Nissan Altima (2018 year). Manual — part 24

CAUTION

∙ NISSAN recommends using Genuine

NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 (or equivalent)
ONLY in NISSAN CVTs. Do not mix with
other fluids.

∙ Do not use Automatic Transmission

Fluid (ATF) or Manual transmission
fluid in a NISSAN CVT, as it may dam-
age the CVT. Damage caused by the
use of fluids other than as recom-
mended

is

not

covered

under

NISSAN’s

New

Vehicle

Limited

Warranty.

∙ Using fluids that are not equivalent to

Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 may
also damage the CVT. Damage caused
by the use of fluids other than as rec-
ommended is not covered under
NISSAN’s

New

Vehicle

Limited

Warranty.

When checking or replacement of CVT fluid
is required, it is recommended that you visit
a NISSAN dealer for this service.

Check the fluid level in the reservoir.

The fluid level should be checked when the
fluid is cold at fluid temperatures of 32 to
86ºF (0 to 30ºC). The fluid level can be
checked with the level gauge which is at-
tached to the cap. To check the fluid level,
remove the cap. The fluid level should be
between the MAX

䊊

A

and MIN

䊊

B

lines.

If the fluid is below the MIN

䊊

B

line, add

Genuine NISSAN E-PSF or equivalent. Re-
move the cap and fill through the opening.

WARNING

Power steering fluid is poisonous and
should be stored carefully in marked
containers out of the reach of children.

CAUTION

∙ DO NOT OVERFILL.

∙ Use of a power steering fluid other

than

Genuine

NISSAN

E-PSF

or

equivalent will prevent the power
steering

system

from

operating

properly.

LDI2752

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) FLUID

POWER STEERING FLUID

Do-it-yourself

8-11

For additional information on brake fluid
specification,

refer

to

“Recommended

fluids/lubricants and capacities” in the
“Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion of this manual.

WARNING

∙ Use only new fluid from a sealed con-

tainer. Old, inferior or contaminated
fluid may damage the brake system.
The use of improper fluids can dam-
age the brake system and affect the
vehicle’s stopping ability.

∙ Clean the filler cap before removing.

∙ Brake fluid is poisonous and should

be stored carefully in marked contain-
ers out of reach of children.

CAUTION

Do not spill the fluid on any painted sur-
faces. This will damage the paint. If fluid
is spilled, immediately wash the surface
with water.

Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the
brake fluid is below the MIN line

䊊

B

, the

brake warning light will illuminate. Add
brake fluid up to the MAX line

䊊

A

. For addi-

tional information on recommended type
of brake fluid, refer to “Recommended
fluids/lubricants and capacities" in the “
Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion of this manual.

If the brake fluid must be added frequently,
the brake system should be thoroughly
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.

WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID
RESERVOIR

Fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir
periodically. Add windshield-washer fluid
when the “Low Washer Fluid” warning ap-
pears in the vehicle information display.

To fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir,
lift the cap off the reservoir and pour the
windshield-washer fluid into the reservoir
opening.

LDI2753

LDI2754

BRAKE FLUID

WINDSHIELD-WASHER FLUID

8-12

Do-it-yourself

Add a washer solvent to the washer for
better cleaning. In the winter season, add a
windshield washer antifreeze. Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for the mix-
ture ratio.

Refill the reservoir more frequently when
driving conditions require an increased
amount of windshield-washer fluid.

Recommended fluid is Genuine NISSAN
Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner &
Antifreeze or equivalent.

WARNING

Antifreeze is poisonous and should be
stored carefully in marked containers
out of the reach of children.

CAUTION

∙ Do not substitute engine antifreeze

coolant for windshield-washer fluid.
This may result in damage to the
paint.

∙ Do not fill the windshield-washer fluid

reservoir with washer fluid concen-
trates at full strength. Some methyl
alcohol based washer fluid concen-
trates may permanently stain the
grille

if

spilled

while

filling

the

windshield-washer fluid reservoir.

∙ Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates

with water to the manufacturer’s rec-
ommended levels before pouring the
fluid into the windshield-washer fluid
reservoir. Do not use the windshield-
washer fluid reservoir to mix the
washer fluid concentrate and water.

∙ Keep the battery surface clean and dry.

Any corrosion should be washed off
with a solution of baking soda and wa-
ter.

∙ Make certain the terminal connections

are clean and securely tightened.

