tow NISSAN MAXIMA 1998 A32 / 4.G Owners Manual

3. Position the lap belt portionlow and snug
on the hipsas shown.
4. Pull the shoulder belt portion toward the
retractor to take up extra slack.
The front passenger side seat belt and rear
three-point seat belts have a cinching mecha-
nism for child restraint installation. It is referred
to as the automatic locking mode.
When the cinching mechanism is activated the
seat belt cannot be withdrawn again until the
seat belt tongue is detached from the buckle
and fully retracted. For additional information,
see ªChild restraintsº later in this section.The automatic locking mode should be
used only for child restraint installation.
During normal seat belt use by a passen-
ger, the locking mode should not be acti-
vated. If it is activated it may cause uncom-
fortable seat belt tension.
Unfastening the seat beltsTo unfasten the belt, press the button on the
buckle. The seat belt will automatically retract.Checking seat belt operationYour seat belt retractors are designed to lock
belt movement using two separate methods:
Iwhen the belt is pulled quickly from the
retractor.
Iwhen the vehicle slows down rapidly.
You can check their operation as follows:
Igrasp the shoulder belt and pull quickly
SSS0061
SSS0021
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
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the parking brake not applied, stop the vehicle
and perform the following:
1. Check the brake fluid level. Add brake fluid
as necessary. See ªBrake and clutch fluidº
in the ªDo-it-yourselfº section.IYour 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 re-
pairs. Otherwise, have your vehicle
towed.
IPressing the brake pedal with the
engine stopped and/or low brake fluid
level may increase your stopping dis-
tance and braking will require greater
pedal effort as well as greater pedal
travel.
IIf the brake fluid level is below the
MIN mark on the brake fluid reservoir,
do not drive until the brake system
has been checked at a NISSAN
dealer.
2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have the
warning system checked by a
NISSAN dealer.
or
Anti-lock brake
warning light (if so
equipped)
After turning the ignition key to the ON posi-
tion, the light will illuminate. The light will turn
off after about 2 seconds if the system is
operational.
If the light comes on while the engine is
running, it may indicate there is something
wrong with the anti-lock portion of the brake
system. Have the system checked by your
NISSAN dealer. However if the light illumi-
nates while starting the engine, it does not
indicate a system malfunction.
If an abnormality occurs in the system, the
anti-lock function will cease but the ordinary
brakes will continue to operate normally.
If the light comes on while you are driving,
contact your NISSAN dealer for repair.
Low fuel warning light
This light comes on when the fuel in the tank is
getting low. Refuel as soon as it is convenient,
preferably before the fuel gauge reaches E.There will be a small reserve of fuel remain-
ing in the tank when the fuel gauge needle
reaches E.
INDICATOR LIGHTS
Overdrive off indicator light
This light comes on during driving when the
overdrive switch is pressed to prevent over-
drive operation.
The O/D OFF indicator light comes on for 2
seconds each time the ignition key is turned
ON. This shows the light is functioning prop-
erly.If the O/D OFF indicator light blinks for
approximately 8 seconds after coming on for
2 seconds, have your NISSAN dealer check
the transmission and repair it if necessary.The automatic transmission is equipped with
an electronic fail-safe mode. This system al-
lows the vehicle to be driven even in the event
of damage to the electrical circuits. If this
occurs, the gears automatically engage and
lock into third gear.
See the ªDriving the vehicleº in the ª5. Starting
and drivingº section for fail-safe before visiting
your NISSAN dealer.
Instruments and controls
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Turn signal/hazard indicator
lights
The light flashes when the turn signal switch
lever or hazard switch is turned on.
High beam indicator light
(Blue)
This light comes on when the headlight high
beam is on and goes out when the low beam is
selected.
Cruise indicator light
The light comes on while the vehicle speed is
controlled by the cruise control system. If the
light flickers while the engine is running, it may
indicate there is something wrong with the
cruise control system. Have the system
checked by your NISSAN dealer.
Malfunction indicator light
(MIL)
If the malfunction indicator light comes on
steady or blinks while the engine is running, it
may indicate a potential emission control prob-
lem.
The malfunction indicator light will come on in
one of two ways:
IMalfunction indicator light on steady Ð Anemission control system malfunction has
been detected. Have the vehicle inspected
by an authorized NISSAN dealer. You do
not need to have your vehicle towed to the
dealer.
IMalfunction indicator light blinking Ð An
engine misfire has been detected which
may damage the emission control system.
