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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.   
     
        
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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. 
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Dismantling the High Voltage System 
 
Dismantling of the Altima Hybrid may be performed like conventional Nissan vehicles, except as noted in these 
guidelines. 
 
Service Disconnect 
 
1. Immobilize the vehicle 
a. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position. 
 
b. Shut the vehicle OFF by pressing the push-button 
ignition switch. 
 
c. Chock the wheels. 
 
d. Set the parking brake. 
 
 
 
 
4. Open the trunk using one of the following methods: 
• Intelligent Key button: 
Push and hold the trunk release button for longer than 
0.5 second to open the trunk. 
 
NOTE: 
The trunk release button on the Intelligent Key will not 
operate when the ignition switch is in the ON position or 
when the trunk cancel switch (located in the glove box) i
in the OFF position. 
s 
 
 
 
 
 
• Trunk release switch: 
The trunk switch is located on the left side of the  
instrument panel. To open the trunk, push the switch 
downward. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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