engine overheat NISSAN ALTIMA 2023 Owners Manual

CAUTION
If the gauge indicates coolant tem-
perature near the hot (H) end of the
normal range, reduce vehicle speed to
decrease temperature. If the gauge is
over the normal range, stop the vehicle
as soon as safely possible. If the engine
is overheated, continued operation of
the vehicle may seriously damage the
engine. For additional information, see
“If your vehicle overheats” (P. 6-19) for
immediate action required.
FUEL GAUGE
The gauge indicates the approximatefuel
level in the tank.
The gauge may move slightly during brak-
ing, turning, acceleration, or going up or
down hills.
The gauge needle returns to 0 (Empty) af-
ter the ignition switch is placed in the OFF
position.
The low fuel warning message shows in
the vehicle information display when the
amount of fuel in the tank is getting low. Refill the fuel tank before the gauge reg-
isters 0 (Empty).
The
indicates that the fuel-filler door
is located on the driver's side of the vehicle.
CAUTION
• If the vehicle runs out of fuel, the
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may
come on. Refuel as soon as possible.
Af ter a few driving trips, the
light
should turn off. If the light remains on
af ter a few driving trips, have the ve-
hicle inspected. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
•
For additional information, see “Mal-
function Indicator Light (MIL)” (P. 2-15) .
LIC3538
7 inch (18 cm) Type B (if so equipped)
LIC2222
Instruments and controls2-7

The power outlet is for powering electrical
accessories such as cellular telephones. It
is rated at 12 volt, 120W (10A) maximum.
The power outlet is powered only when the
ignition switch is in the AUTO ACC or ON
position.
CAUTION
• The outlet and plug may be hot dur-
ing or immediately af ter use.
• Only certain power outlets are de-
signed for use with a cigarette lighter
unit. Do not use any other power out-
let for an accessory lighter. For addi-
tional information, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer.
• Do not use with accessories that ex-
ceed a 12 volt, 120W (10A) power draw.
• Do not use double adapters or more
than one electrical accessory.
• Use power outlets with the engine
running to avoid discharging the ve-
hicle battery.
• Avoid using power outlets when the
air conditioner, headlights, or rear
window defroster is on.
• Before inserting or disconnecting a
plug, be sure the electrical accessory
being used is turned OFF. •
Push the plug in as far as it will go. If
good contact is not made, the plug
may overheat or the internal tem-
perature fuse may open.
• When not in use, be sure to close the
cap. Do not allow water or any other
liquid to contact the outlet.
LIC4932
Instrument Panel
POWER OUTLET
Instruments and controls2-69

Cooling
This mode is used to cool and dehumidif y
the air.
1. Press the
button to the off position.
2. Press the
air flow control button.
3. Turn the
fan speed control dial to
the desired position.
4. Press the A/C button. The indicator light comes on.
5. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position.
• For quick cooling when the outside tem- perature is high, press the
button to
the ON position. Be sure to return the
to the off position for normal cooling.
MAX A/C may be used for quick cooling.
Dehumidified heating
This mode is used to heat and dehumidif y
the air.
1. Press the
button to the off position.
2. Press the
air flow control button.
3. Turn the
fan speed control dial to
the desired position.
4. Press the A/C (air conditioner) button. The indicator light comes on. 5. Turn the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
Dehumidified defogging
This mode is used to defog the windows
and dehumidif y the air.
1. Press the
air flow control button.
2. Turn the
fan speed control dial to
the desired position.
• When the
orare selected, the
air conditioner automatically turns on if
the outside temperature is more than
36°F (2°C). This dehumidifies the air which
helps defog the windshield. The
mode automatically turns off, allowing
outside air to be drawn into the passen-
ger compartment to further improve the
defogging performance.
3. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position.
Operating tips
• Keep the windows closed while the air
conditioner is in operation.
• Af ter parking in the sun, drive for 2 or 3 minutes with the windows open to vent
hot air from the passenger compart-
ment. Then, close the windows. This al-
lows the air conditioner to cool the inte-
rior more quickly. • The air conditioning system should be
operated for approximately 10 minutes at
least once a month. This helps prevent
damage to the system due to lack of
lubrication.
• A visible mist may be seen coming from the ventilators in hot, humid conditions
as the air is cooled rapidly. This does not
indicate a malfunction.
• If the engine coolant temperature gauge indicates engine coolant temperature
over the normal range, turn the air condi-
tioner off. For additional information, see
“If your vehicle overheats” (P. 6-19).
• When Remote Engine Start (if so equipped) is activated, the manual cli-
mate control system will default to the
last used heating or cooling mode.
AIR FLOW CHARTS
The following charts show the button and
dial positions for MAXIMUM AND QUICK
heating, cooling or defrosting. The
air
recirculation button should always be in
the off position for heating and
defrosting.
4-36Monitor, climate, audio, phone and voice recognition systems

•Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.
CAUTION
• Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline will seriously
reduce the three-way catalyst's abil-
ity to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
• Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich
fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep
driving if the engine misfires, or if no-
ticeable loss of performance or other
unusual operating conditions are de-
tected. Have the vehicle inspected
promptly. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
• Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three-way catalyst.
• Do not race the engine while warm-
ing it up. •
Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as pos-
sible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substi-
tute for proper tire maintenance, and it is
the driver’s responsibility to maintain cor-
rect tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger illumi-
nation of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illu-
minated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the malfunc-
tion indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the installation of replacement or alter-
nate tires or wheels on the vehicle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale af ter replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
Starting and driving5-5

