2003 NISSAN ALTIMA height

Seat lifter (if so equipped for driver’s
seat)
Turn either dial to adjust the angle and height of
the seat cushion to the desired position.
FRONT POWER SEAT
ADJUSTMENT (if so equipped for
Driver’s seat)
WARNING
cDo not adjust the driver’s seat while
driving so full attention may be given to
vehicle operation. The seat may move
suddenly and could cause loss of con-
trol of the vehicle.cDo not leave children unattended inside
the vehicle. They could unknowingly ac-
tivate switches or controls and become
trapped in a window. Unattended chil-
dren could become involved in serious
accidents.Operating tips
cThe motor has an auto-reset overload protec-
tion circuit. If the motor stops during operation,
wait 30 seconds, then reactivate the switch.
cDo not operate the power seat switch for a
long period of time when the engine is off.
This will discharge the battery.
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1-4Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
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Forward and backward
Moving the switch forward or backward will slide
the seat forward or backward to the desired
position.
Reclining
Move the recline switch backward until the de-
sired angle is obtained. To bring the seatback
forward again, move the switch forward and
move your body forward. The seatback will move
forward.
The reclining feature allows adjustment of the
seatback for occupants of different sizes to help
obtain proper seat belt fit (see “Precautions on
seat belt usage” later in this section) . Also, the
seatback can be reclined to allow occupants to
sleep when the vehicle is stopped.
Seat lifter (if so equipped for driver’s
seat)
Push the front or rear end of the switch up or
down to adjust the angle and height of the seat
cushion.
Lumbar support (if so equipped for
driver’s seat)
The lumbar support feature provides lower back
support to the driver. Move the lever up or down
to adjust the seat lumbar area.
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Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-5
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cGrasp the shoulder belt and pull forward
quickly. The retractor should lock and re-
strict further belt movement.
If the retractor does not lock during this check or
if you have any questions about seat belt opera-
tion, see a NISSAN dealer.
Center of rear seat
Selecting correct set of seat belts:
The center seat belt buckle is identified by the
CENTER mark. The center seat belt tongue can
be fastenedonlyinto the center seat belt buckle.
Shoulder belt height adjustment (For
front seats)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be ad-
justed to the position best for you. (See “Precau-
tions on seat belt usage” earlier in this section.)
The belt should be away from your face and neck,
but not falling off your shoulder. Release the
adjustment button to lock the shoulder belt an-
chor into position.
To adjust the shoulder belt anchor height:
s1Push in the adjustment button.
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1-28Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems
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s2Move the shoulder belt anchor to the desired
position so the belt passes over the center of
the shoulder.
WARNING
cAfter adjustment, release the adjust-
ment button and try to move the shoul-
der belt anchor up and down to make
sure it is securely fixed in position.
cThe shoulder belt anchor height should
be adjusted to the position best for you.
Failure to do so may reduce the effec-
tiveness of the entire restraint system
and increase the chance or severity of
injury in an accident.
SEAT BELT EXTENDERS
If, because of body size or driving position, it is
not possible to properly fit the lap-shoulder belt
and fasten it, an extender is available which is
compatible with the installed seat belts. The ex-
tender adds approximately 8 inches (200 mm) of
length and may be used for either the driver or
front passenger seating position. See a NISSAN
dealer for assistance if an extender is required.
WARNING
cOnly NISSAN seat belt extenders, made
by the same company which made the
original equipment seat belts, should
be used with NISSAN seat belts.
cAdults and children who can use the
standard seat belt should not use an
extender. Such unnecessary use could
result in serious personal injury in the
event of an accident.
cNever use seat belt extenders to install
child restraints. If the child restraint is
not secured properly, the child could be
seriously injured in a collision or a sud-
den stop.
SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
cTo clean the seat belt webbing,apply a
mild soap solution or any solution recom-
mended for cleaning upholstery or carpet.
Then wipe with a cloth and allow the seat
belts to dry in the shade. Do not allow the
seat belts to retract until they are completely
dry.
cIf dirt builds up in the shoulder belt
guideof the seat belt anchors, the seat
belts may retract slowly. Wipe the shoulder
belt guide with a clean, dry cloth.cPeriodically check to see that the seat
belt and the metal components,such as
buckles, tongues, retractors, flexible wires
and anchors, work properly. If loose parts,
deterioration, cuts or other damage on the
webbing is found, the entire seat belt as-
sembly should be replaced.
Seats, restraints and supplemental air bag systems1-29
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Self-adjusting brakes
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The front and rear disc-type brakes self-adjust
every time the brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
See a 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 re-
placement, a high pitched scraping or screech-
ing sound will be heard when the vehicle is in
motion. The noise will be heard whether or not the
brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wear indicator
sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions, occa-
sional brake squeak, squeal or other noise may
be heard. Occasional brake noise during light to
moderate stops is normal and does not affect the
function or performance of the brake system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.For more information regarding
brake inspections, see the appropriate mainte-nance schedule information in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
BRAKE BOOSTER
Check the brake booster function as follows:
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 de-
pressing the brake pedal, then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times. The
pedal travel distance will decrease gradually
with each depression as the vacuum is re-
leased from the booster.
