
and are installed securely. Check the belt web-
bing for cuts, fraying, wear or damage.
Steering wheelCheck for changes in the steer-
ing system, such as excessive freeplay, hard
steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimesMake sure all
warning lights and chimes are operating properly.
Windshield wiper and washer*Check that
the wipers and washer operate properly and that
the wipers do not streak.
Windshield defrosterCheck that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly and in
sufficient quantity when operating the heater or
air conditioner.
Under the hood and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked periodically (for example, each time you
check the engine oil or refuel) .
Battery*Check the fluid level in each cell. It
should be between the MAX and MIN lines. Ve-
hicles operated in high temperatures or under
severe conditions require frequent checks of the
battery fluid level.
Brake and clutch fluid levels*Make sure that
the brake and clutch fluid level is between the
MIN and MAX lines on the reservoir.Engine coolant level*Check the coolant level
when the engine is cold.
Engine drive belts*Make sure the drive belts
are not frayed, worn, cracked or oily.
Engine oil level*Check the level after parking
the vehicle on a level surface with the engine off.
Wait more than 10 minutes for the oil to drain
back into the oil pan.
Exhaust systemMake sure there are no loose
supports, cracks or holes. If the sound of the
exhaust seems unusual or there is a smell of
exhaust fumes, immediately have the exhaust
system inspected by a NISSAN dealer. See the
carbon monoxide warning in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
Fluid leaksCheck under the vehicle for fuel, oil,
water or other fluid leaks after the vehicle has
been parked for a while. Water dripping from the
air conditioner after use is normal. If you should
notice any leaks or if gasoline fumes are evident,
check for the cause and have it corrected imme-
diately.
Power steering fluid level* and linesCheck
the level when the fluid is cold, with the engine
off. Check the lines for proper attachment, leaks,
cracks, etc.
Radiator and hosesCheck the front of the
radiator and clean off any dirt, insects, leaves,etc., that may have accumulated. Make sure the
hoses have no cracks, deformation, rot or loose
connections.
UnderbodyThe underbody is frequently ex-
posed to corrosive substances such as those
used on icy roads or to control dust. It is very
important to remove these substances from the
underbody, otherwise rust may form on the floor
pan, frame, fuel lines and exhaust system. At the
end of winter, the underbody should be thor-
oughly flushed with plain water, in those areas
where mud and dirt may have accumulated. See
the “Appearance and care” section of this
manual.
Windshield washer fluid*Check that there is
adequate fluid in the reservoir.
8-4Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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The engine cooling system is filled at the factory
with Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant to provide year-round anti-
freeze and coolant protection. The anti-freeze
solution contains rust and corrosion inhibitors.
Additional engine cooling system additives are
not necessary.
WARNING
cNever remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap when the engine is hot.
Wait until the engine and radiator cool
down. Serious burns could be caused
by high pressure fluid escaping from
the radiator. See precautions in “If your
vehicle overheats” found in the “In case
of emergency” section of this manual.
cThe radiator is equipped with a pres-
sure type radiator cap. To prevent en-
gine damage, use only a genuine
NISSAN radiator cap.
CAUTION
When adding or replacing coolant, be sure
to use only a Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green) or equivalent
with the proper mixture ratio of 50% anti-
freeze and 50% demineralized or distilled
water. The use of other types of coolant
solutions or coolant colors, such as or-
ange, may damage the engine cooling
system.
Outside temperature
down toGenuine
NISSAN
Long Life
Antifreeze/
Coolant or
equivalentDemineral-
ized or dis-
tilled water
°C °F
-35 -30 50% 50%
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir when
the engine is cold.If the coolant level is below
the MIN level
sB, add coolant to the MAX level
sA. If the reservoir is empty, check the coolant
level in the radiatorwhen the engine is cold.If
there is insufficient coolant in the radiator, fill the
radiator with coolant up to the filler opening and
also add it to the reservoir up to the MAX level
sA.
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
LDI0554
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
8-8Maintenance and do-it-yourself
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2007 Altima(alt)
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CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
A NISSAN dealer can change the engine coolant.
The service procedure can be found in the
NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING
cTo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the en-
gine is hot.
cNever remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. Serious burns could be
caused by high pressure fluid escaping
from the radiator.
cAvoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner
as soon as possible.
cKeep coolant out of the reach of chil-
dren and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply
the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches
operating temperature.
3. Turn off the engine.Wait more than 10
minutes for the oil to drain back into
the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Re-
insert it all the way.5. Remove the dipstick again and check the oil
level. It should be between the H (High) and
L (Low) marks
sB. This is the normal oper-
ating oil level range. If the oil level is below
the L (Low) mark
sA, remove the oil filler cap
and pour recommended oil through the
opening.Do not overfill
sC.
6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the
break-in period, depending on the severity
of operating conditions.
