2008 NISSAN ALTIMA window

If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading) , or if
you feel a lack of engine power, detect abnormal
noise, etc. take the following steps.
WARNING
cDo not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause engine
damage or a vehicle fire.
cTo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while the
engine is still hot. When the radiator
cap is removed, pressurized hot water
will spurt out, possibly causing serious
injury.
cDo not open the hood if steam is com-
ing out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the shift lever to
N (Neutral) (manual transmission) or to P
(Park) (CVT) .
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner (if so equipped) .
Open all the windows, move the heater or air
conditioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. (If steam or cool-
ant is escaping, turn off the engine.) Do not
open the hood further until no steam or
coolant can be seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the en-
gine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5. Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leaking,
the water pump belt is missing or loose, or
the cooling fan does not run, stop the en-
gine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or the
engine cooling fan. The engine cooling
fan can start at any time.6. After the engine cools down, check the cool-
ant level in the engine coolant reservoir tank
with the engine running. Add coolant to the
engine coolant reservoir tank if necessary.
Have your vehicle repaired at a NISSAN
dealer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-9
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REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, insects,
and tree sap as quickly as possible from the
surface of the paint to avoid lasting damage or
staining. Special cleaning products are available
at a NISSAN dealer or any automotive accessory
store.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, it is
necessary to clean the underbody regularly in
order to prevent dirt and salt from building up and
causing the acceleration of corrosion on the un-
derbody and suspension. Before the winter pe-
riod and again in the spring, the underseal must
be checked and, if necessary, retreated.
GLASS
When cleaning the rear window, it may be easier
to clean if the high-mounted stop light is removed
first.
Be careful when removing the high-mounted
stop light to reduce the risk of damaging the
high-mounted stop light wires.
To remove the high-mounted stop light:
s1Push toward rear of vehicle.
s2Lift to remove.
The high-mounted stop light must be properly
reinstalled before driving your vehicle.Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust film
from the glass surfaces. It is normal for glass to
become coated with a film after the vehicle is
parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner and a soft
cloth will easily remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the windows,
do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage the electri-
cal conductors, radio antenna elements or
rear window defroster elements.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge damp-
ened in a mild soap solution, especially during
winter months in areas where road salt is used. If
not removed, road salt can discolor the wheels.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining or discoloring the wheels:
cDo not use a cleaner that uses strong
acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
WAI0005
Appearance and care7-3
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8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirements..........................8-2
General maintenance..............................8-2
Explanation of general maintenance items.........8-2
Maintenance precautions...........................8-5
Engine compartment check locations................8-6
Engine cooling system.............................8-8
Checking engine coolant level...................8-8
Changing engine coolant........................8-9
Engine oil.........................................8-9
Checking engine oil level........................8-9
Changing engine oil...........................8-10
Changing engine oil filter.......................8-11
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid......8-12
Power steering fluid...............................8-13
Brake and clutch fluid.............................8-13
Brake fluid....................................8-13
Clutch fluid...................................8-14
Window washer fluid.............................8-14
Window washer fluid reservoir..................8-14
Battery..........................................8-15
Jump starting.................................8-16
Drive belt........................................8-16
Spark plugs......................................8-17Replacing spark plugs.........................8-17
Air cleaner.......................................8-18
In-cabin microfilter.............................8-19
Windshield wiper blades..........................8-19
Cleaning.....................................8-19
Replacing....................................8-20
Brakes..........................................8-21
Self-adjusting brakes..........................8-21
Brake pad wear indicators......................8-21
Fuses...........................................8-21
Engine compartment...........................8-22
Passenger compartment.......................8-23
Battery replacement..............................8-24
Intelligent key battery..........................8-25
Lights...........................................8-26
Headlights....................................8-26
Front park/turn/sidemarker light.................8-26
Exterior and interior lights.......................8-27
Wheels and tires.................................8-31
Tire pressure..................................8-31
Tire labeling...................................8-35
Types of tires..................................8-38
Tire chains....................................8-39
Changing wheels and tires.....................8-40
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CLUTCH FLUID
Check the clutch fluid level in the reservoir
(manual transmissions only) . If the fluid level is
below the MIN line, add Genuine NISSAN Super
Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or equivalentDOT 3fluid
up to the MAX line. If fluid must be added fre-
quently, the system should be checked by a
NISSAN dealer.
For further brake and clutch fluid specification
information, refer to “Capacities and recom-
mended fuel/lubricants” in the “Technical and
consumer information” section of this manual.
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
RESERVOIR
Fill the window washer fluid reservoir periodically.
