engine coolant NISSAN ALTIMA 2020 Owner´s Manual

∙ Do not use the cruise control on slip-pery roads.
∙ Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under your vehicle. Keep snow
clear of the exhaust pipe and from
around your vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)
Engine block heaters are used to assist
with cold temperature starting.
The engine block heater should be used
when the outside temperature is 20°F (-7°C)
or lower.
WARNING
∙ Do not use your engine block heaterwith an ungrounded electrical system
or a 2-pronged adapter. You can be
seriously injured by an electrical
shock if you use an ungrounded
connection.
∙ Disconnect and properly store the en- gine block heater cord before starting
the engine. Damage to the cord could
result in an electrical shock and can
cause serious injury. ∙ Use a heavy-duty 3-wire, 3-pronged
extension cord rated for at least 10 A.
Plug the extension cord into a Ground
Fault Interrupt (GFI) protected,
grounded 110-VAC outlet. Failure to
use the proper extension cord or a
grounded outlet can result in a fire or
electrical shock and cause serious
personal injury.
To use the engine block heater: 1. Turn the engine off.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the engine block heater cord.
3. Plug the engine block heater cord into a grounded 3-wire, 3-pronged exten-
sion cord.
4. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) protected,
grounded 110-volt AC (VAC) outlet.
5. The engine block heater must be plugged in for at least 2–4 hours, de-
pending on outside temperatures, to
properly warm the engine coolant. Use
an appropriate timer to turn the engine
block heater on. 6. Before starting the engine, unplug and
properly store the cord to keep it away
from moving parts.
5-182Starting and driving

CAUTION
∙ Do not push start this vehicle. Thethree-way catalyst may be damaged.
∙ Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) models cannot be push-started
or tow-started. Attempting to do so
may cause transmission damage. 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
∙ Do not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause en-
gine damage or a vehicle fire.
∙ To avoid the danger of being scalded, never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the radia-
tor cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
∙ Do not open the hood if steam is com- ing out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, ap- ply the parking brake and move the
shif t lever to P (Park).
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 maxi-
mum hot and fan control to high
speed. 3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen
for steam or coolant escaping from the
radiator before opening the hood. (If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off
the engine.) Do not open the hood fur-
ther until no steam or coolant can be
seen.
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
radiator should not leak water. If cool-
ant is leaking, the water pump belt is
missing or loose, or the cooling fan
does not run, stop the engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or
the engine cooling fan. The engine cool-
ing fan can start at any time.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-11

6. Af ter the engine cools down, check thecoolant level in the engine coolant res-
ervoir tank with the engine running.
Add coolant to the engine coolant res-
ervoir tank if necessary. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service. When towing your vehicle, all State (Provin-
cial in Canada) and local regulations for
towing must be followed. Incorrect towing
equipment could damage your vehicle.
Towing instructions are available from a
NISSAN dealer. Local service operators are
generally familiar with the applicable laws
and procedures for towing. To assure
proper towing and to prevent accidental
damage to your vehicle, NISSAN recom-
mends having a service operator tow your
vehicle. It is advisable to have the service
operator carefully read the following pre-
cautions:
WARNING
∙ Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
∙ Never get under your vehicle af ter it has been lif ted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
∙ When towing, make sure that thetransmission, axles, steering system
and powertrain are in working condi-
tion. If any of these conditions apply,
dollies or a flatbed tow truck must be
used.
∙ Always attach safety chains before towing.
For additional information, refer to “Flat
towing” in the “Technical and consumer in-
formation” section of this manual.
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
NISSAN recommends towing your vehicle
based upon the type of drivetrain. For addi-
tional information, refer to the diagrams in
this section to ensure that your vehicle is
properly towed.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
6-12In case of emergency

