warning light NISSAN ALTIMA 2023 Manual PDF

The vehicle must be driven as appropriate
based on the conditions of the vehicle, road
and traffic.
WARNING
The following actions can increase the
chance of losing control of the vehicle if
there is a sudden loss of tire air pres-
sure. Losing control of the vehicle may
cause a collision and result in personal
injury.
• The vehicle generally moves or pulls
in the direction of the flat tire.
• Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
• Do not rapidly release the accelerator
pedal.
• Do not rapidly turn the steering
wheel.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and try to hold a
straight course.
3. When appropriate, slowly release the ac- celerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle. 4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe lo-
cation off the road and away from traffic
if possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradu- ally stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and contact a roadside emergency service
to change the tire. For additional infor-
mation, see “Changing a flat tire” (P. 6-4).
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the blood-
stream reduces coordination, delays
reaction time and impairs judgement.
Driving af ter drinking alcohol increases
the likelihood of being involved in an
accident injuring yourself and others.
Additionally, if you are injured in an ac-
cident, alcohol can increase the sever-
ity of the injury. NISSAN is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under
the influence of alcohol. Every year thou-
sands of people are injured or killed in
alcohol-related collisions. Although the lo-
cal laws vary on what is considered to be
legally intoxicated, the fact is that alcohol
affects all people differently and most
people underestimate the effects of
alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don't mix!
That is true for drugs (over-the-counter,
prescription) and illegal drugs, too. Don't
drive if your ability to operate your vehicle is
impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some other
physical condition.
DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Your NISSAN is designed for both normal
and off-road use. However, avoid driving in
deep water or mud as your NISSAN is
mainly designed for leisure use, unlike a
conventional off-road vehicle.
Remember that 2-Wheel Drive (2WD) mod-
els are less capable than All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) models for rough road driving and
extrication when stuck in deep snow or
mud, or the like.
5-10Starting and driving

Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
• Spinning the front wheels on slippery
surfaces may cause the AWD
warning message to display and the
AWD system to automatically switch
from the AWD to the 2WD mode. This
could reduce the traction. Be espe-
cially careful when towing a trailer
(AWD models).
• Drive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle
should be seated with their seat belt
fastened. This will keep you and your
passengers in position when driving
over rough terrain.
• Do not drive across steep slopes. In-
stead drive either straight up or
straight down the slopes. Off-road
vehicles can tip over sideways much
more easily than they can forward or
backward.
• Many hills are too steep for any ve-
hicle. If you drive up them, you may
stall. If you drive down them, you may
not be able to control your speed. If
you drive across them, you may roll
over. •
Do not shif t gears while driving on
downhill grades as this could cause
loss of control of the vehicle.
• Stay alert when driving to the top of a
hill. At the top there could be a drop-
off or other hazard that could cause
an accident.
• If your engine stalls or you cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill,
never attempt to turn around. Your
vehicle could tip or roll over. Always
back straight down in R (Reverse)
gear and apply brakes to control your
speed.
• Heavy braking going down a hill
could cause your brakes to overheat
and fade, resulting in loss of control
and an accident. Apply brakes lightly
and use a low gear to control your
speed.
• Unsecured cargo can be thrown
around when driving over rough ter-
rain. Properly secure all cargo so it
will not be thrown forward and cause
injury to you or your passengers.
• Exceeding the roof rack capacity can
raise the center of gravity excessively
and affect the handling and stability
of the vehicle. •
Secure heavy loads in the cargo area
as far forward and as low as possible.
Do not equip the vehicle with tires
larger than specified in this manual.
This could cause your vehicle to roll
over.
• Do not grip the inside or spokes of
the steering wheel when driving off-
road. The steering wheel could move
suddenly and injure your hands. In-
stead drive with your fingers and
thumbs on the outside of the rim.
• Before operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers
have their seat belts fastened.
• Always drive with the floor mats in
place as the floor may become hot.
• Lower your speed when encounter-
ing strong crosswinds. With a higher
center of gravity, your NISSAN is more
affected by strong side winds. Slower
speeds ensure better vehicle control.
• Do not drive beyond the perfor-
mance capability of the tires, even
with AWD engaged.
Starting and driving5-11

NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System
will not allow the engine to start without
the use of the registered key.
If the engine fails to start using a registered
key (for example, when interference is
caused by another registered key, an auto-
mated toll road device or automatic pay-
ment device on the key ring), restart the
engine using the following procedure:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON posi-tion for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position, and wait approximately
10 seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the de- vice (which may have caused the inter-
ference) separate from the registered
key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, NISSAN
recommends placing the registered key on
a separate key ring to avoid interference
from other devices. • Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
• Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool- ant, brake fluid, and windshield-washer
fluid as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
• Check that all windows and lights are clean.
• Visually inspect tires for their appearance and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
• Lock all doors.
• Position seat and adjust headrests/head restraints.
• Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
• Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to do likewise.
• Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is pushed to the
ON position. For additional information,
see “Warning lights, indicator lights and
audible reminders” (P. 2-9). 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral). P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate
if the shif t lever is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi- tion. Depress the brake pedal and push
the ignition switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push
and release the ignition switch while de-
pressing the brake pedal with the igni-
tion switch in any position.
• If the engine is very hard to start in extremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to the
floor) and while holding, crank the en-
gine. Release the accelerator pedal
when the engine starts.
• If the engine is very hard to start be- cause it is flooded, depress the accel-
erator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Push the ignition switch to
the ON position to start cranking the
engine. Af ter 5 or 6 seconds, stop
cranking by pushing the ignition
switch to the LOCK position. Af ter
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-16Starting and driving

To move the shif t lever, complete the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCKposition.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Using a protective cloth on the tip of a 3 mm screwdriver, remove the shif t lock
release cover.
• If available, a plastic trim tool can also be used.
4. Insert the small screwdriver in the shif t lock release slot and push down.
5. Move the shif t lever to the N (Neutral) position while holding down the shif t
lock release.
If the shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have the transmission checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.WARNING
If the shif t lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position while the engine is
running and the brake pedal is de-
pressed, the stop lights may not work.
Malfunctioning stop lights could cause
an accident injuring yourself and
others.
Drive sport mode switch
When the drive sport mode switch is
pushed with the shif t lever in the D (Drive)
position, the drive sport mode indicator in
the instrument panel illuminates. For addi-
tional information, see “Drive sport mode
indicator” (P. 2-29) or (P. 2-46)
Use the drive sport mode when you need
improved engine braking.
To turn off the drive sport mode, push the
drive sport mode switch again. The drive
sport mode indicator will turn off.
LSD3250
Drive sport mode
Starting and driving5-23

Each time the engine is started, or when
the shif t lever is shif ted to any position
other than D (Drive), the drive sport mode
will automatically turn off.
Accelerator downshif t
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shif ts
the transmission down into a lower gear,
depending on the vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tem-
perature protection mode. If the fluid tem-
perature becomes too high (for example,
when climbing steep grades in high tem-
peratures with heavy loads, such as when
towing a trailer), engine power and, under
some conditions, vehicle speed will be de-
creased automatically to reduce the
chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelera-
tor pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed
may be limited.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme
conditions, such as excessive wheel
spinning and subsequent hard braking,
the fail-safe system may be activated.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
may come on to indicate the fail-safe
mode is activated. For additional infor-
mation, see “Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL)” (P. 2-15). This will occur even if all
electrical circuits are functioning prop-
erly. In this case, place the ignition switch
in the OFF position and wait for 10 sec-
onds. Then push the switch back to the
ON position. The vehicle should return to
its normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condi-
tion, have the transmission checked. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature pro-
tection mode or fail-safe operation oc-
curs, vehicle speed may be gradually
reduced. The reduced speed may be
lower than other traffic, which could in-
crease the chance of a collision. Be es-
pecially careful when driving. If neces-
sary, pull to the side of the road at a safe
place and allow the transmission to re-
turn to normal operation, or have it re-
paired if necessary.
5-24Starting and driving

