2008 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID maintenance

ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATIONS
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose the correct grade, quality
and viscosity engine oil to ensure satisfactory
engine life and performance. See9Capacities
and recommended fuel/lubricants9earlier in this
section. NISSAN recommends the use of an
energy conserving oil in order to improve fuel
economy.
Select only engine oils that meet the American
Petroleum Institute (API) certification or Interna-
tional Lubricant Standardization and ApprovalCommittee (ILSAC) certification and SAE vis-
cosity standard. These oils have the API certifica-
tion mark on the front of the container. Oils which
do not have the specified quality label should not
be used as they could cause engine damage.Oil additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not neces-
sary when the proper oil type is used and main-
tenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has been
previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness changes
with temperature. Because of this, it is important
to select the engine oil viscosity based on the
temperatures at which the vehicle will be oper-
ated before the next oil change. Choosing an oil
viscosity other than that recommended could
cause serious engine damage.
Selecting the correct oil filter
Your new NISSAN vehicle is equipped with a
high-quality genuine NISSAN oil filter. When re-
placing, use a genuine NISSAN oil filter or its
equivalent for the reason described in “Change
intervals”.
Change intervals
The oil and oil filter change intervals for your
engine are based on the use of the specified
quality oils and filters. Using engine oil and filters
that are not of the specified quality, or exceeding
recommended oil and filter change intervals
could reduce engine life. Damage to the engine
caused by improper maintenance or use of incor-
rect oil and filter quality and/or viscosity is not
covered by the NISSAN new vehicle limited war-
ranty.
WTI0186
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Your engine was filled with a high-quality engine
oil when it was built. You do not have to change
the oil before the first recommended change
interval. Oil and filter change intervals depend
upon how you use your vehicle.
Operation under the following conditions may
require more frequent oil and filter changes:
crepeated short distance driving at cold out-
side temperatures
cdriving in dusty conditions
cextensive idling
ctowing a trailer
cstop and go commuting
Refer to the “NISSAN Service and Maintenance
Guide” for the maintenance schedule.
AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM
REFRIGERANT AND OIL
RECOMMENDATIONS
The air conditioner system in your NISSAN
vehicle must be charged with the refriger-
ant HFC-134a (R-134a) and the oil, com-
pressor oil ND OIL-11.
CAUTION
The use of any other refrigerant or oil will
cause severe damage to the air condition-
ing system and will require the replace-
ment of all air conditioner system
components.
The refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a) in your
NISSAN vehicle does not harm the earth’s ozone
layer. Although this refrigerant does not affect the
earth’s atmosphere, certain government regula-
tions require the recovery and recycling of any
refrigerant during automotive air conditioner sys-
tem service. A NISSAN dealer has the trained
technicians and equipment needed to recover
and recycle your air conditioner system refriger-
ant.
Contact a NISSAN dealer when servicing your air
conditioner system.
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cBe certain your rearview mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.
cDetermine the overall height of the vehicle
and trailer so the required clearance is
known.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding of the
vehicle’s behavior, you should practice turning,
stopping and backing up in an area which is free
from traffic. Steering stability and braking perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than under
normal driving conditions.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
cLock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inadvert-
ently becoming unlatched.
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 thetrailer 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.
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 by
opening 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”.
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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.
Do the following if the trailer begins to sway:
1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to
allow the vehicle to coast and steer as
straight ahead as the road conditions allow.
This combination will help stabilize the ve-
hicle.
– Do not correct trailer sway by steering or
applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the
brakes and pull to the side of the road in a
safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal-
anced as described earlier in this section.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
cDownshift the transmission to a lower gear
for engine braking when driving down steep
or long hills. This will help slow the vehicle
without applying the brakes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
overdrive.
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
cIncrease your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
cDo not use cruise control while towing a
trailer.
cSome states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.
cCheck your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.cWhen stopped in traffic for long periods of
time in hot weather, put the vehicle in the P
(Park) position.
cWhen launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
cMake sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, eCVT fluid should be
changed more frequently. For additional
information, see the “Maintenance and do-
it-yourself” section earlier in this manual.
FLAT TOWING
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor
home.
Your vehicle is not designed to be flat towed with
all four wheels on the ground.
