parking brake NISSAN ALTIMA 2002 L31 / 3.G Owners Manual

CHECKING BULBS
With all doors closed, apply the parking
brake and turn the ignition key to the ON
position without starting the engine. The
following lights come on:
,or,,,
The following lights come on briefly and
then go off:
or,,,
If any light fails to come on, it may
indicate a burned-out bulb or an open
circuit in the electrical system. Have the
system repaired promptly.
WARNING LIGHTS
Engine oil pressure warning
light
This light warns of low engine oil pressure. If
the light flickers or comes on during normal
driving, pull off the road in a safe area, stopthe engineimmediatelyand call an autho-
rized NISSAN dealer.
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.
orBrake warning lightLow washer fluid warning lightSupplemental air bag warning light
Turn signal/hazard indicator lightsorAnti-lock brake warning lightLow fuel warning light
High beam indicator lightMalfunction indicator lamp
(emission system)Trunk open warning light
Charge warning lightEngine oil pressure warning lightTraction control off indicator light
Door open warning lightCRUISE main switch indicator light
(if so equipped)Slip indicator light
Seat belt warning light and chimeCruise SET switch indicator light
(if so equipped)
WARNING/INDICATOR
LIGHTS AND AUDIBLE
REMINDERS
2-8Instruments and controls
ZX

Low washer fluid warning
light
This light comes on when the washer fluid is
at a low level. Add washer fluid as neces-
sary. See the ``Maintenance and Do-it-
yourself'' section.
orBrake warning light
This light functions for both the parking
brake and the foot brake systems.
When the ignition key is in the ON position,
the light comes on when the parking brake is
applied, and also warns of a low brake fluid
level. If the light comes on while the engine
is running with the parking brake not applied,
stop the vehicle and perform the following:
1.Check the brake fluid level. Add brake
fluid as necessary. See ``Brake and clutch
fluid'' in the ``Maintenance and do-it-
yourself'' section of this Owner's Manual.
2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have the
brake system checked by an authorized
NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
c
Your brake system may not be work-
ing properly if the warning light is on.
Driving could be dangerous. If you
judge it to be safe, drive carefully to
the nearest service station for repairs.
Otherwise, have your vehicle towed
because driving it could be danger-
ous.
cPressing the brake pedal with the
engine stopped and/or a low brake
fluid level may increase your stop-
ping distance and braking will re-
quire greater pedal effort as well as
pedal travel.
cIf the brake fluid level is below the
MINIMUM or MIN mark on the brake
fluid reservoir, do not drive until the
brake system has been checked at a
NISSAN dealer.
orAnti-lock brake
warning light
(if so equipped)
If the light comes on while the engine is
running, it may indicate the anti-lock portion
of the brake system is not functioning prop-erly. Have the system checked by an autho-
rized NISSAN dealer.
Turn off the engine, and start it again by
slowly turning the ignition key (quickly
doing so may cause the ABS light to stay
on when there is nothing wrong). If the
light stays on, have the system checked
by an authorized NISSAN dealer.
If an abnormality occurs in the system, the
anti-lock function ceases, but the regular
braking system continues to operate.
If the light comes on while you are driving,
contact an authorized NISSAN dealer for
repair.
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 convenient, 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).
2-10Instruments and controls
ZX

Instrument brightness control
The instrument cluster illuminates when the
ignition switch is in ON position.
The instrument brightness control operates
when the light switch is in the AUTO,
orposition.
Turn the control to adjust the brightness of
instrument panel lights when driving at night.
The instrument brightness control will not
adjust the brightness when the headlights or
parking lights are off.
Passing signal
Pulling and releasing the lever flashes the
headlight high beams on and off.
Daytime running light system
(Canada only)
The headlights automatically illuminate at a
reduced intensity when the engine is started
with the parking brake released. The day-
time running lights operate with the head-
light switch in the OFF position or in the
position. Turn the headlight switch to
theposition for full illumination when
driving at night.
If the parking brake is applied before the
engine is started, the daytime running lights
do not illuminate. The daytime running lights
illuminate once the parking brake is re-
leased. The daytime running lights will re-
main on until the ignition switch is turned off.
WARNING
When the daytime running light system
is active, tail lights on your vehicle are
not on. It is necessary at dusk to turn
on your headlights. Failure to do so
could cause an accident injuring your-
self and others.
AUTOLAMP SYSTEM
(if so equipped)
The autolamp system allows the headlights
to be set so they turn on and off automati-
cally. The autolamp system can turn on the
headlights automatically when it is dark,
turn off the headlights when it is light, and
keep the headlights on for up to 45 seconds
after you turn the key to OFF and all doors
are closed.
If the ignition switch is turned OFF and one
of the doors is opened, the headlights re-
main ON for five minutes.
WIC0185LIC0135
2-20Instruments and controls
ZX

