2003 NISSAN SENTRA ignition

RADIO
Turn the ignition key to the ACC or ON position
and press the power on switch to turn the radio
on. If you listen to the radio with the engine not
running, the key should be turned to the ACC
position.
Radio reception is affected by station signal
strength, distance from radio transmitter, build-
ings, bridges, mountains and other external influ-
ences. Intermittent changes in reception quality
normally are caused by these external influences.
Using a cellular phone in or near the ve-
hicle may influence radio reception quality.
Radio reception
Your NISSAN radio system is equipped with
state-of-the-art electronic circuits to enhance ra-
dio reception. These circuits are designed to
extend reception range, and to enhance the qual-
ity of that reception.
However there are some general characteristics
of both FM and AM radio signals that can affect
radio reception quality in a moving vehicle, even
when the finest equipment is used. These char-
acteristics are completely normal in a given re-
ception area, and do not indicate any malfunction
in your NISSAN radio system.Reception conditions will constantly change be-
cause of vehicle movement. Buildings, terrain,
signal distance and interference from other ve-
hicles can work against ideal reception. De-
scribed below are some of the factors that can
affect your radio reception.
FM RADIO RECEPTION
Range: FM range is normally limited to 25 - 30
miles (40 - 48 km) , with monaural (single chan-
nel) FM having slightly more range than stereo
FM. External influences may sometimes interfere
with FM station reception even if the FM station is
within 25 miles (40 km) . The strength of the FM
signal is directly related to the distance between
the transmitter and receiver. FM signals follow a
line-of-sight path, exhibiting many of the same
characteristics as light. For example they will
reflect off objects.
Fade and drift: As your vehicle moves away from
a station transmitter, the signals will tend to fade
and/or drift.
Static and flutter: During signal interference from
buildings, large hills or due to antenna position
(usually in conjunction with increased distance
from the station transmitter) static or flutter can
be heard. This can be reduced by adjusting the
treble control to reduce treble response.Multipath reception: Because of the reflective
characteristics of FM signals, direct and reflected
signals reach the receiver at the same time. The
signals may cancel each other, resulting in mo-
mentary flutter or loss of sound.
AM RADIO RECEPTION
AM signals, because of their low frequency, can
bend around objects and skip along the ground.
In addition, the signals can be bounced off the
ionosphere and bent back to earth. Because of
these characteristics, AM signals are also sub-
ject to interference as they travel from transmitter
to receiver.
Fading: Occurs while the vehicle is passing
through freeway underpasses or in areas with
many tall buildings. It can also occur for several
seconds during ionospheric turbulence even in
areas where no obstacles exist.
Static: Caused by thunderstorms, electrical
power lines, electric signs and even traffic lights.
AUDIO SYSTEM
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1. CD button
2. ON·OFF/Volume control knob
3. CD insert slot
4. Audio button
5. CD eject button6. Radio manual tuning button/clock set
buttons
7. FF button
8. REW button
9. FF APS button
10. RPT button11. REW APS button
12. Seek/Scan button
13. Clock button
14. Band select button
FM-AM RADIO WITH COMPACT
DISC (CD) PLAYER (if so equipped)
ON·OFF/VOL control knob
Turn the ignition key to the ACC or ON position,
then push the ON·OFF/VOL control knob. If you
listen to the radio with the engine not running,
turn the key to the ACC position. The mode (radio
or CD) that was playing immediately before the
system was turned off resumes playing.
When no CD is loaded, the radio comes on.
Pushing the ON·OFF/VOL control knob again
turns the system off.
Turn the ON·OFF/VOL control knob to the right
to increase volume or to the left to decrease
volume
WHA0202
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1. Push to select AM, FM1, or FM2. The se-
lected band illuminates in the display.
2. Tune to the desired station.
3. Push the desired station select button for
more than 1.5 seconds. For example, in the
illustrations, ch2 is to be memorized. The
radio mutes when the select button is
pushed.
4. When the indicator illuminates in the display
and the sound resumes, memorizing is com-
plete.
5. Other station select buttons can be set in
the same manner.
If the battery cable is disconnected, or if the radio
fuse opens, the radio memory is canceled. In that
case, reset the desired stations.
Compact disc (CD) player operation
Turn the ignition key to the ACC or ON position,
and carefully insert the compact disc into the slot
with the label side up. The compact disc is auto-
matically pulled into the slot and starts to play.
If the radio is already operating, it automatically
turns off and the compact disc begins to play.
CAUTION
Do not force a compact disc into the CD
insert slot. This could damage the CD
and/or CD changer/player.
CD button
When the CD button is pushed with a compact
disc loaded and the radio playing, the radio turns
off and the compact disc starts to play.
When this button is pushed while the compact
disc is playing, the compact disc stops playing.
FF (Fast Forward) , REW
(Rewind) buttons
When the
orbutton is pushed while
the compact disc is playing, the compact disc
plays at an increased speed while fast forwarding
or rewinding. When the button is released, the
compact disc returns to normal play speed.
