instrument panel NISSAN SENTRA 1996 B14 / 4.G Owners Manual

Lighting
Turn the switch to theposition:
The front clearance, tail, license plate and
instrument panel lights come on.
Turn the switch to the
position:
The headlights come on and all the other
lights remain on.
To select the high beam function, push the
lever forward. The high beam lights come
on and the indicator light illuminates. Pull it
back to select the low beam.
Passing signal
Pulling and releasing the lever flashes the
headlights' high beams on and off.
Daytime running light system
(For Canada)
The headlight high beams illuminate after
starting the engine, even if the headlight
control switch is in the OFF position. The
headlights are not as bright as they are with
the headlight switch in the
position.
If the parking brake is applied before the
engine is started, the daytime running lights
do not illuminate. The daytime running lightsilluminate once the parking brake is re-
leased. Thereafter, the daytime running
lights do not turn off when using the parking
brake at a stop signal, etc.
WARNING
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 your-
self and others.
AIC0609
HEADLIGHT AND TURN
SIGNAL SWITCH
1-11
ZX

Turn signal
Move the lever up or down to signal the
turning direction. When the turn is com-
pleted, the turn signals cancel automati-
cally.
Lane change signal
To signal a lane change, move the lever up
or down to the point where the indicator light
begins to flash, but the lever does not latch.
The instrument brightness control operates
when the headlight switch is in the
orposition.
Turn the control to adjust the brightness of
instrument panel lights.To turn the front fog lights on, rotate the
switch to theposition.
To turn them off, turn the switch toward the
back of the vehicle to the OFF position.
The low-beam headlight function must be
on for the fog lights to operate. The fog
lights automatically turn off whenever the
high-beam headlight function is selected.
AIC0608AIC0618
INSTRUMENT BRIGHTNESS
CONTROLFRONT FOG LIGHT SWITCH
(If so equipped)
1-12
ZX

1. Pull the hood lock release handles1
located below the instrument panel. The
hood springs up slightly.
2. Pull up on the lever
s2at the front of the
hood with your fingertips and raise the
hood.3. Insert the support rod into the slot
marked with the arrow on the underside
of the hood.
4. When closing the hood, reset the support
rod to its original position, lower the hood
to approximately 12 inches above the
latch and release it. This allows proper
engagement of the hood latch.
SPA0004APD0618
HOOD RELEASE
2-8
ZX

REAR SEAT
Interior trunk access
(If so equipped)
The trunk can be readily accessible from the
rear seat for loading and unloading, as
shown.
cWhen returning the seatbacks to the
upright position, be certain they are
completely secured in the latched
position.
WARNING
Never allow anyone to ride in the lug-
gage area or on the rear seat when it is
in the fold-down position. Use of these
areas by passengers without proper
restraint can be extremely dangerous
in an accident or sudden stop.This Supplemental Restraint System sec-
tion contains important information concern-
ing the driver and passenger air bags. The
Supplemental Restraint System Air Bag can
help reduce impact force to the driver and to
the front passenger in certain frontal colli-
sions. The air bags are designed tosupple-
mentthe crash protection provided by the
driver and front passenger seat belts and
arenot a substitutefor them. The seat
belts should always be correctly worn and
the driver and front passenger seated a
suitable distance from the steering wheel
and instrument panel. (See ``Seat belts'' for
instructions and precautions on seat belt
usage.)
NOTE:
For Canada, some vehicles are not equipped
with a Supplemental Air Bag System.
Your vehicle may not have a Driver and
Passenger-side Supplemental Air Bag.
If your vehicle is not equipped with a
Supplemental Air Bag System,it will not
havethe following equipment:
cSupplemental Air Bag Warning Light
(see ``Supplemental Air Bag Warning
Light'' later in this section).
PD1177M
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM (AIR BAG SYSTEM)
2-15
ZX

cTampering with the supplemental air
bag system may result in serious
personal injury. Tampering includes
changes to the steering wheel and
the instrument panel assembly by
placing material over the steering
wheel pad and above the instrument
panel, or by installing additional trim
material around the supplemental air
bag system.
cDo 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.cWork around and on the supplemen-
tal air bag system should be done by
an authorized NISSAN dealer. Instal-
lation of electrical equipment should
also be done by an authorized NIS-
SAN dealer. The yellow SRS wiring
should not be modified or discon-
nected. Unauthorized electrical test
equipment and probing devices
should not be used on the supple-
mental air bag system.
2-19
ZX

