
WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except in
an emergency. (The engine will stop when
the ignition switch is pushed 3 consecu-
tive times in quick succession or the igni-
tion switch is pushed and held for more
than 2 seconds.) If the engine stops while
the vehicle is being driven, this could lead
to a crash and serious injury.
When the ignition switch is pushed without de-
pressing the brake pedal (CVT) or the clutch
pedal (MT) , the ignition switch position will illu-
minate as follows:
Push center
conce to change to ACC.
ctwo times to change to ON.
cthree times to return to OFF.
The ignition switch will automatically return to the
LOCK position when any door is either opened or
closed with the switch in the OFF position.The ignition switch is equipped with an anti-theft
steering lock device.
The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch position cannot be switched to OFF until
the selector lever is moved to the P (Park) posi-
tion (CVT) or N (Neutral) position (MT) .
When the ignition switch cannot be pushed to-
ward the OFF position, proceed as follows:
1. Move the selector lever into the P (Park)
position (CVT) or N (Neutral) position (MT) .
2. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch
position will change to the ON position.
3. Push the ignition switch again to the OFF
position.
The selector lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a right or left turn
from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, push the igni-
tion switch to the LOCK position. To unlock
the steering wheel, push the ignition switch
while slightly turning the steering wheel
right and left.
WSD0223
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-6Starting and driving
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
03/13/07Ðdebbie
X

1. Apply the parking brake.
2.Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) model:
Move the shift selector lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift selector lever is in any of the
driving positions.
Manual transmission:
Move the shift lever to N (Neutral) . Depress
the clutch pedal to the floor.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully de-
pressed.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position.
Depress the brake pedal and the clutch
pedal (if so equipped) and push the ignition
switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal with the ignition switch in
any position.cIf the engine is very hard to start in ex-
tremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little (ap-
proximately 1/3 to the floor) and while
holding, crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
cIf the engine is very hard to start because
it is flooded, depress the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to start cranking the engine. After 5 or
6 seconds, stop cranking by pushing the
ignition switch to LOCK. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by depressing the
brake pedal and pushing the push-button
ignition switch to start the engine. If the
engine starts, but fails to run, repeat the
above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, push the ignition switch to the
OFF position and wait 10 seconds before
cranking again, otherwise the starter
could be damaged.4.Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 sec-
onds after starting. Do not race the engine
while warming it up. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather. In cold weather, keep the en-
gine running for a minimum of2-3minutes
before shutting it off. Starting and stopping
the engine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, shift the selector lever to
the P (Park) position (CVT) or to N (Neutral)
and apply the parking brake (MT) and push
the ignition switch to the OFF position.
STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving5-9
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
03/13/07Ðdebbie
X

To move the selector lever:
Push the button while depressing the brake
pedal
Push the button to shift
Shift without pushing button
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift selector lever from P
(Park) to any of the desired shift positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the selector
lever is in any position while the engine is
not running. Failure to do so could cause
the vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll
away and result in serious personal injury
or property damage.
P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped.The brake
pedal should be depressed to move the
selector lever from N (Neutral) or any drive
position to P (Park) .Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then shift the selector lever into the P (Park)
position.
R (Reverse):
CAUTION
Use this position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.Use this position to back up. Make sure the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting
the R (Reverse) position.The brake pedal
must be depressed to move the selector
lever from P (Park) , N (Neutral) or any drive
position to R (Reverse) .
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged. The
engine can be started in this position. You may
shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled engine
while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
LSD0182
Starting and driving5-11
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
03/13/07Ðdebbie
X

Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
shift selector lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal de-
pressed and the selector lever button pushed.
If the battery is discharged completely, the steer-
ing wheel cannot be locked or unlocked. Do not
move the vehicle with the steering wheel locked.
It will be necessary to jump start or have your
battery charged, see “Jump starting” in the “In
case of emergency” section. Contact your
NISSAN dealer or a professional towing service.To move the shift selector lever, complete the
following procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCK posi-
tion.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover as
shown.
4. Insert a small screwdriver in the shift lock
release slot and push down.
5. Move the shift selector lever to the N (Neu-
tral) position while holding down the shift
lock release.
6. Push the ignition switch to the ON position
to unlock the steering wheel. Now the ve-
hicle may be moved to the desired location.
If the shift selector lever cannot be moved out of
P (Park) , have a NISSAN dealer check the trans-
mission as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the selector lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position while the engine is
running and the brake pedal is depressed,
the stop lights may not work. Malfunction-
ing stop lights could cause an accident
injuring yourself and others.
Accelerator downshift
— in D position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the accel-
erator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmis-
sion down into a lower gear, depending on the
vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid temperature
protection mode. If the fluid temperature be-
comes too high (for example, when climbing
steep grades in high temperature with heavy
loads, such as when towing a trailer) , engine
power and, under some conditions, vehicle
speed will be decreased automatically to reduce
the chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed may be
limited.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. The MIL may
come on to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated, see “Malfunction indicator light
(MIL)” in the “Instrument and controls” sec-
LSD0183
Starting and driving5-13
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
03/13/07Ðdebbie
X

10 Index
A
Active Head Restraint.............1-11
Air bag (See supplemental restraint system). .1-39
Air bag system
Front (See supplemental front impact air
bag system).................1-46
Air bag warning light...........1-54, 2-13
Air cleaner housing filter............8-18
Air conditioner
Air conditioner operation..........4-13
Air conditioner service...........4-20
Air conditioner specification label.....9-11
Air conditioner system refrigerant and oil
recommendations..............9-6
Heater and air conditioner
controls................4-10, 4-18
Servicing air conditioner..........4-20
Air flow charts..................4-14
Alarm system
(See vehicle security system).........2-24
Anchor point locations.............1-23
Antenna.....................4-45
Anti-lock brake warning light..........2-10
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)........5-22
Audible reminders................2-16
Audio system..................4-20
Compact Disc (CD) changer. . . .4-34, 4-40
Compact disc (CD) player.........4-29
FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-27FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) changer.............4-31, 4-38
Radio....................4-20
Autolight switch.................2-29
Automatic
Automatic power window switch.....2-42
Transmission selector lever lock
release....................5-13
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror.......3-22
AUX jack..............4-30, 4-36, 4-42
B
Battery......................8-15
Charge warning light............2-11
Before starting the engine............5-8
Belt (See drive belt)..............8-16
Block heater
Engine....................5-27
BluetoothThands-free phone
system..................4-46, 4-60
Booster seats..................1-34
Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)......5-22
Brake fluid..................8-13
Brake light (See stop light).........8-27
Brake system................5-21
Brake warning light.............2-11
Brake wear indicators........2-16, 8-21
Parking brake operation..........5-16
Self-adjusting brakes............8-21Brakes......................8-21
Break-in schedule................5-18
Brightness control
Instrument panel..............2-31
Brightness/contrast button...........4-7
Bulb check/instrument panel..........2-10
Bulb replacement................8-27
C
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants...................9-2
Car phone or CB radio.............4-45
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) . . .9-12
CD care and cleaning.............4-43
CD changer (See audio system). . . .4-34, 4-40
CD player (See audio system).........4-29
Child restraint with top tether strap......1-23
Child restraints.......1-14, 1-15, 1-19, 1-21
Precautions on child
restraints............1-19, 1-28, 1-34
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-23
Chimes, audible reminders...........2-16
Cleaning exterior and interior..........7-2
Clock.............4-5, 4-28, 4-32, 4-39
(models with navigation system)......4-5
(models without navigation
system)................4-28, 4-32
Clock set..............4-5, 4-28, 4-32
Clutch
Clutch fluid.................8-14
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
04/04/07Ðdebbie
X

