2000 NISSAN ALTIMA warning light

CHANGING ENGINE OIL FILTER
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the engine off.
3. Place a large drain pan under the oil
filter.
4. Loosen the oil filter with an oil filter
wrench. Then, remove the oil filter by
turning it by hand.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The
engine oil may be hot.
5. Wipe the engine oil filter mounting sur-
face with a clean rag.
Be sure to remove any old gasket mate-
rial remaining on the mounting surface of
the engine.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with
clean engine oil.
7. Screw on the oil filter until a slight resis-
tance is felt, then tighten an additional
2/3 turn.
8. Start the engine and check for leakage
around the oil filter. Correct as required.
9. Turn the engine off and wait several
minutes. Check the oil level. Add engine
oil if necessary.
WARNING
cWhen the engine is running, keep
hands, jewelry and clothing away
from any moving parts such as the
cooling fan and drive belts.
cAutomatic transmission fluid is poi-
sonous and should be stored care-
fully in marked containers out of the
reach of children.
DI1303WDI0013
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FLUID
8-10Do-it-yourself
ZX

The fluid level should be checked using the
HOT MAX range on the power steering fluid
reservoir at fluid temperatures of 122É to
176ÉF (50É to 80ÉC) or using the COLD
MAX range on the power steering fluid
reservoir at fluid temperatures of 32É to
86ÉF (0 to 30ÉC).
CAUTION
cDO NOT OVERFILL.
cRecommended fluid is Genuine NIS-
SAN PSF II or equivalent.
Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir. If
the fluid level is below the MIN line or the
brake warning light comes on, addDOT 3
fluid up to the MAX line. If fluid must be
added frequently, the system should be thor-
oughly checked by an authorized NISSAN
dealer.CLUTCH FLUID
Check the clutch fluid level in the reservoir
(manual transmission only). If the fluid level
is below the MIN line, addDOT 3fluid up to
the MAX line. If fluid must be added fre-
quently, the system should be thoroughly
checked by an authorized NISSAN dealer.
For further brake and clutch fluid specifica-
tion information, refer to ``Capacities and
recommended fuel/lubricants'' in the ``Tech-
nical and consumer information'' section of
this manual.
ADI1117DI1307DI1348
POWER STEERING FLUID BRAKE FLUID
8-12Do-it-yourself
ZX

WARNING
Use only new fluid from a sealed con-
tainer. Old, inferior, or contaminated
fluid may damage the brake and clutch
systems. The use of improper fluids
can damage the brake system and af-
fect the vehicle's stopping ability.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on painted sur-
faces. This will damage the paint. If
fluid is spilled, immediately wash the
surface with water.
To fill the window washer fluid reservoir, lift
the cap off the reservoir tank and pour the
window washer fluid into the tank opening.
Add a washer solvent to the water for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a wind-
shield washer antifreeze. Follow the manu-
facturer's instructions for the mixture ratio.
WINDOW WASHER FLUID RES-
ERVOIR
For USA
Fill the window washer fluid reservoir peri-
odically. Perform the refilling operation
more often under driving conditions that
require an increased amount of window
washer fluid.
For Canada
Add window washer fluid when thelight comes on.
CAUTION
Do not substitute engine anti-freeze
coolant for windshield washer solution.
This may result in damage to the paint.
DI1308
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
Do-it-yourself8-13
ZX

Self-adjusting brakes
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The front (and rear, if equipped) disc-type
brakes self-adjust every time the brake
pedal is applied. The rear drum-type brakes
also self-adjust every time the brake pedal
is applied.
If the brake pedal goes down farther than
normal, it may be due to a lack of adjust-
ment of the rear drum brakes. To adjust,
apply the parking brake several times.
WARNING
See an authorized NISSAN dealer for a
brake system check if the brake pedal
height does not return to normal.
Brake pad wear indicators
The disc brake pads on your vehicle have
audible wear indicators. When a brake pad
requires replacement, it makes a high
pitched scraping or screeching sound when
the vehicle is in motion whether or not the
brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wearindicator sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is nor-
mal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.
The rear drum brakes (if so equipped) do
not have audible wear indicators. Should
you ever hear an unusually loud noise from
the rear drum brakes, have them inspected
as soon as possible by an authorized
NISSAN dealer.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.For more information regard-
ing brake inspections, see the appropriate
maintenance schedule information in the
``Maintenance'' section of this manual.
BRAKE BOOSTER
Check the brake booster function as fol-
lows:
1. With the engine off, press and release
the brake pedal several times. When
brake pedal movement (distance of
travel) remains the same from one pedal
application to the next, continue on to the
next step.
2. While depressing the brake pedal, start
the engine. The pedal height should drop
a little.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the
engine. Keep the pedal depressed for
about 30 seconds. The pedal height
should not change.
4. Run the engine for one minute without
depressing the brake pedal, then turn it
off. Depress the brake pedal several
times. The pedal travel distance will de-
crease gradually with each depression
as the vacuum is released from the
booster.
If the brakes do not operate properly, see an
authorized NISSAN dealer.
8-20Do-it-yourself
ZX

