Fresh airMove the air intake lever to theposi-
tion. The air flow is drawn from outside the
vehicle.
Air recirculation
Move the air intake lever to theposi-
tion to recirculate air inside the vehicle.
Use the
selection:
∙ when driving on a dusty road.
∙ to prevent traffic fumes from entering passenger compartment.
∙ for maximum cooling when using the air conditioner.
Rear window defroster switch
For additional information about the rear
window defroster switch, refer to “Rear win-
dow and outside mirror (if so equipped)
defroster switch” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual.
HEATER OPERATION
Heating
This mode is used to direct heated air to
the foot outlets. Some air also flows from
the defrost outlets.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position for normal heating.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position between the
middle and the hot position.
Ventilation
This mode directs outside air to the side
and center vents.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position. 4. Turn the temperature control dial to
the desired position.
Defrosting or defogging
This mode directs the air to the defrost
outlets to defrost/defog the windows.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position between the
middle and the hot position.
5. Align lef t and right vents to direct air flow toward the front side windows.
∙ To quickly remove ice or fog from the windows, turn the fan control dial to the
maximum position and the tempera-
ture control dial to the full hot position.
Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems4-11
Bi-level heating
This mode directs cooler air from the side
and center vents and warmer air from the
floor outlets. When the temperature con-
trol dial is moved to the full hot or full cool
position, the air between the vents and the
floor outlets is the same temperature.1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position.
Heating and defogging
This mode heats the cabin and defogs the
windshield.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position between the
middle and the hot position.
Operating tips
Clear snow and ice from the wiper blades
and air inlet in front of the windshield.
This improves heater operation.
AIR FLOW CHARTS
The following charts show the button and
dial positions for MAXIMUM AND QUICK
heating or defrosting. The air intake lever
should always be in the
position for
heating and defrosting.
4-12Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems
Air conditioner button
Start the engine, turn the fan control dial to
the desired position and press the
button to turn on the air conditioner. The
indicator light comes on when the air con-
ditioner is operating. To turn off the air con-
ditioner, press the
button again.
The air conditioner cooling function op-
erates only when the engine is running.
Rear window and outside mirror
(if so equipped) defroster switch
For additional information, refer to “Rear
window and outside mirror (if so equipped)
defroster switch” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual.
HEATER OPERATION
Heating
This mode is used to direct heated air to
the foot outlets. Some air also flows from
the defrost outlets.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position for normal heating.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position. 3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position between the
middle and the hot position.
Ventilation
This mode directs outside air to the side
and center vents.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position.
Defrosting or defogging
This mode directs the air to the defrost
outlets to defrost/defog the windows.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position. 3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position between the
middle and the hot position.
∙ To quickly remove ice or fog from the windows, turn the fan control dial to the
maximum position and the tempera-
ture control dial to the full hot position.
When the
orposition is se-
lected, press the
button to turn on
the air conditioner for better performance.
This will dehumidif y the air and help defog
the windows.
Bi-level heating
This mode directs cooler air from the side
and center vents and warmer air from the
floor outlets. When the temperature con-
trol dial is moved to the full hot or full cool
position, the air between the vents and the
floor outlets is the same temperature.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems4-17
3. Turn thefan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position.
Heating and defogging
This mode heats the cabin and defogs the
windshield.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position between the
middle and the hot position.
When the
orposition is se-
lected, press the
button to turn on
the air conditioner for better performance.
This will dehumidif y the air and help defog
the windows.
Operating tips
Clear snow and ice from the wiper blades
and air inlet in front of the windshield.
This improves heater operation.
AIR CONDITIONER OPERATION
Start the engine, turn thefan control
dial to the desired position, and press
the
button to activate the air condi-
tioner. When the air conditioner is on, cool-
ing and dehumidif ying functions are
added to the heater operation.
The air conditioner cooling function op-
erates only when the engine is running.
Cooling
This mode is used to cool and dehumidif y
the air.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Press the
button. The indicator
light comes on. 5. Turn the temperature control dial to
the desired position.
∙ For quick cooling when the outside temperature is high, move the air intake
lever to the
position. Be sure to
return to the
position for normal
cooling.
Dehumidified heating
This mode is used to heat and dehumidif y
the air.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
2. Turn the air flow control dial to the
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the
desired position.
4. Press the
button. The indicator
light comes on.
5. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position.
Dehumidified defogging
This mode is used to defog the windows
and dehumidif y the air.
1. Move the air intake lever to the
position.
4-18Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems
2. Turn the air flow control dial tothe
position.
3. Turn the
fan control dial to the de-
sired position.
4. Turn the temperature control dial to the desired position.
Operating tips
∙ Keep the windows closed while the airconditioner is in operation.
∙ Af ter parking in the sun, drive for 2 or 3 minutes with the windows open to
vent hot air from the passenger com-
partment. Then, close the windows.
This allows the air conditioner to cool
the interior more quickly.
∙ The air conditioning system should
be operated for approximately
10 minutes at least once a month.
