27Precautions on child restraints
..................1-27
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren) System ............................. 1-29
Rear-facing child restraint installation using
LATCH....................................... 1-31
Rear-facing child restraint installation using
the seat belts ................................. 1-33
Forward-facing child restraint installation
using LATCH .................................. 1-36
Forward-facing child restraint installation
using the seat belts ............................ 1-38
Installing top tether strap .......................1-41
Booster seats ................................. 1-41
Supplemental restraint system .....................1-44
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system ....................................... 1-44
Supplemental air bag warning labels .............1-58
Supplemental air bag warning light ..............1-59

WARNING
●After adjustment, release the adjust-
ment button and try to move the shoul-
der belt anchor up and down to make
sure it is securely fixed in position.
● The shoulder belt anchor height should
be adjusted to the position best for you.
Failure to do so may reduce the effec-
tiveness of the entire restraint system
and increase the chance or severity of
injury in an accident.
Seat belt hook
When the seat belt is not in use and when folding
down the rear seats, hook the rear seat belts on
the seat belt hooks.
SEAT BELT EXTENDERS
If, because of body size or driving position, it is
not possible to properly fit the lap/shoulder belt
and fasten it, an extender that is compatible with
the installed seat belts is available that can be
purchased. The extender adds approximately 8 in
(200 mm) of length and may be used for either
the driver or front passenger seating position.
See a NISSAN dealer for assistance with pur-
chasing an extender if an extender is required.
WARNING
●Only NISSAN seat belt extenders, made
by the same company which made the
original equipment seat belts, should
be used with NISSAN seat belts.
● Adults and children who can use the
standard seat belt should not use an
extender. Such unnecessary use could
result in serious personal injury in the
event of an accident.
● Never use seat belt extenders to install
child restraints. If the child restraint is
not secured properly, the child could be
seriously injured in a collision or a sud-
den stop.
SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
● To clean the seat belt webbing, apply a
mild soap solution or any solution recom-
mended for cleaning upholstery or carpet.
Then wipe with a cloth and allow the seat
belts to dry in the shade. Do not allow the
seat belts to retract until they are completely
dry.
● If dirt builds up in the shoulder belt
guide of the seat belt anchors, the seat
belts may retract slowly. Wipe the shoulder
belt guide with a clean, dry cloth.
LRS0583
1-24Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG
WARNING LIGHT
The supplemental air bag warning light,
displaying
in the instrument panel, moni-
tors the circuits of the supplemental front-impact
air bag, front seat-mounted side-impact supple-
mental air bag, roof-mounted curtain side-impact
and rollover supplemental air bag and seat belt
pretensioner systems. The monitored circuits in-
clude the Air bag Control Unit (ACU) , crash zone
sensor, satellite sensors, rollover sensor, occu-
pant classification sensor, front air bag modules,
side air bag modules, curtain and rollover air bag
modules, pretensioners and all related wiring. When the ignition switch is placed in the ON or
START position, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light illuminates for about 7 seconds and then
turns off. This means the system is operational.
If any of the following conditions occur, the front
air bag, side air bag, curtain and rollover air bag
and pretensioner systems need servicing:
● The supplemental air bag warning light re-
mains on after approximately 7 seconds.
● The supplemental air bag warning light
flashes intermittently.
● The supplemental air bag warning light does
not come on at all.
Under these conditions, the front air bag, side air
bag, curtain and rollover air bag or pretensioner
systems may not operate properly. They must be
checked and repaired. Take your vehicle to the
nearest NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
If the supplemental air bag warning light
is on, it could mean that the front air bag,
side air bag, curtain and rollover air bag
and/or pretensioner systems will not op-
erate in an accident. To help avoid injury
to yourself or others, have your vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
Repair and replacement procedure
The front air bags, side air bags, curtain and
rollover air bags and pretensioners are designed
to inflate on a one-time-only basis. As a reminder,
unless it is damaged, the supplemental air bag
warning light remains illuminated after inflation
has occurred. Repair and replacement of these
supplemental air bag systems should be done
only by a NISSAN dealer.
When maintenance work is required on the ve-
hicle, the front air bags, side air bags, curtain and
rollover air bags, pretensioners and related parts
should be pointed out to the person performing
the maintenance. The ignition switch should al-
ways be in the LOCK position when working
under the hood or inside the vehicle.
LRS0100
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-59

