maintenance NISSAN ALTIMA 2010 Owner's Manual

ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATIONS
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose the correct grade, quality
and viscosity engine oil to ensure satisfactory
engine life and performance. See “Capacities
and recommended fuel/lubricants” earlier in this
section. NISSAN recommends the use of an
energy conserving oil in order to improve fuel
economy.
Select only engine oils that meet the American
Petroleum Institute (API) certification or Interna-
tional Lubricant Standardization and ApprovalCommittee (ILSAC) certification and SAE vis-
cosity standard. These oils have the API certifica-
tion mark on the front of the container. Oils which
do not have the specified quality label should not
be used as they could cause engine damage.Oil additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not neces-
sary when the proper oil type is used and main-
tenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has been
previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness changes
with temperature. Because of this, it is important
to select the engine oil viscosity based on the
temperatures at which the vehicle will be oper-
ated before the next oil change. Choosing an oil
viscosity other than that recommended could
cause serious engine damage.
Selecting the correct oil filter
Your new NISSAN vehicle is equipped with a
high-quality genuine NISSAN oil filter. When re-
placing, use a genuine NISSAN oil filter or its
equivalent for the reason described in “Change
intervals.”
Change intervals
The oil and oil filter change intervals for your
engine are based on the use of the specified
quality oils and filters. Using engine oil and filters
that are not of the specified quality, or exceeding
recommended oil and filter change intervals
could reduce engine life. Damage to the engine
caused by improper maintenance or use of incor-
rect oil and filter quality and/or viscosity is not
covered by the NISSAN new vehicle limited war-
ranty.

Your engine was filled with a high-quality engine
oil when it was built. You do not have to change
the oil before the first recommended change
interval. Oil and filter change intervals depend
upon how you use your vehicle.
Operation under the following conditions may
require more frequent oil and filter changes:● repeated short distance driving at cold out-
side temperatures
● driving in dusty conditions
● extensive idling
● towing a trailer
● stop and go commuting
Refer to the “NISSAN Service and Maintenance
Guide” for the maintenance schedule.
AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM
REFRIGERANT AND OIL
RECOMMENDATIONS
The air conditioner system in your NISSAN
vehicle must be charged with the refriger-
ant HFC-134a (R-134a) and NISSAN A/C
system oil Type S or the exact equivalents.

To drive away:1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks. ● While going downhill, the weight of the
trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may dete-
riorate overall handling characteristics.
Therefore, to maintain adequate control, re-
duce your speed and shift to a lower gear.
Avoid long or repeated use of the brakes
when descending a hill, as this reduces their
effectiveness and could cause overheating.
Shifting to a lower gear instead provides
“engine braking” and reduces the need to
brake as frequently.
● If the engine coolant temperature rises to a
high temperature, refer to “If your vehicle
overheats” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this owner’s manual.
● Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances. ●
Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
● For the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do
tow, do not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h) .
● Have your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
● When making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.
● Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling.
Do the following if the trailer begins to sway: 1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to allow the vehicle to coast and steer as
straight ahead as the road conditions allow.
This combination will help stabilize the ve-
hicle
– Do not correct trailer sway by steering or applying the brakes. 2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the
brakes and pull to the side of the road in a
safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal- anced as described earlier in this section.
● Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
● Use the Tow Mode or downshift the trans-
mission to a lower gear for engine braking
when driving down steep or long hills. This
will help slow the vehicle without applying
the brakes.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
● Increase your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
● NISSAN recommends that the cruise con-
trol not be used while towing a trailer.
9-24Technical and consumer information

●Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.
● Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
● When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
● Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
FLAT TOWING
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor
home.

Your NISSAN vehicle is covered by the following
emission warranties:
For USA1. Emission Defects Warranty
2. Emissions Performance Warranty
Details of this warranty may be found with other
vehicle warranties in your Warranty Information
Booklet which comes with your NISSAN vehicle.
If you did not receive a Warranty Information
Booklet, or it is lost, you may obtain a replace-
ment by writing to: ● Nissan North America, Inc.
Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 685003
Franklin, TN 37068-5003
For Canada
Emission Control System Warranty
Details of this warranty may be found with other
vehicle warranties in your Warranty Information
Booklet which comes with your NISSAN vehicle.
If you did not receive a Warranty Information
Booklet, or it is lost, you may obtain a replace-
ment by writing to: ● Nissan Canada Inc.
5290 Orbitor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 4Z5If you believe that your vehicle has a de-
fect which could cause a crash or could
cause injury or death, you should immedi-
ately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addi-
tion to notifying NISSAN.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot be-
come involved in individual problems be-
tween you, your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Ve-
hicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-
327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go
to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590.
You can also obtain other information
about motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov.
You may notify NISSAN by contacting our
Consumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at
1-800-NISSAN-1.Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready condi-
tion” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of
the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition” when it
is driven through certain driving patterns. Usually,
the ready condition can be obtained by ordinary
usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired or the
battery is disconnected, the vehicle may be reset to
a “not ready” condition. Before taking the I/M test,
check the vehicle’s inspection/maintenance test
readiness condition. Place the ignition switch in the
ON position without starting the engine. If the
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) comes on steady
for 20 seconds and then blinks for 10 seconds , the
I/M test condition is “not ready”. If the MIL does not
blink after 20 seconds, the I/M test condition is
“ready”. If the MIL indicates the vehicle is in a “not
ready” condition, drive the vehicle through the fol-
lowing pattern to set the vehicle to the ready con-
dition. If you cannot or do not want to perform the
driving pattern, a NISSAN dealer can conduct it for
you.
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
WARRANTY REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (US
only)READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
Technical and consumer information9-27

