steering NISSAN SENTRA 2001 B15 / 5.G Owners Manual

PRECAUTIONS ON SUPPLE-
MENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM
This Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
section contains important information con-
cerning the driver and passenger supple-
mental front air bags, supplemental side air
bags and pre-tensioner seat belts.
Supplemental front air bag system:This
system can help cushion the impact force to
the face and chest of the driver and front
passenger in certain frontal collisions.
Supplemental side air bag system (if so
equipped):This system can help cushion
the impact force to the head and the chest
area of the driver and front passenger in
certain side impact collisions. The supple-
mental side air bag is designed to inflate on
the side where the vehicle is impacted.
These supplemental restraint systems are
designed tosupplementthe crash protec-
tion provided by the driver and front passen-
ger seat belts and arenot a substitutefor
them. Seat belts should always be correctly
worn and the driver and front passenger
seated a suitable distance away from the
steering wheel, instrument panel and front
door finishers. (See ``Seat belts'' later in thissection for instructions and precautions on
seat belt usage.)
The supplemental air bags operate only
when the ignition switch is in the ON or
START position.
After turning the ignition key to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light illuminates. The supplemental
air bag warning light will turn off after
about 7 seconds if the system is opera-
tional.
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM
1-6Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
ZX

WARNING
c
The supplemental front air bags ordi-
narily will not inflate in the event of a
side impact, rear impact, roll over, or
lower severity frontal collision. Al-
ways wear your seat belts to help
reduce the risk or severity of injury in
various kinds of accidents.c
The seat belts and the supplemental
front air bags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and upright
in the seat. The front air bags inflate
with great force. If you are unre-
strained, leaning forward, sitting
sideways or out of position in any
way, you are at greater risk of injury
or death in a crash and may also
receive serious or fatal injuries from
the supplemental front air bag if you
are up against it when it inflates.Always sit back against the seatback
and as far away as practical from the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
Always use the seat belts.
cKeep hands on the outside of the
steering wheel. Placing them inside
the steering wheel rim could in-
crease the risk that they are injured
when the supplemental front air bag
inflates.
WRS0031
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-7
ZX

Supplemental front air bag system
The driver supplemental front air bag is lo-
cated in the center of the steering wheel. The
passenger supplemental front air bag is
mounted in the dashboard above the glove
box.
These systems are designed to meet op-
tional certification requirements under U.S.
regulations. They are also permitted in
Canada. The optional certification allows
the front air bags to be designed to inflate
somewhat less forcefully than previously.
However, all of the information, cautions
and warnings in this manual still applyand must be followed.
The front air bag system is designed to
inflate in higher severity frontal collisions,
although it may inflate if the forces in an-
other type of collision are similar to those of
a higher severity frontal impact. It may not
inflate in certain frontal collisions. Vehicle
damage (or lack of it) is not always an
indication of proper supplemental front air
bag system operation.
When the supplemental front air bag in-
flates, a fairly loud noise may be heard,
followed by the release of smoke. This
smoke is not harmful and does not indicate
SSS0162WRS0003
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-11
ZX

