tow NISSAN ALTIMA 2008 L32A / 4.G Owners Manual

1. Power windows (P. 2-41)
2. Windshield (P. 8-19)
3. Windshield wiper and washer switch
(P. 2-26)
4. Engine hood (P. 3-16)
5. Tie down/towing hooks (P. 6-12)
6. Fog light switch (if so equipped)
(P. 2-32)
7. Headlight and turn signal switch
(P. 2-27)
8. Replacing bulbs (P. 8-26)
9. Tire pressure (P. 8-31)
10. Flat tire (P. 6-2)
11. Tire chains (P. 8-39)
12. Mirrors (P. 3-21)
13. Door locks, Intelligent key system, keys,
request button (P. 3-3, 3-5, 3-2, 3-8)
See the page number indicated in paren-
theses for operating details.
LII0114
EXTERIOR FRONT
Illustrated table of contents0-3
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s2Slowly pull the seat belt out of the retractor
and insert the tongue into the buckle until
you hear and feel the latch engage.
cThe retractor is designed to lock during
a sudden stop or on impact. A slow
pulling motion permits the seat belt to
move, and allows you some freedom of
movement in the seat.
cIf the seat belt cannot be pulled from
its fully retracted position, firmly pull
the belt and release it. Then smoothly
pull the belt out of the retractor.s3Position the lap belt portionlow and snug
on the hipsas shown.
s4Pull the shoulder belt portion toward the
retractor to take up extra slack. Be sure the
shoulder belt is routed over your shoulder
and across your chest.
The front passenger seat and the rear seating
positions three-point seat belts have a locking
mechanism for child restraint installation. It is
referred to as the Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) mode or child restraint mode.
When ALR is activated the seat belt cannot be
extended again until the seat belt tongue is de-
tached from the buckle and fully retracted. Onceretracted, the seat belt is in the Emergency Lock-
ing Retractor (ELR) mode. See “Child restraints”
later in this section for more information.
The ALR mode should be used only for
child restraint installation. During normal
seat belt use by a passenger, the locking
mode should not be activated. If it is acti-
vated it may cause uncomfortable seat belt
tension.
WARNING
When fastening the seat belts, be certain
that the seatbacks are completely se-
cured in the latched position. If they are
not completely secured, passengers may
be injured in an accident or sudden stop.
WRS0809WRS0810
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cDo not use towels, books, pillows or
other items in place of a booster seat.
Items such as these may move during
normal driving or a collision and result
in serious injury or death. Booster seats
are designed to be used with a
lap/shoulder belt. Booster seats are de-
signed to properly route the lap and
shoulder portions of the seat belt over
the strongest portions of a child’s body
to provide the maximum protection dur-
ing a collision.
cFollow all of the booster seat manufac-
turer’s instructions for installation and
use. When purchasing a booster seat,
be sure to select one which will fit your
child and vehicle. It may not be possible
to properly install some types of
booster seats in your vehicle.
cIf the booster seat and seat belt is not
used properly, the risk of a child being
injured in a collision or a sudden stop
greatly increases.
cAdjustable seatbacks should be posi-
tioned to fit the booster seat, but as
upright as possible.cAfter placing the child in the booster
seat and fastening the seat belt, make
sure the shoulder portion of the belt is
away from the child’s face and neck and
the lap portion of the belt does not
cross the abdomen.
cDo not put the shoulder belt behind the
child or under the child’s arm. If you
must install a booster seat in the front
seat, see “Booster seat installation”
later in this section.
cWhen your booster seat is not in use,
keep it secured with a seat belt to pre-
vent it from being thrown around in
case of a sudden stop or accident.
CAUTION
Remember that a booster seat left in a
closed vehicle can become very hot.
Check the seating surface and buckles
before placing your child in the booster
seat.Booster seats of various sizes are offered by
several manufacturers. When selecting any
booster seat, keep the following points in mind:
cChoose only a booster seat with a label
certifying that it complies with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
cCheck the booster seat in your vehicle to be
sure it is compatible with the vehicle’s seat
and seat belt system.
LRS0455
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4. Position the lap portion of the seat belt low
and snug on the child’s hips. Be sure to
follow the booster seat manufacturer’s in-
structions for adjusting the belt routing.
5. Pull the shoulder belt portion of the seat belt
toward the retractor to take up extra slack.
Be sure the shoulder belt is positioned
across the top, middle portion of the child’s
shoulder. Be sure to follow the booster seat
manufacturer’s instructions for adjusting the
belt routing.
6. Follow the warnings, cautions and instruc-
tions for properly fastening a seat belt
shown in the “Three-point seat belt with
retractor” earlier in this section.7. If the booster seat is installed in the front
passenger seat, push the ignition switch to
the ON position. The front passenger air bag
status light
may or may not illuminate,
depending on the size of the child and the
type of booster seat being used. See “Front
passenger air bag and status light” later in
this section.