cImproper service of the spare tire
may result in serious personal in-
jury. If it is necessary to repair the
spare tire, contact an authorized
NISSAN dealer.
Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size,
tread design, speed rating and load carrying
capacity as originally equipped. Recom-
mended types and sizes are shown in
``wheels/tire size'' in the ``Technical and con-
sumer information'' section of this manual.
WARNING
c
The use of tires other than those rec-
ommended, or the mixed use of tires
of different brands, construction (bias,
bias-belted, radial), or tread patterns
can adversely affect the ride, braking,
handling, ground clearance, body-to-
tire clearance, tire chain clearance,
speedometer calibration, headlight
aim and bumper height. Some of these
effects may lead to accidents and
could result in serious personal injury.cIf the wheels are changed for any rea-
son, always replace with wheels which
have the same off-set dimension.
Wheels of a different off-set could
cause pre-mature tire wear, degrade
vehicle handling characteristics
and/or interference with the brake
discs/drums. Such interference can
lead to decreased braking efficiency
and/or early brake pad/shoe wear. Re-
fer to ``Wheel/tire size'' in the ``Techni-
cal and consumer information'' sec-
tion of this manual for wheel off-set
dimensions.
cDo not install a deformed wheel or
tire even if it has been repaired. Such
wheels or tires could have unknown
structural damage and could fail
without warning.
cThe use of retread tires is not recom-
mended.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle han-
dling and tire life. Even with regular use,
wheels can get out of balance. Therefore,
they should be balanced as required.
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle. Spin
balancing the front wheels on the vehicle
could lead to transmission damage.
Care of wheels
cWash the wheels when washing the ve-
hicle to maintain their appearance.
cClean the inner side of the wheels when
the wheel is changed or the underside of
the vehicle is washed.
cDo not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
cInspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause loss
of pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
cNISSAN recommends waxing the road
wheels to protect against road salt in
areas where it is used during winter.
Spare tire (TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire)
Observe the following precautions if the
TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire must
be used, otherwise your vehicle could be
damaged or involved in an accident:
Do-it-yourself
8-37
ZX

Tires* ÐCheck the pressure with a gauge
periodically when at a service station, in-
cluding the spare, and adjust to the speci-
fied pressure if necessary. Check carefully
for damage, cuts or excessive wear.
Wheel nuts* ÐWhen checking the tires,
make sure no wheel nuts are missing, and
check for any loose wheel nuts. Tighten if
necessary.
Tire rotation* ÐTires should be rotated
every 7,500 miles (12,000 km).
Wheel alignment and balance ÐIf the
vehicle should pull to either side while driv-
ing on a straight and level road, or if you
detect uneven or abnormal tire wear, there
may be a need for a wheel alignment.
If the steering wheel or seat vibrates at
normal highway speeds, wheel balancing
may be needed.Windshield wiper blades* ÐCheck for
cracks or wear if they do not wipe properly.
Doors and engine hood ÐCheck that all
doors and the hood operate properly. Also
ensure all latches lock securely. Lubricate
hinges, latches, rollers and links if neces-
sary. Make sure the secondary latch keeps
the hood from opening when the primary
latch is released.
When driving in areas using road salt or
other corrosive materials, check lubrication
frequently.
Lights* ÐMake sure the headlights, stop
lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, and other
lights are all operating properly and installed
securely. Also check headlight aim.
INTERIOR MAINTENANCE
The maintenance items listed here should
be checked on a regular basis, such as
when performing periodic maintenance,
cleaning the vehicle, etc.
Additional information on the following
items with an ``*'' is found in the ``Do-it-
yourself'' section of this manual.Warning lights and chimes ÐMake sure
all warning lights and buzzers/chimes are
operating properly.
Windshield wiper and washer* ÐCheck
that the wipers and washer operate properly
and that the wipers do not streak.
Windshield defroster ÐCheck that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly
and in sufficient quantity when operating the
heater or air conditioner.
Steering wheel ÐCheck for changes in
the steering conditions, such as excessive
freeplay, hard steering or strange noises.
Seats ÐCheck seat position controls such
as seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. to
ensure they operate smoothly and all
latches lock securely in every position.
Check that the head restraints move up and
down smoothly and the locks (if so
equipped) hold securely in all latched posi-
tions.
Seat belts ÐCheck that all parts of the seat
belt system (for example, buckles, anchors,
adjusters and retractors) operate properly
and smoothly, and are installed securely.
Check the belt webbing for cuts, fraying,
wear or damage.
Maintenance
9-3
ZX

