engine overheat NISSAN SENTRA 1998 B14 / 4.G Owners Manual

CAUTION
If the gauge indicates engine coolant
temperature over the normal range,
stop the vehicle as soon as safely pos-
sible. If the engine is overheated, con-
tinued operation of the vehicle may
seriously damage the engine. See the
``In case of emergency'' section for the
immediate action required.The gauge indicates theapproximatefuel
level in the tank.
The gauge may move slightly during brak-
ing, turning, acceleration, or going up or
down hills.
The gauge needle remains in approximately
the same position, even after the ignition
key is turned to OFF.
Refill the fuel tank before the gauge
registers E (Empty).CAUTION
If the vehicle is driven with the fuel level
very low, the malfunction indicator
light may come on. Refuel as soon as
possible. After driving for a while, the
light should remain off. If the light re-
mains on, have the vehicle inspected
by an authorized NISSAN dealer.
For additional information, see the
``Malfunction indicator light (MIL)'' later
in this section.
AIC1035AIC0606
FUEL GAUGE
2-4Instruments and controls
ZX

For quick cooling when the outside tem-
perature is high, push the air recirculation
button to the ON position. Be sure to return
the air recirculation button to the OFF posi-
tion for normal cooling.
Dehumidified heating
This mode is used to heat and dehumidify
the air.
1. Push the air recirculation button to the
OFF position.
2. Move the air control dial to the
po-
sition.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
4. Push on the air conditioner button. The
indicator light comes on.
5. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
Dehumidified defogging
This mode is used to defog the windows
and dehumidify the air.
1. Move the air control dial to the
po-
sition.
cWhen the
position is selected the
(air recalculation) function auto-
matically cancels. Outside air is drawn
into the passenger compartment to im-
prove the defogging performance.
2. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
3. Push on the air conditioner button. The
indicator light comes on.
4. Move the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
Operating tips
cKeep windows and sunroof closed while
the air conditioner is in operation.
cAfter parking in the sun, drive for two or
three minutes with the windows open to
vent hot air from the passenger compart-
ment. Then, close the windows. This
allows the air conditioner to cool the
interior more quickly.
cThe air conditioning system should be
operated for about ten minutes at
least once a month. This helps pre-
vent damage to the system due to lack
of lubrication.
cIf the engine coolant temperaturegauge indicates engine coolant tem-
perature over the normal range, turn
the air conditioner off. See ``If your
vehicle overheats'' in the ``In case of
emergency'' section of this manual.
AIR FLOW CHARTS
The following charts show the button and
dial positions forMAXIMUM AND QUICK
heating, cooling or defrosting.The air recir-
culation switch should always be in the
OFF position for heating and defrosting.
4-6Heater, air conditioner and audio systems
ZX

CAUTION
c
Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously re-
duce the three way catalyst's ability
to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
cKeep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause over-
rich fuel flow into the converter,
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.
cAvoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three way catalyst.
cDo not race the engine while warm-
ing it up.
cDo not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
WARNING
Failure 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
steering maneuvers, because these driving
practices could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle.As with any vehicle, loss of
control could result in a collision with
other vehicles or objects, or cause the
vehicle to rollover, particularly if the ve-
hicle slides 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 drowsi-
ness). Always wear your seat belt as out-
lined in the ``Seat belts'' section of this
manual, and also instruct your passengers
to do so.WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the blood
stream reduces coordination, delays
reaction time and impairs judgment.
Driving after drinking alcohol increases
the likelihood of being involved in an
accident injuring yourself and others.
Additionally, if you are injured in the
accident, alcohol can increase the se-
verity of injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under
the influence of alcohol. Every year thou-
sands of people are injured or killed in
alcohol related accidents. Although the local
laws vary on what is considered 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 is true for drugs, too (over the
counter, prescription, and illegal drugs). Do
not drive if your ability to operate your
vehicle is impaired by alcohol, drugs, or
some other physical condition.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVERDRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS
AND DRIVING
Starting and driving5-3
ZX

The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit develops a
problem, you will still have braking at
two wheels.
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using
engine 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 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 the 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,increases 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
downshift to a lower gear before going down
a slope or long grade. Overheated brakes
may reduce braking performance and could
result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
cWhile driving on a slippery surface,
be careful when braking, accelerat-
ing or downshifting. Abrupt braking
or accelerating could cause the
wheels to skid and result in an acci-
dent.
cIf the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
Braking will be harder.
The anti-lock brake system controls the
brakes at each wheel so the wheels do 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 control and helps to minimize swerv-
ing and spinning on slippery surfaces.
Using the System
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping dis-
tances.
Normal operation
The anti-lock brake system does not oper-
ate at speeds below 3 to 6 MPH (5 to 10
km/h). The speeds 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 pres-
sure (like pumping the brakes very quickly).
BRAKE SYSTEM ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(ABS) (if so equipped)
Starting and driving5-17
ZX

