1996 NISSAN MAXIMA cooling

CONTROLS
Fan control dial
This dial turns the fan on and off, and controls
fan speed.
Air flow control buttons
These buttons allow you to select the air flow
outlets.
Temperature control lever
This lever allows you to adjust the temperature
of the outlet air.
Air recirculation button
OFF position
Outside air is drawn into the passenger com-
partment.
Use this position for normal heater, or air
conditioner operation.ON position (Indicator light ON)
Interior air is recirculated inside the vehicle.
Push the air recirculation button to the ªONº
position when driving on a dusty road or to
avoid traffic fumes and for maximum cooling
when using the air conditioner.
Do not use the recirculation mode for
long periods as it may cause the interior
air to become stale and the windows to
fog up.
SAA0042A
HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER
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Z01.2.1/A32-DX

Air conditioning button
This button is provided only for vehicles with
air conditioner.
Start the engine, move the fan control dial to
the desired (1 to 4) position and push the air
conditioning button to turn on the air condi-
tioner. The indicator light will come on when
the air conditioner is on. To stop the air con-
ditioner, push the switch again to return it to
the original position.
The air conditioner cooling function oper-
ates only when the engine is running.
Positioning of the heating or air condi-
tioning controls should not be done
while driving, in order that full attention
may be given to the driving operation.
HEATER OPERATION
Heating
This mode is used to direct hot air from the
floor outlets. Some air will also come from the
defrost vents.
1. Push the air recirculation button to the
ªOFFº position for normal heating.
2. Push the ª
º button in.
3. Turn on the fan control dial.
4. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position between the middle and
the ªHOTº position.
IFor quick heating, move the air recirculation
button to the ªONº position. Be sure to
return the air recirculation button to the
ªOFFº position for normal heating.
Ventilation
This mode directs outside air from the side and
center vents.
1. Push the air recirculation button to the
ªOFFº position.
2. Push the ª
º button in.
3. Turn on the fan control dial.4. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position.
Defrosting or defogging
This mode is used to defrost/defog the win-
dows.
1. Push the ª
º button in.
2. Turn on the fan control dial.
3. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position between the middle and
the ªHOTº position.
ITo quickly remove ice or fog from the
windows, turn on the fan control dial to ª4º
and the temperature control lever to the full
ªHOTº position.
IWhen the ª
º switch is pushed, the air
conditioner will automatically be turned on
to defog the windshield, and the air recircu-
late mode will automatically be turned off.
Outside air is drawn into the passenger
compartment to improve the defogging per-
formance.
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Z01.2.1/A32-DX

Bi-level heating
This mode directs outside air from the side and
center vents and hot air from the floor outlets.
1. Push the air recirculation button to the
ªOFFº position.
2. Push the ª
º button in.
3. Turn on the fan control dial.
4. Normally move the temperature control le-
ver to the midpoint between ªHOTº and
ªCOLDº.
Heating and defogging
This mode heats the interior and defogs the
windshield.
1. Push the ª
º button in.
2. Turn on the fan control dial.
3. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position between the middle and
the ªHOTº position.
Operating tips
IClear snow and ice from the wiper
blades and air inlet in front of the wind-
shield. This will improve heater opera-
tion.
IWhen the ª
º switch is pushed, the air
recirculate mode will automatically be
turned off.
Outside air is drawn into the passenger
compartment to improve the defogging per-
formance.
AIR CONDITIONER OPERATION
Start the engine, move the fan control dial to
the desired (1 to 4) position and push in the air
conditioning button to activate the air condi-
tioner. When the air conditioner is on, cooling
and dehumidifying functions will be added to
the heater operation.
The air conditioner cooling function op-
erates only when the engine is running.
Cooling
This mode is used to cool and dehumidify.
1. Push the air recirculation button to the
ªOFFº position.
2. Push the ª
º button in.
3. Turn on the fan control dial.
4. Push on the air conditioning button. The
indicator light will come on.
5. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position.
IFor quick cooling when the outside tem-
perature is high, move the air recirculation
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button to the ªONº position. Be sure to
return the air recirculation button to the
ªOFFº position for normal cooling.
Dehumidified heating
This mode is used to heat and dehumidify.
1. Push the air recirculation button to the
ªOFFº position.
2. Push the ª
º button in.
3. Turn on the fan control dial.
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 ª
º button in.
2. Turn on the fan control dial.
3. Push on the air conditioning button. The
indicator light will come on.
4. Move the temperature control lever to the
desired position.
When the ª
º button is pushed, the airconditioner will automatically be turned on
to defog the windshield, and the air recircu-
late mode will automatically be turned off.
Outside air is drawn into the passenger com-
partment to improve the defogging perfor-
mance.
Operating tips
IKeep the windows and sun roof closed
while the air conditioner is in operation.
IAfter 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 conditioner to cool the interior
more quickly.
IThe air conditioning system should be
operated for about ten minutes at least
once a month. This helps prevent dam-
age to the system due to lack of lubrica-
tion.
IIf the coolant temperature gauge exceeds
the HOT position, turn the air conditioning
off. See ªIf your vehicle overheatsº in the ªIn
case of emergencyº section for additional
information.
AIR FLOW CHART
The chart below shows the switch and lever
positions forMAXIMUM and QUICKheating,
cooling or defrosting.
The air recirculation switch should be in
the ªOFFº position for normal cooling,
heating and defrosting.
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Start the engine and operate the controls to
activate the air conditioner.
The air conditioner cooling function oper-
ates only when the engine is running.
Cooling and/or dehumidified heating
(Auto mode)
This mode may be normally used all year
round as the system automatically works to
keep a constant temperature. Air flow distribu-
tion and fan speed are also controlled auto-
matically.
1. Push the AUTO button on. (ªAUTOº will be
displayed.)2. Push the temperature set button
ª
ºªº to set the desired tempera-
ture.
IAdjust the temperature set button to about
75ÉF (24ÉC) for normal operation.
IThe temperature of the passenger compart-
ment will be maintained automatically. Air
flow distribution and fan speed are also
controlled automatically.
Heating (ECON mode)
The air conditioner does not activate. When
you need to heat only, use this mode.
1. Push the ECON (ECONOMY) button on.
(ªECONº will be displayed.)
2. Push the temperature set button
ª
ºªº to set the desired tempera-
ture.
IThe temperature of the passenger compart-
ment will be maintained automatically. Air
flow distribution and fan speed are also
controlled automatically.
IDo not set the temperature lower than the
outside air temperature. Otherwise the sys-
tem may not work properly.
INot recommended if windows fog up.
Dehumidified defogging
1. Push the DEF ªº button on. (The
indicator light on the button will come on.)
2. Push the temperature set button
ª
ºªº to set the desired tempera-
ture.
ITo quickly remove ice or fog from the
outside of the windows, push the manual
fan control button ª
º and set to the
SAA0043B
AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONER
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Z01.2.1/A32-DX

