1996 NISSAN ALTIMA coolant

1 Instruments and controls
Meters and gauges .............................................. 1-2
Speedometer and odometer ................................ 1-3
Tachometer .......................................................... 1-3
Engine coolant temperature gauge and
Fuel gauge ........................................................... 1-4
Warning/indicator lights and chimes .................... 1-5
Theft warning (If so equipped) ............................. 1-8
Windshield wiper and washer switch ................... 1-9
Rear window defogger switch ............................ 1-10
Headlight and turn signal switch ........................ 1-11
Cornering light .................................................... 1-12Instrument brightness control ............................. 1-12
Front fog light switch (If so equipped) ............... 1-13
Hazard warning flasher switch ........................... 1-13
Cigarette lighter (accessory) and ashtray .......... 1-14
Cup holder .......................................................... 1-14
Power windows (If so equipped) ........................ 1-15
Sunroof (If so equipped) .................................... 1-17
Clock Ð instrument panel (If so equipped) ....... 1-18
Interior light......................................................... 1-18
Spotlight (If so equipped) ................................... 1-19
Trunk light........................................................... 1-19
ZX

Engine coolant temperature gauge
The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature.
The engine coolant temperature will vary
with the outside air temperature and driving
conditions.
CAUTION
If the gauge indicates over the normal
range, stop the vehicle as soon as
safely possible. If the engine is over-
heated, continued operation of the ve-
hicle may seriously damage the engine.
See the ``In case of emergency'' section
for immediate action required.
Fuel gauge
The gauge indicates the APPROXIMATE
fuel level in the tank.
The gauge may move slightly during brak-
ing, turning, acceleration, or going up or
downhill.
The gauge needle is designed to hold its
position when the ignition key is turned
``OFF''.
The indicator light comes on when the
amount of fuel in the tank is getting low.
Refuel as soon as it is convenient, prefer-
ably before the gauge reaches ``E''. There
should be a small reserve of fuel in the tank
when the fuel gauge needle reaches ``E''.AIC0077
ENGINE COOLANT
TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND
FUEL GAUGE
1-4
ZX

Cooling
This mode is used to cool and dehumidify.
1. Push the air recirculation button to the
``OFF'' position.
2. Push the ``
'' button in.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
4. Push on the air conditioning button. The
indicator light will come on.
5. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position.
cFor 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'' position for normal cooling.
Operating tips
cKeep the windows and sun roof closed
while the air conditioning 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 will
allow the air conditioning 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 coolant temperature gauge ex-
ceeds the HOT position, turn the air
conditioning off. See ``If your vehicle
overheats'' in the ``In case of emergency''
section for additional information.
Dehumidified heating
This mode is used to heat and dehumidify.
1. Push the air recirculation button to the
``OFF'' position.
2. Push the ``
'' button in.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
4. Push on the air conditioning button. The
indicator light will come on.
5. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position.
Dehumidified defogging
This mode is used to defog the windows
and dehumidify.1. Push the air recirculation button to the
``OFF'' position.
2. Push the ``
'' button in.
3. Move the fan control dial to the desired
position.
4. Push the air conditioning button. The
indicator light will come on.
5. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position.
When the ``
'' button is pushed, the
air conditioning will automatically be
turned on to defog the windshield, and
the air recirculation mode will automati-
cally be turned off.
Outside air is drawn into the passenger
compartment to improve the defogging per-
formance.
AIR FLOW CHARTS
The charts on the following pages show the
switch and lever positions forMAXIMUM
and QUICKheating, cooling, or defrosting.
3-5
ZX

begin to fog up while using the ECON
mode, use the procedures outlined in
Dehumified defogging.
Dehumidified defogging
1. Push the DEF switch on. The indicator
light will come on.
2. Push the temperature set button ``
'' or
``
'' to set the desired temperature.
cTo quickly remove ice or fog from the
outside of the windows, push the manual
fan control switch
and set to the
maximum position
.
cAs soon as possible after the windshield
is clean, push the AUTO switch to return
to the auto mode.
cWhen the DEF switch is pushed, the air
conditioning will automatically be turned
on at outside temperatures above 35ÉF
(2ÉC) to defog the windshield, and the air
recirculate mode will automatically be
turned off.
Outside air is drawn into the passenger
compartment to improve the defogging
performance.
Manual fan speed control
Push the fan control switchto manu-
ally control the fan speed. Each fan speed is
indicated by the shading of a fan blade on
the display. For example,
indicates
that the fan is operating at low speed and
indicates that the fan is operating at
medium-high speed.
cPush the AUTO switch to return to auto-
matic control of the fan speed.
Air recirculation switch
Push the air recirculation switch to recircu-
late interior air inside the vehicle. The indi-
cator light will come on.
Push it again to draw outside air into the
passenger compartment. The indicator will
go out.
cThe air recirculation mode will not be and
cannot be activated when the DEF mode
has been selected.
Manual air flow control
Pushing the manual air flow control switch
selects the air outlet.
Ð Air flows from center and side
ventilators.
Ð Air flows from center and side
ventilators and foot outlets.
Ð Air flows mainly from foot outlets.
Ð Air flows from defroster outlets
and foot outlets.
Ð Air flows mainly from defroster
outlets.
To turn the system off
Push the OFF switch.
Operating tips
cWhen the engine coolant temperature
and outside air temperature are low, the
air flow from the foot outlets may not
operate for a maximum of 150 seconds.
However, this is not a malfunction. After
the coolant temperature warms up, the
air flow from the foot outlets will operate
normally.
3-9
ZX