a fire, but care should be taken to not
intentionally inhale it, as it may cause irrita-
tion and choking. Those with a history of a
breathing condition should get fresh air
promptly.
The supplemental front air bags, along with
the use of seat belts, help to cushion the
impact force on the face and chest of the
occupant. They can help save lives and
reduce serious injuries. However, an inflat-
ing front air bag may cause facial abrasions
or other injuries. Front air bags do not
provide restraint to the lower body.
Seat belts should be correctly worn and the
driver and passenger seated upright as far
as practical away from the steering wheel or
instrument panel. Since the supplemental
front air bags inflate quickly in order to help
protect the front occupants, the force of the
front air bag inflating can increase the risk of
injury if the occupant is too close to or is
against the front air bag module during infla-
tion.
The front air bags deflate quickly after a
collision.
The supplemental front air bags operate
only when the ignition switch is in theON or START position.
After turning the ignition key to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light illuminates. The supplemental
air bag warning light will turn off after
about 7 seconds if the system is opera-
tional.
WARNING
c
Do not place any objects on the steer-
ing wheel pad or on the instrument
panel. Also, do not place any objects
between any occupant and the steer-
ing wheel or instrument panel. Such
objects may become dangerous pro-
jectiles and cause injury if the supple-
mental front air bag inflates.
cRight after inflation, several front air
bag system components will be hot.
Do not touch them; you may se-
verely burn yourself.
c
No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the supplemental front air bag sys-
tem. This is to prevent accidental in-
flation of the front air bags or damage
to the front air bag system.cDo not make unauthorized changes to
your vehicle's electrical system, sus-
pension system or front end struc-
ture. This could affect proper opera-
tion of the supplemental front air bag
system.
cTampering with the supplemental front
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 dashboard, or by install-
ing additional trim material around the
front air bag system.
cWork around and on the supplemen-
tal front air bag system should be
done by an authorized NISSAN
dealer. Installation of electrical
equipment should also be done by
an authorized NISSAN dealer. The
yellow SRS wiring should not be
modified or disconnected. Unautho-
rized electrical test equipment and
probing devices should not be used
on the supplemental front air bag
system.
1-12Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
ZX

To sound the horn, push the center pad
area of the steering wheel.The power socket is for powering electrical
accessories such as cellular telephones.
CAUTION
cTake care as the socket and plug
may be hot during or immediately
after use.
cThis power socket is not designed
for use with a cigarette lighter unit.
cDo not use with accessories that
exceed a 12 volt, 120W (10A) power
draw. Do not use double adapters or
more than one electrical accessory.cUse this power socket with the en-
gine running. (If the engine is
stopped, this could result in a dis-
charged battery.)
cAvoid using when the air condi-
tioner, headlights or rear window de-
fogger is on.
cBefore inserting or disconnecting a
plug, be sure the electrical acces-
sory being used is turned OFF.
SIC1280WIC0027
HORN POWER SOCKET
Instruments and controls2-19
ZX

3 Pre-driving checks and adjustments
Keys .......................................................................3-2
Nissan vehicle immobilizer system
(NVIS) keys (if so equipped) .............................3-2
Doors ......................................................................3-3
Locking with key ................................................3-3
Locking with inside lock knob............................3-4
Locking with power door lock switch
(if so equipped)..................................................3-4
Child safety rear door lock ................................3-4
Multi-remote control system (if so equipped).........3-5
How to use multi-remote control system...........3-5
Battery replacement ..........................................3-8
Hood .......................................................................3-9
Trunk lid................................................................3-10Opener operation ............................................3-10
Key operation ..................................................3-11
Interior trunk lid release (if so equipped) ........3-12
Fuel filler lid ..........................................................3-13
Opener operation ............................................3-13
Fuel filler cap ...................................................3-13
Steering wheel .....................................................3-14
Tilt operation ....................................................3-14
Sun visors ...........................................................3-15
Vanity mirror ....................................................3-15
Mirrors ..................................................................3-15
Inside mirror.....................................................3-15
Outside mirror remote control .........................3-16
ZX

WARNING
cGasoline is extremely flammable and
highly explosive under certain con-
ditions. You could be burned or se-
riously injured if it is misused or
mishandled. Always stop the engine
and do not smoke or allow open
flames or sparks near the vehicle
when refueling.
cFuel may be under pressure. Turn
the cap one-half turn and wait for
any ``hissing'' sound to stop to pre-
vent fuel from spraying out and pos-
sibly causing personal injury. Then
remove the cap.
cDo not attempt to top off the fuel
tank after the fuel pump nozzle shuts
off automatically. Continued refuel-
ing may cause fuel overflow, result-
ing in fuel spray and possibly fire.
cUse only an original equipment type
fuel filler cap as a replacement. It has
a built-in safety valve needed for
proper operation of the fuel system
and emission control system. An in-
correct cap can result in a serious
malfunction and possible injury.cNever pour fuel into the throttle body
to attempt to start your vehicle.
CAUTION
cIf fuel is spilled on the vehicle body,
flush it away with water to avoid
paint damage.
cTighten until the fuel filler cap clicks.
Failure to tighten the fuel filler cap
properly may cause the
mal-
function indicator lamp (MIL) to illu-
minate. If the
lamp illuminates
because the fuel filler cap is loose or
missing, tighten or install the cap
and continue to drive the vehicle.
The
lamp should turn off after a
few driving trips. If thelamp
does not turn off after a few driving
trips, have the vehicle inspected by
an authorized NISSAN dealer.
cFor additional information, see the
``Malfunction indicator lamp (MIL)''
in the ``Instruments and controls''
section earlier in this manual.
TILT OPERATION
Pull the lock lever down and adjust the
steering wheel up or down to the desired
position. Push the lock lever up firmly to lock
the steering wheel in place.
WARNING
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving. You could lose control of your
vehicle and cause an accident.
WPD0028
STEERING WHEEL
3-14Pre-driving checks and adjustments
ZX

