heating NISSAN ALTIMA 2002 L31 / 3.G Owners Manual

WARNING
cThe air conditioner cooling function
operates only when the engine is
running.
c
Do not leave children, impaired adults,
or pets alone in your vehicle. On hot
sunny days, temperatures in a closed
vehicle could quickly become high
enough to cause severe or possibly
fatal injuries to people or animals.
cDo not use the recirculation mode
for long periods as it may cause the
interior air to become stale and the
windows to fog up.
cPositioning of the heating or air con-
ditioning controls should not be
done while driving, so full attention
may be given to vehicle operation.
CONTROLS
Fan control dial
This dial turns the fan on and off, and
controls fan speed.
Air control dial
These dials allow you to select the air flow
outlets.
Ð Air flows from center and side
ventilators.
Ð Air flows from center and side
ventilators and foot outlets.
Ð Air flows mainly from foot outlets.
Ð Air flows from defroster outlets
and foot outlets.
Ð Air flows mainly from defroster
outlets.
Temperature control dial
This dial allows you to adjust the tempera-
ture of the outlet air.
Air recirculation button
Off position (Indicator light off):
Outside air is drawn into the passenger
compartment and distributed through the
selected outlet.
Use the off position for normal heater or air
conditioner operation.
On position (Indicator light on):
Interior air is recirculated inside the vehicle.
Push the
button to the on position
when:
cdriving on a dusty road.
cto avoid traffic fumes.
LHA0109
HEATER AND AIR
CONDITIONER (MANUAL)
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems4-3
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cfor maximum cooling when using the air
conditioner
Air conditioner button
(if so equipped)
This button is provided only on vehicles
equipped with an air conditioner.
Start the engine, turn the fan control dial to
the desired (1 to 4) position and push the
A/C button to turn on the air conditioner.
The indicator light comes on when the air
conditioner is operating. To stop the air
conditioner, push the switch again.
The air conditioner cooling function op-
erates only when the engine is running.
HEATER OPERATION
Heating
This mode is used to direct heated air to the
foot outlets. Some air also flows from the
defroster outlets.
1. Push the
button to the off position
for normal heating.
2.
Turn the air control dial to theposition.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.4. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position between the middle and
the HOT position.
Ventilation
This mode directs outside air to the side and
center ventilators.
1. Turn the air control dial to the
po-
sition.
2. Push the
button in.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
4. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
Defrosting or defogging
This mode is used to defrost/defog the
windows.
1.
Turn the air control dial to theposition.
2. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
3. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position between the middle and
the HOT position.
cTo quickly remove ice or fog from thewindows, turn on the fan control dial to 4
and the temperature control dial to the
full HOT position.
cWhen the
position is selected, the
air conditioner automatically turns on
(however, the indicator light will not illu-
minate). This dehumidifies the air which
helps defog the windshield. The air recir-
culation mode automatically turns off,
allowing outside air to be drawn into the
passenger compartment which helps de-
fog the windshield.
Bi-level heating/cooling
This mode directs air from the side, center
and foot outlets.
1. Push the
button to the off position.
2.
Turn the air control dial to theposition.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
4. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
Heating and defogging
This mode heats the interior and defogs the
windshield.
1.
Turn the air control dial to theposition.
4-4Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
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2. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
3. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position between the middle and
the HOT position.
Operating tips
cClear snow and ice from the wiper
blades and air inlet in front of the
windshield. This improves heater op-
eration.
cWhen the
orpositions are
selected, the air recirculation mode auto-
matically turns off.
Outside air is drawn into the passenger
compartment to improve the defogging
performance.
AIR CONDITIONER OPERATION
(if so equipped)
Start the engine, move the fan control dial to
the desired (1 to 4) position and push in the
A/C button to activate the air conditioner.
When the air conditioner is on, cooling and
dehumidifying functions are added to the
heater operation.
The air conditioner cooling function op-
erates only when the engine is running.
Cooling
This mode is used to cool and dehumidify
the air.
1. Push the
button to the off position.
2. Turn the air control dial to the
po-
sition.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
4. Push on the air conditioner button. The
indicator light comes on.
5. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
cFor quick cooling when the outside tem-
perature is high, push the
button to
the on position (Indicator light on). Be
sure to return the
button to the off
position for normal cooling.
Dehumidified heating
This mode is used to heat and dehumidify.
1. Push the
button to the off position.
2. Turn the air control dial to the
po-
sition.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.4. Push on the air conditioner button. The
indicator light comes on.
5. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
Dehumidified defogging
This mode defogs the windows and dehu-
midifies the air.
