
     - 2 - 
 
Foreword........................................................................\
............................................................................. - 3 - 
About the Nissan Altima Hybrid........................................................................\
....................................... - 4 - 
Altima Hybrid Identification........................................................................\
.............................................. - 5 - 
VIN Location........................................................................\
......................................................................... - 5 - 
Engine Compartment........................................................................\
....................................................... .... - 6 - 
Exterior........................................................................\
................................................................................. - 7 - 
Interior........................................................................\
.................................................................................. - 7 - 
Hybrid System........................................................................\
.................................................................... - 8 - 
Component Location and Description........................................................................\
.................................. - 8 - 
Battery Information........................................................................\
............................................................ - 9 - 
Low Voltage Battery........................................................................\
............................................................. - 9 - 
High Voltage Battery........................................................................\
............................................................ - 9 - 
Recovery/Recycling of the Ni-MH High Voltage Battery........................................................................\
.... - 10 - 
High Voltage Safety........................................................................\
......................................................... - 11 - 
High Voltage Safety System........................................................................\
.............................................. - 11 - 
Precautions for Dismantling........................................................................\
............................................... - 13 - 
Spills........................................................................\
................................................................................... - 13 - 
First Aid........................................................................\
.............................................................................. - 14 - 
Vehicle Cut Sheet........................................................................\
.............................................................. - 15 - 
Dismantling the High Voltage System........................................................................\
........................... - 16 - 
Service Disconnect........................................................................\
............................................................ - 16 - 
Alternative High Voltage System Shut Down Procedure........................................................................\
... - 19 - 
Removal of HV Battery........................................................................\
....................................................... - 20 - 
Removal of HV Components........................................................................\
.............................................. - 22 - 
  

     - 4 - 
About the Nissan Altima Hybrid 
 
There are two power sources stored on board that are used to drive the vehicle: 
•  Gasoline is stored in a fuel tank and is used to supply the gasoline engine.   
•  Electricity is stored in a high voltage battery and is used to power the traction motor.   
 
The result of combining these two power sources is improved fuel economy and reduced emissions.  The 
gasoline engine also powers an electric generator to recharge the high voltage battery; unlike an entirely 
electric vehicle, the Altima Hybrid never needs to be recharged from an external electric power source. 
 
Depending on the driving conditions, one or both sources are used to drive the vehicle. The following 
information explains how the Altima Hybrid operates in various driving modes: 
 
1.  During light acceleration at low speeds, the vehicle is driven by the traction motor. The gasoline engine 
is shut off. 
 
2.  During normal driving, the vehicle is driven mainly by the gasoline engine. The gasoline engine also powers the generator to recharge the high voltage battery. 
 
3.  During full acceleration, such as climbing a hill, both the gasoline engine and the traction motor drive the vehicle.  
 
4.  During deceleration, such as when braking, the vehicle converts kinetic energy from the front wheels to electricity that will recharge the high voltage battery. 
 
5.  While the vehicle is stopped, such as at a stoplight, both the gasoline engine and the traction motor are off, however the vehicle remains operational.   

Engine Compartment 
 
The engine compartment of the Altima Hybrid houses an aluminum alloy 2.5 liter gasoline engine, the high 
voltage harnesses, fuse/fusible link box, fuse block, inverter unit, transaxle and electric air conditioning 
compressor.  
 
Engine Compartment Components and Locations 
 
 
1. Fuse/Fusible link box 2. Fuse block3.Inverter unit 
4. High voltage harness (orange) 5. Transaxle 6.Electric air conditioning 
compressor 
7. Gasoline engine A. HV electrical connector :Vehicle front 
 
 
   - 6 -  

Hybrid System 
 
Component Location and Description 
Component Location Description 
1. Electric Air 
Conditioning 
Compressor 
Engine compartment, front 
passenger side 
Motor driven electric air conditioning compressor supplied 
with 245 volts DC. 
2. Electric Power 
Steering   
Engine compartment, on 
steering rack 
A 42 volt DC assist motor is used for the electric power 
steering (EPS) system.  
3. EPS DC/DC 
Converter 
Trunk area, mounted to top 
of high voltage battery 
Converts 245 volts DC (high voltage) to 42 volts DC (low 
voltage) for the EPS. 
4. High Voltage 
Battery 
Trunk area, mounted to 
cross member and behind 
rear seat  
245 volt DC Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery 
consisting of 34 low voltage (7.2 volt) modules connected 
in series.  
5. DC/DC 
Converter 
 
Trunk area, under front left 
cover of the high voltage 
battery 
Converts 245 volts DC (high voltage) to 12 volts DC (low 
voltage) for charging the 12 volt battery. 
6. Service 
Disconnect 
 
Trunk area, on the 
passenger side of the high 
voltage battery 
Used to disable the high voltage system.  
7. High Voltage 
Harnesses  
•Trunk area, on high 
voltage battery and EPS 
DC/DC converter 
•Under passenger side 
rear seat and floor pan 
•Engine compartment, on 
rear, driver side and front 
Orange colored power cables carry high voltage direct 
current (DC) between the high voltage battery, EPS 
DC/DC converter, inverter unit, and electric air 
conditioning compressor. There are two cables which also 
carry 3-phase alternating current (AC) between the 
inverter unit and transaxle. 
NOTE: 
High voltage cables under the vehicle floor are encased in 
a black plastic protector. 
8. Transaxle  
 
Engine compartment, on 
driver side 
Contains a traction motor and generator used to drive the 
front wheels and recharge the high voltage battery. 
9. Inverter Unit Engine compartment, front 
driver side 
Changes the 245 volts DC from the high voltage battery to 
3-phase 650 volts AC to power the transaxle. The inverter 
unit also changes AC electricity from the transaxle to DC 
that recharges the high voltage battery. 
   - 8 -