2006 NISSAN MAXIMA traction control

cWhen installing a spare tire, make sure
it is the proper size and type as speci-
fied on the tire placard. For tire placard
location information, refer to “Tire plac-
ard” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
cRefer to “Wheels and tires” in the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” sec-
tion of this manual.When accelerating on slippery surfaces the tire
may spin or slip. With the vehicle traction control
system (TCS) , sensors detect these movements
and control the braking and engine output to help
improve vehicle stability while accelerating.
cWhen the traction control system is operat-
ing, the slip indicator in the instrument panel
blinks.
cIf the slip indicator blinks, the vehicle is un-
der slippery conditions. Be sure to drive
carefully. See “Slip indicator light” and “Trac-
tion control system (TCS) off indicator light”
in the “Instruments and controls” section of
this manual.
cIf a malfunction occurs in the system,
the
andindicator lights
come on in the meter panel.
As long as these lights are on, the traction control
function is canceled. The vehicle will behave like
a vehicle without the system.
WARNING
cThe traction control system is designed
to help improve driving stability but
does not prevent accidents due to
abrupt steering operation at high
speeds or by careless or dangerous
driving techniques. Reduce vehicle
speed and be especially careful when
driving and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always drive carefully.
cIf brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not stan-
dard equipment or are extremely dete-
riorated, the traction control system
may not operate properly and the
indicator light may come on.
cDo not modify the vehicle’s suspension.
If suspension parts such as shock ab-
sorbers, struts, springs and bushings
are not standard equipment or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the traction con-
trol system may not operate properly
and the
indicator light may come
on.
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS)
(if so equipped)
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cWhen driving on extremely inclined sur-
faces such as higher banked corners,
the traction control system may not op-
erate properly and the
indicator
light may come on. Do not drive on
these types of roads.
cIf wheels or tires other than the recom-
mended ones are used, the traction
control system may not operate prop-
erly and the
indicator light may
come on.
cThe traction control system is not a sub-
stitute for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.When accelerating or driving on slippery sur-
faces, the tires may spin or slide. With the Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) system, sensors detect
these movements and control the braking and
engine output to help improve vehicle stability.
cWhen the vehicle dynamic control (VDC)
system is operating, the slip indicator in the
instrument panel blinks.
cIf the slip indicator blinks, the road condi-
tions are slippery. Be sure to adjust your
speed and driving to these conditions. See
“Slip indicator light”, and “Vehicle dynamic
control (VDC) off indicator light” in the “In-
struments and controls” section.
cIndicator light
If malfunction occurs in the system,
the
andindicator lights come
on in the instrument panel.
As long as these indicator lights are on, the
traction control function is canceled.
If the vehicle is operated with the vehicle dynamic
control system OFF using the VDC OFF switch,
VDC functions will be turned off. The VDC sys-
tem will still try to transfer power from a slipping
drive wheel to one with more traction when the
VDC system switch is OFF. The Slip indicator will
flash if wheel spin is detected. The ABS will still
operate with the VDC system off.When the VDC system is operating, you may feel
a pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a noise or
vibration from under the hood. This is normal and
indicates that the VDC system is working prop-
erly.
The computer has a built in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you start the
engine and move the vehicle forward or in reverse
at a slow speed. 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
indication of a malfunction.
WARNING
cThe vehicle dynamic control system is
designed to help improve driving stabil-
ity but does not prevent accidents due
to abrupt steering operation at high
speeds or by careless or dangerous
driving techniques. Reduce vehicle
speed and be especially careful when
driving and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always drive carefully.
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM (if so equipped)
5-20Starting and driving
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DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
cWet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain) ,
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip” under
these conditions. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice until the road is salted or
sanded.
cWhatever the condition, drive with cau-
tion. Accelerate and slow down with
care. If accelerating or downshifting too
fast, the drive wheels will lose even
more traction.
cAllow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
cAllow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
cWatch for slippery spots (glare ice) .
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch of
ice is seen ahead, brake before reach-
ing it. Try not to brake while on the ice,
and avoid any sudden steering
maneuvers.cDo not use the cruise control on slip-
pery roads.
cSnow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep snow
clear of the exhaust pipe and from
around your vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped)
An engine block heater to assist in extreme cold
temperature starting is available through a
NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
Do not use your heater with an un-
grounded electrical system or two-
pronged (cheater) adapters. You can be
injured by an electrical shock if you use an
ungrounded connection.
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cWhenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward.
cDO NOT tow any automatic transmis-
sion vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground (flat towing) . Doing so WILL
DAMAGE internal transmission parts
due to lack of transmission lubrication.
cFor emergency towing procedures refer
to “Towing recommended by NISSAN”
in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
Automatic Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with an automatic
transmission, an appropriate vehicle dollyMUST
be placed under the towed vehicle’s drive
wheels.Alwaysfollow the dolly manufacturer’s
recommendations when using their product.
