2000 NISSAN ALTIMA warning

CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below:
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off of the road
and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the
parking brake. Shift the manual transmis-
sion into R (Reverse), or the automatic
transmission into P (Park).
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic, and
to signal professional road assistance
personnel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the ve-
hicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
cMake sure the parking brake is se-
curely applied and the manual trans-
mission is shifted into R (Reverse),
or the automatic transmission into P
(Park).
cNever change tires when the vehicle
is on a slope, ice or slippery areas.
This is hazardous.
cNever change tires if oncoming traf-
fic is close to your vehicle. Wait for
professional road assistance.
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocks at both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the
flat tire to prevent the vehicle from rolling
when it is jacked up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the ve-
hicle may move and result in personal
injury.
MCE0001
FLAT TIRE
6-2In case of emergency
ZX

Bolt-on wheel covers:
Wheel cover attachment to the wheel is
made by plastic nuts that are integral to the
wheel covers. These plastic nuts screw to
the outside of the bolt-on specific wheel
nuts. The plastic nuts need to be removed
before the wheel cover can be removed
from the wheel.Bolt-on wheel cover nut tightening
torque:
36-70 in-lb
(4-8 Nzm)Jacking up vehicle and removing
the damaged tire
WARNING
cNever get under the vehicle while it
is supported only by the jack.
cUse only the jack provided with your
vehicle. Do not use the jack provided
with your vehicle on other vehicles.
The jack is designed for lifting only
your vehicle during a tire change.
WCE0003CE1089
In case of emergency6-5
ZX

Installing the spare tire
The spare tire is designed for emergency
use. See specific instructions under the
heading ``Wheels and tires'' in the ``Do-
it-yourself'' section.
1. Clean any mud or dirt from the surface
between the wheel and hub.
2. Carefully put the spare tire on and install
the wheel nuts finger-tight.
3. With the wheel nut wrench, tighten wheel
nuts alternately and evenly until they are
tight.4. Lower the vehicle slowly until the tire
touches the ground. Then, with the wheel
nut wrench, tighten the wheel nuts se-
curely in the sequence as illustrated.
Lower the vehicle completely.
WARNING
cIncorrect wheel nuts or improperly
tightened wheel nuts can cause the
wheel to become loose or come off.
This could cause an accident.
cDo not use oil or grease on the wheel
studs or nuts. This could cause the
nuts to become loose.
cRetighten the wheel nuts when the
vehicle has been driven for 600 miles
(1,000 km) (also in cases of a flat tire,
etc.).
As soon as possible, tighten the wheel
nuts to the specified torque with a torque
wrench.
Wheel nut tightening torque:
72 to 86 ft-lb
(98 to 117 Nzm)Adjust tire pressure to the COLD pres-
sure.
COLD pressure: After vehicle has been
parked for three hours or more or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km).COLD tire pressures are shown on the tire
placard affixed to the driver's door, center
pillar.
5. With the spare tire installed on the ve-
hicle, place the damaged tire in the spare
tire storage area. Put the jack rod and
wheel nut wrench in the tool bag and
place the tool bag in the spare tire stor-
age area.
6. Place the spare tire cover and the trunk
floor carpeting over the damaged tire.
WCE0004
In case of emergency6-7
ZX

7. Install the jack in its storage area and
tighten the jack screw clockwise.
8. Close the jack access door. Close the
trunk.
WARNING
cAlways make sure that the spare tire
and jacking equipment are properly
secured after use. Such items can
become dangerous projectiles in an
accident or sudden stop.cThe spare tire is designed for emer-
gency use. See specific instructions
under the heading ``Wheels and
tires'' in the ``Do-it-yourself'' section
of this manual.To start your engine with a booster battery,
the instructions and precautions below must
be followed.
WARNING
cIf done incorrectly, jump starting can
lead to a battery explosion, resulting
in severe injury or death. It could
also damage your vehicle.
cExplosive hydrogen gas is always
present in the vicinity of the battery.
Keep all sparks and flames away
from the battery.
cDo not allow battery fluid to come
into contact with eyes, skin, clothing
or painted surfaces. Battery fluid is a
corrosive sulfuric acid solution
which can cause severe burns. If the
fluid should come into contact with
anything, immediately flush the con-
tacted area with water.
cKeep the battery out of the reach of
children.
cThe booster battery must be rated at
12 volts. Use of an improper rated
battery can damage your vehicle.
CE1082
JUMP STARTING
6-8In case of emergency
ZX

