weight NISSAN ALTIMA 1998 L30 / 2.G Owners Manual

Welcome To The World Of NISSAN
Your new Nissan is the result of our dedication to
produce the finest in safe, reliable and economi-
cal transportation. Your vehicle is the product of
a successful worldwide company that manufac-
tures cars and trucks in over 17 countries and
distributes them in 170 nations.
Nissan vehicles are designed and manufactured
by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. which was founded in
Tokyo, Japan in 1933, and Nissan affiliates world
wide, collectively growing to become the fifth
largest automaker in the world. In addition to cars
and trucks, Nissan also makes textile machinery,
forklift trucks, marine engines, boats and other
products.
Nissan has made a substantial and growing
investment in North America, starting with the
opening of Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. in
1960 and continuing with the production of some
cars and trucks at one of the world's mostmodern manufacturing facilities, Nissan Motor
Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. in Smyrna,
Tennessee, vehicle styling at Nissan Design
International in San Diego, California, and engi-
neering at Nissan Research and Development in
Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. and its dealers
indirectly employ about 60,000 Americans.
Nissan is also a substantial contributor to the
Canadian economy. Nissan Canada Inc., its sup-
pliers and over 170 dealers employ approxi-
mately 4,500 people. These include company
employees and the staffs of Nissan dealers all
across Canada. In addition, many Canadians
work for companies that supply Nissan and Nis-
san dealers with materials and services ranging
from the operation of port facilities and transpor-
tation services, to the supply of lubricants, parts
and accessories.Nissan pioneered the use of electronics and
computers in automobiles, and has led the indus-
try in improving both performance and fuel effi-
ciency through new engine designs and the use
of synthetic materials to reduce vehicle weight.
The company has also developed ways to build
quality into its vehicles at each stage of the
production process, both through extensive use
of automation and Ð most importantly Ð
through an awareness thatpeopleare the cen-
tral element in quality control.
From the time the parts arrived from our suppli-
ers until you took delivery of your new Nissan,
dozens of checks were made to ensure that only
the best job was being done in producing and
delivering your vehicle. Nissan also takes great
care to ensure that when you take your Nissan to
your dealer for maintenance, the service techni-
cian will perform his work according to the quality
standards that have been established by Nissan.
Safety has also been built into your Nissan. As
you know, seat belts are an integral part of the
safety systems that will help protect you and your
passengers in the event of a sudden stop or an
accident. We urge you to use the belts every time
you drive the vehicle.
The Nissan story of growth and achievement
reflects our major goal: to provide you, our
customer, with a vehicle that is built with quality
and craftsmanship Ð a product that we can be
proud to build and you can be proud to own.
AFW0001
The inside pages of this manual contain
a minimum of 50% recycled fibers,
including 10% post-consumer fibers.
ZX

a. Keep all of the tires inflated to the correct
pressure.
b. Place the vehicle on level ground.
c. See that the vehicle is unloaded (except
for full levels of coolant, engine oil and
fuel, and spare tire, jack, and tools).
Have the driver or an equivalent weight
placed in the driver's seat.
Low beam
1. Open the hood.
2. Adjust the vertical aim by turning the
adjusting screw with a Phillips screw-
driver.
3. Adjust the horizontal aim by turning the
adjusting screw with a Phillips screw-
driver.
ADJUSTMENT AFTER
HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY
REPLACEMENT
If the vehicle front body has been repaired
and/or the headlight assembly has been
replaced, check aiming. Use the aiming
chart shown in the illustration.
cUpper edge and left edge of high in-
tensity zone should be within the
range shown at left. Adjust headlights
accordingly.
cDotted lines in the illustration show
center of headlights.
``H'' : Horizontial center line of headlights
``W
L'': Distance between each headlight
center
ADI1039
Do-it-yourself8-23
ZX

If you have a flat tire, see the ``In case of
emergency'' section of this manual.
Maximum inflation pressure
Do not exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sures shown on the side wall of the tire.
Tire inflation pressure
Periodically check the tire pressure (including
the spare). Incorrect tire pressure may ad-
versely affect tire life and vehicle handling. Tire
pressure should be checked when tires are
COLD. Tires are considered COLD after the
vehicle has been parked for three or more
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km).COLD tire pressures are shown on the tire
placard affixed to the driver's door center pillar.
WARNING
cImproperly inflated tires can fail sud-
denly and cause an accident.
c
The vehicle weight capacity is indi-
cated on the tire placard. Do not load
your vehicle beyond this capacity.
Overloading your vehicle may result
in reduced tire life, unsafe operating
conditions due to premature tire fail-
ure, or unfavorable handling charac-
teristics and could also lead to a
serious accident. Loading beyond the
specified capacity may also result in
failure of other vehicle components.
cBefore taking a long trip, or when-
ever you have loaded your vehicle
heavily, use a tire pressure gauge to
ensure that the tire pressure is at the
specified level.
cDo not drive your vehicle over 85
MPH (140 km/h) unless it is equipped
with high speed capability tires.
Driving faster than 85 MPH (140
km/h) may result in tire failure, loss
of control and possible injury.
ADI1009
DI1033M
WHEELS AND TIRES
8-28Do-it-yourself
ZX