8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions.......................8-2
Engine compartment check locations ...........8-3
Engine cooling system ..........................8-5
Checking engine coolant level ................8-6
Changing engine coolant .....................8-6
Engine oil ........................................8-7
Checking engine oil level .....................8-7
Changing engine oil and oil filter ..............8-8
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid ............................................ 8-12
Brake fluid ...................................... 8-12
Windshield-washer fluid ........................8-13
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ............8-13
Battery......................................... 8-14
Jump starting ............................... 8-15
Variable voltage control system ................8-16
Drive belt ....................................... 8-16
Spark plugs .................................... 8-17
Replacing spark plugs ....................... 8-17
Air cleaner ...................................... 8-18In-cabin microfilter
.......................... 8-18
Windshield wiper blades ........................8-19
Cleaning .................................... 8-19
Replacing ................................... 8-19
Brakes.......................................... 8-20
Fuses ........................................... 8-21
Engine compartment ....................... 8-21
Passenger compartment ....................8-22
Battery replacement ........................... 8-23
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ......................8-24
Lights .......................................... 8-25
Headlights ................................... 8-25
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-26
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-26
Wheels and tires ................................ 8-29
Tire pressure ................................ 8-29
Tire labeling ................................. 8-32
Types of tires ................................ 8-35
Tir

e chains .................................. 8-36
Changing wheels and tires ..................8-37

When performing any inspection or main-
tenance work on your vehicle, always take
care to prevent serious accidental injury to
yourself or damage to the vehicle. The fol-
lowing are general precautions which
should be closely observed.
WARNING
∙ Park the vehicle on a level surface, ap-ply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving. Move the shif t le-
ver to P (Park).
∙ Be sure the ignition key is in the OFF or LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
∙ If you must work with the engine run- ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans,
belts and any other moving parts.
∙ It is advisable to secure or remove any loose clothing and remove any jew-
elry, such as rings, watches, etc. be-
fore working on your vehicle.
∙ Always wear eye protection whenever you work on your vehicle. ∙
Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come on
at any time without warning, even if the
ignition key is in the OFF position and the
engine is not running. To avoid injury, al-
ways disconnect the negative battery
cable before working near the fan.
∙ If you must run the engine in an en- closed space such as a garage, be sure
there is proper ventilation for exhaust
gases to escape.
∙ Never get under the vehicle while it is supported only by a jack. If it is neces-
sary to work under the vehicle, sup-
port it with safety stands.
∙ Keep smoking materials, flame and sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
∙ On gasoline engine models, the fuel filter or fuel lines should be serviced. It
is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service because
the fuel lines are under high pressure
even when the engine is off.
CAUTION
∙ Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down. ∙
Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, engine coolant and/or other vehicle
fluids can damage the environment. Al-
ways conform to local regulations for
disposal of vehicle fluid.
∙ Never leave the engine or the trans- mission related component harness
connector disconnected while the ig-
nition switch is in the ON position.
∙ Never connect or disconnect the bat- tery or any transistorized component
while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
This “Do-it-yourself ” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A Genuine NISSAN service manual is also
available. For additional information, refer
to “Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order
information” in the “Technical and con-
sumer information” section of this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
difficulties or excessive emissions, and
could affect warranty coverage. If in doubt
about any servicing, it is recommended
that you have it done by a NISSAN dealer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself

KR20DDET engine
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Drive belt location
3. Engine oil filler cap
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Battery
6. Fuse/Fusible link box
7. Air cleaner
8. Radiator cap
9. Engine oil dipstick
10. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
LDI3260
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Do-it-yourself8-3

PR25DD engine
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Drive belt location
3. Engine oil filler cap
4. Engine oil dipstick
5. Brake fluid reservoir
6. Battery
7. Fuse/Fusible link box
8. Air cleaner
9. Radiator cap
10. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
LDI3261
8-4Do-it-yourself

