1998 Nissan Altima Owner's Manual - Page 123

POWER STEERING SYSTEM WARNING ● Never leave the engine running while the vehicle is unattended. ● Do not leave children unattended inside the vehicle. They could unknowingly activate switches or controls. Unattended children could become involved in serious accidents. The power assisted steering is designed to use a hydraulic pump, driven by the engine, to assist steering. If the engine stops or the hydraulic pump drive belt breaks, you will still have control of the vehicle. However, much greater steering effort is needed, especially in sharp turns and at low speeds. WARNING If the engine is not running or is turned off while driving, the power assist for the steering will not work. Steering will be much harder to operate. BRAKE SYSTEM The brake system has two separate hydraulic circuits. If one circuit develops a problem, you will still have braking at two wheels. Vacuum assisted brake 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 pressure on the brake pedal will be required to stop the vehicle and stopping distance will be longer. Wet brakes When the vehicle is washed or driven through water, the brakes may get wet. As a result, your braking distance will be longer and the vehicle may pull to one side during braking. To dry 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. Using the brakes Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving. This overheats the brakes, 5-16 Starting and driving