WARNING
• Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to
an accident.
• Do not release the parking brake
from outside the vehicle.
• Do not use the shif t lever in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully
engaged.
• To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the
vehicle and/or its systems, do not
leave children, people who require
the assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly be-
come high enough to cause a signifi-
cant risk of injury or death to people
and pets.
MANUAL PARKING BRAKE (pedal
type)
To engage: Firmly depress the parking
brake.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) position.
3. Firmly depress the parking brake pedal and it will release.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE
(switch type)
The electronic parking brake can be ap-
plied or released automatically or by oper-
ating the parking brake switch.
Automatic operation
The electronic parking brake will apply au-
tomatically if the ignition switch is placed in
the OFF position when the brake force is
maintained by the automatic brake hold
function.
LSD0158LSD3210
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-25

The electronic parking brake is automati-
cally released as soon as the vehicle starts
and the accelerator pedal is depressed
with the driver’s seat belt fastened.
WARNING
Before leaving the vehicle, move the
shif t lever to the P (Park) position and
check that the electronic parking brake
warning light is illuminated to confirm
that the electronic parking brake is ap-
plied. The electronic parking brake
warning light will remain on for a pe-
riod of time af ter the driver’s door is
locked.
CAUTION
When parking in an area where the out-
side temperature is below 32°F (0°C),
the parking brake, if applied, may
freeze in place and may be difficult to
release.
For safe parking, it is recommended
that you place the shif t lever in the P
(Park) position and securely block the
wheels.
NOTE:
• To keep the electronic parking brake released af ter the engine is turned off,
place the ignition switch in the OFF po-
sition, depress the brake pedal and
push down the parking brake switch
before opening the driver’s door.
• If a malfunction occurs in the elec- tronic parking brake system (for ex-
ample, due to battery discharge), it is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer.
• If the shif t lever is moved to the P (Park) position when the brake force is main-
tained by the automatic brake hold
function, the electronic parking brake
will apply automatically.
• If the driver’s seat belt is unfastened when the brake force is maintained by
the automatic brake hold function, the
electronic parking brake will apply
automatically.
• If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF position when the brake force is
maintained by the automatic brake
hold function, the electronic parking
brake will apply automatically.
Manual operation
The electronic parking brake will not be au-
tomatically applied if the engine is stopped
without using the ignition switch (for ex-
ample, by engine stalling). In such a case,
you have to apply the parking brake
manually.
To apply: Pull the switch up
O1. The indica-
tor light
OAwill illuminate.
To release: With the ignition switch in the
ON position, depress the brake pedal and
push the switch down
O2. The indicator
light
OAwill turn off.
Before driving, check that the electronic
parking brake indicator light (
or PARK)
goes out. For additional information, see
“Warning lights, indicator lights and audible
reminders” (P. 2-9).
NOTE:
• A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven without releasing the parking
brake. For additional information, see
“Warning lights, indicator lights and
audible reminders” (P. 2-9).
5-26Starting and driving

• While the electronic parking brake isapplied or released, an operating
sound is heard from the lower side of
the rear seat. This is normal and does
not indicate a malfunction.
• When the electronic parking brake is frequently applied and released in a
short period of time, the parking brake
may not operate in order to prevent the
parking brake system from overheat-
ing. If this occurs, operate the elec-
tronic parking brake switch again af ter
waiting approximately 1 minute.
• If the electronic parking brake must be applied while driving in an emergency,
pull up and hold the parking brake
switch. When you release the parking
brake switch, the parking brake will be
released.
• While pulling up the electronic parking brake switch during driving, the park-
ing brake is applied and a chime
sounds. The electronic parking brake
indicator light in the meter and in the
parking brake switch illuminates. This
does not indicate a malfunction. The
electronic parking brake indicator light
in the meter and in the parking brake
switch turns off when the parking
brake is released. • When pulling the electronic parking
brake switch up with the ignition
switch in the OFF or AUTO ACC position,
the parking brake switch indicator
light will continue to illuminate for a
short period of time. The automatic brake hold function main-
tains the braking force without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal when
the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or
intersection. As soon as the driver de-
presses the accelerator pedal again, the
automatic brake hold function is deacti-
vated and the braking force is released. The
operating status of the automatic brake
hold can be displayed on the vehicle infor-
mation display.
WARNING
• The automatic brake hold function is
not designed to hold the vehicle on a
steep hill or slippery road. Never use
the automatic brake hold when the
vehicle is stopped on a steep hill or
slippery road. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to move.
• When the automatic brake hold func-
tion is activated but fails to maintain
the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal to stop the vehicle. If the
vehicle unexpectedly moves due to
outside conditions, the chime may
sound and automatic brake hold
warning may illuminate in the vehicle
information display.
AUTOMATIC BRAKE HOLD (if so
equipped)
Starting and driving5-27

