dash NISSAN MAXIMA 1996 A32 / 4.G Owners Manual

NISSAN CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM
NISSAN CARES ...
Both NISSAN and your NISSAN dealer are dedicated to serving all your automotive needs. Your satisfaction with your
vehicle and your NISSAN dealer are our primary concerns. Your NISSAN dealer is always available to assist you with all
your automobile sales and service needs.
However, if there is something that your NISSAN dealer
can not assist you with or you would like to provide
NISSAN directly with comments or questions, please
contact our (NISSAN's) Consumer Affairs Department
using our toll-free number:
For U.S. mainland customers
1-800-NISSAN-1 (1-800-647-7261)
For Hawaii customers
531-0231 (Oahu Number)
For Canada customers
1-800-387-0122
The Consumer Affairs Department will ask for the following information:
ÐYour name, address, and telephone number
ÐVehicle identification number (on dashboard)
ÐDate of purchase
ÐCurrent odometer reading
ÐYour NISSAN dealer's name
ÐYour comments or questionsYou can write to NISSAN with the information on the left
at:
For U.S. mainland customers
Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A.
Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 191
Gardena, California 90247
For Hawaii customers
Nissan Motor Corporation in Hawaii
2880 Kilihau St.
Honolulu, Hawaii 96819
For Canada customers
Nissan Canada Inc.
P.O. Box 1709, Station ªBº
Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4H6
OR
We appreciate your interest in NISSAN and thank you for buying a quality NISSAN vehicle.
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

Air bag system
The driver air bag is located in the center of the
steering wheel; the front passenger air bag is
mounted in the dashboard above the glove
box. The air bag system is designed to inflate
in higher severity frontal collisions, although it
may inflate if the forces in another type of
collision are similar to those of a higher sever-
ity frontal impact. It may not inflate in certain
frontal collisions. Vehicle damage (or lack of it)
is not always an indication of proper air bag
operation.
When the air bag inflates, a fairly loud noise
may be heard, followed by release of smoke.This smoke is not harmful and does not indi-
cate a fire, but care should be taken not to
intentionally inhale it, as it may cause irritation
and choking. Those with a history of breathing
trouble should get fresh air promptly.
Air bags, along with the use of seat belts, help
to cushion the impact force on the face and
chest of the occupant. They can help save
lives and reduce serious injuries. However, an
inflating air bag may cause facial abrasions or
other injuries. Air bags do not provide restraint
to the lower body.
The seat belts should be correctly worn and
the driver and passenger seated upright as faras practical away from the steering wheel or
dashboard. Since the air bag inflates quickly in
order to help protect the occupant, the force of
the air bag inflating can increase the risk of
injury if the occupant is too close to or is
against the air bag module during inflation.
The air bag will deflate quickly after a collision.
The air bags will operate only when the
ignition switch is in the ªONº or ªSTARTº
position.
IRight after inflation, several air bag
system components will be hot. Do
not touch them; you may severely
burn yourself.
INo unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the air bag system. This is to prevent
accidental inflation of the air bag or
damage to the air bag system.
ITampering with the air bag system
may result in serious personal injury.
Tampering includes changes to the
steering wheel and the instrument
panel assembly by placing materialSPA0103
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Z01.2.1/A32-DX

over the steering wheel pad and
above the dashboard, or by installing
additional trim material around the air
bag system.
IDo not attach any objects to the
steering wheel pad and to the instru-
ment panel. Also, do not place any
objects between any occupant and
the steering wheel or instrument
panel. Such objects may become
dangerous projectiles and cause in-
jury if the air bag inflates.
IWork around and on the air bag sys-
tem should be done by an authorized
NISSAN dealer. Installation of electri-
cal equipment should also be done
by an authorized NISSAN dealer. The
SRS wiring harnesses* should not be
modified or disconnected. Unautho-
rized electrical test equipment and
probing devices should not be used
on the air bag system.
* SRS wiring harnesses are covered
with yellow insulation either just be-
fore the harness connectors or for
the complete harness, for easyidentification.
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Z01.2.1/A32-DX

The anti-lock brake system controls the brakes
at each wheel so the wheels will not lock when
braking abruptly or when braking on slippery
surfaces. The system detects the rotation
speed at each wheel and varies the brake fluid
pressure to prevent each wheel from locking
and sliding. By preventing wheel lockup, the
system helps the driver maintain steering con-
trol and helps to minimize swerving and spin-
ning on slippery surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.It is
not necessary to pump the brake pedal.
Doing so may result in increased stopping
distances.
Normal operation
The anti-lock brake system will not operate at
speeds below 3 to 6 MPH (5 to 10 km/h) to
completely stop the vehicle. (The speeds will
vary according to road conditions.) When the
anti-lock system senses that one or more
wheels are close to locking up, the actuator
(under the hood) rapidly applies and releases
hydraulic pressure (like pumping the brakes
very quickly). While the actuator is working,
you may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal
and hear a noise or vibration from the actuator
under the hood. This is normal and indicates
that the anti-lock system is working properly.However, the pulsation may indicate that road
conditions are hazardous and extra care is
required while driving.
Self-test feature
The anti-lock brake system consists of elec-
tronic sensors, electric pumps, and hydraulic
solenoids controlled by a computer. The com-
puter has a built-in diagnostic feature that tests
the system each time you start the engine and
move the vehicle at a low speed in forward or
reverse. When the ªself-testº occurs, you may
hear a ªclunkº noise and/or feel a ªpulsationº in
the brake pedal. This is normal and is not an
indication of any malfunction. If the computer
senses any malfunction, it switches the anti-
lock brake system OFF and turns on the ªABSº
brake warning light in the dashboard. The
brake system will then behave normally, but
without anti-lock assistance.
If the light comes on during the self check, or
while you are driving, you should take your
vehicle to your NISSAN dealer for repair at
your earliest convenience.
The anti-lock brake system is a sophis-
ticated device, but is cannot prevent
accidents resulting from careless or
dangerous driving techniques. It can
help maintain vehicle control during
braking on slippery surfaces, but re-
member that the stopping distance on
slippery surfaces will be longer than on
normal surfaces, even with the anti-lock
system. Stopping distances 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 vehicle in front of you. Ultimately,
the responsibility for safety of self and
others rests in the hands of the driver.
Tire type and condition may also affect
braking effectiveness.
IWhen replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all 4 wheels.
IWhen installing a spare tire, make
sure it is the proper size and type as
specified on the tire placard. For tire
placard location information, refer to
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
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Z01.2.1/A32-DX