1996 Nissan Altima Owner's Manual - Page 88

STARTING THE ENGINE while driving. This may cause clutch damage. ● Stop your vehicle completely before shifting into reverse. ● When the vehicle is stopped for a duration, for example at a stop light, shift to neutral and release the clutch pedal with the foot brake applied. For quick acceleration in low altitude areas and high altitude areas [over 4,000 ft (1,219 m)]: Gear change 1st to 2nd 2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th 4th to 5th MPH (km/h) 15 (24) 25 (40) 40 (64) 45 (72) 1. Apply the parking brake. 2. Automatic transmission: Move the shift lever to ''P'' (Park) or ''N'' (Neutral). (''P'' preferred.) The shift lever cannot be moved out of ''P'' and into any of the other gear positions if the ignition key is turned to ''OFF'' or if the key is removed. The starter is designed not to operate if the shift lever is in any of the driving positions. Manual transmission: Move the gearshift lever to ''N'' (Neutral), and depress the clutch pedal to the floor while cranking the engine. The starter is designed not to operate unless the clutch pedal is depressed. 3. Crank the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal by turning the ignition key to ''START''. Release the key when the engine starts. If the engine starts, but fails to run, repeat the above procedure. - If the engine is very hard to start in extremely cold or hot weather, depress and hold the accelerator pedal to help start the engine. - In the summer, when restarting the engine within 30 minutes after it has Suggested upshift speeds Shown below are suggested vehicle speeds for shifting into a higher gear. These suggestions relate to fuel economy and vehicle performance. Actual upshift speeds will vary according to road conditions, the weather and individual driving habits. For normal acceleration in low altitude areas [less than 4,000 ft (1,219 m)]: Gear change 1st to 2nd 2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th 4th to 5th ACCEL shift point MPH (km/h) 15 (24) 25 (40) 36 (58) 40 (64) CRUISE shift point MPH (km/h) 15 (24) 18 (29) 30 (48) 39 (63) Suggested maximum speed in each gear Downshift to a lower gear if the engine is not running smoothly, or if you need to accelerate. Do not exceed the maximum suggested speed (shown below) in any gear. For level road driving, use the highest gear suggested for that speed. Always observe posted speed limits, and drive according to the road conditions, which will ensure safe operation. Do not over-rev the engine when shifting to a lower gear as it may cause engine damage or loss of vehicle control. Gear 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 4-9 MPH (km/h) 30 (50) 60 (95) 90 (145) − −