Freeing a frozen door lock
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer or glycerin to it through the key hole.
If the lock becomes frozen, heat the key
before inserting it into the key hole.
Anti-freeze
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32ÉF (0ÉC),
check anti-freeze (ethylene glycol base) to
assure proper winter protection. For details,
see ``Engine Cooling System'' in the ``Do-it-
yourself operations'' section.
Battery
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the bat-
tery fluid may freeze and damage the bat-
tery. To maintain maximum efficiency, the
battery should be checked regularly. For
details, see ``Battery'' in the ``Do-it-yourself
operations'' section.
Draining of coolant water
If the vehicle is to be left outside without
anti-freeze, drain the cooling system by
opening the drain valves located under the
radiator and on the engine block. Refillbefore operating the vehicle. See ``Chang-
ing Engine Coolant'' in the ``Do-it-yourself
operations'' section.
Tire equipment
1. The SUMMER tires are of a tread design
to provide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance of
these tires will be substantially reduced
in snowy and icy conditions. If you oper-
ate your vehicle on snowy or icy roads,
NISSAN recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON tires on all four
wheels. Please consult your NISSAN
dealer for the tire type, size, speed rating
and availability information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, stud-
ded tires may be used. However, some
provinces and states prohibit their use.
Check local, state and provincial laws
before installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may
be poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires.3. Snow chains may be used if desired.
Make sure they are of proper size for the
tires on your vehicle and are installed
according to the chain manufacturer's
suggestions.
Use of tire chains may be prohibited accord-
ing to location. Check the local laws before
installing tire chains. When installing tire
chains, make sure they are of proper size
for the tires on your vehicle and are installed
according to the chain manufacturer's sug-
gestions.Use only SAE Class ``S'' chains.
Other types may damage your vehicle. Use
chain tensioners when recommended by
the tire chain manufacturer to ensure a tight
fit. Loose end links of the tire chain must be
secured or removed to prevent the possibil-
ity of whipping action damage to the fenders
or underbody. If possible, avoid fully loading
your vehicle when using tire chains. In ad-
dition, drive at a reduced speed. Otherwise,
your vehicle may be damaged and/or ve-
hicle handling and performance may be
adversely affected.
Never install tire chains on T-type and small
size spare tires. Do not use the chains on
dry roads.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
CAUTIONS
4-17
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
To 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.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road,
apply the parking brake and move the
shift lever to Neutral (automatic transmis-
sion to ``P'').
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioning. Open all the
windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.
3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator before opening the hood. Wait untilno steam or coolant can be seen before
proceeding.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5. 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.
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.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair
or clothing to come into contact with,
or to get caught in, the running fan,
belts, or motor fan.
The fan motor can start at any time
when the coolant temperature is high.If coolant is leaking, the water pump
belt is missing or loose, or the cooling
fan does not run, stop the engine.
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 the nearest NISSAN
dealer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE
OVERHEATS
5-9
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 cooling system addi-
tives are not necessary.
CAUTION
When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only an ethylene glycol
anti-freeze with the proper mixture ra-
tio. Examples are shown below:
Outside temperature
down toAnti-
freezeSoft
water
ÉC ÉF
þ35 þ30 50% 50%
The use of other types of coolant solu-
tions may damage your cooling system.
The radiator is equipped with a pressure
cap. Use a NISSAN genuine cap or its
equivalent when replacement is re-
quired.
Never remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. Wait until the engine andradiator cool down. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid escap-
ing from the radiator. See precautions in
``If your vehicle overheats'' found in the
``In case of emergency'' section.
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
With coolant reservoir
Check the coolant level in the reservoir
when the engine is cold. If the coolant level
is below ``MIN'', add coolant up to the
``MAX'' level. If the reservoir 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 up to the ``MAX'' level.
DI1347
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
7-4
ZX

If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked by your NISSAN
dealer.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
cMajor cooling system repairs should be
performed by your NISSAN dealer. The
service procedures can be found in the
appropriate NISSAN Service Manual.cImproper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine over-
heating.
WARNING
cTo avoid the danger of being
scalded, never change the coolant
when the engine is hot.
cNever remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure
fluid escaping from the radiator.
1. Perform following procedure to open the
heater water cock:
cAutomatic air conditioning
a. Turn ignition switch from ``OFF'' to ``ON''.
b. Within 5 seconds after ignition switch is
turned ``ON'', press the automatic air
conditioning ``OFF'' switch for at least 5
seconds.
c. Press ``
'' (HOT) switch 3 times.
d. Press ``
'' (DEF) switch 2 times.
e. Make sure that the A/C display indicates
``43''.
DI1349
7-5
ZX