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

•HEADED UPHILL WITH CURBOB:
Turn the wheels away from the curb
and move the vehicle back until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
• HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB
OC:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it moves.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position.
WARNING
• If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the steering will not work.
Steering will be harder to operate.
• When the power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine run-
ning, there will be no power assist for
the steering. You will still have control
of the vehicle, but the steering will be
much harder to operate. Have the
power steering system checked. It is
recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assistance while driving to
operate the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power as-
sist for the steering wheel will be reduced.
This is to prevent overheating of the power
steering system and protect it from getting
damaged. While the power assist is re-
duced, steering wheel operation will be-
come heavy. If the steering wheel opera-
tion is still performed, the power steering
may stop and the power steering warning
light will illuminate. In a safe location, stop the engine and place the ignition switch in
the OFF position. The temperature of the
power steering system will go down af ter a
period of time and the power assist level
will return to normal af ter starting the en-
gine. The power steering warning light will
go off. Avoid repeating such steering wheel
operations that could cause the power
steering system to overheat.
You may hear a noise from the front of the
vehicle when the steering wheel is oper-
ated. This is a normal operational noise
and is not a malfunction.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may
indicate the power steering system is not
functioning properly and may need servic-
ing. Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
When the power steering warning light illu-
minates with the engine running, the
power assist for the steering will cease op-
eration but you will still have control of the
vehicle. At this time, greater steering efforts
are required to operate the steering wheel,
especially in sharp turns and at low speeds.
POWER STEERING
5-172Starting and driving

The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using
engine vacuum. If the engine stops, you
can stop the vehicle by depressing the
brake pedal. However, greater foot pres-
sure on the brake pedal will be required to
stop the vehicle and stopping distance will
be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake pads faster, and reduce
gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent
the brakes from overheating, reduce speed
and downshif t to a lower gear before going
down a slope or long grade. Overheated
brakes may reduce braking performance
and could result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
• While driving on a slippery surface,
be careful when braking, accelerat-
ing or downshif ting. Abrupt braking
or accelerating could cause the
wheels to skid and result in an
accident.
• If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
Braking will be harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven
through water, the brakes may get wet. As
a result, your braking distance will be lon-
ger and the vehicle may pull to one side
during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake
pedal to heat up the brakes. Do this until
the brakes return to normal. Avoid driving
the vehicle at high speeds until the brakes
function correctly.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drums/rotors are replaced,
in order to assure the best braking
performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
WARNING
• The ABS is a sophisticated device, but
it cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain ve-
hicle control during braking on slip-
pery surfaces. Remember that stop-
ping distances on slippery surfaces
will be longer than on normal sur-
faces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if
you are using tire chains. Always
maintain a safe distance from the ve-
hicle in front of you. Ultimately, the
driver is responsible for safety.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-173

6 In case of emergency
Hazard warning flasher switch..................6-2
Emergency engine shut off ......................6-2
Flat tire ..........................................6-3
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) .......................................6-3
Changing a flat tire
(for models with spare tire) ...................6-4
Repairing flat tire (for models with
emergency tire puncture repair kit) ...........6-11 Jump starting
.................................. 6-17
Push starting ................................... 6-19
If your vehicle overheats ........................6-19
Towing your vehicle ............................ 6-20
Towing recommended by NISSAN ...........6-20
Vehicle recovery
(freeing a stuck vehicle) .....................6-22

Jacking up vehicle and replacing
the damaged tire (AWD models)
WARNING
For AWD vehicles - the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire must be installed to the
rear wheels only. If a front tire is punc-
tured, install the original rear tire onto
the front wheel, then install the TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire on the rear.
Failure to do so could cause overheat-
ing to the AWD system
WARNING
• Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by the jack. If it is nec-
essary to work under the vehicle,
support it with safety stands.
• Use only the jack provided with your
vehicle to lif t the vehicle. Do not use
the jack provided with your vehicle
on other vehicles. The jack is de-
signed for lif ting only your vehicle
during a tire change.
• Use the correct jack-up points. Never
use any other part of the vehicle for
jack support.
• Never jack up the vehicle more than
necessary.
• Never use blocks on or under the
jack.
• Do not start or run the engine while
vehicle is on the jack. It may cause
the vehicle to move. This is especially
true for vehicles with limited slip
differentials. •
Do not allow passengers to stay in
the vehicle while it is on the jack.
• Never run the engine with a wheel(s)
off the ground. It may cause the ve-
hicle to move.
LCE2435
Jack-up point
6-8In case of emergency

CAUTION
• Do not push start this vehicle. The
three-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 ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could cause
engine damage or a vehicle fire.
• To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap while the engine is still
hot. When the radiator or coolant res-
ervoir cap is removed, pressurized
hot water will spurt out, possibly
causing serious injury.
• Do not open the hood if steam is
coming 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 maximum
hot and fan control to high speed. 3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator 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 radia-
tor should not leak water. If coolant 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 con-
tact with, or get caught in, engine belts
or the engine cooling fan. The engine
cooling fan can start at any time.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-19