2009 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID Owners Manual

When towing your vehicle, all State (Provincial in
Canada) and local regulations for towing must be
followed. Incorrect towing equipment could dam-
age your vehicle. Towing instructions are avail-
able from a NISSAN dealer. Local service opera-
tors are generally familiar with the applicable laws
and procedures for towing. To assure proper
towing and to prevent accidental damage to your
vehicle, NISSAN recommends having a service
operator tow your vehicle. It is advisable to have
the service operator carefully read the following
precautions:
WARNING
cNever ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
cNever get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
cWhen towing, make sure that the trans-
mission, axles, steering system and
powertrain are in working condition. If
any of these conditions apply, dollies or
a flatbed tow truck must be used.
cAlways attach safety chains before
towing.For information about towing your vehicle behind
a recreational vehicle (RV) , refer to “Flat towing”
in the “Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion of this manual.
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be towed
with the driving (front) wheels off the ground or
place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as illustrated.
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TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
6-12In case of emergency
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WARNING
If your vehicle needs to be towed, do it
with the front wheels raised. If the front
wheels are on the ground when towing,
the traction motor may generate electric-
ity. This may damage the Hybrid System
components and cause a fire.
CAUTION
cNever tow this vehicle with the front
wheels on the ground or four wheels on
the ground (forward or backward) , as
this may cause serious and expensive
damage to the transmission. If it is nec-
essary to tow the vehicle with the rear
wheels raised always use towing dollies
under the front wheels.
cWhen towing with the front wheels on
towing dollies:
– Push the ignition switch to the OFF
position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
secure the steering wheel with the
ignition switch in the LOCK position.
This may damage the steering lock
mechanism.– Move the gearshift lever to the N
(Neutral) position.
cWhen towing hybrid vehicles with the
rear wheels on the ground (if you do not
use towing dollies): Always release the
parking brake.
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VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
Pulling a stuck vehicle
Do not use the hook to tow the vehicle.
WARNING
cStand clear of a stuck vehicle.
cDo not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode and
result in serious injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged.
CAUTION
cTow chains or cables must be attached
only to the main structural members of
the vehicle or the towing hooks (if so
equipped) . Otherwise, the vehicle body
will be damaged.
cDo not use the vehicle tie downs to free
a vehicle stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.
Never tow the vehicle using the vehicle
tie downs or recovery hooks.
cAlways pull the cable straight out from
the front or rear of the vehicle. Never
pull the vehicle at an angle.
cPulling devices should be routed so
they do not touch any part of the high
voltage harness, suspension, steering,
brake or cooling systems.
cPulling devices such as ropes or canvas
straps are not recommended for use in
vehicle towing or recovery.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use the following procedure:
1. Make sure the area in front and behind the
vehicle is clear of obstructions.2. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear
an area around the front tires.
3. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and back-
ward.
cShift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and D (Drive) .
cApply the accelerator as little as possible
to maintain the rocking motion.
cRelease the accelerator pedal before
shifting between R (Reverse) and D
(Drive) .
cDo not spin the tires above 35 mph (55
km/h) .
4. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few
tries, contact a professional towing service
to remove the vehicle.
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6-14In case of emergency
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7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior..................................7-2
Washing......................................7-2
Waxing........................................7-2
Removing spots................................7-3
Underbody....................................7-3
Glass.........................................7-3
Aluminum alloy wheels..........................7-3
Chrome parts..................................7-4
Tire dressings..................................7-4
Cleaning interior...................................7-4High voltage battery air vent.....................7-5
Floor mats.....................................7-5
Seat belts.....................................7-6
Corrosion protection...............................7-6
Most common factors contributing to vehicle
corrosion......................................7-6
Environmental factors influence the rate of
corrosion......................................7-6
To protect your vehicle from corrosion............7-7
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In order to maintain the appearance of your ve-
hicle, it is important to take proper care of it.
To protect the paint surfaces, please wash your
vehicle as soon as you can:
cafter a rainfall to prevent possible damage
from acid rain.
cafter driving on coastal roads.
cwhen contaminants such as soot, bird drop-
pings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs get
on the paint surface.
cwhen dust or mud builds up on the surface.
Whenever possible, store or park your vehicle
inside a garage or in a covered area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in a
shady area or protect the vehicle with a body
cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint surface
when putting on or removing the body
cover.
WASHING
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty of
water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly using a mild
soap, a special vehicle soap or general purpose
dishwashing liquid mixed with clean, lukewarm
(never hot) water.
