Do it yourself NISSAN ALTIMA 2020 Owner´s Manual
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Page 3 of 559

or
Brake warning
light (red)2
or
Electronic parking
brake warning
light (yellow) (if so
equipped)3
orBrake warning light (red)
orElectronic parking
brake warning light
(yellow) (if so equipped)
WARNING LIGHTS
orBrake warning
light (red)
This light functions for both the parking
brake and the foot brake systems.
Parking brake indicator (if so equipped)
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the light comes on when the park-
ing brake is applied.
Low brake fluid warning light
When the ignition switch is placed 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. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Brake fluid” in the “Do-
it-yourself ” section of this manual.2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have
the warning system checked. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WARNING
∙ 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
dangerous.
∙ Pressing 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.
∙ If 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. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS WARNING LIGHTS, INDICATOR LIGHTS
AND AUDIBLE REMINDERS
Page 6 of 559

This manual was prepared to help you un-
derstand the operation and maintenance
of your vehicle so that you may enjoy many
miles (kilometers) of driving pleasure.
Please read through this manual before
operating your vehicle.
A separate Warranty Information Book-
let explains details about the warranties
covering your vehicle. The “Maintenance
and schedules” section of this manual
explains details about maintaining and
servicing your vehicle. Additionally, a
separate Customer Care/Lemon Law
Booklet (U.S. only) will explain how to re-
solve any concerns you may have with
your vehicle, and clarif y your rights un-
der your state’s lemon law.
When you require any service or have any
questions, a NISSAN dealer will be glad to
assist you with the extensive resources
available to them.
In addition to factory-installed options,
your vehicle may also be equipped with
additional accessories installed prior to de-
livery. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for details concerning the
particular accessories with which your ve-
hicle is equipped. It is important that you
familiarize yourself with all disclosures,warnings, cautions and instructions con-
cerning proper use of such accessories
prior to operating the vehicle and/or ac-
cessory. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for details concerning the
particular accessories with which your ve-
hicle is equipped.
Before driving your vehicle, please read this
Owner’s Manual carefully. This will ensure
familiarity with controls and maintenance
requirements assisting you in the safe op-
eration of your vehicle.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
REMINDERS!
Follow these important driving rules to
help ensure a safe and comfortable trip
for you and your passengers!
∙ NEVER drive under the influence of al-
cohol or drugs.
∙ ALWAYS observe posted speed limits and never drive too fast for
conditions.
∙ ALWAYS give your full attention to driving and avoid using vehicle fea-
tures or taking other actions that
could distract you.
∙ ALWAYS use your seat belts and ap- propriate child restraint systems. Pre-
teen children should be seated in the
rear seat.
FOREWORD READ FIRST—THEN DRIVE SAFELY
Page 12 of 559

Table of
ContentsIllustrated table of contents
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
Instruments and controls
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
Monitor, climate, audio, phone and voice recognition systems
Starting and driving
In case of emergency
Appearance and care
Do-it-yourself
Maintenance and schedules
Technical and consumer information
Index
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Page 86 of 559

∙ A child restraint or other object pressingagainst the rear of the seatback.
∙ A rear passenger pushing or pulling on the back of the front passenger seat.
∙ Forcing the front seat or seatback against an object on the seat or floor
behind it.
∙ An object placed under the front pas- senger seat.
∙ An object placed between the seat cushion and center console.
If the vehicle is moving, please come to a
stop when it is safe to do so. Check and
correct any of the above conditions. Re-
start the vehicle and wait 1 minute.
NOTE:
A system check will be performed during
which the front passenger air bag status
light will remain lit for about 7 seconds
initially.
If the light is still OFF af ter this, the small
adult, child or child restraint should be re-
positioned in the rear seat and the vehicle
should be checked as soon as possible. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. 3. If the light is OFF with no front passen-
ger and no objects on the front pas-
senger seat, the vehicle should be
checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
Other supplemental front-impact air
bag precautions
WARNING
∙ Do not place any objects on the steer- ing wheel pad or on the instrument
panel. Also, do not place any objects
between any occupant and the steer-
ing wheel or instrument panel. Such
objects may become dangerous pro-
jectiles and cause injury if the front air
bags inflate.
∙ Immediately af ter inflation, several front air bag system components will
be hot. Do not touch them; you may
severely burn yourself.
∙ No 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. ∙ Do not make unauthorized changes
to your vehicle’s electrical system,
suspension system or front end struc-
ture. This could affect proper opera-
tion of the front air bag system.
∙ Tampering with the front air bag sys- tem may result in serious personal in-
jury. Tampering includes changes to
the steering wheel and the instru-
ment panel assembly by placing ma-
terial over the steering wheel pad and
above the instrument panel or by in-
stalling additional trim material
around the air bag system.
∙ Removing or modif ying the front pas- senger seat may affect the function of
the air bag system and result in seri-
ous personal injury.
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-61
Page 88 of 559