∙ If the vehicle is not to be used for

30 days or longer, disconnect the nega-
tive (-) battery terminal cable to prevent
discharge.

NOTE:

Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery dis-
charge and potential no-start conditions
such as:

1. Installation or extended use of elec-

tronic accessories that consume bat-
tery power when the engine is not
running (Phone chargers, GPS, DVD
players, etc.)

2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/or

only driven short distances.

In these cases, the battery may need to
be charged to maintain battery health.

BATTERY

Do-it-yourself

8-13

WARNING

∙ Do not operate the vehicle if the fluid

in the battery is low. Low battery fluid
can cause a higher load on the battery
which can generate heat, reduce bat-
tery life, and in some cases lead to an
explosion.

∙ When working on or near a battery,

always wear suitable eye protection
and remove all jewelry.

∙ Do not tip the battery. Keep the vent

caps tight and the battery level.

∙ Battery posts, terminals and related

accessories contain lead and lead
compounds.

Wash

hands

after

handling.

∙ Keep battery out of the reach of

children.

∙ Do not expose the battery to flames,

an electrical spark or a cigarette. Hy-
drogen gas generated by the battery
is explosive. Explosive gases can
cause blindness or injury. Do not allow
battery fluid to contact your skin,
eyes, fabrics or painted surfaces. Sul-
furic acid can cause blindness or in-
jury. After touching a battery or bat-
tery cap, do not touch or rub your
eyes. Thoroughly wash your hands. If
the acid contacts your eyes, skin or
clothing, immediately flush with wa-
ter for at least 15 minutes and seek
medical attention.

1. Remove the vent caps with a screw-

driver as shown. Use a cloth to protect
the battery case.

WDI0224

8-14

Do-it-yourself

2. Check the fluid level in each cell. If it is

necessary to add fluid, add only dis-
tilled water to bring the level up to the
bottom of the filler opening. Do not
overfill. Reinstall the vent caps.

Vehicles operated in high temperatures or
under severe conditions require frequent
checks of the battery fluid level.

JUMP STARTING

If jump starting is necessary, refer to “Jump
starting” in the “In case of emergency” sec-
tion of this manual. If the engine does not
start by jump starting, the battery may
have to be replaced. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this ser-
vice.

CAUTION

∙ Do not ground accessories directly to

the battery terminal. Doing so will by-
pass the variable voltage control sys-
tem and the vehicle battery may not
charge completely.

∙ Use electrical accessories with the en-

gine running to avoid discharging the
vehicle battery.

Your vehicle is equipped with a variable
voltage control system. This system mea-
sures the amount of electrical discharge
from the battery and controls voltage gen-
erated by the generator.

WDI0529

LDI2132

VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
SYSTEM

Do-it-yourself

8-15

The current sensor is located near the bat-
tery along the negative battery cable. If you
add electrical accessories to your vehicle,
be sure to ground them to a suitable body
ground such as the frame or engine block
area.

1.

Crankshaft pulley

2.

Drive belt automatic tensioner pul-
ley

3.

Water pump pulley

4.

Generator pulley

5.

Air compressor pulley

1.

Crankshaft pulley

2.

Drive belt automatic tensioner pul-
ley

3.

Generator pulley

4.

Air compressor pulley

WARNING

Be sure the ignition switch is placed in
the OFF or LOCK position before servic-
ing drive belt. The engine could rotate
unexpectedly.

QR25DE engine

LDI2130

VQ35DE engine

LDI2131

DRIVE BELT

8-16

Do-it-yourself

1. Visually inspect the belt for signs of un-

usual wear, cuts, fraying or looseness. If
the belt is in poor condition or is loose,
have it replaced or adjusted. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service.

2. Have the belt checked regularly for

condition and tension in accordance
with the maintenance schedule found
in the "Maintenance and schedules"
section of this manual.

REPLACING SPARK PLUGS

Iridium-tipped spark plugs

It is not necessary to replace iridium-
tipped

䊊

A

spark plugs as frequently as con-

ventional type spark plugs because they
last much longer. Follow the maintenance
log shown in the “Maintenance and sched-
ules” section of this manual. Do not service
iridium-tipped spark plugs by cleaning or
regapping.

∙ Always replace spark plugs with rec-

ommended or equivalent ones.

WARNING

Be sure the engine and ignition switch
are off and that the parking brake is
engaged securely.

CAUTION

Be sure to use the correct socket to re-
move the spark plugs. An incorrect
socket can damage the spark plugs.