•Be sure to deactivate the automatic
brake hold function when using a car
wash or towing your vehicle.
• Make sure to place the shif t lever in
the P (Park) position and apply the
parking brake when parking your ve-
hicle, entering or exiting the vehicle,
or loading luggage. Failure to do so
could cause the vehicle to move or
roll away unexpectedly and result in
serious personal injury or property
damage.
• If any of the following conditions oc-
cur, the automatic brake hold func-
tion may not function. Have the sys-
tem checked promptly. It is
recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service. Failure
to operate the vehicle in accordance
with these conditions could cause
the vehicle to move or roll away un-
expectedly and result in serious per-
sonal injury or property damage.
– A warning message appears in the
vehicle information display.
– The indicator light on the auto-
matic brake hold switch does not
illuminate when the switch is
pushed. •
The automatic brake hold function
will not be activated if the slip indica-
tor light, electronic parking brake
warning light or master warning light
illuminate and the chassis control
system fault message appears in the
vehicle information display.
• To maintain the braking force to keep
the vehicle to a standstill, a noise
may be heard. This is not a
malfunction.
HOW TO ACTIVATE/DEACTIVATE
THE AUTOMATIC BRAKE HOLD
FUNCTION
For additional information on activating
and deactivating the automatic brake hold
function, refer to the instructions outlined
in this section.
LSD3211
5-28Starting and driving

How to activate the automatic
brake hold function
1. With the ignition switch in the ON posi-tion, push the automatic brake hold
switch
O1. The indicator light on the au-
tomatic brake hold switch
O2
illuminates.
2. When the automatic brake hold function goes into standby, the automatic brake
hold indicator light (white) illuminates.
To use the automatic brake hold function,
the following conditions need to be met:
• The driver’s seat belt is fastened.
• The electronic parking brake is released.
• The shif t lever is not in the P (Park) position.
• The vehicle is not parked on a steep hill.
NOTE:
The automatic brake hold function re-
sets to OFF every time the ignition
switch is switched from the OFF position
to the ON position.
How to deactivate the automatic
brake hold function
While the automatic brake hold function is
activated, push the automatic brake hold
switch to turn off the automatic brake hold
indicator light and deactivate the auto-
matic brake hold function. To deactivate
the automatic brake hold function while
the brake force has been maintained by
the automatic brake hold function, depress
the brake pedal and push the automatic
brake hold switch.
WARNING
Make sure to firmly depress and hold
the brake pedal when turning off the
automatic brake hold function while
the brake force is applied. When the au-
tomatic brake hold function is deacti-
vated, the brake force will be released.
This could cause the vehicle to move or
roll away unexpectedly. Failure to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling may result
in serious personal injury or property
damage.
HOW TO USE THE AUTOMATIC
BRAKE HOLD FUNCTION
For additional information on using the au-
tomatic brake hold function, refer to the
instructions outlined in this section.
To maintain braking force
automatically
With the automatic brake hold function ac-
tivated and the automatic brake hold indi-
cator light (white) illuminated on the meter,
depress the braking pedal to stop the ve-
hicle. The brake force is automatically
maintained without your foot depressed
on the brake pedal. While the brake hold is
maintained, the automatic brake hold indi-
cator light (green) illuminates on the meter.
To start the vehicle from a
standstill
With the shif t lever not in the P (Park) or N
(Neutral) position, depress the accelerator
pedal while the brake force is maintained.
The brake force will automatically be re-
leased to restart the vehicle.
The automatic brake hold indicator light
(white) illuminates and the automatic
brake hold returns to standby.
Starting and driving5-29