change time NISSAN SENTRA 1997 B14 / 4.G Owners Manual

Foreword
Welcome to the growing family of new NISSAN owners. This vehicle is delivered to you with confidence. It was produced using the latest
techniques and strict quality control.
This manual was prepared to help you understand the operation and maintenance of your vehicle so that you may enjoy many miles of
driving pleasure. Please read through this manual before operating your vehicle.
A separate Warranty Information and Maintenance Log Booklet explains details about the warranties covering your vehicle and vehicle
maintenance schedules.
Your NISSAN dealer knows your vehicle best. When you require any service or have any questions, he will be glad to assist you with the
extensive resources available to him.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
REMINDERS FOR SAFETY!
Follow these five important driving rules to help ensure a safe
and complete trip for you and your passengers!
cNEVER drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
cALWAYS observe posted speed limits and never drive too
fast for conditions.
cALWAYS use your seat belts and appropriate child restraint
systems.
cALWAYS provide information about the proper use of
vehicle safety features to all occupants of the vehicle.
cALWAYS review this Owner's Manual for important safety
information.
1996 NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA
All rights reserved. No part of this Owner's Manual may be reproduced
or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of Nissan North America, Inc.
NOTES ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN
THIS OWNER'S MANUAL
This Owner's Manual contains descriptions and operating in-
structions for all systems, features and optional equipment that
might appear in any model of this vehicle built for any destina-
tion in North America, including the continental United States,
Canada and Hawaii. Therefore, you may very well find informa-
tion in this manual that does not apply to your vehicle.
MODIFICATION OF YOUR VEHICLE
This vehicle should not be modified. Modification could affect
its performance, safety or durability, and may even violate
governmental regulations. In addition, damage or perfor-
mance problems resulting from modifications may not be
covered under NISSAN warranties.
All information, specifications and illustrations in this manual are
those in effect at the time of printing. NISSAN reserves the right to
change specifications or design without notice and without obligation.
The inside pages of this manual contain
a minimum of 50% recycled fibers,
including 10% post-consumer fibers.

Adjusting tone quality and sound
balance
To adjust BASS, TREB (treble), FADER,
and BAL (balance), 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 ad-
just BASS and TREB to the most pleasing
level.
From the released position, the knobs must
be pulled out in order to control FADER andBAL. FADER adjusts the sound level be-
tween the front and rear speakers, and BAL
adjusts the sound level between the right
and left speakers.
CASSETTE TAPE OPERATION
Turn the ignition key to ACC or ON, then
lightly insert the cassette tape into the tape
door.
The cassette tape automatically pulls into
the player. The word TAPE and an arrow
indicating tape side illuminates in the dis-
play window.
CAUTION
Do not force the cassette tape into the
tape door. This could cause player
damage.
The cassette tape automatically changes
directions to play the other side when the
first side is complete. At this time, the arrow
in the display window changes direction.
cTo maintain good quality sound, NIS-
SAN recommends using cassette
tapes of 60 minutes or shorter in
length.
cCassette tapes should be removed
from the player when not in use. Store
cassettes in their protective cases
and away from direct sunlight, heat,
moisture and magnetic sources.
cDirect sunlight can cause the cassette
to become deformed. The use of de-
formed cassettes may cause the cas-
sette to jam in the player.
cDo not use cassettes with labels
which are peeling and loose. If used,
the label could jam in the player.
cIf a cassette has loose tape, insert a
pencil through one of the cassette
AHA0522
3-13
ZX

WARNING
Do not leave children, unreliable
adults, or pets alone in your vehicle.
They could accidentally injure them-
selves or others through inadvertent
operation of the vehicle. Also, on hot,
sunny days, temperatures in a closed
vehicle could quickly become high
enough to cause severe or possibly
fatal injuries to people or animals.
EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)
WARNING
Do not breathe exhaust gases; they
contain colorless and odorless carbon
monoxide. Carbon monoxide is dan-
gerous. It can cause unconsciousness
or death.
cIf you suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering the vehicle, drive with
all windows fully open, and have the
vehicle inspected immediately.
cDo not run the engine in closed
spaces such as a garage.cDo not park the vehicle with the
engine running for any extended
length of time.
cKeep the trunk lid closed while driv-
ing, otherwise exhaust gases could
be drawn into the passenger com-
partment. If you must drive in this
manner for some reason, take the
following steps:
1. Open all the windows.
2.
Set the air recirculation button (if
so equipped) off and the fan control
dial to 4 (high) to circulate the air.
3. Be sure the rear seats are secured
and latched in the upright
position.
cIf electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass to a trailer
through the seal on the trunk lid or
the body, follow the manufacturer's
recommendation to prevent carbon
monoxide entry into the vehicle.
cThe exhaust system and body
should be inspected by a qualified
mechanic whenever:a. The vehicle is raised for service.
b. You suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering into the passenger
compartment.
c. You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust system.
d.
You have had an accident involv-
ing damage to the exhaust system,
underbody, or rear of the vehicle.
THREE WAY CATALYST
The three way catalyst is an emission con-
trol device installed in the exhaust system.
Exhaust gases in the three way catalyst are
burned at high temperatures to help reduce
pollutants.
WARNING
c
The exhaust gas and the exhaust sys-
tem are very hot. Keep people or flam-
mable materials away from the ex-
haust pipe.
cDo not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They
may ignite and cause a fire.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN
STARTING AND DRIVING
4-2
ZX

