2009 NISSAN SENTRA maintenance

Welcome to the growing family of new NISSAN
owners. This vehicle is delivered to you with
confidence. It was produced using the latest
techniques and strict quality control.
This manual was prepared to help you under-
stand the operation and maintenance of your
vehicle so that you may enjoy many miles (kilome-
ters) of driving pleasure. Please read through this
manual before operating your vehicle.
A separate Warranty Information Booklet
explains details about the warranties cov-
ering your vehicle. The “NISSAN Service
and Maintenance Guide” explains details
about maintaining and servicing your ve-
hicle. Additionally, a separate Customer
Care/Lemon Law Booklet (U.S. only) will
explain how to resolve any concerns you
may have with your vehicle, as well as
clarify your rights under your state’s lemon
law.
Your NISSAN dealership knows your vehicle
best. When you require any service or have any
questions, they will be glad to assist you with the
extensive resources available to them.Before driving your vehicle, please read this
Owner’s Manual carefully. This will ensure famil-
iarity with controls and maintenance require-
ments, assisting you in the safe operation of your
vehicle.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION RE-
MINDERS FOR SAFETY!
Follow these important driving rules to
help ensure a safe and comfortable trip
for you and your passengers!
●NEVER drive under the influence of al-
cohol or drugs.
●ALWAYS observe posted speed limits
and never drive too fast for conditions.
●
ALWAYS give your full attention to driving
and avoid using vehicle features or taking
other actions that could distract you.
●ALWAYS use your seat belts and appro-
priate child restraint systems. Preteen
children should be seated in the rear seat.
●ALWAYS provide information about the
proper use of vehicle safety features to
all occupants of the vehicle.
●ALWAYS review this Owner’s Manual
for important safety information.
MODIFICATION OF YOUR VEHICLE
This vehicle should not be modified.
Modification could affect its
performance, safety or durability, and
may even violate governmental
regulations. In addition, damage or per-
formance problems resulting from modi-
fications may not be covered under
NISSAN warranties.
FOREWORD READ FIRST—THEN DRIVE SAFELY
REVIEW COPY—2009 Sentra(sen)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/23/08—debbie


Table of
ContentsIllustrated table of contents
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
Instruments and controls
Pre-driving checks and adjustments
Display screen, heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems
Starting and driving
In case of emergency
Appearance and care
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Technical and consumer information
Index
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

1 Safety—Seats, seat belts and
supplemental restraint system
Seats............................................1-2
Front manual seat adjustment....................1-2
Rear folding seat system (if so equipped).........1-3
Front-Seat Active Head Restraints................1-7
Head restraint adjustment.......................1-8
Seat belts........................................1-9
Precautions on seat belt usage...................1-9
Child safety...................................1-12
Pregnant women..............................1-13
Injured persons................................1-13
Three-point type seat belt with retractor..........1-13
Shoulder belt height adjustment (front seats).....1-19
Seat belt extenders............................1-19
Seat belt maintenance.........................1-19
Child restraints...................................1-20Precautions on child restraints..................1-20
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren) System.............................1-22
Top tether strap child restraint..................1-23
Child restraint installation using LATCH..........1-24
Child restraint installation using the seat
belts.........................................1-28
Booster seats....................................1-35
Precautions on booster seats...................1-35
Booster seat installation........................1-37
Supplemental restraint system.....................1-40
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system.......................................1-40
Supplemental air bag warning labels.............1-55
Supplemental air bag warning light..............1-55
REVIEW COPY—2009 Sentra(sen)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/27/08—tbrooks