Front passenger position
LRS0454WRS0475
1-38Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
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cDo not place objects with sharp edges
on the seat. Also, do not place heavy
objects on the seat that will leave per-
manent impressions in the seat. Such
objects can damage the seat or occu-
pant classification sensor (pattern sen-
sor) . This can affect the operation of the
air bag system and result in serious
personal injury.
cDo not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can
damage the seat or occupant classifica-
tion sensor. This can also affect the
operation of the air bag system and
result in serious personal injury.
cImmediately after inflation, several
front air bag system components will be
hot. Do not touch them; you may se-
verely burn yourself.
cNo unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the supplemental air bag system. This is
to prevent accidental inflation of the
supplemental air bag or damage to the
supplemental air bag system.cDo not make unauthorized changes to
your vehicle’s electrical system, sus-
pension system or front end structure.
This could affect proper operation of
the supplemental front air bag system.
cTampering with the supplemental front
air bag system may result in serious
personal injury. Tampering includes
changes to the steering wheel and the
instrument panel assembly by placing
material over the steering wheel pad
and above the instrument panel or by
installing additional trim material
around the air bag system.
cModifying or tampering with the front
passenger seat may result in serious
personal injury. For example, do not
change the front seats by placing mate-
rial on the seat cushion or by installing
additional trim material, such as seat
covers, on the seat that are not specifi-
cally designed to assure proper air bag
operation. Additionally, do not stow any
objects under the front passenger seat
or the seat cushion and seatback. Such
objects may interfere with the proper
operation of the occupant classifica-
tion sensor.cNo unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the seat belt system. This may affect the
supplemental front air bag system.
Tampering with the seat belt system
may result in serious personal injury.
cWork on and around the supplemental
front air bag system should be done by
a NISSAN dealer. Installation of electri-
cal equipment should also be done by a
NISSAN dealer. The Supplemental Re-
straint System (SRS) wiring should not
be modified or disconnected. Unautho-
rized electrical test equipment and
probing devices should not be used on
the air bag system.
cA cracked windshield should be re-
placed immediately by a qualified re-
pair facility. A cracked windshield could
affect the function of the supplemental
air bag system.
cThe SRS wiring harness connectors are
yellow and orange for easy
identification.
When selling your vehicle, we request that you
inform the buyer about the supplemental front air
bag system and guide the buyer to the appropri-
ate sections in this Owner’s Manual.
1-50Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
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cThe compass may not indicate the correct
compass point in tunnels or while driving up
or down a steep hill. (The compass returns
to the correct compass point when the ve-
hicle moves to an area where the geomag-
netism is stabilized.)
CAUTION
cDo not install a ski rack, antenna, etc.,
which are attached to the vehicle by
means of a magnet. They affect the op-
eration of the compass.
cWhen cleaning the mirror, use a paper
towel or similar material dampened
with glass cleaner. Do not spray glass
cleaner directly on the mirror as it may
cause the liquid cleaner to enter the
mirror housing.
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If the ABS warning light illuminates while the
engine is running, or while driving, it may indicate
the ABS is not functioning properly. Have the
system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
If an ABS malfunction occurs, the anti-lock func-
tion is turned off. The brake system then operates
normally, but without anti-lock assistance. See
9Brake system9in the9Starting and driving9sec-
tion.
orBrake warning light
This light functions for both the parking brake and
the foot brake systems.
Parking brake indicator
When the ignition switch is in the ON position,
the light comes on when the parking brake is
applied.
Low brake fluid warning light
When the ignition switch is in the ON position,
the light 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 fluid” in the “Main-
tenance and do-it-yourself” section of this
manual.2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have the
warning system checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
WARNING
cYour brake system may not be working
properly if the warning light is on. Driv-
ing 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 driv-
ing it could be dangerous.
cPressing the brake pedal with the en-
gine stopped and/or a low brake fluid
level may increase your stopping dis-
tance and braking will require 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.
Charge warning light
If this light comes on while the engine is running,
it may indicate the charging system is not func-
tioning properly. Turn the engine off and checkthe drive belt. If the belt is loose, broken, missing,
or if the light remains on, see a NISSAN dealer
immediately.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving if the drive belt is
loose, broken or missing.
Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) check
warning light (if so equipped)
When the push-button ignition switch is pushed
to the ON position, the light comes on for about 2
seconds. If the light comes on at any other time, it
may indicate the CVT system is not functioning
properly. Have the system checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
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, stop the engine
immediatelyand call a NISSAN dealer or other
authorized repair shop.
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vehicle inspected by a NISSAN dealer. You
do not need to have your vehicle towed to
the dealer.
cMalfunction indicator light blinking — An en-
gine 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.
