2013 NISSAN ALTIMA service

Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle.
FLAT TOWING
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor
home.
CAUTION
●Failure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
● Whenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward.
● DO NOT tow any continuously variable
transmission vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground (flat towing) . Do-
ing so WILL DAMAGE internal transmis-
sion parts due to lack of transmission
lubrication.
● For emergency towing procedures refer
to “Towing recommended by NISSAN”
in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
Continuously Variable Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with a continuously
variable transmission, an appropriate vehicle
dolly MUST be placed under the towed vehicle’s
drive wheels. Alwaysfollow the dolly manufac-
turer’s recommendations when using their prod-
uct. DOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times
as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the
tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as mea-
sured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
TOWING A TRAILER
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Technical and consumer information9-17

Genuine NISSAN Service Manuals for this model
year and prior can be purchased. A genuine
NISSAN Service Manual is the best source of
service and repair information for your vehicle.
This manual is the same one used by the factory-
trained technicians working at NISSAN dealer-
ships. Genuine NISSAN Owner’s Manuals can
also be purchased.
For USA
For current pricing and availability of genuine
NISSAN Service Manuals, contact:
1-800-450-9491
www.nissan-techinfo.com
For current pricing and availability of genuine
NISSAN Owner’s Manuals, contact:
1-800-247-5321
For Canada
To purchase a copy of a genuine NISSAN Ser-
vice Manual or Owner’s Manual, for this model
year and prior, please contact your nearest
NISSAN dealer. For the phone number and loca-
tion of a NISSAN dealer in your area, call the
NISSAN Information Center at 1-800-387-0122
and a bilingual NISSAN representative will assist
you.
OWNER’S MANUAL/SERVICE
MANUAL ORDER INFORMATION
Technical and consumer information9-21

10 Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ........5-32
Air bag (See supplemental restraint system). .1-37
Air bag system Front (See supplemental front impact
air bag system) ...............1-44
Airbagwarninglight...........1-52,2-14
Air cleaner housing filter ............8-20
Air conditioner Air conditioner operation ..........4-24
Air conditioner service ...........4-32
Air conditioner specification label .....9-12
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
oil recommendations .............9-7
Heater and air conditioner
controls................4-21,4-30
Servicing air conditioner ..........4-32
Airflowcharts..................4-25
Alarm system
(See vehicle security system) .........2-26
Anchor point locations .............1-23
Antenna.....................4-72
Anti-lock brake warning light ..........2-10
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ........5-32
Armrests .....................1-7
Audible reminders ...............2-16
Audio system ..................4-32
Bluetooth®audio.......4-65,4-66,4-67
Compact disc (CD) player . .4-43, 4-48, 4-54
FM-AM radio with compact disc
(CD)player.................4-41 FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) player
..............4-46,4-51
Audio System iPod®Player.............4-60,4-62
Audio system Radio ....................4-32
USB interface ............4-57,4-58
Autolight switch .................2-31
Automatic Automatic power window switch .....2-44
Transmission shift selector lock release . .5-17
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror .......3-34
Automatic door locks ..............3-6
AUXjack..............4-44,4-49,4-56
B
Battery ......................8-16
Chargewarninglight............2-11
Before starting the engine ...........5-11
Belt (See drive belt) ..............8-19
Block heater Engine ....................5-36
Bluetooth®audio.........4-65,4-66,4-67
Bluetooth® hands-free phone
system ...............4-73,4-88,4-99
Boosterseats..................1-33
Brake Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ......5-32
Brake fluid ..................8-14
Brake light (See stop light) .........8-32
Brake system ................5-31 Brake warning light
.............2-11
Brake wear indicators ........2-16,8-23
Parking brake operation ..........5-19
Self-adjusting brakes ............8-23
Brakes ......................8-23
Break-inschedule ...............5-28
Brightness/contrast button ...........4-11
Brightness control Instrument panel ..............2-33
Bulb check/instrument panel ..........2-10
Bulbreplacement................8-32
C
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants ...................9-2
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) . . .9-13
CarphoneorCBradio.............4-73
CDcareandcleaning .............4-70
CD player (See audio system) . .4-43, 4-48, 4-54
Check tire pressure ...............2-25
Child restraints .......1-17,1-18,1-19,1-21
Precautions on child
restraints ........1-19,1-25,1-30,1-33
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-23
Child safety rear door lock ............3-6
C h

imes,audiblereminders...........2-16
Cleaning exterior and interior ..........7-2
Clock ......................4-42 (models without navigation system) ....4-42
Clockset ....................4-42
C.M.V.S.S. certification label ..........9-11