Engine coolant.................8-8
Engine oil ...................8-9
Power steering fluid .............8-13
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ...........9-11
Fog light switch .................2-32
Front air bag system
(See supplemental restraint system) ......1-50
Front seats .....................1-2
Fuel Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Fuel economy ................5-21
Fuel gauge ...................2-6
Fuel octane rating ...............9-4
Fuel recommendation .............9-3
Fuel-filler cap .................3-25
Fuel-filler door and cap ...........3-25
Fuel-filler door lock opener lever ......3-25
Fuel-filler lid .................3-25
Fuses .......................8-22
Fusible links ...................8-24
G
Garage door opener, HomeLink Universal
Transceiver ....................2-49
Gascap .....................3-25
Gauge Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-5
Fuel gauge ...................2-6
Odometer ...................2-4
Speedometer .................2-4
Tachometer ..................2-5
Trip odometer .................2-4
General maintenance ...............8-2 Glove box
.....................2-39
Glove box lock ..................2-39
Grocery hooks ..................2-41
H
Hands-free phone system,
Bluetooth ................4-92, 4-107
Hazard warning flasher switch .........2-33
Headlight
and turn signal switch ........2-28
Headlight control switch ............2-29
Headlights ....................8-27
Heated seats ...................2-34
Heater Heater and air conditioner
controls ................4-19, 4-27
Heater operation ...........4-21, 4-28
HomeLink Universal Transceiver ........2-49
Hood release ...................3-23
Horn .......................2-33
I
Ignition Switch Push-Button Ignition Switch .........5-7
Immobilizer system .............2-25, 3-3
Important vehicle information label .......9-11
In-cabin microfilter ................8-20
Increasing fuel economy .............5-21
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders) ....................2-10
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror ........3-29
Inside mirror ...................3-28 Instrument brightness control
..........2-32
Instrument panel ...............0-8, 2-2
Instrument panel dimmer switch ........2-32
Intelligent Key system Key operating range ..........3-8, 3-18
Key operation .................3-9
Mechanical key ................3-3
Remote keyless entry operation . . .3-12, 3-18
Troubleshooting guide ........3-16, 3-22
Warning signals ............3-16, 3-22
Interior light ....................2-46
Interior trunk lid release .............3-24
iPod Player................4-73, 4-75
ISOFIX child restraints .............1-26
J
Jump starting .................. .6-8
K
K

eyfob battery replacement ...........8-25
Keyless entry With Intelligent Key system
(See Intelligent Key system) .....3-12, 3-18
Keys, For Intelligent Key system .........3-2
L
Labels Air conditioner specification label .....9-13
C.M.V.S.S. certification label ........9-11
Emission control information label .....9-12
10-3

Engine serial number............9-11
F.M.V.S.S. certification label .........9-11
Tire and Loading Information label .....9-12
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . .9-10
Warning labels (for SRS) ..........1-56
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
System ......................1-26
License plate Installing the license plate ..........9-13
Light Air bag warning light .........1-56, 2-14
Brake light (See stop light) .........8-28
Bulb check/instrument panel ........2-10
Bulb replacement ..............8-28
Charge warning light ............2-11
Console light .................2-47
Fog light switch ...............2-32
Headlight and turn signal switch ......2-28
Headlight control switch ..........2-29
Headlights ..................8-27
Interior light ..................2-46
Light bulbs ..................8-27
Low tire pressure warning light .......2-12
Low washer fluid warning light .......2-23
Passenger air bag and status light .....1-51
Personal lights ................2-48
Security indicator light ............2-15
Spotlights (See map light) .........2-48
Trunk light ..................2-48
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders ...................2-10
Lights Map lights ..................2-48
Lock Child safety rear door lock ..........3-6
Door locks ...................3-4 Fuel-filler door lock opener lever
......3-25
Glove box lock ................2-39
Power door locks ...............3-5
Trunk lid lock opener lever ..........3-23
Low