SHOULDER BELT HEIGHT
ADJUSTMENT (front seats)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be ad-
justed to the position best for you. (See “Precau-
tions on seat belt usage” earlier in this section.)
To adjust, pull out the adjustment button
1and
move the shoulder belt anchor to the desired
position
2, so the belt passes over the center of
the shoulder. The belt should be away from your
face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder.
Release the adjustment button to lock the shoul-
der belt anchor into position.
WARNING
●After adjustment, release the adjust-
ment button and try to move the shoul-
der belt anchor up and down to make
sure it is securely fixed in position.
●The shoulder belt anchor height should
be adjusted to the position best for you.
Failure to do so may reduce the effec-
tiveness of the entire restraint system
and increase the chance or severity of
injury in an accident.
SEAT BELT EXTENDERS
If, because of body size or driving position, it is
not possible to properly fit the lap/shoulder belt
and fasten it, an extender is available which is
compatible with the installed seat belts. The ex-
tender adds approximately 8 in (200 mm) of
length and may be used for either the driver or
front passenger seating position. See a NISSAN
dealer for assistance if an extender is required.
WARNING
●Only NISSAN seat belt extenders, made
by the same company which made the
original equipment seat belts, should
be used with NISSAN seat belts.●Adults and children who can use the
standard seat belt should not use an
extender. Such unnecessary use could
result in serious personal injury in the
event of an accident.
●Never use seat belt extenders to install
child restraints. If the child restraint is
not secured properly, the child could be
seriously injured in a collision or a sud-
den stop.
SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
●To clean the seat belt webbing,apply a
mild soap solution or any solution recom-
mended for cleaning upholstery or carpet.
Then wipe with a cloth and allow the seat
belts to dry in the shade. Do not allow the seat
belts to retract until they are completely dry.
●If dirt builds up in the shoulder belt
guideof the seat belt anchors, the seat
belts may retract slowly. Wipe the shoulder
belt guide with a clean, dry cloth.
●Periodically check to see that the seat
belt and the metal components,such as
buckles, tongues, retractors, flexible wires
and anchors, work properly. If loose parts,
deterioration, cuts or other damage on the
webbing is found, the entire seat belt as-
sembly should be replaced.
LRS0242
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-19
REVIEW COPY—2009 Sentra(sen)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/23/08—debbie


Repair and replacement procedure
The front air bags, side air bags, curtain air bags
and pretensioners are designed to inflate on a
one-time-only basis. As a reminder, unless it is
damaged, the supplemental air bag warning light
remains illuminated after inflation has occurred.
Repair and replacement of these supplemental
air bag systems should be done only by a
NISSAN dealer.
When maintenance work is required on the ve-
hicle, the front air bags, side air bags, curtain air
bags, pretensioners and related parts should be
pointed out to the person performing the mainte-
nance. The ignition switch should always be
placed in the LOCK position when working under
the hood or inside the vehicle.
WARNING
●Once a front air bag, side air bag, or
curtain air bag has inflated, the air bag
module will not function again and
must be replaced. Additionally, if any of
the front air bags inflate, the activated
pretensioner must also be replaced.
The air bag module and pretensioner
should be replaced by a NISSAN dealer.
The air bag module and pretensioner
cannot be repaired.●The front air bag, side air bag, curtain
air bag systems and the pretensioner
system should be inspected by a
NISSAN dealer if there is any damage to
the front end or side portion of the
vehicle.
●If you need to dispose of the supple-
mental air bag or pretensioner systems
or scrap the vehicle, contact a NISSAN
dealer. Correct air bag and pretensioner
system disposal procedures are set
forth in the appropriate NISSAN Service
Manual. Incorrect disposal procedures
could cause personal injury.
1-56Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
REVIEW COPY—2009 Sentra(sen)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/23/08—debbie


CAUTION
●This gauge is not designed to indicate
low engine oil level. Use the dipstick to
check the oil level. (See “Engine oil” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section.)
●If the gauge needle does not move with
the proper amount of engine oil, have
the vehicle checked by a NISSAN
dealer. Continued vehicle operation in
such a condition could cause serious
damage to the engine.
Instruments and controls2-7
REVIEW COPY—2009 Sentra(sen)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/23/08—debbie