bolt, engine lift bracket, etc.) Ð not
to the battery.
c
Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
and let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster
vehicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start the
engine of the vehicle being jump started.
CAUTION
Do not keep starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine
does not start right away, turn the key
off and wait 3 to 4 seconds before
trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully dis-
connect the negative cable and then the
positive 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 con-
taminated with corrosive acid.
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.
The three way catalyst may be dam-
aged.
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 reading),
or if you feel a lack of engine power, detect
abnormal noise, etc., take the following 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 maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE
OVERHEATS
6-10In case of emergency
ZX

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.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or
the engine cooling fan. The engine
cooling 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 res-
ervoir tank if necessary. Have your ve-
hicle repaired at an authorized NISSAN
dealer.When towing your vehicle, U.S. States,
Canadian Provinces and local regulations
for towing must be followed. Incorrect tow-
ing equipment could damage your vehicle.
Towing instructions are available from an
authorized NISSAN dealer. Local service
operators will generally be familiar with the
applicable laws and procedures for towing.
To assure proper towing and to prevent
accidental damage to your vehicle, NISSAN
recommends that you have a service opera-
tor tow your vehicle. It is advisable to have
the service operator carefully read the fol-
lowing precautions:
WARNING
cNever ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
cNever get under your vehicle after it
has been lifted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
cWhen towing, make sure that the
transmission, axles, steering system
and powertrain are in working con-
dition. If any unit is damaged, dollies
must be used.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
In case of emergency6-11
ZX

cNever tow an automatic transmis-
sion model with all four wheels on
the ground. This may cause serious
and expensive damage to the trans-
mission.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (Freeing a
stuck vehicle)
cTow chains or cables must be attached
only to the main structual members of the
vehicle.
cPulling devices should be routed so they
do not touch any part of the suspension,
steering, brake or cooling systems.
cAlways pull the cable straight out from
the front or rear of the vehicle. Never pull
on the vehicle at an angle.
cPulling devices such as ropes or canvas
straps are not recommended for use in
vehicle towing or recovery.
cStand clear of a stuck vehicle.
WARNING
Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode and
result in serious injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged.
In case of emergency
6-13
ZX

FLOOR MATS
The use of Genuine NISSAN floor mats can
extend the life of your vehicle carpet and
make it easier to clean the interior.No mat-
ter what mats are used, be sure they are
fitted for your vehicle and are properly
positioned in the footwell to prevent inter-
ference with pedal operation.Mats should
be maintained with regular cleaning and re-
placed if they become excessively worn.
Floor mat positioning aid
(Driver's side only)
This vehicle includes a front floor mat
bracket to act as a floor mat positioning aid.
NISSAN floor mats have been specially
designed for your vehicle model. The driv-
er's side floor mat has a grommet hole
incorporated in it. Position the mat by plac-
ing the floor mat bracket hook through the
floor mat grommet hole while centering the
mat in the footwell.
Periodically check to make certain the mats
are properly positioned.
SEAT BELTS
The seat belts can be cleaned by wiping
them with a sponge dampened in a mild
soap solution. Allow the belts to dry com-
pletely before using them.
WARNING
Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in
the retractor. NEVER use bleach, dye,
or chemical solvents to clean the seat
belts, since these may severely weaken
the seat belt webbing.
AAI1002
Appearance and care7-5
ZX