5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving ...................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) .......................5-2
Three-way catalyst ............................................5-2
Avoiding collision and rollover ...........................5-3
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ....................5-3
Ignition switch .........................................................5-4
Automatic transmission .....................................5-4
Manual transmission..........................................5-5
Key positions .....................................................5-5
Nissan vehicle immobilizer system
(NVIS) (if so equipped)......................................5-6
Before starting the engine ......................................5-6
Starting the engine .................................................5-7
Driving the vehicle ..................................................5-7
Automatic transmission (if so equipped) ...........5-7
Manual transmission........................................5-11
Parking brake .......................................................5-13
Cruise control (if so equipped) .............................5-14
Precautions on cruise control ..........................5-14Cruise control operations ................................5-14
Break-in schedule ................................................5-16
Increasing fuel economy ......................................5-16
Parking/parking on hills ........................................5-17
Power steering .....................................................5-18
Brake system........................................................5-18
Braking precautions .........................................5-18
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if so equipped)................................................5-19
Cold weather driving ............................................5-20
Freeing a frozen door lock ..............................5-20
Anti-freeze .......................................................5-20
Battery .............................................................5-20
Draining of coolant ..........................................5-20
Tire equipment.................................................5-21
Special winter equipment ................................5-21
Driving on snow or ice.....................................5-21
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ..............5-22
ZX

WARNING
c
The exhaust gas and the exhaust sys-
tem are very hot. Keep people, ani-
mals or flammable materials away
from the exhaust system compo-
nents.
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.
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 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 condi-
tions are detected. Have the vehicleinspected 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.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
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 withother 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). Al-
ways wear your seat belt as outlined in the
``Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag
systems'' section of this manual, and also
instruct your passengers to do so.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS
AND DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream
reduces coordination, delays reaction
time and impairs judgement. Driving after
drinking alcohol increases the likelihood
of being involved in an accident injuring
yourself and others. Additionally, if you
are injured in an accident, alcohol can
increase the severity of injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under
Starting and driving
5-3
ZX

the influence of alcohol. Every year thou-
sands of people are injured or killed in
alcohol-related accidents. Although the lo-
cal 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.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
On automatic transmission models the igni-
tion lock is designed so the key cannot be
turned to LOCK and removed until the shift
selector lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
When removing the key from the ignition,
make sure the shift selector lever is in the P
(Park) position.
When the key cannot be turned to the LOCK
position, proceed as follows to remove the
key.1) Move the shift selector lever into the P
(Park) position.
2) Turn the ignition key slightly toward the
ON position.
3) Turn the key to the LOCK position.
4) Remove the key.
The shift lever is designed so it cannot be
moved out of P(Park) and into any of the
other gear positions if the ignition key is
turned to OFF or if the key is removed from
the switch.
The shift selector lever can be moved if
the ignition switch is in the ON position
and the foot brake pedal is depressed.
There is an OFF position between the
LOCK and ACC positions. The OFF posi-
tion is indicated by a ``1'' on the key
cylinder. When the ignition is in OFF, the
steering wheel is not locked.
In order for the steering wheel to be
locked, it must be turned about 1/8 of a
turn clockwise from the straight up posi-
tion.
To lock the steering wheel, turn the key
to the LOCK position. To unlock the
steering wheel, insert the key and turn it
WSD0004
IGNITION SWITCH
5-4Starting and driving
ZX