ESP NISSAN MAXIMA 1998 A32 / 4.G Owners Manual

Supplemental side air bag equipped
models:
IThe supplemental side air bag ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a
frontal impact, rear impact or lower
severity side collision. Always wear
your seat belts to help reduce the risk
or severity of injury in various kinds
of accidents.
IThe seat belts and the supplemental
side air bag are most effective when
you are sitting well back and upright
in the seat. Supplemental side air bag
inflates with great force. Do not allow
anyone to place their hand, leg or
face near the supplemental side air
bag on the side of the seatback of the
front seat. Do not allow anyone sit-
ting in the front seat to extend their
hand out of the window or lean
against the door. When sitting in the
rear seat, do not hold onto the seat-
back of the front seat. If the supple-
mental side air bag inflates, the occu-
pant may be seriously injured. Be
especially careful with children, who
should always be properly restrained.
IDo not use seat covers on the front
seatbacks. They may interfere with
supplemental side air bag inflation.
SSS0101
SSS0064Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
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bones. In an accident, an improperly
fitting seat belt could cause serious or
fatal injury. Always use appropriate
child restraints.All US states and provinces of Canada require
the use of approved child restraints for infants
and small children. (See ªChild restraintsº later
in this section.)
In addition, there are many types of child
restraints available for larger children which
should be used for maximum protection.
NISSAN recommends that all preteens and
children be restrained in the rear seat if
possible. According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained
in the rear seat than in the front seat.
This is especially important because your
vehicle has a supplemental restraint sys-
tem (air bag system) for the front passen-
ger (see ªSupplemental Restraint Systemº
earlier in this section for precautions).Infants and small childrenNISSAN recommends that infants and small
children be placed in child restraints that com-
ply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-dards. You should choose a child restraint that
fits your vehicle and always follow the manu-
facturer's instructions for installation and use.
Larger childrenChildren who are too large for child restraint
systems should be seated and restrained by
the seat belts which are provided.
If the child's seating position has a shoulder
belt that fits close to the face or neck, the use
of a booster seat (commercially available) may
help overcome this. The booster seat should
raise the child so that the shoulder belt is
properly positioned across the top, middle
portion of the shoulder and the lap belt is low
on the hips. The booster seat should fit the
vehicle seat and have a label certifying that it
complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. Once the child has grown so the
shoulder belt is no longer on or near the face
and neck, use the shoulder belt without the
booster seat.
Never let a child stand or kneel on any
seat and do not allow a child in the cargo
areas while the vehicle is moving. The
child could be seriously injured or killed
in an accident.PREGNANT WOMENNISSAN recommends that pregnant women
use seat belts. Contact your doctor for specific
recommendations. The lap belt should be
worn snug and positioned as low as possible
around the hips, not the waist.INJURED PERSONSNISSAN recommends that injured persons
use seat belts, depending on the injury. Check
with your doctor for specific recommendations.
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
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Unattended children could become
involved in serious accidents.
The power window only operates when the
ignition key is in the ON position.
To open or close the window, push down or
pull up the switch and hold it. The main switch
(driver side switches) will open or close all the
windows.
The passenger side switch will open or close
only the corresponding window. To open or
close the window, hold the switch down or up.
Locking passenger's windowsWhen the lock button is pushed in, only the
driver side window can be opened or closed.
Push it in again to cancel.
Automatic operationTo fully open the driver side window, com-
pletely push down the switch and release it; it
need not be held. The window will automati-
cally open all the way. To stop the window, just
pull up the switch toward the close side.
A light press on the switch will cause the
window to open until the switch is released.
SIC0183
SIC0184
Instruments and controls
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with a rolling code system to recognize
the HomeLink
Transmitter with the roll-
ing code feature, call NISSAN Con-
sumer Affairs Department.
c) Press the training button on the garage
door opener receiver for 1 to 2 seconds.
d) Return to the HomeLink
Transmitter in
the vehicle, and depress the pro-
grammed HomeLink
button for the du-
ration of the fast blink on the HomeLink
Transmitter (1 to 2 seconds). Release
the button, and re-press to confirm that
the system has trained.
e) Your garage door opener should now
recognize your HomeLink
Transmitter.
