Nissan Maxima Owners Manual: Maintenance precautions

When performing any inspection or maintenance work on your vehicle, always take care to prevent serious accidental injury to yourself or damage to the vehicle. The following are general precautions which should be closely observed.

WARNING

• Park the vehicle on a level surface, apply the parking brake securely and block the wheels to prevent the vehicle from moving. Move the shift lever to P (Park).
• Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or LOCK position when performing any parts replacement or repairs.
• If you must work with the engine running, keep your hands, clothing, hair and tools away from moving fans, belts and any other moving parts.
• It is advisable to secure or remove any loose clothing and remove any jewelry, such as rings, watches, etc. before working on your vehicle.
• Always wear eye protection whenever you work on your vehicle.
• Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic engine cooling fan. It may come on at any time without warning, even if the ignition key is in the OFF position and the engine is not running. To avoid injury, always disconnect the negative battery cable before working near the fan.
• If you must run the engine in an enclosed space such as a garage, be sure there is proper ventilation for exhaust gases to escape.
• Never get under the vehicle while it is supported only by a jack. If it is necessary to work under the vehicle, support it with safety stands.
• Keep smoking materials, flame and sparks away from the fuel tank and battery.
• On gasoline engine models, the fuel filter or fuel lines should be serviced. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service because the fuel lines are under high pressure even when the engine is off.

CAUTION

• Do not work under the hood while the engine is hot. Turn the engine off and wait until it cools down.
• Avoid contact with used engine oil and coolant. Improperly disposed engine oil, engine coolant and/or other vehicle fluids can damage the environment. Always conform to local regulations for disposal of vehicle fluid.
• Never leave the engine or the transmission related component harness connector disconnected while the ignition switch is in the ON position.
• Never connect or disconnect the battery or any transistorized component while the ignition switch is in the ON position.

This "Do-it-yourself" section gives instructions regarding only those items which are relatively easy for an owner to perform.

A Genuine NISSAN service manual is also available.

For additional information, refer to "Owner's Manual/Service Manual order information" in the "Technical and consumer information" section of this manual.

You should be aware that incomplete or improper servicing may result in operating difficulties or excessive emissions, and could affect warranty coverage. If in doubt about any servicing, it is recommended that you have it done by a NISSAN dealer.