Use the following steps to mount the license
plate:
1. Make a hole in each plastic finisher at the
location mark (small dimple) using a 0.31
in (8 mm) drill. To avoid damaging the
threads behind the finisher, apply only
light pressure to the drill.2.Mount the license plate bracket using two of
the four8 mm slotted hex head screws.
3. Use the remaining two8 mm slotted hex
head screwsto mount the license plate
to the license plate bracket.
WARNING
cIt is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area inside the vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these ar-
eas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed.
cDo not allow people to ride in any
area of the vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and seat belts.
c
Be sure everyone in the vehicle is in a
seat with their seat belt properly fas-
tened.
TERMS
It is important to familiarize yourself with the
following terms before loading your vehicle:
c
Curb Weight (actual weight of your ve-
hicle) - vehicle weight including: standard
and optional equipment, fluids, emergency
tools, and spare tire assembly. This weight
does notinclude passengers and cargo.
cGVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) - curb
weight plus the combined weight of pas-
sengers and cargo.
cGVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) -
WTI0002
INSTALLING FRONT LICENSE
PLATEVEHICLE LOADING
INFORMATION
Technical and consumer information10-13
ZX

11 Index
A
Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system) ........................................................ 1-9
Air bag warning light ................. 1-14, 1-19, 2-7
Air cleaner housing filter ............................ 8-16
Air conditioner
Air conditioner operation ........................ 4-5
Air conditioner service ............................ 4-9
Air conditioner specification label ....... 10-12
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
lubrication recommendations ................ 10-7
Heater and air conditioner controls ........ 4-3
Servicing air conditioner ......................... 4-9
Air flow charts .............................................. 4-6
Alarm system (See theft warning) ............. 2-10
Anchor point locations ............................... 1-35
Antenna...................................................... 4-23
Anti-lock brake system (ABS).................... 5-19
Anti-lock brake warning light ....................... 2-8
Armrests....................................................... 1-8
Ashtray (See cigarette lighter and
ashtray) ...................................................... 2-20
Audio system
FM-AM radio with cassette player and
compact disc (CD) player ..................... 4-17
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player .................................................... 4-10Automatic
Automatic power window switch .......... 2-27
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ...... 8-10
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 5-4
Transmission selector lever lock
release .................................................. 5-10
B
Battery........................................................ 8-14
Battery
Charge warning light .............................. 2-7
Battery replacement (See multi-remote
control system) ............................................ 3-8
Before starting the engine ........................... 5-6
Belts (See drive belts) ...................... 10-8, 8-15
Brake
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) .............. 5-19
Brake booster ....................................... 8-20
Brake fluid............................................. 8-12
Brake light (See stop light) ................... 8-33
Brake pedal .......................................... 8-19
Brake system ........................................ 5-18
Brake warning light ................................. 2-7
Brake wear indicators ................... 2-8, 8-20
Parking brake check ............................. 8-19
Parking brake operation ....................... 5-13
Self-adjusting brakes ............................ 8-20Break-in schedule ...................................... 5-15
Bulb check/instrument panel ....................... 2-6
Bulb replacement ....................................... 8-30
C
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants.................................................... 10-2
Car phone or CB radio .............................. 4-24
Cargo net ................................................... 2-25
Cargo (See vehicle loading
information) .............................................. 10-13
Check engine indicator light
(See malfunction indicator light) .................. 2-9
Child restraint with top tether strap ........... 1-35
Child restraints ................................. 1-23, 1-28
Child safety rear door lock .......................... 3-5
Cigarette lighter (accessory)
and ashtray ................................................ 2-20
Cleaning exterior and interior ...................... 7-2
Clock................................................. 4-12, 4-19
Clutch
Clutch fluid ............................................ 8-12
Clutch pedal.......................................... 8-21
Cold weather driving .................................. 5-20
Controls
Heater and air conditioner controls ........ 4-3
ZX