QR25DE engine
LDI0555
VQ35DE engine
LDI0556
ENGINE OIL
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-9
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2007 Altima(alt)
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cAvoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.
cAlways drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
cWhen backing up, hold the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand. Move your
hand in the direction in which you want the
trailer to go. Make small corrections and
back up slowly. If possible, have someone
guide you when you are backing up.
Always block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is not
recommended; however, if you must do so:
CAUTION
If you move the shift selector lever to the P
(Park) position before blocking the
wheels and applying the parking brake,
transmission damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill
side of the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly
release the brake pedal until the blocks ab-
sorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.5. Shift the transmission into P (Park) .
6. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are
clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When going up a long grade, downshift the
transmission to a lower gear and reduce
speed to reduce chances of engine over-
loading and/or overheating. However, for
long steep grades, do not stay in 1st gear
when driving above 35 MPH (56 km/h) or
2nd gear when driving above 58 MPH (93
km/h) .
cIf the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioner
system is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Coolant heat can be additionally vented byopening the windows, switching the fan
control to high and setting the temperature
control to the HOT position.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
cAvoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
cFor the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do
tow, do not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h) .
cHave your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.
cCrosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling.
Technical and consumer information9-21
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Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready condi-
tion” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of
the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition” when it
is driven through certain driving patterns. Usually,
the ready condition can be obtained by ordinary
usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired or
the battery is disconnected, the vehicle may be
reset to a “not ready” condition. Before taking the
I/M test, check the vehicle’s
inspection/maintenance test readiness condi-
tion. Turn the ignition switch ON without starting
the engine. If the Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) comes on steady for 20 seconds and then
blinks for 10 seconds , the I/M test condition is
9not ready9. If the MIL does not blink after 20
seconds, the I/M test condition is9ready.9If the
MIL indicates the vehicle is in a9not ready9con-
dition, drive the vehicle through the following
pattern to set the vehicle to the ready condition. If
you cannot or do not want to perform the driving
pattern, a NISSAN dealer can conduct it for you.WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic con-
ditions and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine when the engine coolant
temperature gauge needle points to C. Al-
low the engine to idle until the gauge needle
points between the C and H (normal oper-
ating temperature) .
2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88
km/h) , then quickly release the accelerator
pedal completely and keep it released for at
least 10 seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for a
moment, then drive the vehicle at a speed of
53 - 60 MPH (86 - 96 km/h) for at least 9
minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 MPH (55 km/h)
and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 through 5 at least 10 times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88 km/h)
and maintain the speed for at least 3 min-
utes.8. Stop the vehicle. Place the transmission se-
lector lever in the P (Park) or N (Neutral)
position.
9. Turn the engine off.
10. Repeat steps1-8atleast one more time.
If steps 1 through 7 are interrupted, repeat the
preceding step. Any safe driving mode is accept-
able between steps. Do not stop the engine until
step 7 is completed.
READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
Technical and consumer information9-25
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2007 Altima(alt)
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10/27/06Ðdebbie
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Cold weather driving..............5-25
Compact disc (CD) player...........4-29
Compass display.................2-6
Console box...................2-38
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) . .5-10
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid.....................8-12
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT).............5-10
Control panel buttons
Brightness/contrast button.........4-6
Setup button.................4-3
Startup screen................4-3
With navigation system...........4-2
Controls
Heater and air conditioner controls. .4-10, 4-18
Coolant
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-9
Checking engine coolant level........8-8
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-4
Corrosion protection...............7-6
Cruise control..................5-17
Cup holders...................2-37
D
Daytime running light system (Canada only). .2-29
Defroster switch
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-26
Dimensions and weights.............9-8
Dimmer switch for instrument panel......2-30
Display controls (see control panel buttons) . .4-2Door locks....................3-3
Drive belts....................8-16
Driving
Cold weather driving............5-25
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT).............5-10
Driving with manual transmission.....5-14
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
E
Economy - fuel.................5-19
Emission control information label.......9-11
Emission control system warranty.......9-24
Engine
Before starting the engine..........5-8
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-9
Changing engine oil............8-10
Changing engine oil filter..........8-11
Checking engine coolant level........8-8
Checking engine oil level..........8-9
Engine compartment check locations. . . .8-6
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-4
Engine cooling system............8-8
Engine oil...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil pressure warning light.....2-10
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Engine serial number............9-10
Engine specifications.............9-7
Starting the engine..............5-9
English/metric setting..............4-6
Event data recorders..............9-26Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)........5-2
Eyeglass case..................2-36
F
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher switch). .2-31
Flat tire......................6-2
Floor mat positioning aid.............7-5
Fluid
Brake fluid..................8-13
