1997 NISSAN MAXIMA engine overheat

If the gauge indicates over the normal
range, stop the vehicle as soon as safely
possible. If the engine is overheated,
continued operation of the vehicle may
seriously damage the engine. See ªIn
case of emergencyº section for immedi-
ate action required.
FUEL GAUGE
The gauge indicates the APPROXIMATE fuel
level in the tank.
The gauge may move slightly during braking,
turning, acceleration, or going up or down hill.
The gauge needle is designed to remain in
approximately the same position, even when
the ignition key is turned ªOFFº.
Refill the fuel tank before the gauge regis-
ters Empty.The indicator light comes on when the fuel
tank is getting low. Refuel as soon as it is
convenient, preferably before the gauge
reaches ªEº. There should be a small re-
serve of fuel in the tank when the fuel
gauge needle reaches ªEº.
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IThe exhaust gas and the exhaust sys-
tem are very hot. Keep people or
flammable materials away from the
exhaust pipe.
IDo not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.
IDo not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously re-
duce the three way catalyst's ability
to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
IKeep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause over-
rich fuel flow into the converter, caus-
ing it to overheat. Do not keep driving
if the engine misfires, or if noticeable
loss of performance or other unusual
operating conditions are detected.
Have the vehicle inspected promptlyby an authorized NISSAN dealer.
IAvoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three way catalyst.
IDo not race the engine while warming
it up.
IDo not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
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 steer-
ing maneuvers, because these driving prac-
tices could cause you to lose control of your
vehicle.As with any vehicle, a loss of con-
trol could result in a collision with other
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). Always wear your seat belt as
outlined in the ªSeat Beltsº section of this
manual, and also instruct your passengers to
do so.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
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INever leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.
INever leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
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. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, espe-
cially in sharp turns or at low speeds.The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit develops a problem, you
will still have braking at two wheels.
Vacuum assisted brake
The brake booster aids braking by using en-
gine vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop
the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal.
However, greater foot pressure on the brake
pedal will be required to stop the vehicle and
the stopping distance will be longer.
Wet 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 the brakes
return to normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at
high speeds until the brakes function correctly.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This overheats the brakes, in-
creases wear on the brake linings and pads,
and reduces gas mileage.
To help save the brakes and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
POWER STEERING SYSTEM BRAKE SYSTEM
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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.
While driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or acceler-
ating could cause the wheels to skid and
result in an accident.
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.
Do not 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 brakesvery 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.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(ABS) (If so equipped)
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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.
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:
IDo not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
ITo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the radia-
tor cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
IDo not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
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
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
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hotº and fan control to ªhigh speedº.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Open the engine hood.
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
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.
If coolant is leaking or the cooling fan does
not run, stop the engine.
IBe careful not to allow your hands,
hair, jewelry or clothing to come into
contact with, or to get caught in,
belts, or motor fan.
IThe fan motor can start at any time
when the coolant temperature is high.
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.
INever ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
INever get under your vehicle after it
has been lifted by a tow truck.
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.
TOW TRUCK TOWING
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The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a high-quality, year-round, anti-
freeze coolant solution. The anti-freeze solu-
tion contains rust and corrosion inhibitors,
therefore additional cooling system additives
are not necessary.
When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only an ethylene glycol anti-
freeze with the proper mixture ratio of
50% anti-freeze and 50% distilled water.
The use of other types of coolant solu-
tions may damage your engine cooling
system.
Outside temperature
down toAnti-
freezeDistilled
water
ÉC ÉF
þ35 þ30 50% 50%
INever remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressurefluid escaping from the radiator. Wait
until the engine and radiator cool
down.
ISee precautions in ªIf Your Vehicle
Overheatsº found in the ªIn case of
emergencyº section.
IThe radiator is equipped with a pres-
sure cap. Use a genuine cap or its
equivalent when replacement is
required.
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
With coolant reservoir
Check the coolant level in the reservoir tank
when the engine is cold. If the coolant level is
below ªMINº, add coolant up to the ªMAXº
level. If the reservoir tank is empty, check the
coolant level in the radiatorwhen the engine
is cold.If there is insufficient coolant in the
radiator, fill the radiator with coolant up to the
filler opening and also add it to the reservoir
tank up to the ªMAXº level.
If the engine cooling system frequently
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ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
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requires coolant, have it checked by your
NISSAN dealer.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
IMajor cooling system repairs should be
performed by your NISSAN dealer. The
service procedures can be found in the
appropriate NISSAN Service Manual.IImproper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
ITo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
INever remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure
fluid escaping from the radiator.
1. Open the radiator cap and drain plug.
2. Open the drain plug on the engine block.
3. Flush the cooling system by running fresh
water through the radiator.
4. Close the radiator drain plug and the drain
plug on the engine block securely.
5. See the ªTechnical informationº section for
cooling system capacity. Fill the radiator
slowly with the proper mixture of coolant
and water. Fill the reservoir tank up to the
ªMAXº level. Then install the radiator cap.
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