2012 NISSAN ALTIMA Owners Manual

●Do not place objects with sharp edges
on the seat. Also, do not place heavy
objects on the seat that will leave per-
manent impressions in the seat. Such
objects can damage the seat or occu-
pant classification sensor (pattern sen-
sor) . This can affect the operation of the
air bag system and result in serious
personal injury.
● 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
operation of the air bag system and
result in serious personal injury.
● Immediately after inflation, several
front air bag system components will be
hot. Do not touch them; you may se-
verely burn yourself.
● No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the supplemental air bag system. This is
to prevent accidental inflation of the
supplemental air bag or damage to the
supplemental air bag system. ●
Tampering with the front air bag system
may result in serious personal injury.
Tampering includes changes to the
steering wheel and the instrument
panel assembly by placing material
over the steering wheel pad and above
the instrument panel or by installing
additional trim material around the air
bag system.
● Modifying or tampering with the front
passenger seat may result in serious
personal injury. For example, do not
change the front seats by placing mate-
rial on the seat cushion or by installing
additional trim material, such as seat
covers, on the seat that are not specifi-
cally designed to assure proper air bag
operation. Additionally, do not stow any
objects under the front passenger seat
or the seat cushion and seatback. Such
objects may interfere with the proper
operation of the occupant classifica-
tion sensor.
● No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the seat belt system. This may affect the
front air bag system. Tampering with
the seat belt system may result in seri-
ous personal injury. ●
Work on and around the front air bag
system should be done by a NISSAN
dealer. Installation of electrical equip-
ment should also be done by a NISSAN
dealer. The Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) wiring should not be
modified or disconnected. Unauthor-
ized electrical test equipment and prob-
ing devices should not be used on the
air bag system.
● A cracked windshield should be re-
placed immediately by a qualified re-
pair facility. A cracked windshield could
affect the function of the supplemental
air bag system.
*The SRS wiring harness connectors are
yellow and orange for easy identification.
When selling your vehicle, we request that you
inform the buyer about the front air bag system
and guide the buyer to the appropriate sections
in this Owner’s Manual.
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-53

Front seat-mounted side-impact
supplemental air bag and roof-
mounted curtain side-impact
supplemental air bag systems
The side air bags are located in the outside of the
seatback of the front seats. The curtain air bags
are located in the side roof rails. These systems
are designed to meet voluntary guidelines to help
reduce the risk of injury to out-of-position occu-
pants.However, all of the information, cau-
tions and warnings in this manual still ap-
ply and must be followed. The side air bags
and curtain air bags are designed to inflate in
higher severity side collisions, although they may inflate if the forces in another type of collision are
similar to those of a higher severity side impact.
They are designed to inflate on the side where the
vehicle is impacted. They may not inflate in cer-
tain side collisions.
Vehicle damage (or lack of it) is not always an
indication of proper side air bag and curtain air
bag operation.
When the side air bags and curtain air bags
inflate, a fairly loud noise may be heard, followed
by the release of smoke. This smoke is not harm-
ful and does not indicate a fire. Care should be
taken not to inhale it, as it may cause irritation and
choking. Those with a history of a breathing con-
dition should get fresh air promptly.
Side air bags, along with the use of seat belts,
help to cushion the impact force on the chest and
pelvic area of the front occupants. Curtain air
bags help to cushion the impact force to the head
of occupants in the front and rear outboard seat-
ing positions. They can help save lives and re-
duce serious injuries. However, an inflating side
air bag and curtain air bag may cause abrasions
or other injuries. Side air bags and curtain air
bags do not provide restraint to the lower body.
The seat belts should be correctly worn and the
driver and passenger seated upright as far as
practical away from the side air bag. Rear seat
passengers should be seated as far away as
practical from the door finishers and side roof
rails. The side air bags and curtain air bags inflate
quickly in order to help protect the occupants.
Because of this, the force of the side air bag and
curtain air bag inflating can increase the risk of
injury if the occupant is too close to, or is against,
these air bag modules during inflation. The side
air bags and curtain air bag will deflate quickly
after the collision is over.
The side air bags and curtain air bags op-
erate only when the ignition switch is
placed in the ON position.
After placing the ignition switch in the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warning
light illuminates. The supplemental air bag
warning light will turn off after about 7
seconds if the system is operational.