ªTire placardº in the Owner's Manual
index.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 ªEn-
gine Cooling Systemº in the ªDo-it-yourself
operationsº section.
Battery
If the battery is not fully charged during ex-
tremely cold weather conditions, the battery
fluid may freeze and damage the battery. To
maintain maximum efficiency, the battery
should be checked regularly. For details, see
ªBatteryº in the ªDo-it-yourself operationsº sec-
tion.
Draining of coolant water
If the vehicle is to be left outside without
anti-freeze, drain the cooling system by open-
ing the drain valves located under the radiator
and on the engine block. Refill before operat-
ing the vehicle. See ªChanging Engine Cool-
antº in the ªDo-it-yourself operationsº section.
Tire equipment
1. The SUMMER tires are of a tread design to
provide superior performance on dry pave-
ment. However, the performance of these
tires will be substantially reduced in snowy
and icy conditions. If you operate your
vehicle on snowy or icy roads, Nissan rec-
ommends the use on all four wheels of
MUD & SNOW or ALL SEASON tires.
Please consult your Nissan dealer for the
tire type, size, speed rating and availability
information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some prov-
inces and states prohibit their use. Check
local, state and provincial laws before in-
stalling 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
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 possi-
bility of whipping action damage to the
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
CAUTIONS
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IAutomatic transmission models can-
not be push started. This may cause
transmission damage.
IThree-way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing
since the three-way catalyst may be
damaged.
INever try to start the vehicle by tow-
ing it; when the engine starts, the
forward surge could cause the ve-
hicle to collide with the tow vehicle.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading), or
if you feel a lack of engine power, detect
abnormal noise, etc., take the following steps:
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 gearshift
lever to neutral (automatic transmission to
ªPº).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner switch. Open all
the windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to ªmaximum
hotº and fan control to ªhigh speedº.
3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. Wait until no
steam or coolant can be seen before pro-
ceeding.4. Open the engine hood.
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5. If engine overheating is caused by climbing
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 radiator
should not leak water.
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 cooling fan belt
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
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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 reservoir
tank if necessary. Have your vehicle re-
paired at the nearest NISSAN dealer.When towing your vehicle, all State (Provincial
in Canada) and local regulations for towing
must be followed. Incorrect towing equipment
could damage your vehicle. Towing instruc-
tions are available from your NISSAN dealer.
Local service operators will generally be famil-
iar with the applicable laws and procedures for
towing. To assure proper towing and to pre-
vent accidental damage to your vehicle, NIS-
SAN recommends that you have a service
operator tow your vehicle. It is advisable to
have the service operator carefully read the
following precautions.
IWhen towing, make sure that the
transmission, axles, steering system
and power train are in working condi-
tion. If any unit is damaged, a dolly
must be used.
IWhen towing with the front wheels on
the ground:
Turn the ignition key to the ªOFFº
position and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
place the ignition key in the ªLOCKºposition. This will result in damage to
the steering lock mechanism.
Move the gearshift lever to the neutral
(ªNº position).
On automatic transmission models,
to move the shift lever to the Neutral
position, turn the ignition key to the
ªOFFº or ªACCº position. After mov-
ing the shift lever to the Neutral posi-
tion, be sure to turn the ignition key
to the ªOFFº position.
IWhen towing with the rear wheels on
the ground, release the parking
brake.
On automatic transmission models,
to move the shift lever to the Neutral
(ªNº position), turn the ignition key to
the ªOFFº or ªACCº position. After
moving the shift lever to the Neutral
position, be sure to turn the ignition
key to the ªOFFº position.
IAttach safety chains for all towing.
TOW TRUCK TOWING
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