Charge warning light
If this light comes on while the engine is running,
it may indicate the charging system is not func-
tioning properly. Turn the engine off and check
the generator belt. If the belt is loose, broken,
missing, or if the light remains on, see a NISSAN
dealer immediately.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving if the generator
belt is loose, broken or missing.
Door open warning light
This light comes on when any of the doors are not
closed securely while the ignition switch is
placed in the ON position.
Electric power steering
warning light
WARNING
●If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the steering will not work. Steering will
be harder to operate.●When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running,
there will be no power assist for the
steering. You will still have control of
the vehicle but the steering will be
harder to operate. Have the power
steering system checked by a NISSAN
dealer.
When the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the power steering warning light illumi-
nates. After starting the engine, the power steer-
ing warning light turns off. This indicates the
power steering system is operational.
If the power steering warning light illuminates
while the engine is running, it may indicate the
power steering system is not functioning properly
and may need servicing. Have the power steering
system checked by a NISSAN dealer.
When the power steering warning light illumi-
nates with the engine running, there will be no
power assist for the steering but you will still have
control of the vehicle. At this time, greater steer-
ing effort is required to operate the steering
wheel, especially in sharp turns and at low
speeds.
See “Power steering” in the “Starting and driving”
section.
Engine oil pressure warning
light
This light warns of low engine oil pressure. If the
light flickers or comes on during normal driving,
pull off the road in a safe area, stop the engine
immediatelyand call a NISSAN dealer or other
authorized repair shop.
The engine oil pressure warning light is not
designed to indicate a low oil level.Use the
dipstick to check the oil level. See “Engine oil” in
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of
this manual.
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause se-
rious damage to the engine almost imme-
diately. Such damage is not covered by
warranty. Turn off the engine as soon as it
is safe to do so.
Low fuel warning light
This light comes on when the fuel level in the fuel
tank is getting low. Refuel as soon as it is conve-
nient, preferably before the fuel gauge reaches E
(Empty) .There will be a small reserve of fuel
in the tank when the fuel gauge reaches E
(Empty) , showing no more fuel bars.
2-10Instruments and controls
REVIEW COPY—2009 Sentra(sen)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/23/08—debbie


●When a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced tire pressure will not be in-
dicated, the TPMS will not function and
the low tire pressure warning light will
flash for approximately 1 minute. The
light will remain on after 1 minute. Con-
tact your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting.
●Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by NISSAN could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS.
CAUTION
●The TPMS is not a substitute for the
regular tire pressure check. Be sure to
check the tire pressure regularly.
●If the vehicle is being driven at speeds
of less than 16 MPH (25 km/h) , the
TPMS may not operate correctly.
●Be sure to install the specified size of
tires to the 4 wheels correctly.
Low windshield washer fluid
warning light (if so equipped)
This light comes on when the windshield washer
fluid is at a low level. Add windshield washer fluidas necessary. See “Window washer fluid” in the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of this
manual.
NISSAN Intelligent Key™
warning light (if so equipped)
The Intelligent Key warning light illuminates green
when the ignition switch can be turned. The
Intelligent Key warning light illuminates red when
the ignition switch cannot be turned.
The Intelligent Key warning light blinks red if the
Intelligent Key is taken outside of the vehicle
while the ignition switch is placed in the ACC or
ON position.
●If the Intelligent Key warning light blinks,
make sure of the location of the Intelligent
Key as soon as possible. The Intelligent Key
should be carried by the driver while operat-
ing the vehicle.
●The Intelligent Key warning light turns off
about 10 seconds after the Intelligent Key is
brought inside the vehicle.
The Intelligent Key warning light blinks green
indicating that the Intelligent Key battery is almost
discharged.
See “NISSAN Intelligent Key™ (if so equipped)”
in the “Pre-driving checks and adjustments” sec-
tion.
P position selecting warning
light (CVT models) (if so
equipped)
The light blinks red and the warning buzzer
sounds if you are outside of the vehicle with the
Intelligent Key and the engine is off, but the shift
selector is not in the P (Park) position.
When the warning light blinks, place the ignition
switch in the ON position, move the shift selector
to the P position, then place the ignition switch in
the LOCK position.
Seat belt warning light and
chime
The light and chime remind you to fasten your
seat belts. The light illuminates whenever the
ignition switch is placed in the ON or START
position and remains illuminated until the driver’s
seat belt is fastened. At the same time, the chime
sounds for about 6 seconds unless the driver’s
seat belt is securely fastened.
The seat belt warning light may also illuminate if
the front passenger’s seat belt is not fastened
when the front passenger’s seat is occupied . For
7 seconds after the ignition switch is placed in
the ON position, the system does not activate the
warning light for the front passenger.
2-12Instruments and controls
REVIEW COPY—2009 Sentra(sen)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/23/08—debbie