Add window washer fluid when the low window
washer fluid warning light comes on (if so
equipped) .
To fill the window washer fluid reservoir, lift the
cap off the reservoir tank and pour the window
washer fluid into the tank opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a windshield
washer antifreeze. Follow the manufacturer’s in-
structions for the mixture ratio.Refill the reservoir more frequently when driving
conditions require an increased amount of win-
dow washer fluid.
Recommended fluid is Genuine NISSAN Wind-
shield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Anti-
freeze or equivalent.
CAUTION
cDo not substitute engine anti-freeze
coolant for window washer solution.
This may result in damage to the paint.
cDo not fill the window washer reservoir
tank with washer fluid concentrates at
full strength. Some methyl alcohol
based washer fluid concentrates may
permanently stain the grille if spilled
while filling the window washer reser-
voir tank.
cPre-mix washer fluid concentrates with
water to the manufacturer’s recom-
mended levels before pouring the fluid
into the window washer reservoir tank.
Do not use the window washer reservoir
tank to mix the washer fluid concen-
trate and water.
LDI0558LDI0559
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
8-14Maintenance and do-it-yourself
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
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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.
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 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) .
Technical and consumer information9-21
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
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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
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C.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-10
Cold weather driving..............5-25
Compact disc (CD) player...........4-29
Compass display.................2-6
Console box...................2-39
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.........4-7
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.....2-5
Corrosion protection...............7-6
Cruise control..................5-17
Cup holders...................2-38
D
Daytime running light system
(Canada only)..................2-30
Defroster switch
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-27Dimensions and weights.............9-8
Dimmer switch for instrument panel......2-31
Display controls (see control panel buttons) . .4-2
Door locks....................3-3
Drive belt....................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
Block heater.................5-27
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.....2-5
Engine cooling system............8-8
Engine oil...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil pressure warning light.....2-11
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Engine serial number............9-10Engine specifications.............9-7
Starting the engine..............5-9
English/metric setting..............4-6
Event data recorders..............9-26
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)........5-2
Eyeglass case..................2-37
F
Flashers
(See hazard warning flasher switch)......2-32
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.................2-32
Front air bag system
(See supplemental restraint system).....1-46
Front seats....................1-2
Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Fuel economy................5-19
Fuel gauge..................2-6
Fuel octane rating..............9-4
10-2
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Fog light switch...............2-32
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-27
Headlight control switch..........2-28
Headlights..................8-26
Interior light.................2-45
Light bulbs..................8-26
Low tire pressure warning light......2-12
Low washer fluid warning light.......2-22
Passenger air bag and status light.....1-48
Security indicator light...........2-15
Spotlights (See map light).........2-46
Trunk light..................2-46
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders..................2-10
Lights
Map lights..................2-46
Lock
Door locks..................3-3
Fuel-filler door lock opener lever......3-18
Glove box lock...............2-39
Power door locks...............3-5
Trunk lid lock opener lever.........3-16
Low fuel warning light..........2-13, 2-22
Low tire pressure warning light........2-12
Low washer fluid warning light.........2-22
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...........1-19Under the hood and vehicle.........8-4
Malfunction indicator light...........2-14
Manual front seat adjustment..........1-2
Map lights....................2-46
Map pocket...................2-36
Meters and gauges................2-3
Instrument brightness control.......2-31
Mirror
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror.....3-22
Inside mirror.................3-21
Outside mirrors...............3-22
Vanity mirror.................3-21
N
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system......2-25
NISSAN voice recognition system.......4-69
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating).....9-4
Odometer.....................2-4
Oil
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine oil............8-10
Changing engine oil filter..........8-11
Checking engine oil level..........8-9
Engine oil...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity..............9-5
Outside mirrors.................3-22
Overheat
If your vehicle overheats...........6-9Owner’s manual order form..........9-27
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information....................9-27
P
Parking
Parking brake operation..........5-16
Parking/parking on hills...........5-20
Phone, BluetoothThands-free
system..................4-46, 4-60
Power
Power door locks...............3-5
Power outlet.................2-35
Power steering fluid.............8-13
Power steering system...........5-21
Power windows...............2-41
Precautions
Maintenance precautions..........8-5
Precautions on child
restraints............1-19, 1-28, 1-34
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-12
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-39
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Programmable features.............4-3
Push starting...................6-8
R
Radio
Car phone or CB radio...........4-45
Compact Disc (CD) changer. . . .4-34, 4-40
10-4
ZREVIEW COPYÐ2008 Altima(alt)
Owners ManualÐUSA_English(nna)
04/04/07Ðdebbie
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