If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by
an extremely high temperature gauge read-
ing), or if you feel a lack of engine power,
detect abnormal noise, etc., take the follow-
ing steps.
WARNING
cDo not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
cTo avoid the danger of being
scalded, never remove the radiator
cap while the engine is still hot.
When the radiator cap is removed,
pressurized hot water will spurt out,
possibly causing serious injury.
cDo not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road,
apply the parking brake and move the
shift lever to N (Neutral) (manual trans-
mission) or the shift selector lever to P
(Park) (automatic transmission).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the
windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximumhot and fan control to high speed.
3. If engine overheating is caused by climb-
ing a long hill on a hot day, run the engine
at a fast idle (approximately 1,500 rpm)
until the temperature gauge indication
returns to normal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator before opening the hood. Wait until
no steam or coolant can be seen before
proceeding.
5. Open the hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan
is running. The radiator hoses and radia-
tor should not leak water. If coolant is
leaking, the water pump belt is missing or
loose, or the cooling fan does not run,
stop the engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or to get caught in, the running
fan, belts, or fan motor. The fan motor
can start at any time when the coolant
temperature is high.
7. After the engine cools down, check the
coolant level in the reservoir tank with the
engine running. Add coolant to the res-
ervoir tank if necessary. Have your ve-
hicle repaired at an authorized NISSAN
dealer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE
OVERHEATS
6-10In case of emergency
ZX

The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a high-quality, year-round, anti-
freeze coolant solution. The anti-freeze so-
lution contains rust and corrosion inhibitors;
therefore, additional engine cooling system
additives are not necessary.
CAUTION
When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only an ethylene glycol
anti-freeze with the proper mixture ratio
of 50% anti-freeze and 50% distilled
water. The use of other types of coolant
solutions may damage the engine cool-
ing system.
Outside tempera-
ture down toAnti-
freezeDistilled
water
ÉC ÉF
þ35 þ30 50% 50%
WARNING
cNever remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Wait until the en-
gine and radiator cool down. Seriousburns could be caused by high pres-
sure fluid escaping from the radia-
tor.
cSee precautions in ``If your vehicle
overheats'' found in the ``In case of
emergency'' section of this manual.
c
The radiator is equipped with a pres-
sure cap. Use only a genuine NISSAN
cap when replacement is required.
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
With coolant reservoir
Check the coolant level in the reservoir tank
when the engine is cold. If the coolant level
is below MIN, add coolant up to the MAX
level. If the reservoir tank is empty, check
the coolant level in the radiatorwhen the
engine is cold.If there is insufficient cool-
ant in the radiator, fill the radiator with
coolant up to the filler opening and also add
it to the reservoir tank up to the MAX level.
ADI1046
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
Do-it-yourself8-5
ZX

1. Move the heater or air conditioner tem-
perature control dial to the maximum hot
position.
2. Open the radiator drain plug. Open the
drain plug on the engine block.3. Open the radiator cap to drain the cool-
ant.
4. Flush the cooling system by running
fresh water through the radiator.
5. Close the drain plugs on the radiator and
the engine block securely.
6. See the ``Technical and consumer infor-
mation'' section for cooling system ca-
pacity. Fill the radiator slowly with the
proper mixture of coolant and water. Fill
the reservoir tank up to the MAX level.
7. Open and close the air release plug(s) to
release air. Then fill the radiator again
and install the radiator cap.
8.
Start the engine, and warm it up until it
reaches normal operating temperature.
Then race the engine two or three times
under no load. Watch the engine coolant
temperature gauge for signs of overheating.
ADI0632
ADI0615
Do-it-yourself8-7
ZX