Warning labels about the supplemental air
bag system are placed in the vehicle as
shown in the illustration.
The supplemental air bag light, displaying
AIR BAG in the instrument panel, monitors
the circuits of the air bag. The circuits
monitored by the air bag light are the diag-
nosis sensor unit, air bag modules and all
related wiring.
APD0609
APD0610
WARNING LABELS
(If so equipped)AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT
(If so equipped)
2-20
ZX

When the ignition key is in the ON or START
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates for about 7 seconds and
then turns off. This means the system is
operational.
If any of the following conditions occur, the
supplemental air bag needs servicing:
1. The supplemental air bag light does not
come on and remain on for 7 seconds
and then go off as described above.
2. The supplemental air bag light flashes
intermittently or remains on.
3. The supplemental air bag light does not
come on at all.
Under these conditions, the Supplemental
Restraint System Air Bag does not operate
properly. It must be checked and repaired.
Take your vehicle to the nearest authorized
NISSAN dealer.
Repair and replacement procedure
The supplemental air bag system is de-
signed to inflate on a one-time-only basis.
As a reminder, unless it is damaged, the
supplemental air bag light remains illumi-
nated after inflation has occurred. Repair
and replacement of the supplemental airbag system should be done only by an
authorized NISSAN dealer.
To ensure long-term functioning, the
system must be inspected 10 years after
the date of manufacture as noted on the
certification label located on the driver
side front pillar.
When maintenance work is required on the
vehicle, the supplemental air bag system
and related parts should be pointed out to
the person conducting the maintenance.
The ignition key must always be in the
LOCK position when working under the
hood or inside the vehicle.
WARNING
cOnce the supplemental air bag in-
flates, the supplemental air bag mod-
ule will not function again and must
be replaced. The supplemental air
bag module cannot be repaired.
cAfter a supplemental air bag inflates,
the front instrument panel assembly
should be replaced by your NISSAN
dealer if damaged.cThe supplemental air bag system
should be inspected by an authorized
NISSAN dealer if there is any damage
to the front end portion of the vehicle
or if the air bag has inflated.
cWhen selling your vehicle, we re-
quest that you inform the buyer about
the supplemental air bag system and
guide the buyer to the appropriate
sections in this Owner's Manual.
cIf you need to dispose of the supple-
mental air bag or scrap the vehicle,
contact an authorized NISSAN dealer.
Correct supplemental air bag dis-
posal procedures are set forth in the
appropriate NISSAN Service Manual.
Incorrect disposal procedures could
cause personal injury.
2-21
ZX

A child restraint with a top strap should not
be used in the front passenger seat.
WARNING
cThe 3-point belt in your vehicle is
equipped with a locking mode retrac-
tor which must be used when install-
ing a child restraint.
cFailure to use the retractor's locking
mode will result in the child restraint
not being properly secured. The re-
straint could tip over or otherwise be
unsecured and cause injury to the
child in a sudden stop or collision.
When you install a child restraint in the front
seat, follow these steps:
1. Position the child restraint on the front
passenger seat.It should be placed in
a forward-facing direction only.Move
the seat as far back from the instrument
panel as possible. Always follow the re-
straint manufacturer's instructions.Child
restraints for infants must be used in
the rear-facing direction and therefore
must not be used in the front seat.
2. Route the seat belt tongue through the
child restraint and insert it into the buckle
until you hear and feel the latch engage.Be sure to follow the child restraint manu-
facturer's instructions for belt routing.
3. Pull on the shoulder belt until all of the
belt is fully extended and a click is heard.
At this time, the belt retractor is in the
automatic locking mode (child restraint
mode). (It reverts back to ``emergency
locking'' when the belt is fully retracted.)
4. Allow the belt to retract. A clicking sound
is heard as the belt retracts. This indi-
cates that the retractor is in the automatic
locking mode. Pull down on the belt to
remove any slack in the belt.
5. Before placing the child in the child re-straint, use force to tilt the child restraint
from side to side, and tug it forward to
make sure it is securely held in place.
6.Check that the retractor is in the automatic
locking mode by trying to pull more belt
out of the retractor. If you cannot pull any
more belt webbing out of the retractor, the
belt is in the automatic locking mode.
7. Check to make sure the child restraint is
properly secured prior to each use. If the
lap belt is not locked, repeat steps 3
through 6.
After the child restraint is removed and the
seat belt is allowed to wind back into the
retractor, the automatic locking mode (child
restraint mode) is canceled; the seat belt
may be used as normal and will only lock
during a sudden stop or impact.
NOTE:
For Canada, some vehicles are not
equipped with a Supplemental Air Bag
System and do not have a passenger-side
supplemental air bag. If your vehicle does
not have a passenger-side air bag, a rear
facing child restraint may be used in the
front passenger seat. Follow the instruc-
tions in ``Installation on rear outboard
seating positions'' earlier in this section.
PD1336
2-33
ZX

