1997 NISSAN ALTIMA cruise control

2. If the brake fluid level is correct, have the
warning system checked by your NIS-
SAN dealer.
WARNING
cYour brake system may not be work-
ing properly if the warning light is
on. Driving could be dangerous. If
you judge it to be safe, drive care-
fully to the nearest service station
for repairs. Otherwise, have your ve-
hicle towed.
cPressing the brake pedal with the
engine stopped and/or low brake
fluid level may increase your stop-
ping distance and braking will re-
quire greater pedal effort as well as
greater pedal travel.
cIf the brake fluid level is below the
minimum mark on the brake fluid
reservoir, do not drive until the brake
system has been checked at a NIS-
SAN dealer.
Brake pad wear warning
The disc brake pads have audible wear
warnings. When a brake pad requires re-
placement, it makes a high pitched scrapingsound when the vehicle is in motion,
whether or not the brake pedal is de-
pressed. Have the brakes checked as soon
as possible if the warning sound is heard.
orAnti-lock brake
warning light
(If so equipped)
If the light comes on while the engine is
running, it may indicate something wrong with
the anti-lock portion of the brake system. Have
the system checked by your NISSAN dealer.
Turn off the engine, and start it again by
slowly turning the ignition key (quickly
doing so may cause the ABS light to stay
on when there is nothing wrong). If the
light stays on, have the system checked
by your NISSAN dealer.
If an abnormality occurs in the system, the
anti-lock function ceases but the regular
braking system continues to operate.
If the light comes on while you are driving,
contact your NISSAN dealer for repair.
Overdrive off indicator light
(Automatic transmission
models only)
This light comes on when the overdrive
switch is pushed to the OFF position.
Turn signal/hazard indicator
lights
The appropriate light flashes when the turn
signal switch is activated.
Both lights flash when the hazard switch is
turned on.
High beam indicator light
This light comes on when the headlight high
beam is on and goes out when the low
beam is selected.
Rear window defogger indi-
cator light
This light comes on when the rear defogger
switch is activated.
Cruise indicator light
This light comes on while the vehicle speed
is controlled by the cruise control system. If
the CRUISE indicator blinks, have the sys-
1-7
ZX

4Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving ...................4-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ............................4-2
Three way catalyst .................................................4-2
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving .........................4-3
Ignition switch .........................................................4-4
Manual transmission ..............................................4-4
Automatic transmission ..........................................4-4
Before starting the engine ......................................4-5
Driving with automatic transmission.......................4-6
Overdrive switch .....................................................4-8
Driving with manual transmission ..........................4-9Starting the engine ...............................................4-10
Parking brake operation .......................................4-11
Cruise control .......................................................4-12
Break-in schedule ................................................4-14
Increasing fuel economy ......................................4-14
Parking/parking on hills ........................................4-15
Power steering system .........................................4-16
Brake system........................................................4-16
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if so equipped) ....................................................4-17
Cold weather driving ............................................4-18
ZX

Shifting with manual transmission
To change gears, fully depress the clutch
pedal, and then move the gearshift lever.
After shifting, release the clutch pedal slowly.
You cannot shift directly from 5th gear into
Reverse (R). First shift into Neutral (N), then
into Reverse (R).
If it is difficult to move the shift lever into R or
1st, shift into N, then release and depress
the clutch pedal again and shift into R or 1st.
WARNING
cDo not downshift abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
cDo not over-rev the engine when
shifting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage.
CAUTION
cDo not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving. This may cause
clutch damage.
cStop your vehicle completely before
shifting into R.
cWhen the vehicle is stopped for a
duration, for example at a stop light,
shift to N and release the clutch
pedal with the foot brake applied.
Suggested shift-up speeds
Shown below are suggested vehicle speeds
for shifting into a higher gear. These sug-
gestions relate to fuel economy and vehicle
performance. Actual shift-up speeds willvary according to road conditions, the
weather and individual driving habits.
For normal acceleration in low altitude ar-
eas (less than 4,000 ft [1,219 m]):
Gear changeACCEL
shift point
MPH (km/h)CRUISE
shift point
MPH (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24) 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40) 18 (29)
3rd to 4th 36 (58) 30 (48)
4th to 5th 40 (64) 39 (63)
For quick acceleration in low altitude areas
and high altitude areas (over 4,000 ft [1,219
m]):
Gear change MPH (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40)
3rd to 4th 40 (64)
4th to 5th 45 (72)
Suggested maximum speed in each
gear
Downshift to a lower gear if the engine is not
running smoothly, or if you need to accelerate.
SD1022
DRIVING WITH MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
4-9
ZX

The cruise control allows driving at a speed
between 30 to 90 MPH (48 to 144 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator
pedal.
To turn on the cruise control,push the
main switch. The indicator light on the
switch comes on.
To set cruising speed,accelerate your
vehicle to the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it. The
CRUISE indicator light comes on. Take your
foot off the accelerator pedal. Your vehicle
maintains the set speed.cTo pass another vehicle,depress the
accelerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle returns to the previ-
ously set speed.
c
The 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,use one of
the following three methods:
a) Push the CANCEL button; the CRUISE
light goes out.
b) Tap the brake pedal; the CRUISE light
goes out.c) Turn the main switch off. Both the ON
indicator and CRUISE lights go out.
The cruise control is automatically can-
celled and the CRUISE light goes out if:
cYou depress the brake pedal while push-
ing the ACCEL set switch.
cThe vehicle slows down more than 8
MPH (13 km/h) below the set speed.
cYou depress the clutch pedal (manual
transmission), or move the shift lever to
N (automatic transmission).
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 COAST/SET switch.
b) Push and hold the ACCEL set switch.
When the vehicle attains the speed you
desire, release the switch.
c) Push and quickly release the ACCEL set
switch. Each time you do this, the set
speed increases by about 1 MPH (1.6
km/h).
ASD0512
CRUISE CONTROL
4-12
ZX