9-22Technical and consumer information
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Always check with local I/M testing requirements
for Hybrid vehicles before taking your vehicle for
testing.
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 12-volt 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
“not ready”. If the MIL does not blink after 20
seconds, the I/M test condition is “ready.” If your
vehicle does not pass an I/M test the Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL) may not come on. Contact a
NISSAN dealer to prepare the vehicle for re-
testing.This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Re-
corder (EDR) . The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like situa-
tions, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understand-
ing how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR
is designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this
vehicle is designed to record such data as:
cHow various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
cWhether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
cHow far (if at all) the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
cHow fast the vehicle was traveling.
cSounds are not recorded.
These data can help provide a better understand-
ing of the circumstances in which crashes and
injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded by
your vehicle only if a nontrivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under
normal driving conditions and no personal data
(e.g. name, gender, age and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data withthe type of personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equip-
ment is required and access to the vehicle or the
EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle manu-
facturer and NISSAN dealer, other parties, such
as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have ac-
cess to the vehicle or the EDR. The EDR data
may be retrieved during routine vehicle servicing
or for special research. It might also be accessed
with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee, in
response to a request by law enforcement, or as
otherwise required or permitted by law.
READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TESTEVENT DATA RECORDERS
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Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Fuel economy................5-15
Fuel gauge..................2-5
Fuel octane rating..............9-4
Fuel recommendation............9-3
Fuel-filler door and cap...........3-20
Fuel-filler door lock opener lever......3-20
Fuses......................8-19
Fusible links...................8-21
G
Garage door opener, HomeLinkTUniversal
Transceiver...................2-47
Gascap.....................3-20
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5,
HEV-4
Fuel gauge..................2-5
Odometer...................2-4
Speedometer.................2-3
Tachometer.............2-4, HEV-4
Trip odometer.................2-4
General maintenance..............8-2
Glove box....................2-38
Glove box lock.................2-38
Grocery hooks.................2-40
H
Hands-free phone system,
BluetoothT................4-39, 4-53Hazard warning flasher switch.........2-33
Head restraints..................1-6
Active Head Restraint............1-6
Headlight and turn signal switch........2-29
Headlight control switch............2-29
Headlights....................8-24
Heated seats..................2-34
Heater
Heater and air conditioner controls. . . .4-11
Heater operation..............4-12
HomeLinkTUniversal Transceiver.......2-47
Hood release..................3-17
Horn.......................2-34
Hybrid System
Energy flow................HEV-4
Energy/fuel history............HEV-5
Stops operating while driving........6-6
Vehicle does not start............6-7
I
Ignition Switch
Push-Button Ignition Switch.........5-6
Immobilizer system............2-27, 5-9
Important vehicle information label.......9-10
In-cabin microfilter...............8-17
Increasing fuel economy............5-15
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders).....................2-9
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror.......3-23
Inside mirror...................3-23
Instrument brightness control.........2-32
Instrument panel dimmer switch........2-32
Intelligent Key system..............3-6Key operating range.............3-8
Key operation.................3-9
Mechanical key................3-3
Remote keyless entry operation......3-12
Troubleshooting guide...........3-16
Warning signals...............3-16
Interior light...................2-45
Interior trunk lid release.............3-19
Inverter
Checking inverter coolant level......8-10
Inverter cooling system............8-9
ISOFIX child restraints.............1-17
J
Jump starting...................6-7
K
Keyfob battery replacement..........8-22
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.....9-10
Engine serial number............9-10
F.M.V.S.S. certification label........9-10
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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......................1-17
License plate
Installing the license plate.........9-12
Light
Air bag warning light.........1-49, 2-14
Brake light (See stop light).........8-25
Bulb check/instrument panel........2-9
Bulb replacement..............8-25
Charge warning light........2-11, 2-12
Fog light switch...............2-33
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-29
Headlight control switch..........2-29
Headlights..................8-24
Interior light.................2-45
Light bulbs..................8-24
Low tire pressure warning light......2-13
Low washer fluid warning light.......2-24
Passenger air bag and status light.....1-43
Spotlights (See map light).........2-46
Trunk light..................2-47