2 (Second gear):
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
Do not shift into the 2 position at speeds
over 68 MPH (110 km/h). Do not exceed 68
MPH (110 km/h) in the 2 position.
1 (Low gear):
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
sand or mud, or for maximum engine brak-
ing on steep downhill grades.
Do not shift into the 1 position at speeds
over 34 MPH (55 km/h).
Do not exceed 34 MPH (55 km/h) in the 1
position.
Accelerator downshift
Ð In D position Ð
For rapid passing or hill climbing, fully de-
press the accelerator pedal to the floor. This
shifts the transmission down into third gear,
second gear or first gear, depending on the
vehicle speed.
Overdrive switch
ON: For normal driving, push the over-
drive switch ON with the shift lever in
the D position. The transmission is
upshifted into OVERDRIVE as the
vehicle speed increases.
The overdrive does not engage until the
engine has warmed up.
OFF: For driving up and down long slopes
where engine braking would be ad-
vantageous, push the switch OFF.
When cruising at a low speed or
climbing a gentle slope, you may feeluncomfortable 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
fuel economy.
ASD0613
4-8
ZX

6. Recheck oil level with dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the
break-in period, depending on the sever-
ity of operating conditions.
CAUTION
Oil level should be checked regularly.
Operating with an insufficient amount
of oil can damage the engine, and such
damage is not covered by warranty.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches operating
temperature, and then turn it off.
3. Place a large drain pan under the drain
plug.
4. Remove the oil filler cap.
5. Remove the drain plug with a wrench and
completely drain the oil.If the oil filter is to be changed, remove
and replace it at this time. See ``Chang-
ing engine oil filter'' in this section.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself, as the
engine oil is hot.
Waste oil must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
DI1252MDI1221M
7-9
ZX

normal, it may be due to a lack of adjust-
ment of the rear drum brakes. Apply the
parking brake several times.
WARNING
See your NISSAN dealer and have it
checked if the brake pedal height does
not return to normal.
Brake pad wear indicators
The disc brake pads on your vehicle have
audible wear indicators. When a brake pad
requires replacement, it makes a high
pitched scraping or screeching sound when
the vehicle is in motion whether or not the
brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wear
indicator sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is nor-
mal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.
The rear drum brakes (if so equipped) do
not have audible wear indicators. Should
you ever hear an unusually loud noise fromthe rear drum brakes, have them inspected
as soon as possible by your NISSAN
dealer.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.For more information regard-
ing brake inspections, see the appropriate
maintenance schedule information in the
``Maintenance Schedule'' section of this
manual.Check the brake booster function as fol-
lows:
1. With the engine off, press and release
the brake pedal several times. When
brake pedal movement (distance of
travel) remains the same from one pedal
application to the next, continue on to the
next step.
2. While depressing the brake pedal, start
the engine. The pedal height should drop
a little.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the
engine. Keeping the pedal depressed for
about 30 seconds, the pedal height
should not change.
4. Run the engine for one minute without
depressing the brake pedal, then turn it
off. Depress the brake pedal several
times. The pedal travel distance will de-
crease gradually with each depression
as the vacuum is released from the
booster.
If the brakes do not operate properly, see
your NISSAN dealer.
BRAKE BOOSTER
7-22
ZX