You may use either your HomeLink
Transmitter or your original hand held
transmitter to open your garage door.
CLEARING THE PROGRAMMED
INFORMATIONShould you sell your vehicle, be sure to clear
the channels of the Integrated HomeLinkTransmitter. To clear the channels, simulta-
neously hold down the outside two buttons (#1
& #3) until the red indicator light begins to flash
rapidly (approximately 20 seconds). This will
clear all three buttons. Individual buttons can-
not be cleared, but can be reprogrammed at
any time by following the programming proce-
dures described above.IF YOUR VEHICLE IS STOLENIf your vehicle has been stolen, you should
change the codes of any device that was
programmed into the Integrated HomeLinkTransmitter as soon as possible. Consult the
owners manual of each device, or call the
manufacturer or dealer of those devices.
When your vehicle is recovered, you will
need to reprogram the Integrated
HomeLink
Transmitter with your new
transmitter information.FCC Notice:
This device complies with FCC rules part
15. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) This device may not
cause harmful interference and (2) This
device must accept any interference that
may be received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
The transmitter has been tested and com-
plies with FCC and DOC/MDC rules.
Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for com-
pliance could void the user's authority to
operate the device.
DOC: ISTC 1763K1313
FCC I.D.: CB2V67690
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with the key in the ignition.
LOCKING WITH POWER DOOR
LOCK SWITCHOperating the lock-unlock switch will lock or
unlock all doors.
CHILD SAFETY REAR DOOR
LOCKChild safety locking helps prevent doors from
being opened accidentally, especially when
small children are in the vehicle.
When the lever is in the lock position, the
rear door can be opened only from the
outside.IBefore opening any door, always look
for and avoid oncoming traffic.
SPA0088
SPA0086
3-4
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
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ANTENNA
Manual antennaThe manual antenna cannot be shortened, but
can be removed. When you need to remove
the antenna, turn its base counterclockwise.Power antenna (if so equipped)The antenna will automatically extend when
the radio is turned on, and retract when
switched off. If the radio is left on, the antenna
will retract and extend with the ignition key
OFF-ON operation.IBefore turning the radio on, make
sure that there is no one near the
antenna outlet and there is enough
space for it to extend.
ITo prevent damage, be sure that an-
tenna is fully retracted before the
vehicle enters an automated car
wash.
IDirt and other foreign matter on the
power antenna rod may interrupt its
operation. Clean the rod periodically
with a damp cloth. This type of clean-ing is especially important during the
winter seasons in areas where road
salt and other chemicals may be
spread on road surfaces and
splashed onto the antenna rod.
When installing a CB, ham radio or a car
phone in your NISSAN, be sure to observe the
following cautions, otherwise the new equip-
ment may adversely affect the MFI (Multiport
Fuel Injection) system and other electronic
parts.IKeep the antenna as far as possible
away from the Engine Control Mod-
ule.
IAlso keep the antenna wire more than
8 in (20 cm) away from the MFI har-
ness. Do not route the antenna wire
next to any harness.
IAdjust the antenna standing-wave ra-
tio as recommended by the manufac-
turer.
IConnect the ground wire from the CB
radio chassis to the body.
IFor details, consult a NISSAN dealer.CB RADIO OR CAR PHONE
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
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IIn the summer, when restarting the
engine within 30 minutes after it has
been stopped, keep the accelerator
pedal fully depressed while starting.Do not operate the starter for more than
10 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, turn the key off and wait 10
seconds before cranking again, other-
wise the starter could be damaged.4.Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONThe automatic transmission in your vehicle is
electronically controlled by a transmission con-
trol module to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.
Shown on the following pages are the recom-
mended operating procedures for this trans-
mission. Follow these procedures for maxi-
mum vehicle performance and driving
enjoyment.Starting the vehicleAfter starting the engine, fully depress the foot
brake pedal and push the selector lever button
before shifting the selector lever to the R, N, D,
2 or 1 position. Be sure the vehicle is fully
stopped before attempting to shift the selector
lever.
This automatic transmission is designed
so that the foot brake pedal must be de-
pressed before shifting from P (Park) posi-
tion to any drive position while the ignition
switch is ON.