10 Technical and consumer information
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants ......10-2
Fuel recommendation...........................................10-3
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation..............10-5
Recommended SAE viscosity number.................10-6
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations ..................................10-7
Engine ..................................................................10-8
Wheel/tire size ......................................................10-9
Dimensions and weights ......................................10-9
Registering your vehicle in another country ......10-10
Vehicle identification ..........................................10-10
Vehicle identification number plate ....................10-10
Vehicle identification number (chassis
number) ..............................................................10-10Engine serial number .........................................10-11
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ..............................10-11
Emission control information label .....................10-12
Tire placard ........................................................10-12
Air conditioner specification label.......................10-12
Installing front license plate................................10-13
Vehicle loading information ................................10-13
Trailer towing ......................................................10-14
Uniform tire quality grading ................................10-18
Emission control system warranty .....................10-19
Reporting safety defects (USA) .........................10-19
Readiness for inspection/maintenance (I/M)
test ......................................................................10-20
ZX

Conventional T type (Spare)
Road wheel
Steel 15 x 6JJ 15 x 4T
Aluminum 15 x 6JJ 15 x 4T
Offset in (mm) 1.77 (45) 1.57 (40)
Tire sizeP195/65R15
P205/60R15T125/70D15Sedan
Overall length in (mm) 183.5 (4,660)
Overall width in (mm) 69.1 (1,754)
Overall height in (mm) 55.9 (1,420)
Front tread in (mm) 59.3 (1,505)
Rear tread in (mm) 58.9 (1,495)
Wheelbase in (mm) 103.1 (2,620)
Gross vehicle weight rating lb (kg)
See the ``F.M.V.S.S.
certification label'' on
the driver side, center
door pillar. Gross axle weight rating
Front lb (kg)
Rear lb (kg)
WHEEL/TIRE SIZE DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS
Technical and consumer information10-9
ZX

ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER
The number is stamped on the engine as
shown.
F.M.V.S.S. CERTIFICATION
LABEL
The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards (F.M.V.S.S.) certification label is af-
fixed as shown. This label contains valuable
vehicle information, such as: Gross Vehicle
Weight Ratings (GVWR), Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR), month and year of
manufacture, Vehicle Identification Number,
(VIN), etc. Review it carefully.
ATI1002TI1068
Technical and consumer information10-11
ZX

Use the following steps to mount the license
plate:
1. Make a hole in each plastic finisher at the
location mark (small dimple) using a 0.31
in (8 mm) drill. To avoid damaging the
threads behind the finisher, apply only
light pressure to the drill.2.Mount the license plate bracket using two of
the four8 mm slotted hex head screws.
3. Use the remaining two8 mm slotted hex
head screwsto mount the license plate
to the license plate bracket.
WARNING
cIt is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area inside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these ar-
eas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed.
cDo not allow people to ride in any
area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and seat belts.
c
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in
a seat and using a seat belt properly.
Terms
It is important to familiarize yourself with the
following terms before loading your vehicle:
c
Curb Weight (actual weight of your ve-
hicle) - vehicle weight including: standard
and optional equipment, fluids, emergency
tools, and spare tire assembly. This weight
does notinclude passengers and cargo.
cGVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) - curb
weight plus the combined weight of pas-
sengers and cargo.
cGVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) -
ATI1004
INSTALLING FRONT LICENSE
PLATEVEHICLE LOADING
INFORMATION
Technical and consumer information10-13
ZX

maximum total weight (load) limit speci-
fied for the vehicle.
cGAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) -
maximum weight (load) limit specified for
the front or rear axle.
Determining Vehicle Load Capacity
The load capacity of this vehicle is determined
by weight, not by available cargo space. For
example, a luggage rack, bike carrier, cartop
carrier or similar equipment does not increase
load carrying capacity of your vehicle.
To determine vehicle load capacity:
Vehicle weight can be determined by using
a commercial-grade scale, found at places
such as a truck stop, gravel quarry, grain
elevator, or a scrap metal recycling facility.
1)
Determine the curb weight of your vehicle.
2) Compare the curb weight amount to the
GVWR specified for your vehicle to de-
termine how much more weight your
vehicle can carry.
3) After loading (cargo and passengers),
re-weigh your vehicle to determine if
either GVWR or GAWR for your vehicle
is exceeded. If GVWR is exceeded, re-
move cargo as necessary. If either thefront or rear GAWR is exceeded, shift the
load or remove cargo as necessary.
Loading Tips
cThe GVW must not exceed GVWR or
GAWR as specified on the FMVSS Cer-
tification Label.
cDo not load the front and rear axle to the
GAWR. Doing so will exceed the GVWR.
WARNING
c
Properly secure all cargo to help pre-
vent it from sliding or shifting. Do not
place cargo higher than the seat-
backs. In a sudden stop or collision,
unsecured cargo could cause per-
sonal injury.
cDo not load your vehicle any heavier
than the GVWR or the maximum
front and rear GAWRs. If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, or it
can change the way your vehicle
handles. This could result in loss of
control and cause personal injury.
cOverloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle. Failures caused by
overloading are not covered by your
warranty.Your new vehicle was designed to be used
primarily to carry passengers and cargo.
Remember that towing a trailer will place
additional loads on your vehicle's engine,
drive train, steering, braking and other sys-
tems.
Information on trailer towing ability and the
special equipment required should be ob-
tained from an authorized NISSAN dealer.
He can obtain aNissan Trailer Towing
Guidefor you.
TI1011M
TRAILER TOWING
10-14Technical and consumer information
ZX