5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving ...................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) .......................5-2
Three-way catalyst ............................................5-2
Avoiding collision and rollover ...........................5-3
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ....................5-4
Ignition switch .........................................................5-4
Automatic transmission .....................................5-4
Manual transmission..........................................5-5
Key positions .....................................................5-5
Nissan vehicle immobilizer system
(NVIS) ................................................................5-6
Before starting the engine ......................................5-6
Starting the engine .................................................5-7
Driving the vehicle ..................................................5-7
Automatic transmission .....................................5-7
Manual transmission........................................5-11
Parking brake .......................................................5-13
Cruise control (if so equipped) .............................5-14
Precautions on cruise control ..........................5-14Cruise control operations ................................5-14
Break-in schedule ................................................5-15
Increasing fuel economy ......................................5-16
Parking/parking on hills ........................................5-17
Power steering .....................................................5-18
Brake system........................................................5-18
Braking precautions .........................................5-18
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if so equipped)................................................5-19
Traction control system (TCS) .............................5-20
Cold weather driving ............................................5-21
Freeing a frozen door lock ..............................5-21
Anti-freeze .......................................................5-21
Battery .............................................................5-21
Draining of coolant water ................................5-21
Tire equipment.................................................5-22
Special winter equipment ................................5-22
Driving on snow or ice.....................................5-22
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ..............5-23
ZX

1. Apply the parking brake.
2.Automatic transmission:
Move the shift selector lever to P (Park)
or N (Neutral). (P is recommended.)
The shift selector lever cannot be
moved out of P (Park) and into any of
the other gear positions if the ignition
key is turned to OFF or if the key is
removed.
The starter is designed not to operate
if the shift selector lever is in any of
the driving positions.
Manual transmission:
Move the shift lever to N (Neutral), and
depress the clutch pedal to the floor while
cranking the engine.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully de-
pressed.
3. Crank the enginewith your foot off the
accelerator pedalby turning the ignition
key to START. Release the key when the
engine starts. If the engine starts, but
fails to run, repeat the above procedure.
Ð If the engine is very hard to start in
extremely cold or hot weather, de-
press and hold the accelerator pedalto help start the engine.
Ð In the summer, when restarting the
engine within 30 minutes after it has
been stopped, keep the accelerator
pedal fully depressed while starting.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not
start, turn the key off and wait 10
seconds before cranking again, other-
wise the starter could be damaged.
4.Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially
in cold weather.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING
cDo not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), 3,
2 or 1. Always depress the brake
pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to
lose control and have an accident.
cCold engine idle speed is high, so
use caution when shifting into a for-
ward or reverse gear before the en-
gine has warmed up.
cNever shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving. This
could cause an accident.
CAUTION
c
When stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle
by depressing the accelerator pedal.
The foot brake should be used for
this purpose.
cDo not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
STARTING THE ENGINE DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-7
ZX

Gate type shift
The automatic transmission in your vehicle
is electronically controlled by a transmission
control module to produce maximum power
and smooth operation.
Shown on the following pages are the rec-
ommended operating procedures for this
transmission. Follow these procedures for
maximum vehicle performance and driving
enjoyment.
Starting the vehicle
cAfter starting the engine, fully depress
the foot brake pedal before shifting the
selector lever to the R (Reverse), N
(Neutral), D (Drive), 3, 2 or 1. Be sure
the vehicle is fully stopped before at-
tempting to shift the selector lever.
This automatic transmission is designed
so that the foot brake pedal MUST be
depressed before shifting from P (Park)
to any drive position while the ignition
switch is ON.
The selector lever cannot be moved outof P (Park) and into any of the other gear
positions if the ignition key is turned to
the LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the
key is removed from the ignition switch.
1. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and
shift the selector lever into a driving gear.
2. Release the parking brake and foot
brake, then gradually start the vehicle in
motion.
WARNING
cIf the selector lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position while the
engine is running and the brake
pedal is depressed, the stoplights
may not work. Malfunctioning stop-
lights could cause an accident injur-
ing yourself and others.
cDo not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), 3,
2, or 1. Always depress the brake
pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to
lose control and have an accident.
LSD0023
5-8Starting and driving
ZX

cCold engine idle speed is high, so
use caution when shifting into a for-
ward or reverse gear before the en-
gine has warmed up.
cNever shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while vehicle is moving. This could
cause an accident.
cOn slippery roads, do not downshift.
This may cause a loss of control.
CAUTION
When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brakes should be used for this
purpose.
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and shift the selector lever from
P (Park) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), 3, 2 or 1.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the selector
lever is in any position while the engine
is not running. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpect-
edly or roll away and result in serious
personal injury or property damage.
If the key is turned to OFF or ACC for any
reason while the vehicle is in N (Neutral), or
any D (Drive) position, the selector lever
cannot be moved to P (Park). Additionally,
the key cannot be turned to LOCK and be
removed from the ignition switch. If this
occurs, perform the following steps:
1. Apply the parking brake when the vehicle
is stopped.
2. Turn the key to ON.
3. Depress the foot brake pedal.
4. Move the selector lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to restart the vehicle (P is pre-
ferred). Move the selector lever to P
(Park) to park the vehicle and turn the
ignition key to LOCK to remove the key.
LSD0022
Starting and driving5-9
ZX

