1998 NISSAN ALTIMA overheating

increases 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
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.
WARNING
c
While driving on a slippery surface,
be careful when braking, accelerating
or downshifting. Abrupt braking or
accelerating could cause the wheels
to skid and result in an accident.
cIf the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
Braking will be harder.The anti-lock brake system installed in
some models controls the brakes at each
wheel so the wheels do not lock when
braking abruptly or when braking on slip-
pery surfaces. The system detects the rota-
tion 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 control and helps to mini-
mize swerving and spinning on slippery
surfaces.
Using the System
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping dis-
tances.
Normal operation
The anti-lock brake system does not oper-
ate at speeds below 3 to 6 MPH (5 to 10
km/h). The speeds 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 pres-
sure (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 is sophisticated,
with electronic sensors, electric pumps, and
hydraulic solenoids controlled by a com-
puter. The computer has a built-in diagnos-
tic 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
self-test occurs, you may hear a ``clunk''
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of any malfunction. If the computer
senses any malfunction, it switches the anti-
lock brake system OFF and turns on the
ABS brake warning light in the dashboard.
The brake system then operates normally,
but without anti-lock assistance.
If the light comes on during the self-test or
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(ABS) (if so equipped)
Starting and driving5-17
ZX

CAUTION
cAutomatic transmission models can-
not be push started. This may cause
transmission damage.
cThree way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing
since the three way catalyst may be
damaged.
cNever 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 read-
ing), or if you feel a lack of engine power,
detect abnormal noise, etc., take the follow-
ing steps.
WARNING
cDo not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
cTo 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.
cDo not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road,
apply the parking brake and move the
shift lever to N (Neutral) (manual trans-
mission) or to P (Park) (automatic trans-
mission).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the
windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximumhot and fan control to high speed.
3. 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.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator before opening the hood. Wait until
no steam or coolant can be seen before
proceeding.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
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 radia-
tor should not leak water. If coolant is
leaking, the water pump belt is missing or
loose, or the cooling fan does not run,
stop the engine.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE
OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-9
ZX

drain plug on the engine water pipe se-
curely.
6. See the ``Technical and consumer infor-
mation'' section for cooling system ca-
pacity. Fill the radiator slowly with the
proper mixture of coolant and water. Fill
the reservoir tank up to the MAX level.
7. Open and close the air release plug to
release air. Then fill the radiator again
and install the radiator cap.
8. Start the engine and let it idle until it
reaches normal operating temperature.
Then race the engine 2 or 3 times under
no load. Watch the engine coolant tem-
perature gauge for signs of overheating.
9. Stop the engine. After it completely cools
down, refill the radiator up to the filler
opening. Fill the reservoir tank up to the
MAX level.
10. Open and close the air release plug to
release air. Then fill the radiator again
and install the radiator cap.11. Check the radiator drain plug and the
drain plug on the engine water pipe for
any sign of leakage, tighten if neces-
sary.
AMA098DI1299
8-6Do-it-yourself
ZX

of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) num-
ber. However, you may use unleaded gaso-
line with an octane rating as low as 85 AKI
(Anti-Knock Index) number in high altitude
areas [over 4,000 ft (1,219 m)] such as:
Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah,
Wyoming, northeastern Nevada, southern
Idaho, western South Dakota, western Ne-
braska, and the part of Texas which is
directly south of New Mexico.
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than stated above can cause
persistent, heavy ``spark knock.''
(``Spark knock'' is a metallic rapping
noise.) If severe, this can lead to engine
damage. If you detect a persistent heavy
spark knock even when using gasoline
of the stated octane rating, or if you hear
steady spark knock while holding a
steady speed on level roads, have an
authorized dealer correct the condition.
Failure to correct the condition is misuse
of the vehicle, for which NISSAN is not
responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may result in spark
knock, after-run or overheating, which may
cause excessive fuel consumption or en-
gine damage. If any of the above symptomsare encountered, have your vehicle
checked at an authorized NISSAN dealer or
other competent service facility.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is
no cause for concern, because you get
the greatest fuel benefit when there is
light spark knock for a short time under
heavy engine load.
10-4Technical and consumer information
ZX

cAlways block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if
you must do so, and if your vehicle is
equipped with an automatic transmis-
sion, first block the wheels and apply the
parking brake, and then move the shift
lever into the P position. If you move the
shift lever to the P position before block-
ing the wheels and applying the parking
brake, transmission damage could occur.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When ascending a long grade, downshift
the transmission to a lower gear and
reduce speed to reduce chances of en-
gine overloading and/or overheating.
cIf the engine coolant rises to an ex-
tremely high temperature when the air
conditioner system is on, turn off the air
conditioner. Coolant heat can be addi-
tionally vented by opening the windows,
switching the fan control to high and
setting the temperature control to the
HOT position.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.cAvoid towing a trailer for the first 500
miles (800 km).
cHave your vehicle serviced more often
than at intervals specified in the recom-
mended Maintenance Schedule.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels
will be closer to the inside of the turn than
your vehicle wheels. To compensate for
this, make a larger than normal turning
radius during the turn.
cCrosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect vehicle/trailer handling,
possibly causing vehicle sway. When
being passed by larger vehicles, be pre-
pared for possible changes in crosswinds
that could affect vehicle handling. If
swaying does occur, firmly grip the steer-
ing wheel, steer straight ahead, and im-
mediately (but gradually) reduce vehicle
speed. This combination will help stabi-
lize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the
trailer must also pass the other vehicle
before you can safely change lanes.cTo maintain engine braking efficiency
and electrical charging performance, do
not use fifth gear (manual transmission)
or overdrive (automatic transmission).
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in re-
duced braking efficiency.
When towing a trailer, change the trans-
mission fluid more frequently. For addi-
tional information see the ``Mainte-
nance'' section earlier in this manual.
Technical and consumer information
10-17
ZX