ENGINE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE
The gauge indicates the engine lubrication sys-
tem oil pressure while the engine is running. The
needle should be in the middle of the gauge when
the engine is running.
CAUTION
●This gauge is not designed to indicate
low engine oil level. Use the dipstick to
check the oil level. (See “Engine oil” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section.)
● If the gauge needle does not move with
the proper amount of engine oil, have
the vehicle checked by a NISSAN
dealer. Continued vehicle operation in
such a condition could cause serious
damage to the engine.
VOLTMETER
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the voltmeter indicates the battery volt-
age. When the engine is running, it indicates the
generator voltage.
While cranking the engine, the volts drop below
the normal range. If the needle is not in the normal
range (11 – 15 volts)
1while the engine is
running, it may indicate that the charging system
is not functioning properly. Have the system
checked by a NISSAN dealer.
LIC0741WIC1299
2-8Instruments and controls

The engine oil pressure warning light is not
designed to indicate a low oil level.Use the
dipstick to check the oil level. See “Engine oil” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of
this manual.
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause se-
rious damage to the engine almost imme-
diately. Such damage is not covered by
warranty. Turn off the engine as soon as it
is safe to do so.
4WD warning light
(
model)
The 4WD warning light comes on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to ON. It turns off soon after
the engine is started.
If the engine or vehicle is not functioning properly,
the warning light will either remain illuminated or
blink. See “4WD warning light” in the “Starting
and driving” section.
CAUTION
● If the warning light comes on or blinks
during operation, have your vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
● Do not drive on dry hard surface roads
in the 4H or 4LO position. If the 4WD
warning light turns on when you are
driving on dry hard surface roads:
– in the 4H position, shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
– in the 4LO position for automatic transmission models, stop the ve-
hicle and shift the shift selector to
the N position with the brake pedal
depressed and shift the 4WD shift
switch to 2WD.
– in the 4LO position for manual trans- mission models, stop the vehicle and
shift the shift selector to the N posi-
tion with the clutch pedal depressed
and shift the 4WD shift switch to
2WD,
● If the warning light is still on after the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
Low fuel warning light
This light comes on when the fuel level in the fuel
tank is getting low. Refuel as soon as it is conve-
nient, preferably before the fuel gauge reaches E
(Empty) . There will be a small reserve of fuel
in the tank when the fuel gauge needle
reaches E (Empty) .
Low tire pressure warning light
Your vehicle is equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that monitors the tire
pressure of all tires except the spare.
The low tire pressure warning light warns of low
tire pressure or indicates that the TPMS is not
functioning properly.
After the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, this light illuminates for about 1 second
and turns off.
Low tire pressure warning:
If the vehicle is being driven with low tire
pressure, the warning light will illuminate.
When the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates, you should stop and adjust the
tire pressure of all 4 tires to the recom-
mended COLD tire pressure shown on the
Instruments and controls2-15

Low windshield-washer fluidwarning light (if so equipped)
This light comes on when the windshield-washer
fluid is at a low level. Add windshield-washer fluid
as necessary. See “Windshield-washer fluid” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of
this manual.
Seat belt warning light andchime
The light and chime remind you to fasten your
seat belts. The light illuminates whenever the
ignition switch is placed in the ON or START
position and remains illuminated until the driver’s
seat belt is fastened. At the same time, the chime
sounds for about 6 seconds unless the driver’s
seat belt is securely fastened.
The seat belt warning light may also illuminate if
the front passenger’s seat belt is not fastened
when the front passenger’s seat is occupied . For
7 seconds after the ignition switch is placed in
the ON position, the system does not activate the
warning light for the front passenger.
Refer to “Seat belts” in the “Safety—Seats, seat
belts and supplemental restraint system” section
for precautions on seat belt usage.
Supplemental air bag warninglight
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON or
START position, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light illuminates for about 7 seconds and then
turns off. This means the system is operational.
If any of the following conditions occur, the front
air bag, side air bag, curtain and rollover air bag
and pretensioners need servicing and your ve-
hicle must be taken to a NISSAN dealer:
● The supplemental air bag warning light re-
mains on after approximately 7 seconds.
● The supplemental air bag warning light
flashes intermittently.
● The supplemental air bag warning light does
not come on at all.
Unless checked and repaired, the supplemental
restraint systems (air bag system) and/or the
pretensioners may not function properly. For ad-
ditional details see “Supplemental restraint sys-
tem” in the “Safety—Seats, seat belts and
supplemental restraint system” section of this
manual.
WARNING
If the supplemental air bag warning light
is on, it could mean that the front air bag,
side air bags, curtain and rollover air bags
and/or pretensioners will not operate in
an accident. To help avoid injury to your-
self or others, have your vehicle checked
by a NISSAN dealer as soon as possible.
INDICATOR LIGHTS
Automatic transmission position indicator light
(A/T models only)
When the ignition switch is in the ON position,
this indicator light shows the shift selector posi-
tion. See “Driving the vehicle” in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
Cruise main switch indicatorlight
The light comes on when the cruise control main
switch is pushed. The light goes out when the
main switch is pushed again. When the cruise
main switch indicator light comes on, the cruise
control system is operational.
Instruments and controls2-17