1. Turn the air control dial to the
posi-
tion.
When the
position is selected, the
air conditioner automatically turns on
(however, the indicator light will not illu-
minate). This dehumidifies the air which
helps defog the windshield. The air recir-
culation mode automatically turns off,
allowing outside air to be drawn into the
passenger compartment which helps de-
fog the windshield.
2. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
3. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
Outside air is drawn into the passenger
compartment to improve the defogging per-
formance.
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
4-5
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Operating tips
cKeep the windows and sun roof closed
while the air conditioner is in operation.
cAfter parking in the sun, drive for two or
three minutes with the windows open to
vent hot air from the passenger compart-
ment. Then, close the windows. This
allows the air conditioner to cool the
interior more quickly.
cThe air conditioner system should be
operated for approximately ten min-
utes at least once a month. This helps
prevent damage to the system due to
lack of lubrication.
cIf the engine coolant temperature gauge
exceeds the H (hot) position, turn the air
conditioner off. See ``If your vehicle over-
heats'' in the ``In case of emergency''
section of this Owner's Manual for addi-
tional information.
AIR FLOW CHARTS
The charts on the following pages show the
switch and lever positions forMAXIMUM
and QUICKheating, cooling, or defrosting.
LHA0110
4-6Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
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WARNING
cThe air conditioner cooling function
operates only when the engine is
running.cDo not leave children, impaired
adults, or pets alone in your vehicle.
On hot, sunny days, temperatures in
a closed vehicle could quickly be-
come high enough to cause severe orpossibly fatal injuries to people or
animals.
cDo not use the recirculation mode
for long periods as it may cause the
interior air to become stale and the
windows to fog up.
cPositioning of the heating or air con-
ditioning controls should not be
done while driving, so full attention
may be given to vehicle operation.
Start the engine and operate the controls to
activate the air conditioner.
AUTOMATIC OPERATION
Cooling and/or dehumidified heat-
ing (AUTO)
This mode may be normally used all year
round as the system automatically works to
keep a constant temperature. Air flow distri-
bution and fan speed are also controlled
automatically.
1. Push the AUTO button on. (AUTO will be
displayed.)
2. Turn the temperature dial to the left or
right to set the desired temperature.
WHA0136
HEATER AND AIR
CONDITIONER (Automatic) (if
so equipped)
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems4-9
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cAdjust the temperature dial to about 75ÉF
(24ÉC) for normal operation.
cThe temperature of the passenger com-
partment will be maintained automati-
cally. Air flow distribution and fan speed
are also controlled automatically.
Heating (ECON)
The air conditioner does not activate. When
you need to heat only, use this mode.
1. Push the ECON (Economy) button on.
(ECON will be displayed.)
2. Turn the temperature dial to the left or
right to set the desired temperature.
cThe temperature of the passenger com-
partment will be maintained automati-
cally. Air flow distribution and fan speed
are also controlled automatically.
cDo not set the temperature lower than
the outside air temperature. Otherwise
the system may not work properly.
cNot recommended if windows fog up.
Dehumidified defogging
1. Push the DEF buttonon. The in-
dicator light on the button will come on.2. Turn the temperature dial to the left or
right to set the desired temperature.
cTo quickly remove ice from the outside of
the windows, push the manual fan con-
trol button
and set to the maxi-
mum position
.
cAs soon as possible after the windshield
is clean, push the AUTO button to return
to the auto mode.
cWhen the DEF button
is pushed,
the air conditioner will automatically be
turned on at outside temperatures above
23ÉF (þ5ÉC) to defog the windshield, and
the air recirculate mode will automatically
be turned off.
Outside air is drawn into the passenger
compartment to improve the defogging
performance.
MANUAL OPERATION
Fan speed control
Push the fan control buttonto manu-
ally control the fan speed.
Push the AUTO button to return to auto-
matic control of the fan speed.
Air recirculation
Push the air recirculation buttonto
recirculate interior air inside the vehicle. The
indicator light on the switch will come on.
Push it again to make the air inlet controlled
automatically (FRESH, REC/FRE and RE-
CIRCULATION). The indicator will go out.
The air recirculation button will not be acti-
vated when the air conditioner is in DEF
mode.
Air flow control
Pushing the manual air flow control button
selects the air outlet to:
: Air flows from center and side ventila-
tors.
: Air flows from center and side ventila-
tors and foot outlets.
: Air flows mainly from foot outlets.
: Air flow from defroster and foot out-
lets.
To turn system off
Push the OFF button.
