1998 Nissan Altima Owner's Manual - Page 117
1998 Nissan Altima Manual
Page 117 highlights
STARTING THE ENGINE 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 MPH (km/h) 30 (50) 60 (95) 90 (145) − − 1. Apply the parking brake. 2. Automatic transmission: Move the shift selector lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). (P is recommended.) The shift selector lever cannot be moved out of P (Park) 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 selector lever is in any of the driving positions. Manual transmission: Move the shift selector 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 fully 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 been stopped, keep the accelerator pedal fully depressed while starting. CAUTION Do not operate the starter for more than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine does not start, turn the key off and wait 10 seconds before cranking again, otherwise the starter could be damaged. 4. Warm-up Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 seconds after starting. Drive at moderate speed for a short distance first, especially in cold weather. 5-10 Starting and driving