Security indicator light
This light blinks when the ignition switch is in the
OFF, LOCK or ACC position.
The blinking security indicator light indicates that
the security systems equipped on the vehicle are
operational.
For additional information, see “Security sys-
tems” later in this section.
Slip indicator light (if so
equipped)
This indicator light will blink when the traction
control system is limiting wheel spin. Slippery
road conditions may exist if the slip indicator
blinks on. If this happens, adjust your driving
accordingly.
The slip indicator light also comes on when you
push the push-button ignition switch to the ON
position. The light will turn off after about 2 sec-
onds if the system is operational. If the light does
not come on or does not go off, have the traction
control system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
Traction control system off
indicator light (if so equipped)
This indicator light comes on when the traction
control off switch is pushed to OFF. This indi-
cates the traction control system is not operating.
Push the traction control off switch again or re-
start the engine and the system will operate nor-
mally. See “Traction control system (TCS)” in the
“Starting and driving” section of this manual.
The traction control light also comes on when you
push the push-button ignition switch to the ON
position. The light will turn off after about 2 sec-
onds if the traction control system (TCS) is op-
erational. If the light stays on or comes on along
with the SLIP indicator light while you are driving,
have the traction control system checked by a
NISSAN dealer.
While the traction control system is operating,
you might feel slight vibration or hear the system
working when starting the vehicle or accelerat-
ing, but this is normal.
Turn signal/hazard indicator
lights
The appropriate light flashes when the turn signal
switch is activated.
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SWITCH OPERATION
The windshield wiper and washer switch oper-
ates when the ignition key is in the ON position.
Push the lever down to operate the wiper at the
following speed:
s1Intermittent — intermittent operation can be
adjusted by turning the knob toward
sA
(Slower) orsB(Faster) . Also, for vehicles
equipped with speed dependent wipers, the
intermittent operation speed varies in accor-
dance with the vehicle speed. (For example,
when the vehicle speed is high, the intermit-
tent operation speed will be faster.)
s2Low — continuous low speed operation
s3High — continuous high speed operation
Push the lever up
s4to have one sweep opera-
tion of the wiper.
Pull the lever toward you
s5to operate the
washer. The wiper will also operate several times.
WARNING
In freezing temperatures the washer solu-
tion may freeze on the windshield and
obscure your vision which may lead to an
accident. Warm the windshield with the
defroster before you wash the windshield.
CAUTION
cDo not operate the washer continu-
ously for more than 30 seconds.
cDo not operate the washer if the reser-
voir tank is empty.
cDo not fill the window washer reservoir
tank with washer fluid concentrates at
full strength. Some methyl alcohol
based washer fluid concentrates may
permanently stain the grille if spilled
while filling the window washer reser-
voir tank.cPre-mix washer fluid concentrates with
water to the manufacturer’s recom-
mended levels before pouring the fluid
into the window washer reservoir tank.
Do not use the window washer reservoir
tank to mix the washer fluid concen-
trate and water.
LIC1061
WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER
SWITCH
2-26Instruments and controls
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Auto-reverse function
If the control unit detects something caught in the
window as it is closing, the window will be imme-
diately lowered.
The auto-reverse function can be activated when
the window is closed by automatic operation
when the ignition switch is in the ON position or
for 45 seconds after the ignition switch is turned
to the OFF position.
Depending on the environment or driving
conditions, the auto-reverse function may
be activated if an impact or load similar to
something being caught in the window oc-
curs.
WARNING
There are some small distances immedi-
ately before the closed position which
cannot be detected. Make sure that all
passengers have their hands, etc., inside
the vehicle before closing the window.
When power window switch does not
operate
If the power window automatic function (closing
only) does not operate properly, perform the fol-
lowing procedure to initialize the power window
system.1. Push the ignition switch to the ON position.
2. Open the window more than halfway by
operating the power window switch.
3. Pull the power window switch and hold it to
close the window, and then hold the switch
more than 3 seconds after the window is
closed.
4. Release the power window switch. Operate
the window by the automatic function to
confirm the initialization is complete.
5. Perform steps 2 through 4 above for other
windows.
If the power window function does not operate
properly after performing the above procedure,
see a NISSAN dealer for assistance.
AUTOMATIC SUNROOF
The sunroof will only operate when the ignition
switch is in the ON position. The automatic sun-
roof is operational for about 45 seconds, even if
the ignition switch is turned to the ACC or OFF
position. If the driver’s door or the front passen-
ger’s door is opened during this period of about
45 seconds, power to the sunroof is canceled.
Sliding the sunroof
To fully open the sunroof, push the switch
toward
s1.
To fully close the sunroof, push the switch
toward
s2.
LIC1082
SUNROOF (if so equipped)
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