Fuel recommendation............9-3
Fuel-filler door and cap...........3-18
Fuel-filler door lock opener lever......3-18
Fuses......................8-21
Fusible links...................8-23
G
Garage door opener, HomeLinkTUniversal
Transceiver...................2-46
Gascap.....................3-18
Gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
Fuel gauge..................2-6
Odometer...................2-4
Speedometer.................2-4
Tachometer..................2-5
Trip odometer.................2-4
General maintenance..............8-2
Glove box....................2-39
Glove box lock.................2-39
Grocery hooks.................2-40
H
Hands-free phone system,
BluetoothT................4-46, 4-60
Hazard warning flasher switch.........2-32
Head restraints.................1-10
Active Head Restraint...........1-11
Headlight and turn signal switch........2-27
Headlight control switch............2-28
Headlights....................8-26
Heated seats..................2-33Heater
Heater and air conditioner
controls................4-10, 4-18
Heater operation...........4-12, 4-19
HomeLinkTUniversal Transceiver.......2-46
Hood release..................3-16
Horn.......................2-33
I
Ignition Switch
Push-Button Ignition Switch.........5-6
Immobilizer system...............2-25
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)....................2-10
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror.......3-22
Inside mirror...................3-21
Instrument brightness control.........2-31
Instrument panel..............0-6, 2-2
Instrument panel dimmer switch........2-31
Intelligent Key system..............3-5
Key operating range.............3-7
Key operation.................3-8
Mechanical key................3-3
Remote keyless entry operation......3-12
Troubleshooting guide...........3-14
Warning signals...............3-14
Interior light...................2-45
Interior trunk lid release.............3-17
ISOFIX child restraints.............1-21J
Jump starting...................6-6
K
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)..........1-53
Language setting.................4-6
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
System......................1-21
License plate
Installing the license plate.........9-12
Light
Air bag warning light.........1-54, 2-13
Brake light (See stop light).........8-27
Bulb check/instrument panel........2-10
Bulb replacement..............8-27
Charge warning light............2-11
10-3
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
04/04/07Ðdebbie
X

FM-AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-27
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc (CD)
changer................4-31, 4-38
Readiness for inspection maintenance (I/M)
test........................9-25
Rear seat.....................1-9
Rear view monitor................4-8
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch......................2-27
Recorders
Event data..................9-26
Refrigerant recommendation..........9-6
Registering your vehicle in another country. . .9-9
Reporting safety defects (US only)......9-25
S
Safety
Child seat belts........1-19, 1-28, 1-34
Reporting safety defects (US only). . . .9-25
Seat adjustment
Front manual seat adjustment........1-2
Front power seat adjustment........1-4
Rear seat adjustment.............1-9
Seat belt
Child safety.................1-14
Infants and small children.........1-15
Injured Person................1-16
Larger children...............1-15
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-12
Pregnant women..............1-16
Seat belt extenders.............1-18
Seat belt maintenance...........1-19
Seat belts..................1-12Shoulder belt height adjustment......1-18
Three-point type with retractor.......1-16
Seat belt warning light.............2-13
Seatback pockets................2-36
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Front seats..................1-2
Heated seats................2-33
Manual front seat adjustment........1-2
Rear seat...................1-9
Security indicator light.............2-15
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start..............2-25
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-21
Service manual order form...........9-27
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........1-18
Spark plug replacement............8-17
Speedometer...................2-4
Spotlights (See map light)...........2-46
SRS warning label...............1-53
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...........5-21Stop light....................8-27
Storage.....................2-36
Sun visors....................3-20
Sunglasses case................2-37
Sunglasses holder...............2-37
Sunroof.....................2-43
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-54, 2-13
Supplemental front impact air bag system . .1-46
Supplemental restraint system
Information and warning labels.......1-53
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-39
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system).........1-39
Switch
Autolight switch...............2-29
Automatic power window switch.....2-42
Fog light switch...............2-32
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-32
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-27
Headlight control switch..........2-28
Power door lock switch...........3-5
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-27
Traction control system (TCS) off switch. .2-34
Turn signal switch..............2-31
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off switch. .2-34
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-26
T
Tachometer....................2-5
Temperature gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-5
10-5
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
04/04/07Ðdebbie
X