APS (Automatic Program
Search) FF, APS REW
When the
button is pushed while the com-
pact disc is playing, the selection following the
present one starts to play from the beginning.
Push the
button several times to skip sev-
eral selections. Each time the button is pushed,the CD advances one selection. (When the last
selection on the compact disc is skipped, the first
selection is played.)
When the
button is pushed, the selection
being played returns to the beginning. Push
the
button several times to skip back sev-
eral selections. Each time the button is pushed,
the CD moves back one selection.
Repeat/Random button
When the
button is pushed while the
compact disc is playing, the play pattern changes
as follows:
1:The current selection is repeated.
RANDOM:Selections are played at random, not
following the sequence on the compact disc. The
same program may be repeated twice.
Normal(no symbol): All selections are played in
sequence.
When a new compact disc is inserted, the
play pattern automatically changes to the
“Normal” play pattern.
Heater, air conditioner and audio systems4-15
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COMPACT DISC (CD) CHANGER (if
so equipped)
To use the CD changer, turn the ignition key to
the ACC or ON position.
Disc loading — single
CAUTION
Trying to load a CD with the CD door
closed could damage the CD and/or CD
changer.
When a disc selection button is pressed for less
than 1.5 seconds, the CD changer enters the
One Disc Loading Mode. The disc selection but-
ton starts flashing green and both WAIT and the
disc selection button number flash in the display
until the door is opened. When the door has
opened, the display changes from WAIT to LOAD
and the load indicator lights flash green. Load
only one CD at a time. After the CD is loaded, the
door closes, the load indicator lights turn off and
the disc selection button turns a solid green. The
CD that was loaded starts to play automatically.
Disc loading — all
When a disc selection button is pressed for
longer than 1.5 seconds, the CD changer auto-
matically changes to All Disc Loading Mode. All
disc selection buttons start flashing orange, ex-cept the disc selection button that was pushed
initially. This button flashes green and both WAIT
and the disc selection button number flash in the
display until the door is opened. When the door
opens, the display changes from WAIT to LOAD
and the load indicator lights flash green. Load
only one CD at a time. After the CD is loaded, the
door closes, the load indicator lights turn off and
the disc selection button turns a solid green.
After all the CDs have been loaded, the CD that
was loaded first starts to play.
Play/Stop button
Press the
button while a CD is playing, the
CD stops playing and the CD changer turns off.
Press the
button while the CD changer is
off, the last CD that was loaded starts to play.
Press the
button with no CDs loaded, the
CD changer enters the One Disc Loading Mode.
FF (fast forward) REV (re-
verse) buttons
When the
orbutton is pushed while
the CD is playing, the CD plays at an increased
speed while fast forwarding or reversing. When
the button is released, the CD returns to normal
play speed.
APS (Automatic Program
Search) , FF, APS REV
When the
button is pushed while the CD
is playing, the selection following the current one
starts to play from the beginning. Push the
button several times to skip several selections.
Each time the button is pushed, the CD advances
one selection. When the last selection on the CD
is skipped, the first selection is played.
When the
button is pushed, the current
selection returns to the beginning. Push
the
button several times to skip back sev-
eral selections. Each time the button is pushed,
the CD moves back one selection. Went the first
selection on the CD is skipped, the last selection
is played.
Repeat Button
When the
button is pushed while a CD is
playing, the play pattern will change as follows.
ALL — All disc repeat:All CDs are played
repeatedly in sequence.
BLANK (no symbol) — One disc repeat:The
current CD is repeated.
1 — One track repeat:The current selection is
repeated.
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5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide)..................5-2
Three-way catalyst..............................5-2
Avoiding collision and rollover....................5-3
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving................5-3
Ignition switch.....................................5-4
Automatic transmission..........................5-4
Manual transmission............................5-5
Key positions..................................5-5
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System (NVIS)
(if so equipped)................................5-5
Before starting the engine..........................5-6
Starting the engine................................5-6
Driving the vehicle.................................5-7
Automatic transmission (if so equipped)...........5-7
Manual transmission...........................5-10
Parking brake....................................5-13
Cruise control (if so equipped).....................5-13
Precautions on cruise control...................5-13Cruise control operations.......................5-14
Break-in schedule................................5-15
Increasing fuel economy...........................5-15
Parking/parking on hills............................5-16
Power steering...................................5-17
Brake system....................................5-18
Brake precautions.............................5-18
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
(if so equipped)...............................5-18
Cold weather driving..............................5-20
Freeing a frozen door lock......................5-20
Anti-freeze....................................5-20
Battery.......................................5-20
Draining of coolant water.......................5-20
Tire equipment................................5-20
Special winter equipment.......................5-21
Driving on snow or ice.........................5-21
Engine block heater (if so equipped).............5-21
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CAUTION
cDo not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline will seriously re-
duce the three-way catalyst’s ability to
help reduce exhaust pollutants.
