1996 NISSAN MAXIMA light

Ð In the summer, when restarting the
engine within 30 minutes after it has
been stopped, keep the accelerator
pedal fully depressed while starting.
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, wait 10 seconds before crank-
ing again, otherwise the starter could be
damaged.
4.Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather.To apply:pull the lever up.
To release:pull the lever up slightly, push the
button and lower completely. Before driving,
be sure the parking brake warning light goes
out.SSD0018
PARKING BRAKE
4-11
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

The cruise control allows driving at a speed
between 30 to 89 MPH (48 to 144 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator
pedal.
To turn on the cruise control,push the main
switch on. The indicator light on the switch will
come on.
To set at cruising speed,accelerate your
vehicle to the desired speed, push the
SET/COAST switch and release it. (The
ªCRUISEº light will come on.) Take your foot
off the accelerator pedal. Your vehicle will
maintain the set speed.ITo pass another vehicle,depress the
accelerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle will return to the previ-
ously set speed.
IThe vehicle may not maintain the set speed
when going up or down steep hills. If this
happens, drive without the cruise control.
To cancel the preset speed,follow either of
these three methods:
a) Push the cancel switch; The ªCRUISEº light
will go out.
b) Tap the brake pedal; The ªCRUISEº light
will go out.c) Turn the main switch off. Both the ªONº
indicator and ªCRUISEº lights will go out.
IIf you depress the brake pedal while push-
ing the ªACCELº set switch and reset at the
cruising speed, turn the main switch off
once and then turn it on again.
IThe cruise control will automatically be can-
celled if the vehicle slows down below
approximately 8 MPH (13 km/h).
IDepress the clutch pedal (manual transmis-
sion), or move the selector lever to ªNº
(automatic transmission). The ªCRUISEº
light will go out.
To reset at a faster cruising speed,use one
of the following three methods:
a) Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push and
release the ªSET/COASTº switch.
b) Push and hold the ªACCELº set switch.
When the vehicle attains the speed you
desire, release the switch.
c) Push, then quickly release the ªACCELº set
switch. Each time you do this, the set speed
will increase by about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h).
SSD0019
CRUISE CONTROL
4-12
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

To reset at a slower cruising speed,use one
of the following three methods:
a) Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the ve-
hicle attains the desired speed, push the
ªSET/COASTº switch and release it.
b) Push and hold the ªSET/COASTº switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle slows
down to the desired speed.
c) Push, then quickly release the
ªSET/COASTº switch. Each time you do
this, the set speed will decrease by about 1
MPH (1.6 km/h).
To resume the preset speed,push and re-
lease the ªRESUMEº set switch. The vehicle
will resume the last set cruising speed when
the vehicle speed is over 30 MPH (48 km/h).
Precautions
Avoid using the cruise control when driv-
ing under the following conditions:
Iwhen it is not possible to keep the vehicle at
set speed.
Iin heavy traffic or in traffic that varies in
speed.
Ion winding roads, or hilly roads.
Ion slippery roads (rain, snow, ice, etc.)Iin very windy areas.
On manual transmission models, do not
shift into neutral without depressing the
clutch pedal when the cruise control is
on. This could cause engine damage. If
this happens, depress the clutch pedal
and turn the main switch off
immediately.
During the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), follow
these recommendations for the future reliabil-
ity and economy of your new vehicle. Failure to
follow these recommendations may result in
vehicle damage or shortened engine life.
IDo 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.
IDo not accelerate at full throttle in any gear.
IAvoid quick starts.
IAvoid hard braking as much as possible.
IDo not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km).
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE
4-13
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

the vehicle.IDriving with vacuum assisted brake:
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 pres-
sure on the brake pedal will be required to
stop the vehicle and the stopping distance
will be longer.
IDriving with the power assisted steer-
ing:
The power assisted steering is designed to
use a hydraulic pump, driven by the engine,
to assist steering.
If the engine stops or drive belt breaks, you
will still have control of the vehicle. How-
ever, much greater steering effort is
needed, especially in sharp turns or at low
speeds.
IWet 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 brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake pedal
to heat-up the brakes. Do this until thebrakes return to normal. Avoid driving the
vehicle at high speeds until the brakes
function correctly.
IAvoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake linings and pads faster
and reduce gas mileage.
ITo 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.
IWhile driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or down-
shifting. Abrupt braking actions or sudden
acceleration could cause the wheels to
skid.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN DRIVING
4-16
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