●Right after inflation, several side air bag
and curtain air bag system components
will be hot. Do not touch them; you may
severely burn yourself.
● No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the side air bag and curtain air bag
systems. This is to prevent damage to or
accidental inflation of the side air bag
and curtain air bag or damage to the
side air bag and curtain air bag systems.
● Do not make unauthorized changes to
your vehicle’s electrical system, sus-
pension system or side panel. This
could affect proper operation of the
side air bag and curtain air bag systems.
● Tampering with the side air bag system
may result in serious personal injury.
For example, do not change the front
seats by placing material near the seat-
backs or by installing additional trim
material, such as seat covers, around
the side air bag. ●
Work around and on the side air bag
and curtain air bag system should be
done by a NISSAN dealer. Installation
of electrical equipment should also be
done by a NISSAN dealer. The SRS wir-
ing harnesses* should not be modified
or disconnected. Unauthorized electri-
cal test equipment and probing devices
should not be used on the side air bag
or curtain air bag system.
* The SRS wiring harness connectors are
yellow and orange for easy identification.
When selling your vehicle, we request that you
inform the buyer about the side air bag and
curtain air bag systems and guide the buyer to
the appropriate sections in this Owner’s Manual.
Seat belts with pretensioners (Front
seats)

The pretensioner is encased with the seat belt
retractor. These seat belts are used the same way
as conventional seat belts.
When a pretensioner activates, smoke is re-
leased and a loud noise may be heard. This
smoke is not harmful and does not indicate a fire.
Care should be taken not to inhale it, as it may
cause irritation and choking. Those with a history
of a breathing condition should get fresh air
promptly.
After pretensioner activation, load limiters allow
the seat belt to release webbing (if necessary) to
reduce forces against the chest.
The supplemental air bag warning light

If any of the following conditions occur, the front
air bag, side air bag and curtain air bag and
pretensioner systems need servicing:● The supplemental air bag warning light re-
mains on after approximately 7 seconds.
● The supplemental air bag warning light
flashes intermittently.
● The supplemental air bag warning light does
not come on at all.
Under these conditions, the front air bag, side air
bag and curtain air bag or pretensioner systems
may not operate properly. They must be checked
and repaired. Take your vehicle to the nearest
NISSAN dealer.

2 Instruments and controls
Instrument panel...................................2-2
Meters and gauges ................................2-3
Speedometer and odometer . . ...................2-4
Tachometer ....................................2-5
Engine coolant temperature gauge ...............2-5
Fuel gauge ....................................2-6
Compass display (if so equipped) ...................2-6
Compass display ...............................2-7
Warning/indicator lights and audible reminders ......2-10
Checking bulbs ............................... 2-10
Warning lights ................................ 2-11
Indicator lights ................................ 2-14
Audible reminders ............................. 2-16
Vehicle information display ......................... 2-17
How to use the Vehicle Information Display .......2-17
Security systems ................................. 2-26
Vehicle security system ......................... 2-26
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system .............2-27
Windshield wiper and washer switch ...............2-28
Switch operation .............................. 2-28
Rear window and outside mirror (if so equipped)
defroster switch .................................. 2-29
Headlight and turn signal switch. . ..................2-29Xenon headlights (if so equipped)
...............2-29
Headlight control switch ........................ 2-31
Daytime running light system (Canada only) ......2-33
Instrument brightness control ...................2-33
Turn signal switch ............................. 2-34
Fog light switch (if so equipped) ................2-34
Hazard warning flasher switch .....................2-34
Horn ............................................ 2-35
Heated seat (if so equipped) .......................2-35
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) off switch ...........2-36
Power outlet ..................................... 2-36
Storage ......................................... 2-37
Map pockets .................................. 2-37
Seatback pockets (if so equipped) ..............2-38
Storage pouch (if so equipped) .................2-38
Sunglasses
holder............................. 2-38
Cup holders . . . ............................... 2-39
Glove box .................................... 2-41
Console box .................................. 2-41
Storage box (if so equipped) ....................2-42
Covered storage box ........................... 2-42
Grocery hooks ................................ 2-42
Cargo net (if so equipped) ......................2-43

1. Vents (P. 4-18)
2. Headlight/fog light (if so equipped)/turnsignal switch (P. 2-29) 3. Steering wheel switch for audio control
(if so equipped)/Bluetooth Hands-free
Phone System (if so equipped)
(P. 4-96, P. 4-92, P. 4-106)
4. Meters and gauges (P. 2-3) 5. Driver supplemental air bag/horn
(P. 1-41, P. 2-35)
6. Cruise control main/set switch
(P. 5-20)
7. Windshield wiper and washer switch
(P. 2-28)
8. Ignition switch (P. 5-7)
9. Hazard warning flasher switch (P. 2-34)
10. Front passenger air bag status light
(P. 1-52)
11. Front passenger supplemental air bag
(P. 1-41)
12. Glove box (P. 2-41)
13. Navigation system* (if so equipped)
(P. 4-2)
14. Covered storage box (P. 2-42)
15. Heater and air conditioner (automatic)
(P. 4-26)
16. Heater and air conditioner (manual)
(P. 4-19)
17. Shift selector (P. 5-12)
18. Audio system controls (if so equipped)/
Storage (if so equipped)
(P. 4-29, P.2-42)
19. Tilt/telescopic steering wheel controls
(P. 3-28)