If replacement is required, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.

SDI1895

SPARK PLUGS

Do-it-yourself

8-17

NOTE:

The air cleaner filter should not be
cleaned and reused.

Replace the air cleaner filter according to
the maintenance log shown in the “War-
ranty Information and Maintenance Book-
let.”

To remove the air cleaner filter:

∙ Unlatch the clips and move the air

cleaner cover upward.

∙ Remove the air cleaner filter.

∙ Wipe the inside of the air cleaner filter

housing and the cover with a damp
cloth.

NOTE:

After installing a new air cleaner, make
sure the air cleaner cover is seated in the
housing and latch the clips.

WARNING

∙ Operating the engine with the air

cleaner removed can cause you or
others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops the
flame if the engine backfires. If it isn’t
there, and the engine backfires, you
could be burned. Do not drive with the
air cleaner removed, and be careful
when working on the engine with the
air cleaner removed.

∙ Never pour fuel into the throttle body

or attempt to start the engine with
the air cleaner removed. Doing so
could result in serious injury.

IN-CABIN MICROFILTER

The in-cabin microfilter restricts the entry
of airborne dust and pollen particles and
reduces

some

objectionable

outside

odors. The filter is located behind the glove
box. For additional information, refer to the
"Maintenance and schedules" section of
this manual for change intervals.

If replacement is required, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.

QR25DE

LDI2117

VQ35DE

LDI2118

AIR CLEANER

8-18

Do-it-yourself

CLEANING

If your windshield is not clear after using
the windshield–washer or if a wiper blade
chatters when running, wax or other mate-
rial may be on the blade or windshield.

Clean the outside of the windshield with a
washer fluid or a mild detergent. Your wind-
shield is clean if beads do not form when
rinsing with clear water.

Clean each blade by wiping it with a cloth
soaked in a washer fluid or a mild deter-
gent. Then rinse the blades with clear wa-
ter. If your windshield is still not clear after
cleaning the blades and using the wiper,
install new windshield wiper blades.

CAUTION

Worn windshield wiper blades can
damage the windshield and impair
driver vision.

REPLACING

Replace the wiper blades if they are worn.

To replace the windshield wiper blades, fol-
low the procedure below:

1. Lift the wiper arm away from the wind-

shield.

2. Push the release tab

䊊

B

.

3. Move the wiper blade

䊊

A

down and re-

move.

4. Insert the new wiper blade onto the

wiper arm until it clicks into place.

5. Push wiper on to windshield.

CAUTION

∙ After wiper blade replacement, return

the wiper arm to its original position;
otherwise it may be damaged when
the hood is opened.

∙ Make sure the wiper blades contact

the glass; otherwise the arms may be
damaged from wind pressure.

LDI2757

WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES

Do-it-yourself

8-19

If you wax the surface of the hood, be care-
ful not to let wax get into the washer nozzle

䊊

D

. This may cause clogging or improper

windshield-washer operation. If wax gets
into the nozzle, remove it with a needle or
small pin

䊊

C

.

If the brakes do not operate properly, have
the brakes checked. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this ser-
vice.

Self-adjusting brakes

Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.

The front and rear disc-type brakes self-
adjust every time the brake pedal is ap-
plied.

WARNING

Have your brake system checked if the
brake pedal height does not return to
normal. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.

Brake pad wear indicators

The disc brake pads on your vehicle have
audible wear indicators. When a brake pad
requires

replacement,

a

high

pitched

scraping or screeching sound will be heard
when the vehicle is in motion. The noise will
be heard whether or not the brake pedal is
depressed. Have the brakes checked as
soon as possible if the wear indicator
sound is heard.

Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is nor-
mal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.

Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed. For additional information re-
garding brake inspections, refer to the ap-
propriate maintenance schedule informa-
tion in the "Maintenance and schedules"
section of this manual.

LDI2731

BRAKES

8-20

Do-it-yourself

If any electrical equipment does not oper-
ate, check for an open fuse.

Fuses are used in the passenger and en-
gine compartment. Spare fuses are pro-
vided and can be found in the passenger
compartment fuse box.

When installing a fuse make sure the fuse is
installed in the fuse box securely.

ENGINE COMPARTMENT

WARNING

Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified on
the fuse box cover. This could damage
the electrical system or electronic con-
trol units or cause a fire.

If any electrical equipment does not come
on, check for an open fuse.