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders...................2-9
Lights
Map lights..................2-46
Lock
Child safety rear door lock..........3-5
Door locks..................3-3
Fuel-filler door lock opener lever......3-20
Glove box lock...............2-38
Power door locks...............3-5
Trunk lid lock opener lever.........3-17
Low fuel warning light......2-13, 2-14, 2-24Low tire pressure warning light........2-13
Low washer fluid warning light.........2-24
Luggage (See vehicle loading information) . .9-12
M
Maintenance
General maintenance............8-2
Inside the vehicle...............8-3
Maintenance precautions..........8-5
Outside the vehicle..............8-2
Seat belt maintenance...........1-14
Under the hood and vehicle.........8-4
Malfunction indicator light...........2-16
Manual front seat adjustment..........1-2
Map lights....................2-46
Map pocket...................2-36
Meters and gauges................2-3
Instrument brightness control.......2-32
Mirror
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror.....3-23
Inside mirror.................3-23
Outside mirrors...............3-24
Vanity mirror.................3-23
N
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system . . .2-27, 5-9
NISSAN voice recognition system.......4-62
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating).....9-4Odometer.....................2-4
Oil
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine oil............8-11
Changing engine oil filter..........8-12
Checking engine oil level..........8-10
Engine oil..................8-10
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Outside mirrors.................3-24
Overheat
If your vehicle overheats..........6-10
Owner’s manual order form..........9-26
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information....................9-26
P
Parking
Parking brake operation..........5-13
Parking/parking on hills...........5-16
Phone, BluetoothThands-free
system..................4-39, 4-53
Power
Power door locks...............3-5
Power outlet.................2-35
Power rear windows............2-43
Power steering system...........5-17
Power windows...............2-41
Rear power windows............2-43
Precautions
Maintenance precautions..........8-5
Precautions on child
restraints............1-15, 1-23, 1-29
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Precautions on seat belt usage.......1-7
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-34
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Programmable features.............4-3
Push starting..................6-10
R
Radio
Car phone or CB radio...........4-39
Compact Disc (CD) changer. . . .4-27, 4-33
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-20
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) changer.............4-25, 4-31
Readiness for inspection maintenance (I/M)
test........................9-25
Rear power windows..............2-43
Rear view monitor................4-8
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch......................2-29
Recorders
Event data..................9-25
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........1-15, 1-23, 1-29
Reporting safety defects (US only). . . .9-24Seat adjustment
Front manual seat adjustment........1-2
Front power seat adjustment........1-4
Seat belt
Child safety..................1-9
Infants and small children.........1-10
Injured Person................1-11
Larger children...............1-10
Precautions on seat belt usage.......1-7
Pregnant women..............1-11
Seat belt extenders.............1-14
Seat belt maintenance...........1-14
Seat belts...................1-7
Shoulder belt height adjustment......1-14
Three-point type with retractor.......1-11
Seat belt warning light.............2-14
Seatback pockets................2-37
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Front seats..................1-2
Heated seats................2-34
Manual front seat adjustment........1-2
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start...........2-27, 5-9
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-19
Service manual order form...........9-26
Servicing air conditioner............4-13
Setup button...................4-3
Shift lock release................5-12
Shifting
Electronically controlled Continuously
Variable Transmission (eCVT).......5-11
Shoulder belt height adjustment........1-14
Spark plug replacement............8-16
Speedometer...................2-3
Spotlights (See map light)...........2-46SRS warning label...............1-49
Starting
Before starting the vehicle..........5-9
Jump starting.................6-7
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Push starting................6-10
Starting the vehicle.............5-10
Startup screen..................4-3
Steering
Power steering system...........5-17
Stop light....................8-25
Storage.....................2-36
Sun visors....................3-22
Sunglasses case................2-37
Sunglasses holder...............2-37
Sunroof.....................2-44
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-49, 2-14
Supplemental front impact air bag system . .1-41
Supplemental restraint system
Information and warning labels.......1-49
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-34
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system).........1-34
Switch
Autolight switch...............2-30
Automatic power window switch.....2-43
Fog light switch...............2-33
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-33
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-29
Headlight control switch..........2-29
Power door lock switch...........3-5
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-29
Turn signal switch..............2-33
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-28
10-5
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