To reduce or avoid emission control system
damage:
a) Do not drive at speeds above 45 MPH
(72 km/h).
b) Avoid hard acceleration or deceleration.
c) Avoid steep uphill grades.
d) If possible, reduce the amount of cargo
being hauled or towed.
The malfunction indicator light may stop
blinking and come on steady.
Have the vehicle inspected by an autho-
rized NISSAN dealer. You do not need to
have your vehicle towed to the dealer.
Continued vehicle operation without
having the emission control system
checked and repaired as necessary
could lead to poor driveability, reduced
fuel economy, and possible damage to
the emission control system.Some conditions may cause the malfunction
indicator light to come on steady or blink.
Examples are as follows:
Ivehicle ran out of fuel, which caused the
engine to misfire.
Ifuel filler cap was left off or improperly
installed, allowing fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
If you suspect that you experienced one or
both of the above conditions, drive the vehicle
to an authorized NISSAN dealer and have the
vehicle inspected. Avoid any unnecessary di-
agnosis during the service by informing the
dealer of the conditions listed above that may
have occurred.
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Security indicator lightHow to activate the theft warning
system
1. Close all windows.
The system can be activated even if the
windows are open.
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Close and lock all doors, hood and trunk lid.
The doors can be locked either with or
without the key.
Multi-remote controller equipped models:
Close and lock all doors, hood and trunk lid.
Lock all doors by the key or pressing the
button on the multi-remote controller.
At this time, the hazard indicators flash
twice to indicate all doors are locked.
4. Confirm that the SECURITY indicator light
comes on. The SECURITY light glows for
about 30 seconds and then begins to flash
once every 3 seconds. The system is now
activated. If, during this 30 second time
period, the door is unlocked by the key or
the multi-remote controller, or the ignition
key is turned to ACC or ON, the system will
not activate.
IIf the key is turned slowly toward the
front of the vehicle when locking the
door, the system may not activate. If thekey is returned beyond the vertical po-
sition toward the rear of the vehicle to
remove the key, the system may be
deactivated. If the indicator light fails to
glow for 30 seconds, unlock the door
once and lock it again.
IEven when the driver and/or passengers
are in the vehicle, the system will acti-
vate with all doors, hood and trunk lid
locked and ignition key off. Turn the
ignition key to ACC to turn the system
off.
Theft warning system operationThe warning system will give the following
alarm:
IThe headlights blink and the horn sounds
intermittently. In addition, the starter motor
will not operate.
IThe alarm automatically turns off after 2 to
3 minutes. However, the alarm reactivates
if the vehicle is tampered with again. The
alarm can be shut off by unlocking a door or
trunk lid with the key, or by pressing the
button on the multi-remote controller.
The alarm is activated by:
IOpening the door or trunk lid without using
the key (even if the door is unlocked by
SIC0175
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releasing the door inside lock switch) or
opening the trunk lid by operating the
opener release button.
IOpening the hood.
IPushing in or pulling out of the key cylinder
on the door or trunk lid.
How to stop alarmThe alarm will stop only by unlocking a door or
trunk lid with the key, or by pressing the
button on multi-remote controller. The
alarm will not stop if the ignition switch is
turned to ACC or ON.
If the system does not operate as de-
scribed above, have it checked by your
NISSAN dealer.The windshield wiper and washer operates
when the ignition key is in the ACC or ON
position.
Push the lever down to operate the wiper.
Intermittent operation can be adjusted from 3
to 21 seconds by turning the knob.
(Type B only)
Pull the lever toward you to operate the
washer. Then the wiper will also operate sev-
eral times.
In freezing temperatures the washer so-
lution may freeze on the windshield and
obscure your vision which may lead to
an accident. Warm the windshield with
the defroster before you wash the
windshield.
SIC0176
WINDSHIELD WIPER AND
WASHER SWITCH
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Headlight beam selectTo select the high beam, push the lever for-
ward. Pull it back to select the low beam.Passing signalPulling the lever toward you will flash the
headlight high beam.Daytime running light system
(Canada only)The headlights automatically illuminate at a
reduced intensity when the engine is started
with the parking brake released. The daytime
running lights operate with the headlight switch
in the OFF position or in the
position.
Turn the headlight switch to theposition
for full illumination when driving at night.
If the parking brake is applied before the
engine is started, the daytime running lights do
not illuminate. The daytime running lights illu-
minate once the parking brake is released.
The daytime running lights will remain on until
the ignition switch is turned off.