cKeep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich
fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep driv-
ing if the engine misfires, or if notice-
able loss of performance or other un-
usual operating conditions are
detected. Have the vehicle inspected
promptly by a NISSAN dealer.
cAvoid driving with an extremely low fuel
level. Running out of fuel could cause
the engine to misfire, damaging the
three-way catalyst.
cDo not race the engine while warming it
up.
cDo not push or tow your vehicle to start
the engine.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
WARNING
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 steering ma-
neuvers, because these driving practices could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle.As with
any vehicle, loss of control could result in a
collision with other vehicles or objects, or
cause the vehicle to roll over, 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 pre-
scription or over-the-counter drugs which may
cause drowsiness) . Always wear your seat belt
as outlined in the “Seats, restraints and supple-
mental air bag systems” section of this manual,
and also instruct your passengers to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in colli-
sions and rollovers.In a rollover crash, an
unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alcohol
or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream re-
duces coordination, delays reaction time
and impairs judgement. Driving after
drinking alcohol increases the likelihood
of being involved in an accident injuring
yourself and others. Additionally, if you
are injured in an accident, alcohol can
increase the severity of the injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. However,
you must choose not to drive under the influence
of alcohol. Every year thousands of people are
injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents. Al-
though the local laws vary on what is considered
to be legally intoxicated, the fact is that alcohol
affects all people differently and most people
underestimate the effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix! And
that is true for drugs, too (over-the-counter, pre-
scription, and illegal drugs) . Don’t drive if your
ability to operate your vehicle is impaired by alco-
hol, drugs, or some other physical condition.
Starting and driving5-3
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
On automatic transmission models, the ignition
lock is designed so the key cannot be turned to
LOCK position and removed until the shift selec-
tor lever is moved to the P (Park) position.
When removing the key from the ignition, make
sure the shift selector lever is in the P (Park)
position.
If the key cannot be turned to the LOCK position,
proceed as follows to remove the key.
1. Move the shift selector lever into the P (Park)
position.2. Turn the ignition key slightly toward the ON
position.
3. Turn the key to the LOCK position.
4. Remove the key.
The shift selector lever is designed so it cannot
moved out of P (Park) and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition key is turned to OFF
position or if the key is removed from the switch.
The shift selector lever can be moved if the
ignition switch is in the ACC position. This
allows the vehicle to be moved if the bat-
tery is discharged. The shift selector lever
can also be moved if the ignition switch is
in the ON position and the foot brake pedal
is depressed.
There is an OFF position between the
LOCK and ACC positions. The OFF position
is indicated by a “1” on the key cylinder.
When the ignition is in the OFF position,
the steering wheel is not locked.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a turn clockwise
from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, turn the key to
the LOCK position. Remove the key. To
unlock the steering wheel, insert the keyand turn it gently while rotating the steer-
ing wheel slightly right and left.
WARNING
Never remove or turn the key to the LOCK
position while driving. The steering wheel
will lock. This may cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle and could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal injury.
WSD0041
IGNITION SWITCH
5-4Starting and driving
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION
The ignition switch includes an anti-theft steering
lock device.
The key can only be removed when the ignition
switch is in the LOCK position.
On manual transmission models, to turn the igni-
tion key to LOCK position from ACC or ON
position, turn the key to OFF, push the key in, then
turn the key to LOCK.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a turn clockwise
from the straight up position.To lock the steering wheel, turn the key to
the LOCK position. Remove the key. To
unlock the steering wheel, insert the key
and turn it gently while rotating the steer-
ing wheel slightly right and left.
WARNING
Never remove or turn the key to the LOCK
position while driving. The steering wheel
will lock. This may cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle and could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal injury.
KEY POSITIONS
LOCK: Normal parking position (0)
OFF: (Manual transmission model) (1)
The engine can be turned off without locking the
steering wheel.
ACC: (Accessories) (2)
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio when the engine is not running.
ON: Normal operating position (3)
This position turns on the ignition system and the
electrical accessories.
START: (4)This position starts the engine. As soon as the
engine has started, release the key. It automati-
cally returns to the ON position.
NISSAN VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM (NVIS) (if so equipped)
The NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System (NVIS)
will not allow the engine to start without the use of
the registered NVIS key.
If the engine fails to start using the registered
NVIS key, it may be due to interference caused by
another NVIS key, an automated toll road device
or automated payment device on the key ring.
Restart the engine using the following proce-
dures:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position
for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK
position and wait approximately 5 seconds.
3. Repeat step 1 and 2 again.
4. Restart the engine while holding the device
(which may have caused the interference)
separate from the registered NVIS key.
If this procedure allows the engine to start,
NISSAN recommends placing the registered
NVIS key on a separate key ring to avoid interfer-
ence from other devices.
WSD0042
Starting and driving5-5
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