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Clutch fluid.................8-14
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid.....................8-12
Engine coolant................8-8
Engine oil...................8-9
Power steering fluid.............8-13
Window washer fluid............8-14
F.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-10
Fog light switch.................2-31
Front air bag system
(See supplemental restraint system).....1-42
Front seats....................1-2
Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Fuel economy................5-19
Fuel gauge..................2-5
Fuel octane rating..............9-4
Fuel recommendation............9-3
Fuel-filler door and cap...........3-19
Fuel-filler door lock opener lever......3-19
Fuses......................8-21
Fusible links...................8-23
10-2
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G
Garage door opener, HomeLinkTUniversal
Transceiver...................2-47
Gascap.....................3-19
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-4
Fuel gauge..................2-5
Odometer...................2-3
Speedometer.................2-3
Tachometer..................2-4
Trip odometer.................2-3
General maintenance..............8-2
Glove box....................2-38
Glove box lock.................2-38
Grocery hooks.................2-40
H
Hands-free phone system, BluetoothT. .4-45, 4-59
Hazard warning flasher switch.........2-31
Head restraints..................1-7
Active head restraint.............1-8
Headlight and turn signal switch........2-26
Headlight control switch............2-27
Heated seats..................2-32
Heater
Heater and air conditioner controls. .4-10, 4-18
Heater operation...........4-12, 4-19
HomeLinkTUniversal Transceiver.......2-47
Hood release..................3-17
Horn.......................2-32I
Ignition Switch
Push-Button Ignition Switch.........5-6
Immobilizer system...............2-24
Important vehicle information label.......9-10
In-cabin microfilter...............8-19
Increasing fuel economy............5-19
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders).....................2-9
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror.......3-23
Inside mirror...................3-22
Instrument brightness control.........2-30
Instrument panel..............0-6, 2-2
Instrument panel dimmer switch........2-30
Intelligent Key system..............3-6
Key operating range.............3-8
Key operation.................3-9
Mechanical key................3-3
Remote keyless entry operation......3-12
Troubleshooting guide...........3-15
Warning signals...............3-15
Interior light...................2-45
Interior trunk lid release.............3-18
ISOFIX child restraints.............1-18
J
Jump starting...................6-6K
Keyfob battery replacement..........8-24
Keyless entry
With Intelligent Key system
(See Intelligent Key system)........3-12
Keys, For Intelligent Key system.........3-2
L
Labels
Air conditioner specification label.....9-11
C.M.V.S.S. certification label........9-10
Emission control information label.....9-11
Engine serial number............9-10
F.M.V.S.S. certification label........9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . .9-9
Warning labels (for SRS)..........1-49
Language setting.................4-6
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
System......................1-18
License plate
Installing the license plate.........9-12
Light
Air bag warning light.........1-50, 2-12
Brake light (See stop light).........8-27
Bulb check/instrument panel........2-9
Bulb replacement..............8-27
Charge warning light............2-10
Fog light switch...............2-31
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-26
Headlight control switch..........2-27
Interior light.................2-45
Light bulbs..................8-26
10-3
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Readiness for inspection maintenance
(I/M) test.....................9-25
Rear power windows..............2-42
Rear seat.....................1-5
Rear view monitor................4-7
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch......................2-26
Recorders
Event data..................9-26
Refrigerant recommendation..........9-6
Registering your vehicle in another country. . .9-9
Reporting safety defects (US only)......9-24
S
Safety
Child safety rear door lock..........3-5
Child seat belts........1-16, 1-24, 1-30
Reporting safety defects (US only). . . .9-24
Seat adjustment
Front manual seat adjustment........1-2
Front power seat adjustment........1-4
Rear seat adjustment.............1-5
Seat belt
Child safety.................1-11
Infants and small children.........1-12
Injured Person................1-13
Larger children...............1-12
Precautions on seat belt usage.......1-9
Pregnant women..............1-13
Seat belt extenders.............1-16
Seat belt maintenance...........1-16
Seat belts...................1-9
Shoulder belt height adjustment......1-15
Three-point type with retractor.......1-13Seat belt warning light.............2-12
Seatback pockets................2-36
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Front seats..................1-2
Heated seats................2-32
Manual front seat adjustment........1-2
Rear seat...................1-5
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start..............2-24
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-21
Service manual order form...........9-26
Servicing air conditioner............4-20
Setup button...................4-3
Shift lock release................5-13
Shifting
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT)....................5-11
Manual transmission............5-14
Shoulder belt height adjustment........1-15
Spark plug replacement............8-17
Speedometer...................2-3
Spotlights (See map light)...........2-46
SRS warning label...............1-49
Starting
Before starting the engine..........5-8
Jump starting.................6-6
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Push starting.................6-8
Starting the engine..............5-9
Startup screen..................4-3
Steering
Power steering fluid.............8-13
Power steering system...........5-21
Stop light....................8-27
Storage.....................2-35Sun visors....................3-21
Sunglasses case................2-36
Sunglasses holder...............2-36
Sunroof.....................2-44
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...............2-28
Automatic power window switch.....2-43
Fog light switch...............2-31
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-31
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-26
Headlight control switch..........2-27
Power door lock switch...........3-5
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-26
Traction control system (TCS) off
switch....................2-33
Turn signal switch..............2-30
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off
switch....................2-34
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-25
T
Tachometer....................2-4
Temperature gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-4
10-5
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2007 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
10/27/06Ðdebbie
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