When the daytime running light system
is active, tail lights on your vehicle are
not on. It is necessary at dusk to turn on
your headlights. Failure to do so could
cause an accident injuring yourself and
others.TURN SIGNAL SWITCH
Turn signalMove the lever up or down to signal the turning
direction. When the turn is completed, the turn
signals cancel automatically.Lane change signalTo indicate a lane change, move the lever up
or down to the point where lights begin flash-
ing.To turn the fog lights on, turn the headlight
switch to the
position, then turn the
switch to theposition. To turn them off,
turn the switch to the OFF position.
The headlights must be on for the fog lights to
operate.
SIC0880
FRONT FOG LIGHT SWITCH (if so
equipped)
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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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Adjusting tone quality and speaker
balance:
To adjust BASS, TREB (Treble), BAL (Bal-
ance) and FADER the control knobs must be
released from their stowed positions. Pushing
the knobs once moves them to the released
position.
In the released position, the knobs control tone
quality. Turn the control knobs to adjust BASS
and TREB to the most pleasing level.
From the released position, the knobs must be
pulled out in order to control BAL and FADER.
BAL adjusts the sound level between the rightand left speakers, and FADER adjusts the
sound level between the front and rear speak-
ers.
Once sound quality is set to the desired levels,
return the control knobs to the stowed position
by pushing them in completely and releasing.
FM-AM radio operation
FM×AM band select:
Pushing the FM×AM band select button will
change the band.
When FM×AM band select button is pushed
while the ignition switch is in the ACC or ON,the radio will come on at the station last
played.
The last station played will also come on when
the power knob is turned to ON.
If a compact disc or tape is inserted when the
power knob is turned to ON, the compact disc
or tape will automatically be turned off and the
last radio station played will come on.
The FM stereo indicator ST will glow during
FM stereo reception. When the stereo broad-
cast signal is weak, the radio will automatically
change from stereo to monaural reception.
TUNE (Tuning):
The radio should not be tuned while
driving in order that full attention may be
given to the driving operation.Use these buttons for manual tuning. To move
quickly through the channels, hold either of the
TUNE buttons down for more than 0.5 sec-
onds.
SAA0256
4-20
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
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IThe exhaust gas and the exhaust sys-
tem are very hot. Keep people, ani-
mals or flammable materials away
from the exhaust pipe.
IDo not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.IDo not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously re-
duce the three way catalyst's ability
to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
IKeep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause over-
rich fuel flow into the three way cata-
lyst, causing it to overheat. Do not
keep driving if the engine misfires, or
if noticeable loss of performance or
other unusual operating conditions
are detected. Have the vehicle in-spected promptly by an authorized
NISSAN dealer.
IAvoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three way catalyst.
IDo not race the engine while warming
it up.
IDo not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVERFailure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss
of control or an accident.Be alert and drive defensively at all times.
Obey all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive
speed, high speed cornering, or sudden steer-
ing maneuvers, because these driving prac-
tices could cause you to lose control of your
vehicle.As with any vehicle, a loss of con-trol could result in a collision with other
vehicles or objects, or cause the vehicle to
rollover, particularly if the loss of control
causes the vehicle to slide sideways.Be
attentive at all times, and avoid driving when
tired. Never drive when under the influence of
alcohol or drugs (including prescription or
over-the-counter drugs which may cause
drowsiness). Always wear your seat belt. See
ªSeat Beltsº in the ª1. Seats, restraints and
supplemental air bag systemsº section. And
also instruct your passengers to do so.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVINGNever drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream
reduces coordination, delays reaction
time and impairs judgment. Driving after
drinking alcohol increases the likeli-
hood of being involved in an accident
injuring yourself and others. Addition-
ally, if you are injured in the accident,
alcohol can increase the severity of the
injury.
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NISSAN is committed to safe driving. But, you
must choose not to drive under the influence of
alcohol. Every year thousands of people are
injured or killed in alcohol related accidents.
Although the local laws vary on what is con-
sidered 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!
And that's true for drugs too (over the counter,
prescription, and illegal drugs). Don't drive if
your ability to operate your vehicle is impaired
by alcohol, drugs, or some other physical
condition.
Never remove the key while driving. If
the key is removed, the steering wheel
will lock. This may cause the driver to
lose control of the vehicle and could
result in serious vehicle damage or per-
sonal injury.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONOn automatic transmission models, the igni-
tion lock is designed so that the key cannot be
turned to LOCK and removed until the selector
lever is moved to the P (Park) position.
When removing the key from the ignition,
make sure the selector lever is in the P (Park)
position.
If the selector lever is not returned to P (Park)
position, the key cannot be moved toward
LOCK.
When the key cannot be turned toward the
SSD0055
IGNITION SWITCH
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