1. Be sure the ignition switch and the

headlight switch are OFF.

2. Open the engine hood.

3. Remove the fuse box cover by pushing

the tab and lifting the cover up.

4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller.

The fuse puller is located in the center
of the fuse block in the passenger
compartment.

LDI2385

LDI2133

FUSES

Do-it-yourself

8-21

5. If the fuse is open

䊊

A

, replace it with a

new fuse

䊊

B

.

6. If a new fuse also opens, have the elec-

trical system checked and repaired. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.

Fusible links

If the electrical equipment does not oper-
ate and fuses are in good condition, check
the fusible links. If any of these fusible links
are melted, replace with only Genuine
NISSAN parts.

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT

WARNING

Never use a fuse of higher or lower am-
perage rating than that specified on the
fuse box cover. This could damage the
electrical system or electronic control
units or cause a fire.

If any electrical equipment does not oper-
ate, check for an open fuse.

1. Be sure the ignition switch and the

headlight switch are in the OFF posi-
tion.

2. Pull the fuse box cover to remove.

LDI0456

LDI2869

8-22

Do-it-yourself

3. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller

䊊

A

.

4. If the fuse is open

䊊

B

, replace it with an

equivalent good fuse

䊊

C

.

5. Push the fuse box cover to install.

6. If a new fuse also opens, have the elec-

trical system checked and repaired. It is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.

CAUTION

Be careful not to allow children to swal-
low the battery or removed parts.

LDI2827

LDI2760

BATTERY REPLACEMENT

Do-it-yourself

8-23

NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY®

Replace the battery in the Intelligent Key as
follows:

1. Remove the mechanical key from the

Intelligent Key.

2. Insert a small screwdriver

䊊

A

into the

slit

䊊

B

of the corner and twist it to sepa-

rate the upper part from the lower part.
Use a cloth to protect the casing.

3. Replace the battery with a new one.

Recommended battery: CR2032 or
equivalent.

∙ Do not touch the internal circuit and

electric terminals as doing so could
cause a malfunction.

∙ Hold the battery by the edges. Hold-

ing the battery across the contact
points will seriously deplete the stor-
age capacity.

∙ Make sure that the + side faces the

bottom of the case.

4. Close the lid securely as illustrated with

䊊

C

and

䊊

D

.

5. Operate the buttons to check the op-

eration.

It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service if you need assis-
tance for replacement.

LDI2001

WDI0568

8-24

Do-it-yourself

FCC Notice:

For USA:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.

Note: Changes or modifications not ex-
pressly approved by the party respon-
sible for compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.

For Canada:
This

device

complies

with

Industry

Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s).
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must ac-
cept any interference, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired opera-
tion of the device.

HEADLIGHTS

For additional information on headlight
bulb replacement, refer to the instructions
outlined in this section.

Replacing the halogen headlight
bulb (if so equipped)

The headlight is a semi-sealed beam type
which uses a replaceable headlight (halo-
gen) bulb. They can be replaced from inside
the engine compartment without remov-
ing the headlight assembly.

If headlight bulb replacement is required, it
is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.

CAUTION

∙ Aiming is not necessary after replac-

ing the bulb. When aiming adjustment
is necessary, it is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.

∙ Do not leave the headlight assembly

open without a bulb installed for a
long period of time. Dust, moisture,
smoke, etc. entering the headlight
body may affect bulb performance.
Remove the bulb from the headlight
assembly just before a replacement
bulb is installed.

∙ Only touch the base when handling

the bulb. Never touch the glass enve-
lope. Touching the glass could signifi-
cantly affect bulb life and/or head-
light performance.

∙ High pressure halogen gas is sealed

inside the halogen bulb. The bulb may
break

if

the

glass

envelope

is

scratched or the bulb is dropped.

∙ Use the same number and wattage as

shown in the chart.

Fog may temporarily form inside the lens
of the exterior lights in the rain or in a car
wash. A temperature difference between
the inside and the outside of the lens
causes the fog. This is not a malfunction. If
large drops of water collect inside the lens,
it is recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service.

LIGHTS

Do-it-yourself

8-25

Replacing the LED headlight bulb
(if so equipped)

If LED headlight bulb replacement is re-
quired, it is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.

FOG LIGHTS (if so equipped)

For additional information on fog light bulb
replacement, refer to the instructions out-
lined in this section.

LDI2940

8-26

Do-it-yourself