Interiorlight..................2-46
Lightbulbs..................8-28
Low tire pressure warning light.......2-11
Low windshield-washer fluid warning
light......................2-24
Passenger air bag and status light .....1-46
Personal lights ................2-47
Security indicator light ............2-15
Spotlights (See map light) .........2-48
Trunklight ..................2-48
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders ...................2-10
Lights Maplights ..................2-48
Lock Child safety rear door lock ..........3-6
Door locks ...................3-4
Fuel-filler door lock opener lever ......3-30
Gloveboxlock................2-41
Power door locks ...............3-5
Trunk lid lock opener lever ..........3-27
Loose fuel cap warning ..........2-25,3-30
Lowfuelwarninglight ..........2-13,2-24
Low tire pressure warning light .........2-11
Low windshield-washer fluid warning light . . .2-24
Luggage (See vehicle loading information) . .9-13
M
Maintenance Generalmaintenance.............8-2
Insidethevehicle...............8-3
Maintenanceprecautions...........8-5
Outsidethevehicle..............8-2
Seat belt maintenance ............1-17 Underthehoodandvehicle .........8-4
Malfunction indicator light ............2-14
Manual front seat adjustment ...........1-2
Maplights ....................2-48
Map pocket ....................2-38
Meters and gauges ................2-3
Instrument brightness control ........2-33
Mirror Automatic anti-glare inside mirror ......3-34
Inside mirror .................3-33
Outside mirror control ............3-35
Outside mirrors ...............3-35
Vanity mirror .................3-33
Moonroof .....................2-45
N
NISSAN Intelligent Key® ............3-18
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system . . .2-27, 3-4, 5-11
NISSAN voice recognition system ......4-109
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating) ......9-4
Odometer .....................2-4
Oil Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changing engine oil .............8-11
Changing engine oil filter ..........8-12
Checking engine oil level ..........8-10
Engineoil...................8-10
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . . .9-6 Engine oil viscosity
..............9-6
Outside mirror control ..............3-35
Outside mirrors .................3-35
Overheat If your vehicle overheats ...........6-10
Owner’s manual order form ...........9-21
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information ....................9-21
P
Parking Parking brake operation ...........5-19
Parking/parking on hills ...........5-30
Personallights..................2-47
Phone, Bluetooth®

hands-free
system ...............4-73,4-88,4-99
Power Power door locks ...............3-5
Power outlet .................2-37
Power rear windows .............2-43
Power steering system ...........5-31
Power windows ...............2-42
Rear power windows ............2-43
Precautions Maintenanceprecautions...........8-5
Precautions on child
restraints .........1-19,1-25,1-30,1-33
Precautions on seat belt usage .......1-10
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system ....................1-37
Precautions when starting and driving ....5-2
Programmablefeatures..............4-7
Push starting ...................6-10
10-4

R
Radio Car phone or CB radio ...........4-73
FM-AM radio with compact disc
(CD) player ..................4-41
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) player ..............4-46,4-51
Readiness for inspection maintenance
(I/M) test .....................9-20
Rear power windows ..............2-43
Rearseat......................1-6
RearViewMonitor................4-11
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch .......................2-29
Recorders Eventdata..................9-20
Refrigerant recommendation ...........9-7
Registering your vehicle in another country . .9-10
Reporting safety defects (US only) .......9-19
S
Safety Child safety rear door lock ..........3-6
Child seat belts .....1-19,1-25,1-30,1-33
Reporting safety defects (US only) .....9-19
Seat adjustment Front manual seat adjustment ........1-2
Front power seat adjustment .........1-4
Rear seat adjustment .............1-6
Seatback pockets ................2-39
Seat belt Child safety ..................1-17 Infants and small children
..........1-18
Injured Person ................1-13
Largerchildren................1-18
Precautions on seat belt usage .......1-10
Pregnant women ...............1-13
Seatbeltextenders .............1-16
Seatbeltmaintenance............1-17
Seatbelts...................1-10
Shoulder belt height adjustment ......1-16
Three-point type with retractor .......1-13
Seat belt warning light ..............2-13
Seats Adjustment ...................1-2
Frontseats...................1-2
Heatedseats.................2-35
Manual front seat adjustment .........1-2
Rearseat....................1-6
Security indicator light ..............2-15
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start ........2-27,3-4,5-11
Self-adjusting brakes ..............8-23
Service manual order form ...........9-21
Servicing air conditioner .............4-32
Setting button ...................4-7
Shifting Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) .....................5-14
Shiftlockrelease.................5-17
Shoulder belt height adjustment ........1-16
Sparkplugreplacement.............8-20
Speedometer ...................2-4
Spotlights(Seemaplight) ...........2-48
SRSwarninglabel................1-52
Starting Before starting the engine ..........5-11
Jump starting .................6-8 Precautions when starting and driving
....5-2
Push starting .................6-10
Starting the engine .............5-12
Steering Heated steering wheel ...........2-36
Power steering system ...........5-31
Stoplight.....................8-32
Storage......................2-38
Sunglasses case .................2-39
Sunglasses holder ................2-39
Sunroof ......................2-45
Sunroof (see

Moonroof) .............2-45
Sun visors ....................3-32
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-52, 2-14
Supplemental front impact air bag system . . .1-44
Supplemental restraint system Information and warning labels .......1-52
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system ....................1-37
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system) .........1-37
Switch Autolight switch ...............2-31
Automatic power window switch ......2-44
Fog light switch ...............2-34
Hazard warning flasher switch ........6-2
Headlightandturnsignalswitch......2-30
Headlight control switch ..........2-31
Power door lock switch ............3-5
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch .....................2-29
Turnsignalswitch..............2-34
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off
switch .....................2-37
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-28
10-5