Manual Transmission
cAlways tow with the manual transmission in
Neutral.
cAfter towing 500 miles (805 km) , start and
idle the engine with the transmission in Neu-
tral for two minutes. Failure to idle the engine
after every 500 miles (805 km) of towing
may cause damage to internal transmission
parts.DOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
Treadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on tire wear rate when tested under controlled
conditions on specified government test courses.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and a half (1-1/2) times as well on the govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. However,
relative tire performance depends on actual driv-
ing conditions, and may vary significantly due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the
tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as mea-
sured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your ve-
hicle tires is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hydroplan-
ing or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A, B and C
Temperature grades are A (the highest) , B, and
C. They represent a tire’s resistance to heat
build-up, and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause tire material to degenerate,
reducing tire life. Excessive temperatures can
lead to sudden tire failure. Grade C corresponds
to a performance level which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A and B rep-
resent higher levels of performance on laboratory
test wheels than the minimum required by law.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
9-20Technical and consumer information
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Recorders
Event data..................9-23
Refrigerant recommendation..........9-6
Registering your vehicle in another country. . .9-9
Remote keyless entry system..........3-5
Reporting safety defects (US only)......9-21
S
Safety
Child safety rear door lock..........3-5
Child seat belts...........1-18, 1-31
Reporting safety defects (US only). . . .9-21
Seat adjustment
Front manual seat adjustment........1-2
Front power seat adjustment........1-4
Seat belt
Child safety.................1-12
Infants and small children.........1-13
Injured Person................1-14
Larger children...............1-13
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-10
Pregnant women..............1-14
Seat belt extenders.............1-17
Seat belt maintenance...........1-17
Seat belts..................1-10
Shoulder belt height adjustment......1-16
Three-point type with retractor.......1-14
Seat belt warning light.............2-12
Seatback pockets................2-31
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Automatic drive positioner.........3-19
Front seats..................1-2
Heated seats................2-26Manual front seat adjustment........1-2
Rear seat...................1-6
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start.........2-17, 3-2, 5-5
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-22
Service manual order form...........9-23
Servicing air conditioner............4-20
Setting button
SETTING button............4-5, 4-11
Shift lock release................5-10
Shifting
Automatic transmission...........5-8
Manual transmission............5-11
Shoulder belt height adjustment........1-16
Spark plug replacement............8-16
Speedometer...................2-4
SRS warning label...............1-49
Starting
Before starting the engine..........5-6
Jump starting.................6-6
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Push starting.................6-8
Starting the engine..............5-6
Startup Screen
Control panel buttons............4-8
Startup screen display..............4-8
Steering
Heated steering wheel...........2-27
Power steering fluid.............8-11
Power steering system...........5-17
Steering wheel audio control switch......4-33
Stop light....................8-28
Storage.....................2-31
Sun visors....................3-15
Sunglasses case................2-31
Sunglasses holder...............2-31Sunroof.....................2-39
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-50, 2-12
Supplemental front impact air bag system . .1-42
Supplemental restraint system
Information and warning labels.......1-49
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-35
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system).........1-35
Switch
Autolight switch...............2-22
Automatic power window switch.....2-38
Fog light switch...............2-24
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-25
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-20
Headlight control switch..........2-21
Ignition switch................5-4
Power door lock switch...........3-4
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-20
Traction control system (TCS) off
switch....................2-28
Turn signal switch..............2-24
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off
switch....................2-28
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-19
T
Tachometer....................2-5
Temperature gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Theft (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system) ,
engine start..............2-17, 3-2, 5-5
Three-way catalyst................5-2
10-5
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Tire
Flat tire....................6-2
Spare tire................6-3, 8-44
Tire chains..................8-41
Tire placard.................9-11
Tire pressure................8-33
Tire rotation.................8-41
Types of tires................8-40
Uniform tire quality grading.........9-20
Wheels and tires..............8-33
Wheel/tire size................9-8
Tire pressure display...............4-5
Tire rotation maintenance reminder.......4-5
Top tether strap child restraint.........1-26
Towing
Flat towing..................9-19
Tow truck towing..............6-10
Towing load/specification.........9-16
Trailer towing................9-15
Traction control system (TCS) off switch . . .2-28
Transceiver
HomeLinkTUniversal Transceiver.....2-44
Transmission
Driving with automatic transmission.....5-7
Driving with manual transmission.....5-11
Selector lever lock release.........5-10
Travel (See registering your vehicle in
another country).................9-9
TRIP button.................4-3, 4-9
Trip button
Control panel buttons..........4-3, 4-9
Trip odometer...................2-4
Trunk access through the rear seat.......1-6
Trunk lid lock opener lever............3-9
Trunk light....................2-44
Turn signal switch................2-24U
Uniform tire quality grading...........9-20
V
Vanity mirror...................3-15
Vehicle dimensions and weights........9-8
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off switch. . .2-28
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system. . . .5-20
Vehicle electronic system...........4-12
Vehicle identification...............9-9
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
(Chassis number).................9-9
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate. . . .9-9
Vehicle loading information...........9-12
Vehicle recovery.............6-11, 6-12
Vehicle security system.............2-15
Vehicle security system (NISSAN vehicle
immobilizer system) , engine start . .2-17, 3-2, 5-5
Visors......................3-15
W
Warning
Air bag warning light.........1-50, 2-12
Anti-lock brake warning light........2-10
Battery charge warning light........2-11
Brake warning light.............2-11
Door open warning light..........2-11
Engine oil pressure warning light.....2-11
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-25
Low fuel warning light...........2-12Low washer fluid warning light.......2-12
Passenger air bag and status light.....1-44
Seat belt warning light...........2-12
Vehicle security system...........2-15
Warning labels (for SRS)..........1-49
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders..................2-10
Warning lights..................2-10
Washer switch
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-19
Weights (See dimensions and weights). . . .9-8
Wheels and tires................8-33
Wheel/tire size..................9-8
When traveling or registering your vehicle in
another country..................9-9
Window washer fluid..............8-13
Windows
Locking passengers’ windows.......2-38
Power rear windows............2-38
Power windows...............2-37
Rear power windows............2-38
Windshield wiper and washer switch.....2-19
Wiper
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-19
Wiper blades................8-20
10-6
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