The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) and 50% water to
provide year-round antifreeze and coolant
protection. The antifreeze solution con-
tains rust and corrosion inhibitors. Addi-
tional engine cooling system additives are
not necessary.
WARNING
∙ Never remove the radiator or coolantreservoir cap when the engine is hot.
Wait until the engine and radiator cool
down. Serious burns could be caused
by high pressure fluid escaping from
the radiator. For additional informa-
tion on precautions, refer to “If your
vehicle overheats” in the “In case of
emergency ” section of this manual.
∙ The radiator is equipped with a pres- sure type radiator cap. To prevent en-
gine damage, use only a Genuine
NISSAN radiator cap.
CAUTION
∙ Never use any cooling system addi-tives such as radiator sealer. Additives
may clog the cooling system and
cause damage to the engine, trans-
mission and/or cooling system.
∙ When adding or replacing coolant, be sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-
diluted to provide antifreeze protec-
tion to -34° F (-37° C). If additional
freeze protection is needed due to
weather where you operate your ve-
hicle, add Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) concen-
trate following the directions on the
container. If an equivalent coolant
other than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is used, fol-
low the coolant manufacturer’s in-
structions to maintain minimum anti-
freeze protection to -34° F (-37° C). The
use of other types of coolant solu-
tions other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent may damage the engine
cooling system. ∙ The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 105,000 miles (168,000 km)
or 7 years. Mixing any other type of
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) (or
equivalent coolant), including Genu-
ine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green), or the use
of non-distilled water may reduce the
life expectancy of the factory-fill cool-
ant. For additional information, refer
to the "Maintenance and schedules"
section of this manual.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
Do-it-yourself8-5

CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir
when the engine is cold. If the coolant
level is below the MIN level
B, add coolant
to the MAX level
A.
If the reservoir is empty, check the coolant
level in the radiator when the engine is
cold. If there is insufficient coolant in the
radiator, fill the radiator with coolant up to
the filler opening and also add it to the
reservoir up to the MAX level
A. Start the
engine and allow the engine coolant tem-
perature gauge to rise until it reaches nor- mal operating temperature. For additional
information, refer to “Engine coolant tem-
perature gauge” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual. Turn off
the engine once the engine coolant tem-
perature has reached normal operating
range. Allow the engine coolant to cool to
ambient temperature. Recheck the cool-
ant level in the reservoir and add coolant to
the MAX level if necessary.
This vehicle contains Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue). The life ex-
pectancy of the factory-fill coolant is
105,000 miles (168,000 km) or 7 years. Mixing
any other type of coolant or the use of
non-distilled water will reduce the life ex-
pectancy of the factory-fill coolant. For ad-
ditional information, refer to the "Mainte-
nance and schedules" section of this
manual.
For additional information on the location
of the engine coolant reservoir, refer to “En-
gine compartment check locations” in this
section.
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
A NISSAN dealer can change the engine
coolant. The service procedure can be
found in the NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine over-
heating.
WARNING
∙ To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
∙ Never remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid es-
caping from the radiator.
∙ Avoid direct skin contact with used coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner
as soon as possible.
∙ Keep coolant out of the reach of chil- dren and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of prop-
erly. Check your local regulations.
LDI3262
8-6Do-it-yourself

WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
RESERVOIR
Fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir
periodically. Add windshield-washer fluid
when the “Low Washer Fluid” warning (if so
equipped) appears in the vehicle informa-
tion display.
To check the fluid level with the dip tube,
use your finger to plug the center hole
Aof
the cap/tube assembly, then remove it
from the reservoir. If there is no fluid in the
dip tube, add fluid. To fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir,
lif t the cap off the reservoir and pour the
windshield-washer fluid into the reservoir
opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for
better cleaning. In the winter season, add a
windshield washer antifreeze. Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for the mix-
ture ratio.
Refill the reservoir more frequently when
driving conditions require an increased
amount of windshield-washer fluid.
Recommended fluid is Genuine NISSAN
Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner &
Antifreeze or equivalent.
WARNING
Antifreeze is poisonous and should be
stored carefully in marked containers
out of the reach of children.
CAUTION
∙ Do not substitute engine antifreeze
coolant for windshield-washer fluid.
This may result in damage to the
paint.
∙ Do not fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir with washer fluid concen-
trates at full strength. Some methyl
alcohol based washer fluid concen-
trates may permanently stain the
grille if spilled while filling the
windshield-washer fluid reservoir.
∙ Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates with water to the manufacturer’s rec-
ommended levels before pouring the
fluid into the windshield-washer fluid
reservoir. Do not use the windshield-
washer fluid reservoir to mix the
washer fluid concentrate and water.
LDI3271
WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
Do-it-yourself8-13