Malfunction Indicator Light(MIL)
If this indicator light comes on steady or blinks
while the engine is running, it may indicate a
potential emission control malfunction.
The Malfunction Indicator Light may also come
on steady if the fuel-filler cap is loose or missing,
or if the vehicle runs out of fuel. Check to make
sure the fuel-filler cap is installed and closed
tightly, and that the vehicle has at least 3 gallons
(11.4 liters) of fuel in the fuel tank.
After a few driving trips, the
light should
turn off if no other potential emission control
system malfunction exists.
If this indicator light comes on steady for 20
seconds and then blinks for 10 seconds when
the engine is not running, it indicates that the
vehicle is not ready for an emission control sys-
tem inspection/maintenance test. See “Readi-
ness for inspection/maintenance (I/M) test” in the
“Technical and consumer information” section of
this manual. Operation
The Malfunction Indicator Light will come on in
one of two ways:
● Malfunction Indicator Light on steady — An
emission control system malfunction has
been detected. Check the fuel-filler cap. If
the fuel-filler cap is loose or missing, tighten
or install the cap and continue to drive the
vehicle. The
light should turn off after
a few driving trips. If the
light does not
turn off after a few driving trips, have the
vehicle inspected by a NISSAN dealer. You
do not need to have your vehicle towed to
the dealer.
● Malfunction Indicator Light blinking — An
engine misfire has been detected which may
damage the emission control system. To re-
duce or avoid emission control system dam-
age:
– do not drive at speeds above 45 MPH (72 km/h) .
– avoid hard acceleration or deceleration.
– avoid steep uphill grades.
– if possible, reduce the amount of cargo being hauled or towed. The Malfunction Indicator Light may stop blinking
and come on steady. Have the vehicle inspected
by a NISSAN dealer. You do not need to have
your vehicle towed to the dealer.
CAUTION
Continued vehicle operation without hav-
ing the emission control system checked
and repaired as necessary could lead to
poor driveability, reduced fuel economy,
and possible damage to the emission con-
trol system.
Overdrive off indicator light
(A/T models only)
This light comes on when the overdrive function
is OFF.
The automatic transmission overdrive function is
controlled by the overdrive switch.
See “Driving the vehicle” in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
Security indicator light
This light blinks whenever the ignition switch is in
the LOCK, OFF or ACC position. This function
indicates the security system equipped on the
vehicle is operational.
Instruments and controls2-19

ANTENNA
The antenna cannot be shortened, but can be
removed. When you need to remove the antenna,
turn the antenna rod counterclockwise.
To install the antenna rod, turn the antenna clock-
wise. Tighten the antenna rod to specification
using a suitable tool such as an open-end
wrench. The antenna rod tightening specification
is 2.0 – 2.6 N·m (18 – 23 in-lb) . Do not use pliers
to tighten the antenna as they can leave marks on
the antenna surface. The antenna rod cannot be
hand tightened to the proper specification.
CAUTION
Always properly tighten the antenna rod
during installation or the antenna rod may
break during vehicle operation.When installing a CB, ham radio or car phone in
your NISSAN, be sure to observe the following
precautions; otherwise, the new equipment may
adversely affect the engine control system and
other electronic parts.
WARNING
●
A cellular telephone should not be used
while driving so full attention may be
given to vehicle operation. Some juris-
dictions prohibit the use of cellular tele-
phones while driving.
● If you must make a call while your ve-
hicle is in motion, the hands free cellu-
lar phone operational mode (if so
equipped) is highly recommended. Ex-
ercise extreme caution at all times so
full attention may be given to vehicle
operation.
● If you are unable to devote full attention
to vehicle operation while talking on
the phone, pull off the road to a safe
location and stop your vehicle.
CAUTION
●Keep the antenna as far away as pos-
sible from the electronic control
modules.
● Keep the antenna wire more than 8 in
(20 cm) away from the electronic con-
trol system harnesses. Do not route the
antenna wire next to any harness.
● Adjust the antenna standing-wave ratio
as recommended by the manufacturer.
● Connect the ground wire from the CB
radio chassis to the body.
● For details, consult a NISSAN dealer.
● Do not ground electrical accessories
directly to the battery terminal. Doing
so will bypass the variable voltage con-
trol system and the vehicle battery may
not charge completely. Refer to “Vari-
able voltage control system” in the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” sec-
tion later in this manual.
● Use electrical accessories with the en-
gine running to avoid discharging the
vehicle battery.
CAR PHONE OR CB RADIO
Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems4-37