though they may inflate if the forces in an-
other type of collision are similar to those of
a higher severity impact. They are de-
signed to inflate on the side where the ve-
hicle is impacted. They may not inflate in
certain side collisions.
Curtain air bags are also designed to inflate
in certain types of rollover collisions or near
rollovers. As a result, certain vehicle move-
ments (for example, during severe off-
roading) may cause the curtain air bags to
inflate.
Vehicle damage (or lack of it) is not always
an indication of proper side air bag and
curtain air bag operation.
When the side air bags and curtain air bags
inflate, a fairly loud noise may be heard,
followed by the release of smoke. This
smoke is not harmful and does not indi-
cate a fire. Care should be taken not to
inhale it, as it may cause irritation and
choking. Those with a history of a breath-
ing condition should get fresh air promptly.
Side air bags, along with the use of seat
belts, help to cushion the impact force on
the chest and pelvic area of the front and
rear outboard occupants. Curtain air bags
help to cushion the impact force to the
head of occupants in the front and rearoutboard seating positions. They can help
save lives and reduce serious injuries. How-
ever, an inflating side air bag and curtain air
bag may cause abrasions or other injuries.
Side air bags and curtain air bags do not
provide restraint to the lower body.
The seat belts should be correctly worn
and the driver, front passenger and rear
outboard occupants seated upright as far
as practical away from the side air bag.
Rear seat passengers should be seated as
far away as practical from the door finish-
ers and side roof rails. The side air bags and
curtain air bags inflate quickly in order to
help protect the occupants. Because of
this, the force of the side air bag and curtain
air bag inflating can increase the risk of
injury if the occupant is too close to, or is
against, these air bag modules during in-
flation. The side air bag will deflate quickly
af ter the collision is over.
The curtain air bag will remain inflated for a
short time.
The side air bags and curtain air bags
operate only when the ignition switch is
placed in the ON position.
Af ter placing the ignition switch in the
ON position, the supplemental air bag
warning light illuminates. The supple-mental air bag warning light will turn off
af ter about 7 seconds if the system is
operational.
WARNING
∙ Do not place any objects near the
seatback of the front and rear seats.
Also, do not place any objects (an um-
brella, bag, etc.) between the front
and rear door finisher and the front
and rear seat. Such objects may be-
come dangerous projectiles and
cause injury if a side air bag inflate.
∙ Right af ter inflation, several side air bag and curtain air bag system com-
ponents will be hot. Do not touch
them; you may severely burn yourself.
∙ No unauthorized changes should be made to any components or wiring of
the side air bag and curtain air bag
systems. This is to prevent damage to
or accidental inflation of the side air
bag and curtain air bag or damage to
the side air bag and curtain air bag
systems.
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-63
Page 90 of 559

Vehicle damage (or lack of it) is not always
an indication of proper knee air bag opera-
tion.
When the knee air bag inflates, a fairly loud
noise may be heard, followed by release of
smoke. This smoke is not harmful and
does not indicate a fire. Care should be
taken not to inhale it, as it may cause irrita-
tion and choking. Those with a history of a
breathing condition should get fresh air
promptly.The knee air bag helps to cushion the im-
pact force on the knees of the driver and
passenger. It can help reduce serious inju-
ries. However, an inflating knee air bag may
cause abrasions or other injuries. The knee
air bag provides restraint to the lower body.
The knee air bag inflates quickly in order to
help protect the occupants. Because of
this, the force of the knee air bag inflating
can increase the risk of injury if the occu-
pant is too close to, or is against, this air bag
module during inflation. The knee air bag
will deflate quickly af ter the collision is over
OR the knee air bag will remain inflated for
a short time.
The knee air bag operates only when the
ignition switch is placed in the ON posi-
tion.
Af ter placing the ignition switch in the
ON position, the supplemental air bag
warning light illuminates. The supple-
mental air bag warning light will turn off
af ter about 7 seconds if the system is
operational.
WARNING
∙ Do not place any objects between the
knee bolster and the driver’s or pas-
senger’s seat. Such objects may be-
come dangerous projectiles and
cause injury if a knee air bag inflates.
∙ Right af ter inflation, the knee air bag system components will be hot. Do
not touch them; you may severely
burn yourself.
∙ No unauthorized changes should be made to any components or wiring of
the knee air bag system. This is to pre-
vent damage to or accidental inflation
of the knee air bag system.
∙ Do not make unauthorized changes to your vehicle’s electrical system or
suspension system. This could affect
proper operation of the knee air bag
system.
∙ Tampering with the knee air bag sys- tem may result in serious personal in-
jury. For example, do not change the
driver or passenger knee bolster or
install additional trim material
around the knee air bag.
Passenger’s side
LRS3093
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-65
Page 93 of 559