fuel warning light ..........2-13, 2-23
Low tire pressure warning light .........2-12
Low washer fluid warning light .........2-23
Luggage (See vehicle loading information) . .9-14
M
Maintenance General maintenance .............8-2
Inside the vehicle ...............8-3
Maintenance precautions ...........8-5
Outside the vehicle ..............8-2
Seat belt maintenance ............1-21
Under the hood and vehicle .........8-4
Malfunction indicator light ............2-15
Manual front seat adjustment ...........1-2
Map lights ....................2-48
Map pocket ....................2-36
Meters and gauges ................2-3
Instrument brightness control ........2-32
Mirror Automatic anti-glare inside mirror ......3-29
Inside mirror .................3-28
Outside mirrors ...............3-30
Vanity mirror .................3-28
Moonroof .....................2-44
Music Box hard-disk drive audio system . . . .4-77 N
NISSAN Intelligent Key™ ............3-17
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system . . .2-25, 3-3
NISSAN voice recognition system ......4-118
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating) ......9-4
Odometer .....................2-4
Oil Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changing engine oil .............8-10
Changing engine oil filter ..........8-12
Checking engine oil level ...........8-9
Engine oil ...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity ..............9-5
Outside mirrors .................3-30
Overheat If

your vehicle overheats ...........6-10
Owner’s manual order form ...........9-29
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information ....................9-29
P
Parking Parking brake operation ...........5-18
Parking/parking on hills ...........5-22
Personal lights ..................2-48
Phone, Bluetooth hands-free
system ..................4-92, 4-107
10-4

PowerPower door locks ...............3-5
Power outlet .................2-35
Power rear windows .............2-43
Power steering fluid .............8-13
Power steering system ...........5-23
Power windows ...............2-42
Rear power windows ............2-43
Precautions Maintenance precautions ...........8-5
Precautions on child
restraints .........1-24, 1-30, 1-35, 1-39
Precautions on seat belt usage .......1-15
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system ....................1-42
Precautions when starting and driving . . . .5-2
Programmable features ..............4-6
Push starting ...................6-10
R
Radio Car phone or CB radio ...........4-91
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player .....................4-45
FM/AM/SAT radio with CD/DVD player . .4-55
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) player ..................4-49
Readiness for inspection maintenance
(I/M) test .....................9-27
Rear power windows ..............2-43
Rear seat ......................1-9
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch .......................2-27
RearView Monitor ................4-13 Recorders
Event data ..................9-28
Refrigerant recommendation ...........9-6
Registering your vehicle in another country . .9-10
Reporting safety defects (US only) .......9-27
S
Safety Child safety rear door lock ..........3-6
Child seat belts .....1-24, 1-30, 1-35, 1-39
Reporting safety defects (US only) .....9-27
Seat adjustment Front manual seat adjustment ........1-2
Front power seat adjustment .........1-4
Rear seat adjustment .............1-9
Seat belt Child safety ..................1-22
Infants
and small children ..........1-23
Injured Person ................1-18
Larger children ................1-23
Precautions on seat belt usage .......1-15
Pregnant women ...............1-18
Seat belt extenders .............1-21
Seat belt maintenance ............1-21
Seat belts ...................1-15
Shoulder belt height adjustment ......1-20
Three-point type with retractor .......1-18
Seat belt warning light ..............2-13
Seatback pockets ................2-36
Seats Adjustment ...................1-2
Front seats ...................1-2
Heated seats .................2-34
Manual front seat adjustment .........1-2Rear seat
....................1-9
Security indicator light ..............2-15
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start ............2-25, 3-3
Self-adjusting brakes ..............8-22
Service manual order form ...........9-29
Servicing air conditioner .............4-29
Setting button ...................4-6
Shift lock release .................5-15
Shifting Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) .....................5-13
Manual transmission .............5-17
Shoulder belt height adjustment ........1-20
Spark plug replacement .............8-19
Speedometer ...................2-4
Spotlights (See map light) ...........2-48
SRS warning label ................1-56
Starting Before starting the engine ..........5-9
Jump
starting .................6-8
Precautions when starting and driving . . . .5-2
Push starting .................6-10
Starting the engine .............5-10
Steering Power steering fluid .............8-13
Power steering system ...........5-23
Stop light .....................8-28
Storage ......................2-36
Sun visors ....................3-27
Sunglasses case .................2-37
Sunglasses holder ................2-37
Sunroof ......................2-44
Sunroof (see Moonroof) .............2-44
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-56, 2-14
Supplemental front impact air bag system . . .1-50
10-5