The anti-lock brake system controls the brakes
at each wheel so the wheels will 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 con-
trol and helps to minimize swerving and spin-
ning on slippery surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.It is
not necessary to pump the brake pedal.
Doing so may result in increased stopping
distances.
Normal operation
The anti-lock brake system will not operate at
speeds below 3 to 6 MPH (5 to 10 km/h) to
completely stop the vehicle. (The speeds will
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 pressure (like pumping the brakes
very quickly). While the actuator is working,
you may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal
and hear a noise or vibration from the actuator
under the hood. This is normal and indicates
that the anti-lock system is working properly.However, the pulsation may indicate that road
conditions are hazardous and extra care is
required while driving.
Self-test feature
The anti-lock brake system consists of elec-
tronic sensors, electric pumps, and hydraulic
solenoids controlled by a computer. The com-
puter has a built-in diagnostic feature that tests
the system each time you start the engine and
move the vehicle at a low speed in forward or
reverse. When the ªself-testº occurs, you may
hear a ªclunkº noise and/or feel a ªpulsationº in
the brake pedal. This is normal and is not an
indication of any malfunction. If the computer
senses any malfunction, it switches the anti-
lock brake system OFF and turns on the ªABSº
brake warning light in the dashboard. The
brake system will then behave normally, but
without anti-lock assistance.
If the light comes on during the self check, or
while you are driving, you should take your
vehicle to your NISSAN dealer for repair at
your earliest convenience.
The anti-lock brake system is a sophis-
ticated device, but is cannot prevent
accidents resulting from careless or
dangerous driving techniques. It can
help maintain vehicle control during
braking on slippery surfaces, but re-
member that the stopping distance on
slippery surfaces will be longer than on
normal surfaces, even with the anti-lock
system. Stopping distances may also be
longer on rough, gravel or snow covered
roads, or if you are using tire chains.
Always maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front of you. Ultimately,
the responsibility for safety of self and
others rests in the hands of the driver.
Tire type and condition may also affect
braking effectiveness.
IWhen replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all 4 wheels.
IWhen installing a spare tire, make
sure it is the proper size and type as
specified on the tire placard. For tire
placard location information, refer to
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
4-17
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

Always follow the instructions below. Fail-
ure to do so could result in damage to the
charging system and cause personal in-
jury.
1. If the booster battery is in another vehicle,
position the two vehicles to bring their bat-
teries into close proximity to each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.
2. Apply parking brake. Move the shift lever to
ªNeutralº (On automatic transmission mod-
els, move the lever to ªPº). Switch off all
unnecessary electrical systems (light,
heater, air conditioner, etc.).3. Remove vent caps on the battery (if so
equipped). Cover the battery with an old
cloth to reduce explosion hazard.
4. Connect jumper cables in the sequence as
illustrated.
IAlways connect positive (+) to posi-
tive (+) and negative (þ) to body
ground (e.g., strut mounting bolt, etc.
Ð not to the battery).
IMake sure that cables do not touch
moving parts in the engine compart-
ment and that clamps do not contact
any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the other vehicle and let
it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the other vehicle
at about 2,000 rpm, and start your engine in
the normal manner.
Do not keep starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the enginedoes not start right away, turn the key
off and wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying
again.
7. After starting your engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the posi-
tive cable.
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped). Be
sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.
CE1005-A
5-7
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

Removing spots
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, in-
sects, and tree sap as quickly as possible from
the surface of the paint to avoid lasting dam-
age or staining. Special cleaning products are
available at your NISSAN dealer or any auto-
motive accessory store.
Underbody
In areas where road salt is used in winter, the
underbody must be cleaned regularly. This will
prevent dirt and salt from building up and
causing underbody and suspension corrosion.
Before the winter period and again in the
spring, the underseal must be checked and, if
necessary, re-treated.
Cleaning glass
When cleaning the rear window, it may be
easier to clean if the high-mounted stop light is
removed first.
Be careful when removing the high-mounted
stop light to reduce the risk of damaging the
high-mounted stop light wires.
The high-mounted stop light must be properly
reinstalled before driving your vehicle.
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust
film from the glass surfaces. It is normal for
glass to become coated with a film after the
vehicle is parked in the hot sun. Glass cleanerand a soft cloth will easily remove this film.
When cleaning the inside of the window,
do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage electrical
conductors or rear window defogger
elements.
Cleaning alloy wheels
Wash regularly, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used. Salt
could discolor the wheel if not removed.
Chrome parts
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.
Plastic parts
Plastic parts can be cleaned with a mild soap
solution. If the dirt cannot be easily removed,
use a plastic cleaner. Do not use solvents.
SAI0002
6-3
Z01.2.1/A32-DX

7 Do-it-yourself operations
Precautions ............................................................... 7-2
Engine cooling system .............................................. 7-4
Engine oil .................................................................. 7-6
Automatic transmission fluid ..................................... 7-9
Power steering fluid ................................................ 7-10
Brake and clutch fluid ............................................. 7-11
Window washer fluid ............................................... 7-11
Battery ..................................................................... 7-12
Drive belts ............................................................... 7-13
Spark plug replacement .......................................... 7-14
Air cleaner filter ....................................................... 7-16
Wiper blades ........................................................... 7-17
Parking brake .......................................................... 7-18
Brake pedal ............................................................. 7-19
Brake booster .......................................................... 7-20
Clutch pedal ............................................................ 7-20
Fuses....................................................................... 7-20
Fusible links ............................................................ 7-22
Light bulbs ............................................................... 7-22
Wheels and tires ..................................................... 7-29
Z01.2.1/A32-DX