If any of the following conditions occur, the
front air bag, side air bag, curtain air bag,
knee air bag and pretensioner systems
need servicing:∙ The supplemental air bag warning light remains on af ter approximately 7 sec-
onds.
∙ The supplemental air bag warning light flashes intermittently.
∙ The supplemental air bag warning light does not come on at all.
Under these conditions, the front air bag,
side air bag, curtain air bag, knee air bag or
pretensioner systems may not operate
properly. They must be checked and re-
paired. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
WARNING
If the supplemental air bag warning
light is on, it could mean that the front
air bag, side air bag, curtain air bag,
knee air bag and/or pretensioner sys-
tems will not operate in an accident. To
help avoid injury to yourself or others,
have your vehicle checked as soon as
possible. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
Repair and replacement
procedure
The front air bags, side air bags, curtain air
bags, knee air bags and pretensioner(s) are
designed to inflate on a one-time-only ba-
sis. As a reminder, unless it is damaged, the
supplemental air bag warning light re-
mains illuminated af ter inflation has oc-
curred. These systems should be repaired
and/or replaced as soon as possible. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
When maintenance work is required on the
vehicle, the front air bags, side air bags,
curtain air bags, knee air bags, pretension-
er(s) and related parts should be pointed
out to the person performing the mainte-
nance. The ignition switch should always
be placed in the LOCK position when work-
ing under the hood or inside the vehicle.
WARNING
∙ Once a front air bag, side air bag, cur- tain air bag or knee air bag has in-
flated, the air bag module will not
function again and must be replaced.
Additionally, the activated preten-
sioner(s) must also be replaced. The
air bag module and pretensioner(s)
should be replaced. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service. However, the air bag
module and pretensioner(s) cannot
be repaired.
∙ The front air bag, side air bag, curtain air bag, knee air bag systems and the
pretensioner system should be in-
spected if there is any damage to the
front end or side portion of the ve-
hicle. It is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for this service.
∙ If you need to dispose of the supple- mental air bag or pretensioner sys-
tems or scrap the vehicle, it is recom-
mended that you contact a NISSAN
dealer for this service. Incorrect dis-
posal procedures could cause per-
sonal injury.
1-68Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
Page 106 of 559

Automatic EmergencyBraking (AEB) with
Pedestrian Detection
system warning light (if so
equipped)
This light comes on when the ignition
switch is placed in the ON position. It turns
off af ter the engine is started.
This light illuminates when the AEB with
Pedestrian Detection system is set to OFF
in the vehicle information display.
If the light illuminates when the AEB with
Pedestrian Detection system is on, it may
indicate that the system is unavailable. For
additional information, refer to “Automatic
Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian
Detection” and “Intelligent Forward Colli-
sion Warning (I-FCW)” in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
orBrake warning
light
This light functions for both the parking
brake and the foot brake systems. Parking brake indicator (if so equipped)
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the light comes on when the park-
ing brake is applied.
Low brake fluid warning light
When the ignition switch is placed 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 ap-
plied, stop the vehicle and perform the fol-
lowing:
1. Check the brake fluid level. Add brake fluid as necessary. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Brake fluid” in the “Do-
it-yourself ” section of this manual.
2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have the warning system checked. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WARNING
∙ 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
dangerous.
∙ Pressing 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.
∙ If 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. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
Charge warning light
If this light comes on while the engine is
running, it may indicate the charging sys-
tem is not functioning properly. Turn the
engine off and check the generator belt. If
the belt is loose, broken, or missing, or if the
light remains on, have the system checked.
Instruments and controls2-11
Page 107 of 559