FUEL RECOMMENDATION
All models are designed to operate on
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index)
(Research octane number 91).
CAUTION
cUsing a fuel other than that specified
could adversely affect the emission
control devices and systems, and
could also affect the warranty
coverage.
cUnder no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, since this
will damage the three way catalyst.
Reformulated Gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing re-
formulated gasolines. These gasolines are
specially designed to reduce vehicle emis-
sions. NISSAN supports efforts towards
cleaner air and suggests that you use refor-
mulated gasoline when available.
Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE andmethanol with or without advertising their
presence. NISSAN does not recommend
the use of fuels of which the oxygenate
content and the fuel compatibility for your
NISSAN cannot be readily determined. If in
doubt, ask your service station manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please
take the following precautions as the usage
of such fuels may cause vehicle performance
problems and/or fuel system damage.
cThe fuel should be unleaded and
have an octane rating no lower than
that recommended for unleaded
gasoline.
cIf an oxygenate-blend other than a
methanol blend is used, it should
contain no more than 10% oxygenate.
(MTBE may, however, be added up to
15%.)
cIf a methanol blend is used, it should
contain no more than 5% methanol
(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). It
should also contain a suitable
amount of appropriate cosolvents
and corrosion inhibitors. If not prop-
erly formulated with appropriate co-
solvents and corrosion inhibitors,such methanol blends may cause
fuel system damage and/or vehicle
performance problems. At this time,
sufficient data is not available to en-
sure that all methanol blends are suit-
able for use in NISSAN vehicles.
If any driveability problems such as engine
stalling and hard hot-starting are experi-
enced after using oxygenate-blend fuels,
immediately change to a non-oxygenate
fuel or a fuel with a low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during
refueling. Gasoline containing oxygen-
ates can cause paint damage.
After Market Fuel Additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
any fuel additives (i.e., fuel injector cleaners,
octane boosters, intake valve deposit re-
movers, etc.) which are sold commercially.
Many of these additives intended for gum,
varnish or deposit removal may contain ac-
tive solvents or similar ingredients that can
be harmful to the fuel system and engine.
Octane rating tips
In most parts of North America, you should
use unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
9-3
ZX

ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose the correct quality
and viscosity oil to ensure satisfactory en-
gine life and performance. Nissan recom-
mends the use of a low friction oil (energy
conserving oil) in order to improve fuel
economy and conserve energy. Oils which
do not have the specified quality label
should not be used as they could cause
engine damage.
Only those engine oils with the AmericanPetroleum Institute (API) CERTIFICATION
MARK on the front of the container should
be used. This type of oil supersedes the
existing API SG or SH and Energy Conserv-
ing II categories.
If you cannot find engine oil with the CER-
TIFICATION MARK, an API SG or SH and
Energy Conserving II oil with API Service
Symbol may be used. An oil with a single
designation SG or SH, or in combination
with other categories (for example, SG/CC
or SG/CD) may also be used if one with the
API CERTIFICATION MARK cannot be
found.Mineral based or synthetic type oils may be
used in your NISSAN vehicle. However,
these oils must meet the API quality and
SAE viscosity ratings specified for your ve-
hicle. Do not mix mineral based and syn-
thetic type oils in the engine at the same
time.
Oil additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used
and maintenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness
changes with temperature. Because of this,
it is important to select the engine oil viscos-
ity based on the temperatures at which the
vehicle will be operated before the next oil
change. The chart ``Recommended SAE
viscosity number'' shows the recommended
oil viscosities for the expected ambient tem-
peratures. Choosing an oil viscosity other
than that recommended could cause seri-
ous engine damage.
ATI0645
9-5
ZX

the parking brake, transmission damage
could occur.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When ascending a long grade, down-
shift the transmission to a lower gear
and reduce speed to reduce chances of
engine overloading and/or overheating.
cIf the engine temperature coolant rises
to an extremely high temperature when
the air conditioning system is on, turn off
the air conditioner. Coolant heat can be
additionally vented by opening the win-
dows, switching the fan control to high
and setting the temperature control to
the HOT position.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.
cAvoid towing a trailer for your vehicle's
first 500 miles (800 km).
cHave your vehicle serviced more often
than at intervals specified in the recom-
mended Maintenance Schedule.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels
will be closer to the inside of the turn
than your vehicle wheels. To compen-
sate for this, make a larger than normal
turning radius during the turn.cCrosswinds and rough roads adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly
causing vehicle sway. When being
passed by larger vehicles, be prepared
for possible changes in crosswinds that
could affect vehicle handling. If swaying
does occur, firmly grip the steering
wheel, steer straight ahead, and imme-
diately (but gradually) reduce vehicle
speed. This combination helps to stabi-
lize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the
trailer must also pass the other vehicle
before you can safely change lanes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency
and electrical charging performance, do
not use fifth gear (manual transmission)
or overdrive (automatic transmission).
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in re-
duced braking efficiency.
When towing a trailer, change the oil in
the transmission more frequently.
See the Maintenance Schedule.DOT Quality Grades: All passenger car tires
must conform to Federal Safety Require-
ments in addition to these grades.
Treadwear
Treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on tire wear rate when tested under
controlled conditions on specified govern-
ment test courses. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1-1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100. However,
relative tire performance depends on actual
driving conditions, and may vary signifi-
cantly from the norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices and differ-
ences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction A, B and C
Traction grades are A (the highest), B and C.
They represent a tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled con-
ditions, on specified government test sur-
faces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
with a C may have poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your
vehicle tires is based on straight line
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
9-17
ZX