CAUTION
cDo not use car washes that use acid in
the detergent. Some car washes, espe-
cially brushless ones, use some acid for
cleaning. The acid may react with some
plastic vehicle components, causing
them to crack. This could affect their
appearance, and also could cause them
not to function properly. Always check
with your car wash to confirm that acid
is not used.
cDo not wash the vehicle with strong
household soap, strong chemical deter-
gents, gasoline or solvents.
cDo not wash the vehicle in direct sun-
light or while the vehicle body is hot, as
the surface may become water-spotted.
cAvoid using tight-napped or rough
cloths, such as washing mitts. Care
must be taken when removing
caked-on dirt or other foreign sub-
stances so the paint surface is not
scratched or damaged.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of clean
water.
Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors,
hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable tothe effects of road salt. Therefore, these areas
must be cleaned regularly. Take care that the
drain holes in the lower edge of the door are
open. Spray water under the body and in the
wheel wells to loosen the dirt and wash away
road salt.
A damp chamois can be used to dry the vehicle to
avoid water spots.
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface and
helps retain new vehicle appearance. Polishing is
recommended to remove built-up wax residue
and to avoid a weathered appearance before
re-applying wax.
A NISSAN dealer can assist you in choosing the
proper product.
cWax your vehicle only after a thorough wash-
ing. Follow the instructions supplied with the
wax.
cDo not use a wax containing any abrasives,
cutting compounds or cleaners that may
damage the vehicle finish.
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing
on a base coat/clear coat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
CLEANING EXTERIOR
7-2Appearance and care
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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.
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cDo not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as am-
bient temperature.
cRinse the wheel to completely remove
the cleaner within 15 minutes after the
cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.
TIRE DRESSINGS
NISSAN does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating to
the tires to help reduce discoloration of the rub-
ber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires, it may
react with the coating and form a compound. This
compound may come off the tire while driving and
stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
cUse a water-based tire dressing. The coat-
ing on the tire dissolves more easily than
with an oil-based tire dressing.cApply a light coat of tire dressing to help
prevent it from entering the tire tread/
grooves (where it would be difficult to re-
move) .
cWipe off excess tire dressing using a dry
towel. Make sure the tire dressing is com-
pletely removed from the tire tread/grooves.
cAllow the tire dressing to dry as recom-
mended by the tire dressing manufacturer.Occasionally remove loose dust from the interior
trim, plastic parts and seats using a vacuum
cleaner or soft bristled brush. Wipe the vinyl and
leather surfaces with a clean, soft cloth damp-
ened in mild soap solution, then wipe clean with a
dry, soft cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in order to
maintain the appearance of the leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read the manu-
facturer’s recommendations. Some fabric pro-
tectors contain chemicals that may stain or
bleach the seat material.
Use a cloth dampened only with water to clean
the meter and gauge lens.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can
damage the seat or occupant classifica-
tion sensor. This can also affect the opera-
tion of the air bag system and result in
serious personal injury.
CLEANING INTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care
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CAUTION
cNever use benzine, thinner or any simi-
lar material.
cSmall dirt particles can be abrasive and
damaging to leather surfaces and
should be removed promptly. Do not
use saddle soap, car waxes, polishes,
oils, cleaning fluids, solvents, deter-
gents or ammonia-based cleaners as
they may damage the leather’s natural
finish.
cDo not clean the interior or trunk using
water. If water contacts the high voltage
battery, it may cause a short circuit and
damage the battery.
cNever use fabric protectors unless rec-
ommended by the manufacturer.
cDo not use glass or plastic cleaner on
meter or gauge lens covers. It may dam-
age the lens cover.
cClean the air vent regularly to prevent
the high voltage battery from
overheating.
HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY AIR VENT
CAUTION
cDo not place objects over or into the air
vent. The high voltage battery may over-
heat and be damaged.
cDo not allow any liquid to get on or in
the air vent. It may cause a short circuit
and damage the high voltage battery.
Regularly clean the air vent
sAwith a dry cloth to
prevent the vent from being blocked.
FLOOR MATS
The use of genuine NISSAN floor mats can ex-
tend the life of your vehicle carpet and make it
easier to clean the interior.No matter what
mats are used, be sure they are fitted for
your vehicle and are properly positioned in
the footwell to prevent interference with
pedal operation.Mats should be maintained
with regular cleaning and replaced if they be-
come excessively worn.
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Appearance and care7-5
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