This helps prevent damage to the
system due to lack of lubrication. ∙ A visible mist may be seen coming from
the ventilators in hot, humid conditions
as the air is cooled rapidly. This does not
indicate a malfunction.
∙ If the engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates engine coolant tem-
perature over the normal range, turn
the air conditioner off. For additional
information, refer to “If your vehicle
overheats” in the “In case of emer-
gency ” section of this manual.
AIR FLOW CHARTS
The following charts show the button and
dial positions for MAXIMUM AND QUICK
heating, cooling or defrosting. The air in-
take lever should always be in the
position for heating and defrosting.
Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems4-19
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rollinginto traffic when parked on an incline, it
is a good practice to turn the wheels as
illustrated.
∙ HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB
A:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the curb
side wheel gently touches the curb.
∙ HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB
B:
Turn the wheels away from the curb
and move the vehicle back until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
∙ HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO CURB
C:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it moves.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position and remove the key.
WARNING
∙ If the engine is not running or isturned off while driving, the power as-
sist for the steering will not work.
Steering will be harder to operate.
∙ When the power steering warning light illuminates with the engine run-
ning, 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. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assist while driving to oper-
ate the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power as-
sist for the steering wheel will be reduced.
This is to prevent overheating of the power
steering system and protect it from getting
damaged. While the power assist is re-
duced, steering wheel operation will be-
come heavy. When the temperature of the
power steering system goes down, the
power assist level will return to normal. Avoid repeating such steering wheel op-
erations that could cause the power steer-
ing system to overheat.
You may hear a sound when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the electric power steering warning light
PS
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. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
When the electric power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine running,
there will be no power assist for the steer-
ing but you will still have control of the ve-
hicle. At this time, greater steering effort is
required to operate the steering wheel, es-
pecially in sharp turns and at low speeds.
For additional information, refer to “Power
steering warning light” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
POWER STEERING
Starting and driving5-21
The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using
engine vacuum. If the engine stops, you
can stop the vehicle by depressing the
brake pedal. However, greater foot pres-
sure on the brake pedal will be required to
stop the vehicle and stopping distance will
be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake pads faster, and reduce
gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent
the brakes from overheating, reduce speed
and downshif t to a lower gear before going
down a slope or long grade. Overheated
brakes may reduce braking performance
and could result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
∙ While driving on a slippery surface, becareful when braking, accelerating or
downshif ting. Abrupt braking or ac-
celerating could cause the wheels to
skid and result in an accident.
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned off while driving, the power as-
sist for the brakes will not work. Brak-
ing will be harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven
through water, the brakes may get wet. As
a result, your braking distance will be lon-
ger and the vehicle may pull to one side
during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake
pedal to heat up the brakes. Do this until
the brakes return to normal. Avoid driving
the vehicle at high speeds until the brakes
function correctly.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or drums/rotors are replaced,
in order to assure the best braking perfor-
mance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
WARNING
∙ The ABS is a sophisticated device, but
it cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain ve-
hicle control during braking on slip-
pery surfaces. Remember that stop-
ping distances on slippery surfaces
will be longer than on normal sur-
faces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if you
are using tire chains. Always maintain
a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you. Ultimately, the driver is
responsible for safety.
∙ Tire type and condition may also af- fect braking effectiveness.
BRAKE SYSTEM
5-22Starting and driving
CAUTION
∙ Do not push start this vehicle. Thethree-way catalyst may be damaged.
∙ Automatic Transmission (AT) models and Manual Transmission (MT) cannot
be push-started or tow-started. At-
tempting to do so may cause trans-
mission damage.
∙ For Manual Transmission (MT) mod- els, never try to start the vehicle by
towing it. When the engine starts, the
forward surge could cause the vehicle
to collide with the tow vehicle. If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by a
red high temperature warning light),
or if you feel a lack of engine power, detect
abnormal noise, etc. take the following
steps.
WARNING
∙ Do not continue to drive if your vehicle overheats. Doing so could cause en-
gine damage or a vehicle fire.
∙ To avoid the danger of being scalded, never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the radia-
tor cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
∙ Do not open the hood if steam is com- ing out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, ap- ply the parking brake and move the
shif t lever to N (Neutral) (manual trans-
mission models) or to P (Park) (auto-
matic transmission models).
Do not stop the engine. 2.
Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the
windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.
3.Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator before opening the hood. (If steam
or coolant is escaping, turn off the en-
gine.) Do not open the hood further until
no steam or coolant can be seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
5. Visually check drive belts for damage
or looseness. Also check if the cooling
fan is running. The radiator hoses and
radiator should not leak water. If cool-
ant is leaking, the water pump belt is
missing or loose, or the cooling fan
does not run, stop the engine.
WARNING
∙ Be careful not to allow your hands,hair, jewelry or clothing to come into
contact with, or get caught in, engine
belts or the engine cooling fan. The
engine cooling fan can start at any
time.
∙ If coolant is leaking, or the cooling fan does not run, stop the engine.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-13