To reset at a slower cruising speed,use
one of the following three methods:
a) Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push
the COAST/SET switch and release it.
b) Push and hold the COAST/SET switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle
slows to the desired speed.
c) Push and quickly release the
COAST/SET switch. Each time you do
this, the set speed decreases by about 1
MPH (1.6 km/h).
To resume the preset speed,push and re-
lease the RESUME switch. The vehicle returns
to the last set cruising speed when the vehicle
speed is over 30 MPH (48 km/h).
Precautions
cIf the cruise control system malfunctions,
it cancels automatically. The cruise indi-
cator light in the instrument panel then
blinks to warn the driver.
cIf the cruise indicator light blinks, turn the
cruise control main switch off and have
the system checked by your NISSAN
dealer.cThe cruise indicator light may blink when
the cruise control main switch is turned
ON while pushing the RES/ACCEL,
COAST/SET, or CANCEL switch (lo-
cated on the steering wheel). To properly
set the cruise control system, perform the
preceding steps in the order indicated.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control when
driving under the following conditions:
cit is not possible to keep the vehicle
at a set speed.
cin heavy traffic or in traffic that var-
ies in speed.
con winding or hilly roads.
con slippery roads (rain, snow, ice,
etc.).
cin very windy areas.
Doing so could cause a loss of vehicle
control and result in an accident.
CAUTION
On manual transmission models, do
not shift into neutral without depress-
ing the clutch pedal when the cruise
control is on. Should this occur, de-
press the clutch pedal and turn the
main switch off immediately. Failure to
do so may cause engine damage.
4-13
ZX

shifting too fast, the drive wheels
will lose even more traction.
c
Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
cAllow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
cWatch for slippery spots (glare ice).
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch
of ice is seen ahead, brake before
reaching it. Try not to brake while
actually on the ice, and avoid any
sudden steering maneuvers.
cDo not use the cruise control on
slippery roads.
cSnow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle.
Engine block heater/Engine heater
(if so equipped)
An engine block heater/engine heater to
assist extreme cold temperature starting is
available through your NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
Do not use your heater with an un-
grounded electrical system or two-
pronged (cheater) adapters. You can be
injured by an electrical shock if you use
an ungrounded connection.
4-20
ZX

Checking engine coolant level ............... 7-4
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 1-4
Cornering light ........................................... 1-13
Corrosion protection .................................... 6-5
Cruise control............................................. 4-12
Cup holder ................................................. 1-16
D
Daytime running light system
(for Canada)............................................... 1-13
Defogger switch
Rear window defogger switch .............. 1-10
Dimensions and weights.............................. 9-9
Door locks .................................................... 2-2
Door open warning light .............................. 1-6
Drive belts .................................................. 7-14
Driving
Cold weather driving............................. 4-18
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 4-6
Driving with manual transmission ........... 4-9
Precautions when starting and driving ... 4-2
E
Economy - fuel........................................... 4-14
Emission control information label............. 9-12
Emission control system warranty ............. 9-19
Engine
Before starting the engine ...................... 4-5
Capacities and recommendedfuel/lubricants.......................................... 9-2
Changing engine coolant........................ 7-5
Changing engine oil................................ 7-8
Changing engine oil filter........................ 7-9
Checking engine coolant level ............... 7-4
Checking engine oil level ....................... 7-7
Engine compartment check locations .... 7-3
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 1-4
Engine cooling system ........................... 7-4
Engine oil ................................................ 7-7
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation ..................................... 9-5
Engine oil pressure warning light ........... 1-5
Engine oil viscosity ................................. 9-6
Engine serial number ........................... 9-11
Engine specifications .............................. 9-8
Starting the engine ............................... 4-10
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide).................. 4-2
Explanation of maintenance items ............ 8-10
F
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher switch)
Flat tire ......................................................... 5-2
Floor mat positioning aid ............................. 6-5
Fluid (checking)
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ........ 7-9
Brake and clutch fluid ........................... 7-11
Engine coolant ........................................ 7-4
Engine oil ................................................ 7-7
Power steering fluid .............................. 7-11
Window washer fluid ............................ 7-12F.M.V.S.S. certification label ..................... 9-11
Front fog light switch ................................. 1-14
Front seats ................................................. 2-12
Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.......................................... 9-2
Fuel economy ....................................... 4-14
Fuel filler cap ........................................ 2-11
Fuel filler lid lock operation .................. 2-10
Fuel octane rating................................... 9-3
Fuel recommendation ............................. 9-3
Fuses ......................................................... 7-20
Fusible links ............................................... 7-21
G
Gas station information.............................. 10-6
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge ........ 1-4
Fuel gauge.............................................. 1-4
Odometer ................................................ 1-3
Speedometer .......................................... 1-3
Tachometer............................................. 1-3
Trip odometer ......................................... 1-3
Gear selection (See shifting)
General maintenance .................................. 8-2
Glove box..................................................... 2-8
H
Hazard warning flasher switch .................. 1-14
10-2
ZX