It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
CAUTION
∙ Do not ground electrical accessoriesdirectly to the battery terminal. Doing
so will bypass the variable voltage
control system and the vehicle bat-
tery may not charge completely. For
additional information, refer to “Vari-
able voltage control system” in the
“Do-it-yourself ” section of this
manual.
∙ Do not continue driving if the genera- tor belt is loose, broken or missing.
Electronic parking brake
warning light (yellow) (if so
equipped)
The electronic parking brake system warn-
ing light functions for the electronic park-
ing brake system. If the warning light illumi-
nates, it may indicate the electronic
parking brake system is not functioning
properly. Have the system checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. For additional information, refer to “Parking
brake” in the “Starting and driving” section
of this manual.
Engine oil pressure
warning light
This light warns of low engine oil pressure. If
the light flickers or comes on during nor-
mal driving, pull off the road in a safe area,
stop the engine immediatelyand call a
NISSAN dealer or other authorized repair
shop.
The engine oil pressure warning light is
not designed to indicate a low oil level.
Use the dipstick to check the oil level. For
additional information, refer to “Engine oil”
in the “Do-it-yourself ” section of this
manual.
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause
serious damage to the engine almost
immediately. Such damage is not cov-
ered by the NISSAN New Vehicle Limited
Warranty. Turn off the engine as soon as
it is safe to do so.
Low tire pressure warning
light
Your vehicle is equipped with a Tire Pres-
sure Monitoring System (TPMS) that moni-
tors the tire pressure of all tires except the
spare.
The low tire pressure warning light warns
of low tire pressure or indicates that the
TPMS is not functioning properly.
Af ter the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, this light illuminates for about
1 second and turns off.
Low tire pressure warning
If the vehicle is being driven with low tire
pressure, the warning light will illumi-
nate. A “Tire Pressure Low - Add Air”
warning also appears in the vehicle in-
formation display.
When the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates, you should stop and adjust
the tire pressure of all four tires to the
recommended COLD tire pressure shown
on the Tire and Loading Information la-
bel located in the driver’s door opening.
The low tire pressure warning light does
not automatically turn off when the tire
pressure is adjusted. Af ter the tire is in-
flated to the recommended pressure,
2-12Instruments and controls
Page 108 of 559

the vehicle must be driven at speeds
above 16 mph (25 km/h) to activate the
TPMS and turn off the low tire pressure
warning light. Use a tire pressure gauge
to check the tire pressure.
The “Tire Pressure Low - Add Air” warning
appears each time the ignition switch is
placed in the ON position as long as the low
tire pressure warning light remains illumi-
nated.
For additional information, refer to “Vehicle
information display” in this section, “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)” in the
“Starting and driving” and “In case of emer-
gency” sections of this manual.
TPMS malfunction
If the TPMS is not functioning properly, the
low tire pressure warning light will flash for
approximately 1 minute when the ignition
switch is placed in the ON position. The
light will remain on af ter 1 minute. Have the
system checked. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
The "Tire Pressure Low — Add Air" warning
does not appear if the low tire pressure
warning light illuminates to indicate a
TPMS malfunction.For additional information, refer to “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)” in the
“Starting and driving” section and “Tire
pressure” in the “Do-it-yourself ” section of
this manual.
WARNING
∙ Radio waves could adversely affect
electric medical equipment. Those
who use a pacemaker should contact
the electric medical equipment
manufacturer for the possible influ-
ences before use.
∙ If the light does not illuminate with the ignition switch placed in the ON
position, have the vehicle checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service. ∙ If the light illuminates while driving,
avoid sudden steering maneuvers or
abrupt braking, reduce vehicle speed,
pull off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Driving with under-inflated tires may
permanently damage the tires and in-
crease the likelihood of tire failure. Se-
rious vehicle damage could occur and
may lead to an accident and could re-
sult in serious personal injury or
death. Check the tire pressure for all
four tires. Adjust the tire pressure to
the recommended COLD tire pressure
show on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation label located in the driver’s
door opening to turn the low tire pres-
sure warning light off. If the light still
illuminates while driving af ter adjust-
ing the tire pressure, a tire may be flat
or the TPMS may be malfunctioning. If
you have a flat tire, replace it with a
spare tire as soon as possible. If no tire
is flat and all tires are properly in-
flated, have the vehicle checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
Instruments and controls2-13