P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle
is parked or when starting the engine. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped. For
maximum safety, depress the brake pedal,
then move the lever to the P (Park) position.
The brake pedal must be depressed any
time the selector lever is moved to P (Park).
Apply the parking brake. When parking on a
hill, apply the parking brake first, then move
the lever to the P (Park) position.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Always be sure
the vehicle is completely stopped when
selecting R (Reverse). The brake pedal
must be depressed to move the selector
lever from P (Park), N (Neutral), or any drive
position to R (Reverse).
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position.
You may shift to N (Neutral) and restart a
stalled engine while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward
driving.3 (Third gear):
For driving up or down long slopes where
engine braking would be advantageous.
2 (Second gear):
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
Do not exceed 68 MPH (110 km/h) in the 2
(Second gear) position.
1 (Low gear):
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
sand or mud, or for maximum engine brak-
ing on steep downhill grades.
Do not exceed 37 MPH (60 km/h) in the 1
(Low gear) position.
Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift selector
lever may not be moved from the P (Park)
position even with the brake pedal de-
pressed.
To move the shift selector lever, release the
shift lock. The selector lever can be moved
to N (Neutral). However, the steering wheel
will be locked unless the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position. This allows the
vehicle to be moved if the battery is dis-
charged.
To push the shift lock release button, per-
LSD0024
5-10Starting and driving
ZX

form the following procedure.
1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK posi-
tion and remove the key.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover as
shown.
4. Insert a small screwdriver in the shift lock
release slot and push down.
5. Move the shift selector lever to the N
(neutral) position while holding down the
shift lock release.
6. Turn the key to the ON position to unlock
the steering wheel.
Now the vehicle may be moved to the
desired location.
If the lever cannot be moved out of P (Park),
have your authorized NISSAN dealer check
the automatic transmission system as soon
as possible.WARNING
If the selector lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position while the
engine is running and the brake pedal
is depressed, the stop lights may not
work. Malfunctioning stop lights could
cause an accident injuring yourself and
others.
Accelerator downshift Ð In D posi-
tion Ð
For passing or hill climbing, fully depress
the accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts
the transmission down into second gear or
first gear, depending on the vehicle speed.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the
next time the key is turned to the ON
position, the light in the instrument cluster of
the selected shift position will blink for ap-
proximately 8 seconds after the ignition is
turned ON. While the vehicle can be driven
under these circumstances, please note
that the gears in the automatic transmission
will be locked in third gear.
If the vehicle is driven under extremeconditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
This will occur even if all electrical cir-
cuits are functioning properly. In this
case, turn the ignition key OFF and wait
for 3 seconds. Then turn the key back to
the ON position. The vehicle should re-
turn to its normal operating condition. If
it does not return to its normal operating
condition, have your NISSAN retailer
check the transmission and repair if nec-
essary.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WARNING
cDo not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
cDo not over-rev the engine when
shifting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage.
Starting and driving
5-11
ZX

Suggested maximum speed in each
gear
Downshift to a lower gear if the engine is not
running smoothly, or if you need to accelerate.
Do not exceed the maximum suggested
speed (shown below) in any gear. For level
road driving, use the highest gear sug-
gested for that speed. Always observe
posted speed limits, and drive according to
the road conditions, which will ensure safe
operation. Do not over-rev the engine when
shifting to a lower gear as it may cause
engine damage or loss of vehicle control.
GEAR MPH (km/h)
1st 30 (48)
2nd 60 (96)
3rd 90 (144)
4th þ
5th þTo engage:pull the lever up.
To release:
1. Firmly apply foot brake.
2.Manual transmission models:
Place the shift selector lever in the N
(neutral) position.
Automatic transmission models:
Move the shift selector lever to the P
(park) position.
3. While pulling up on the parking brake
lever slightly, push the button and lower
completely.4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out.
WARNING
cBe sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving. Failure to do
so can cause brake failure and lead
to an accident.
cDo not release the parking brake
from outside the vehicle.
cDo not use the gear shift in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully en-
gaged.
c
Do not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the park-
ing brake and cause an accident.
LSD0019
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-13
ZX