If the brakes do not operate properly, have the
brakes checked by a NISSAN dealer.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
CAUTION
Never use a fuse of a higher amperage
rating than specified on the fuse box
cover. This could damage the electrical
system or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not come on,
check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch and the headlight
switch are OFF.
2. Open the engine hood.
WDI0230
FUSES
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-27
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WARNING
cThe use of tires other than those recom-
mended or the mixed use of tires of
different brands, construction (bias,
bias-belted or 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 ef-
fects 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 premature tire wear, degrade ve-
hicle 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 and tires” in the “Techni-
cal and consumer information” section
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 structural
damage and could fail without warning.
cThe use of retread tires is not
recommended.
cFor additional information regarding
tires, refer to Important Tire Safety In-
formation (US) or Tire Safety Informa-
tion (Canada) in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle handling
and tire life. Even with regular use, wheels can get
out of balance. Therefore, they should be bal-
anced as required.
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle.
Spin balancing the wheels on the vehicle
could lead to mechanical damage.
cFor additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety Infor-
mation” (Canada) in the Warranty In-
formation Booklet .
Care of wheels
cWash the wheels when washing the vehicle
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 TEM-
PORARY USE ONLY spare tire must be used.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged or
involved in an accident:
8-44Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheels
Steel 16 x 6.5JJ
Aluminum 17 x 7JJ
T type (Spare) 16 x 4T
Offset in (mm) 1.57 (40)
Tire size All 2.5 models 205/65R16
All 3.5 models 215/55R17
Spare tire T135/70D16
Spare tire T135/90D16
(1)
Speed rating 2.5L T
3.5L A/T H
3.5L M/T V
(1) if so equipped
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS
Overall length in (mm) 191.5(4,864)
Overall width in (mm) 70.4(1,788)
Overall height in (mm) 57.9(1,471)
Front tread in (mm) 61.0(1,549)
Rear tread in (mm) 61.2(1,554)
Wheelbase in (mm) 110.2(2,799)
Gross vehicle weight
ratinglb (kg)
See the “F.M.V.S.S.
certification label” on the
center pillar between the
driver’s side front and
rear doors. Gross axle weight rating
Front lb (kg)
Rear lb (kg)
9-8Technical and consumer information
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O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating).....9-4
Odometer.....................2-3
Oil
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine oil............8-11
Changing engine oil filter..........8-13
Checking engine oil level..........8-10
Engine oil..................8-10
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Outside mirror control.............3-17
Overheat
If your vehicle overheats...........6-9
Owner’s manual order form..........9-20
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information....................9-20
P
Parking
Parking brake check............8-26
Parking brake operation..........5-12
Parking/parking on hills...........5-16
Power
Power door locks...............3-4
Power outlet.................2-26
Power steering fluid.............8-15
Power steering system...........5-17
Power windows...............2-33
Rear power windows............2-34
PrecautionsMaintenance precautions..........8-5
Precautions on child restraints.......1-30
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-22
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system.....................1-8
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Push starting...................6-8
R
Radio
Car phone or CB radio...........4-28
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
changer...................4-20
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-15
Readiness for inspection maintenance (I/M)
test........................9-19
Rear power windows..............2-34
Rear seat.....................1-6
Rear window defogger switch.........2-17
Refrigerant recommendation..........9-6
Registering your vehicle in another country. . .9-9
Remote keyless entry system..........3-5
Reporting safety defects (US only)......9-18
S
Safety
Child safety rear door lock..........3-5
Child seat belts...............1-30
Reporting safety defects (US only). . . .9-18
Seat adjustment
Front manual seat adjustment........1-2Front power seat adjustment........1-4
Rear seat adjustment.............1-6
Seat belt
Child safety.................1-24
Infants and small children.........1-25
Injured Person................1-25
Larger children...............1-25
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-22
Pregnant women..............1-25
Seat belt extenders.............1-29
Seat belt maintenance...........1-29
Seat belts..................1-22
Shoulder belt height adjustment......1-28
Three-point type with retractor.......1-26
Seat belt warning light.............2-10
Seatback pockets................2-27
Seatback side pockets.............2-27
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Front seats..................1-2
Heated seats................2-25
Manual front seat adjustment........1-2
Rear seat...................1-6
Security system (Nissan vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start.........2-12, 3-2, 5-5
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-27
Service manual order form...........9-20
Servicing air conditioner............4-12
Shift lock release.................5-9
Shifting
Automatic transmission...........5-8
Manual transmission............5-10
Shoulder belt height adjustment........1-28
Spark plug replacement............8-21
Speedometer...................2-3
Spotlights (See map light)...........2-37
10-4
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