of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index). How-
ever, you may use unleaded gasoline with
an octane rating as low as 85 AKI (Anti-
Knock Index) in high altitude areas (over
4,000 ft [1,219 m]) such as: Colorado, Mon-
tana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, north-
eastern Nevada, southern Idaho, western
South Dakota, western Nebraska, and the
part of Texas which is directly south of New
Mexico.
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than stated above can cause
persistent, heavy ``spark knock.'' (``Spark
knock'' is a metallic rapping noise.) If
severe, this can lead to engine damage. If
you detect a persistent heavy spark
knock even when using gasoline of the
stated octane rating, or if you hear steady
spark knock while holding a steady
speed on level roads, have an authorized
NISSAN dealer correct the condition.
Failure to correct the condition is misuse
of the vehicle, for which NISSAN is not
responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may result in spark
knock, after-run and/or overheating, which
may cause excessive fuel consumption or
engine damage. If any of the above symp-toms are encountered, have your vehicle
checked at an authorized NISSAN dealer or
other competent service facility.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is
not a cause for concern, because you
get the greatest fuel benefit when there
is light spark knock for a short time
under heavy engine load.
10-4Technical and consumer information
ZX

cBe certain your rear view mirrors con-
form to all federal, state or local regula-
tions. If not, install any mirrors required
for towing before driving the vehicle.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding
of the vehicle's behavior, you should prac-
tice turning, stopping and backing up in an
area which is free from traffic. Steering,
stability, and braking performance are
somewhat different than under normal driv-
ing conditions.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
c
Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.
cAlways drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
c
Always block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if
you must do so, and if your vehicle is
equipped with an automatic transmission,
first block the wheels and apply the park-
ing brake, and then move the transmis-
sion shift selector lever into the P position.
If you move the shift selector lever to the P
position before blocking the wheels andapplying 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. For
additional information see the ``Mainte-
nance'' section earlier in this manual.
Technical and consumer information
10-17
ZX

Engine oil ................................................ 8-8
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation ................................... 10-5
Engine oil viscosity ............................... 10-5
Opener lever for trunk lid........................... 3-10
Outside mirror control ................................ 3-14
Overdrive switch .......................................... 5-8
Overheat
If your vehicle overheats ...................... 6-10
Owner's manual order form ..................... 10-20
Owner's manual/service manual order
forms ........................................................ 10-20
P
Parking
Parking brake check ............................. 8-21
Parking brake operation ....................... 5-11
Parking/parking on hills ........................ 5-15
Periodic maintenance schedules ................. 9-5
Power
Power door lock...................................... 3-3
Power steering fluid .............................. 8-13
Power windows..................................... 2-17
Rear power windows ............................ 2-18
Precautions
Maintenance precautions ....................... 8-2
Precautions on seat belt usage............ 1-13
Precautions when starting and driving ... 5-2
Push starting ................................................ 6-9R
Radio
AM-FM radio with cassette player ........ 4-10
AM-FM radio with cassette player and
compact disc player.............................. 4-20
AM-FM radio with compact disc (CD)
player .................................................... 4-15
CB radio or car phone .......................... 4-26
Readiness for inspection maintenance
(I/M) test................................................... 10-19
Rear power windows ................................. 2-18
Rear seat ..................................................... 1-5
Rear window defogger switch ................... 2-12
Refrigerant recommendation ..................... 10-7
Registering your vehicle in another
country ..................................................... 10-10
Remote keyless entry system
(See multi-remote control system) .............. 3-4
Reporting safety defects (USA) ............... 10-19
S
Safety
Child safety rear door lock ..................... 3-8
Reporting safety defects (USA) .......... 10-19
Seat adjustment ........................................... 1-2
Seat belt
3-point type with retractor..................... 1-16
Precautions on seat belt usage............ 1-13
Seat belt extenders .............................. 1-20
Seat belt maintenance.......................... 1-20Seat belts.............................................. 1-13
Shoulder belt height adjustment ........... 1-17
Seat belt warning light ................................. 2-6
Seats
Front seats.............................................. 1-2
Rear seat ................................................ 1-5
Servicing air conditioner .............................. 4-9
Shifting
Automatic transmission .......................... 5-7
Manual transmission............................... 5-9
Shoulder belt height adjustment ................ 1-17
Spark plug replacement............................. 8-18
Speedometer ............................................... 2-3
SRS warning label ..................................... 1-11
Starting
Before starting the engine ...................... 5-5
Jump starting .......................................... 6-7
Precautions when starting and driving ... 5-2
Push starting........................................... 6-9
Starting the engine ............................... 5-11
Steering
Power steering fluid .............................. 8-13
Tilting steering wheel............................ 3-14
Stop light .................................................... 8-26
Sunroof ...................................................... 2-19
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system).................... 1-5
Switch
Automatic power window switch .......... 2-18
Front fog light switch ............................ 2-14
Hazard warning flasher switch ............. 2-15
Headlight and turn signal switch .......... 2-13
11-4
ZX