Maximum load limits
Maximum trailer loads:
Never allow the total trailer load to exceed
1,000 lb (454 kg). The total trailer load
equals trailer weight plus its cargo weight.
Towing loads greater than 1,000 lb (454 kg)
or using improper towing equipment could
adversely affect vehicle handling, braking
and performance.
WARNING
Vehicle damage and/or personal injury
resulting from improper towing proce-
dures is not covered by NISSAN warran-
ties. Information on trailer towing and
required towing equipment should be ob-
tained from dealers who specialize in pro-
viding trailers or other towing equipment.
Tongue load:
Keep the tongue load between 9 and 11%
of the total trailer load. If the tongue load
becomes excessive, rearrange cargo to al-
low for proper tongue load.
Maximum gross vehicle weight/maximum
gross axle weight:
The gross vehicle weight of the towing
vehicle must not exceed the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) shown on the
F.M.V.S.S. certification label. The gross ve-
hicle weight equals the combined weight of
the unloaded vehicle, passengers, luggage,hitch, trailer tongue load and any other
optional equipment. In addition, front or rear
gross axle weight must not exceed the
gross axle weight rating (GAWR) shown on
the F.M.V.S.S. certification label.
TOWING LOAD/SPECIFICATION CHART
UNIT: lb (kg)
MAXIMUM
TOWING LOAD1,000 (454)
MAXIMUM
TONGUE LOAD110 (49)
Trailer hitch
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and
trailer. Make sure the trailer hitch is securely
attached to the vehicle, to help avoid per-
sonal injury or property damage due to
sway caused by crosswinds, rough road
surfaces or passing trucks.
CAUTION
cDo not use axle-mounted hitches.
cThe hitch should not be attached to
or affect the operation of the impact-
absorbing bumper.
TI1012M
Technical and consumer information10-15
ZX

Coolant
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
Changing engine coolant........................ 8-5
Checking engine coolant level ............... 8-4
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-4
Corrosion protection .................................... 7-5
Cruise control............................................. 5-12
Cup holder ................................................. 2-16
D
Daytime running light system
(Canada only) ............................................ 2-13
Defogger switch
Rear window defogger switch .............. 2-11
Dimensions and weights............................ 10-9
Door ajar warning light ................................ 2-6
Door locks .................................................... 3-2
Drive belts .................................................. 8-14
Driving
Cold weather driving............................. 5-18
Driving with automatic
transmission .................................... 5-4, 5-6
Driving with manual transmission ... 5-4, 5-9
Precautions when starting and driving ... 5-2
E
Economy - fuel........................................... 5-14
Emission control information label........... 10-12Emission control system warranty ........... 10-19
Engine
Before starting the engine ...................... 5-5
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
Changing engine coolant........................ 8-5
Changing engine oil................................ 8-8
Changing engine oil filter........................ 8-9
Checking engine coolant level ............... 8-4
Checking engine oil level ....................... 8-7
Engine compartment check locations .... 8-3
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-4
Engine cooling system ........................... 8-4
Engine oil ................................................ 8-7
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation ................................... 10-5
Engine oil pressure warning light ........... 2-5
Engine oil viscosity ............................... 10-5
Engine serial number ......................... 10-11
Engine specifications ............................ 10-8
Starting the engine ............................... 5-10
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ................. 5-2
F
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher
switch) ........................................................ 2-14
Flat tire ......................................................... 6-2
Floor mat positioning aid ............................. 7-5
Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ........ 8-9
Brake fluid............................................. 8-11Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
Clutch fluid ............................................ 8-11
Engine oil ................................................ 8-7
Power steering fluid .............................. 8-11
Window washer fluid ............................ 8-12
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ................... 10-11
Front fog light switch ................................. 2-14
Front seats ................................................... 1-2
Fuel
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants .............................................. 10-2
Fuel economy ....................................... 5-14
Fuel filler cap ........................................ 3-11
Fuel filler lid lock opener lever ............. 3-11
Fuel gauge.............................................. 2-4
Fuel octane rating................................. 10-3
Fuel recommendation ........................... 10-3
Fuses ......................................................... 8-20
G
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 2-4
Fuel gauge.............................................. 2-4
Odometer ................................................ 2-3
Speedometer .......................................... 2-3
Tachometer............................................. 2-3
Trip odometer ......................................... 2-3
General maintenance .................................. 9-2
Glove box..................................................... 3-9
Glove box lock ............................................. 3-9
11-2
ZX