4-10Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
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cHEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:s2
Turn the wheels away from the curb and
move the vehicle back until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.
cHEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
s3
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away from
the center of the road if it moves.
4. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK posi-
tion and remove the key.The power assisted steering is designed to
use a hydraulic pump, driven by the engine,
to assist steering.
If the engine stops or the hydraulic pump
drive belt breaks, you will still have control of
the vehicle. However, much greater steer-
ing effort is needed, especially in sharp
turns and at low speeds.
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the steering will not work. Steering will
be much harder to operate.The brake system has two separate
hydraulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKING PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brake
The brake booster aids braking by using
engine vacuum. If the engine stops, you can
stop the vehicle by depressing the brake
pedal. However, greater foot pressure on
the brake pedal will be required to stop the
vehicle and stopping distance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This overheats the brakes,
increases wear on the brake linings and
pads, and reduces gas mileage.
To help save the brakes and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down
a slope or long grade. Overheated brakes
may reduce braking performance and could
result in loss of vehicle control.
Parking brake bedding
The parking brake shoes must be ``bedded
down'' whenever the stopping effect of the
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
5-18Starting and driving
ZX

CAUTION
cAutomatic transmission models can-
not be push started. This may cause
transmission damage.
cThree way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing.
The three way catalyst may be dam-
aged.
cNever try to start the vehicle by tow-
ing it. When the engine starts, the
forward surge could cause the ve-
hicle to collide with the tow vehicle.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
cDo not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
cTo avoid the danger of being
scalded, never remove the radiator
cap while the engine is still hot.
When the radiator cap is removed,
pressurized hot water will spurt out,
possibly causing serious injury.
cDo not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road,
apply the parking brake and move the
shift lever to N (Neutral) (manual trans-
mission) or to P (Park) (automatic trans-
mission).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the
windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator before opening the hood. Wait until
no steam or coolant can be seen before
proceeding.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5. Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan
is running. The radiator hoses and radia-
tor should not leak water. If coolant is
leaking, the water pump belt is missing or
loose, or the cooling fan does not run,
stop the engine.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE
OVERHEATS
6-8In case of emergency
ZX

CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
An authorized NISSAN dealer can change
the engine coolant. The service procedure
is found in NISSAN's Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine over-
heating.
WARNING
cTo avoid the danger of being
scalded, never change the coolant
when the engine is hot.
cNever remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure
fluid escaping from the radiator.
cAvoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made,
wash thoroughly with soap or hand
cleaner as soon as possible.
cKeep coolant out of reach of children
and pets.
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it
reaches operating temperature.
3. Turn off the engine.Wait more than 10
minutes for the oil to drain back into
the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean.
Reinsert it all the way.
WDI0145WDI0146
ENGINE OIL
8-10Maintenance and do-it-yourself
ZX

If any driveability problems such as engine
stalling and difficult hot-starting are experi-
enced after using oxygenate-blend fuels,
immediately change to a non-oxygenate
fuel or a fuel with a low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during
refueling. Gasoline containing oxygen-
ates can cause paint damage.
Aftermarket fuel additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
any fuel additives (i.e.: fuel injector cleaner,
octane booster, intake valve deposit remov-
ers, etc.) which are sold commercially.
Many of these additives intended for gum,
varnish or deposit removal may contain
active solvents or similar ingredients that
can be harmful to the fuel system and
engine.
Octane rating tips
In most parts of North America, you should
use unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) num-
ber. However, you may use unleaded gaso-
line with an octane rating as low as 85 AKI
(Anti-Knock Index) number in high altitude
areas [over 4,000 ft (1,219 m)] such as:
Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah,Wyoming, northeastern Nevada, southern
Idaho, western South Dakota, western Ne-
braska, and the part of Texas which is
directly south of New Mexico.
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than stated above can cause
persistent, heavy ``spark knock.''
(``Spark knock'' is a metallic rapping
noise.) If severe, this can lead to engine
damage. If you detect a persistent heavy
spark knock even when using gasoline
of the stated octane rating, or if you hear
steady spark knock while holding a
steady speed on level roads, have an
authorized dealer correct the condition.
Failure to correct the condition is misuse
of the vehicle, for which NISSAN is not
responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may result in spark
knock, after-run or overheating, which may
cause excessive fuel consumption or en-
gine damage. If any of the above symptoms
are encountered, have your vehicle
checked at an authorized NISSAN dealer or
other competent service facility.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This isno cause for concern, because you get
the greatest fuel benefit when there is
light spark knock for a short time under
heavy engine load.
9-4Technical and consumer information
ZX