2010 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE Owners Manual

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.
A(CVT)
B(M/T)
WCE0194
6-12In case of emergency

CAUTION
●Never tow Continuously Variable Trans-
mission (CVT) models 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.
● When towing Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) models with the
front wheels on towing dollies, or when
towing manual transmission (M/T)
models with the front wheels on the
ground:
– Place the ignition switch in the OFF position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device.
– Move the shift selector to the N (Neu- tral) position.
● When towing Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) or manual trans-
mission models (M/T) with the rear
wheels on the ground (if you do not use
towing dollies): Always release the
parking brake. ●
Observe the following restricted towing
speeds and distances for manual trans-
missions (M/T) only:
– Speed: Below 50 MPH (80 km/h)
– Distance: Less than 50 miles (80 km)
A(CVT)
B(M/T)
WCE0195
In case of emergency6-13

VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
Pulling a stuck vehicle
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
●Contact a professional towing service
to recover the vehicle if you have any
questions regarding the recovery
procedure. ●
Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to tow
or free a stuck vehicle.
● Only use devices specifically designed
for vehicle recovery and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions.
● Always pull the recovery device straight
out from the front of the vehicle. Never
pull at an angle.
● Route recovery devices so they do not
touch any part of the vehicle except the
attachment point.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use a tow strap or other device designed specifi-
cally for vehicle recovery. Always follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for the recovery de-
vice.
Do not use the tie-down hooks for towing or
vehicle recovery.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
WARNING
● Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
● Do 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.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use the following procedure: 1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control Sys- tem.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear an area around the front tires.
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and back- ward.
● Shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and D (Drive) (CVT models) or 1st (Low)
and R (Reverse) (M/T models) .
● Apply the accelerator as little as possible
to maintain the rocking motion.
LCE0138
6-14In case of emergency

●Release the accelerator pedal before
shifting between R (Reverse) and D
(Drive) (CVT models) or 1st (Low) and R
(Reverse) (M/T models) .
● Do not spin the tires above 35 mph (55
km/h) .
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few tries, contact a professional towing service
to remove the vehicle.
In case of emergency6-15

MEMO
6-16In case of emergency

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 (if so equipped) ...........7-3
Chrome parts ..................................7-4
Tire dressings ..................................7-4
Cleaning interior ...................................7-4 Air fresheners
..................................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 ............7-6

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:● after a rainfall to prevent possible damage
from acid rain.
● after driving on coastal roads.
● when contaminants such as soot, bird drop-
pings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs get
on the paint surface.
● when 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
● Do 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.
● Do not wash the vehicle with strong
household soap, strong chemical deter-
gents, gasoline or solvents.
● Do not wash the vehicle in direct sun-
light or while the vehicle body is hot, as
the surface may become water-spotted.
● Avoid 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 to the 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.
● Wax your vehicle only after a thorough wash-
ing. Follow the instructions supplied with the
wax.
● Do 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

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 (if so
equipped) 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:
1Push toward rear of vehicle.
2Lift 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 (if so
equipped)
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:
●
Do not use a cleaner that uses strong
acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
WAI0005
Appearance and care7-3