The selector lever cannot be moved out of
P (Park) position and into any of the other
gear positions if the key is removed from
the switch.1. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and
shift into a driving gear.
2. Release the parking brake and foot brake,
then gradually start the vehicle in motion.
IDo not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P or N to R, D, 2 or
1. Always depress the brake pedal
until shifting is completed. Failure to
do so could cause you to lose control
and have an accident.
ICold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
IOn slippery roads, do not downshift.
This may cause a loss of control.
INever shift to P or R while vehicle is
moving. This could cause an
accident.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving
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4. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position
and remove the key.INever leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.
INever leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
The power assisted steering is designed to
use a hydraulic pump, driven by the engine, to
assist steering.
If the engine stops or drive belt breaks, you will
still have control of the vehicle. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, espe-
cially in sharp turns or at low speeds.If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
much harder to operate.
The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit develops a problem, you
will still have braking at two wheels.
Vacuum assisted brake
The brake booster aids braking by using en-
gine vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop
the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal.
However, greater foot pressure on the brake
pedal will be required to stop the vehicle and
the stopping distance will be longer.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result,
your braking distance will be longer and the
vehicle may pull to one side during braking.
To dry 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.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This overheats the brakes, in-
creases wear on the brake linings and pads,
and reduces gas mileage.
To help save the brakes and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving
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The anti-lock brake system is a sophis-
ticated device, but it cannot prevent ac-
cidents resulting from careless or dan-
gerous driving techniques. It can help
maintain vehicle control during braking
on slippery surfaces, but remember that
the stopping distance on slippery sur-
faces will be longer than on normal
surfaces, even with the anti-lock sys-
tem. 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 of tires may also
affect braking effectiveness.
IWhen replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all four
wheels.
IWhen installing a spare tire, make
sure it is the proper size and type as
specified on the tire placard. See ªVe-hicle identificationº in the ª10. Tech-
nical and consumer informationº sec-
tion for tire placard location.
FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCKTo prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer or glycerin to it through the key hole. If
the lock becomes frozen, heat the key before
inserting it into the key hole.ANTI-FREEZEIn the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32ÉF (0ÉC), check
anti-freeze (ethylene glycol base) to assure
proper winter protection. For additional infor-
mation, see ªEngine Cooling Systemº in the ª8.
Do-it-yourselfº section.BATTERYIf the battery is not fully charged during ex-
tremely cold weather conditions, the battery
fluid may freeze and damage the battery. To
maintain maximum efficiency, the battery
should be checked regularly. For additional
information, see ªBatteryº in the ª8. Do-it-
yourselfº section.DRAINING OF COOLANT WATERIf the vehicle is to be left outside without
anti-freeze, drain the cooling system by open-
ing the drain valves located under the radiator
and on the engine block. Refill before operat-
ing the vehicle. See ªEngine cooling systemº inCOLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving
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INever jack up the vehicle more than
necessary.
INever use blocks on or under the
jack.
IDo not start or run engine while ve-
hicle is on the jack, as it may cause
the vehicle to move. This is especially
true for vehicles with limited slid dif-
ferential carriers.
IDo not allow passengers to stay in
the vehicle while it is on the jack.
Installing the spare tire1. Clean any mud or dirt from the surface
between the wheel and hub.
2. Carefully put the wheel on and tighten the
wheel nuts finger tight.
3. With the wheel nut wrench, tighten wheel
nuts alternately and evenly until they are
tight.
4. Lower the vehicle slowly until the tire
touches the ground. Then, with the wheel
nut wrench, tighten the wheel nuts securely
in the sequence as illustrated.
IIncorrect wheel nuts or improperly
tightened wheel nuts can cause the
wheel to become loose or come off.
This could cause an accident.
IDo not use oil or grease on the wheel
studs or nuts. This could cause the
nuts to become loose.As soon as possible tighten the wheel nuts
to the specified torque with a torque
wrench.
Wheel nut tightening torque:
72 to 87 ft-lb
(98 to 118 N×m)
Adjust tire pressure to the COLD pressure.
COLD pressure:
After vehicle has been parked for three
hours or more or driven less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
COLD tire pressures are shown on the tire
placard affixed to the center console lid.
Retighten the wheel nuts when the vehicle
SCE0039
In case of emergency
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