or climbing a gentle slope, you may
feel uncomfortable shift shocks as
the transmission shifts between 3rd
and overdrive repeatedly. In this
case, set the overdrive switch in the
OFF
position. The indicator
light in the instrument panel comes
on at this time.
When driving conditions change, reset the
overdrive switch in the ON
position.
Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time with the overdrive
switch set in the OFF
position. This
reduces the fuel economy.
To change gears, fully depress the clutch
pedal, then move the gearshift lever. After
shifting, release the clutch slowly.
On the 5-speed transmission model, you
cannot shift directly from 5th gear into Re-
verse. First shift into Neutral, then into Re-
verse.
If it is difficult to move the gearshift lever into
Reverse or 1st, shift into Neutral, then re-
lease the clutch pedal. Depress the pedal
and shift into Reverse or 1st again.
Driving precautions
cDo not rest your foot on the clutch pedal
while driving. This may cause clutch
damage.
cStop your vehicle completely before shift-
ing into Reverse.
Suggested shift-up speeds
Shown below are suggested vehicle speeds
for shifting into a higher gear. These sug-
gestions relate to fuel economy and vehicle
performance. Actual shift-up speeds will
vary according to road conditions, the
weather and individual driving habits.
For quick acceleration in low altitude areas
(less than 4,000 ft [1,219 m]) and normal
acceleration in high altitude areas (over
4,000 ft [1,219 m]):
Gear change MPH (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (25)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40)
3rd to 4th 40 (65)
4th to 5th 45 (75)
SD1022
DRIVING WITH MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
4-9
ZX

To reset at a slower cruising speed,use
one of the following three methods:
a) Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push
the COAST/SET switch and release it.
b) Push and hold the COAST/SET switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle
slows down to the desired speed.
c) Push, then quickly release the
COAST/SET switch. Each time you do
this, the set speed decreases by about 1
MPH (1.6 km/h).
To resume the preset speed,push and
release the RESUME switch. The vehicle
returns to the last set cruising speed when
the vehicle speed is over 30 MPH (48 km/h).
Precautions
cIf the cruise control system malfunctions,
it cancels automatically. The cruise indi-
cator light in the instrument panel then
blinks to warn the driver.
cWhen the cruise indicator light blinks,
turn the cruise control main switch off
and have the system checked by your
NISSAN dealer.cThe cruise indicator light may blink when
the cruise control main switch is turned
ON while pushing the RES/ACCEL,
COAST/SET, or CANCEL switch (lo-
cated on the steering wheel). To properly
set the cruise control system perform the
steps above in the order indicated.
Avoid using the cruise control when
driving under the following conditions:
cwhen it is not possible to keep the vehicle
at a set speed.
cin heavy traffic or in traffic that varies in
speed.
con winding roads, or hilly roads.
con slippery roads (rain, snow, ice, etc.).
cin very windy areas.
CAUTION
On manual transmission models, do
not shift into neutral without depress-
ing the clutch pedal when the cruise
control is on. Should this occur, de-
press the clutch pedal and turn the
main switch off immediately. Failure to
do so may cause engine damage.During the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km),
follow these recommendations for the future
reliability and economy of your new vehicle.
Failure to follow these recommendations
may result in vehicle damage or shortened
engine life.
cDo not drive over 55 MPH (90 km/h) and
do not run the engine over 4,000 rpm.
Avoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow.
cDo not accelerate at full throttle in any
gear.
cAvoid quick starts.
cAvoid hard braking as much as possible.
cDo not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km).
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE
4-13
ZX