NISSAN 2006 Altima - Manual (Page 192)

WARNING
● While driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or accel-
erating 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 assist for
the brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
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
drum/rotors are replaced, in order to assure the
best brake performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle service
manual and can be performed by a NISSAN
dealer.
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 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.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
(ABS) (if so equipped)
The anti-lock braking system controls the brakes
so the wheels do not lock when braking abruptly
or when braking on slippery surfaces. The system
detects the rotation speed at each wheel and
varies the brake fluid pressure to prevent each
wheel from locking and sliding. By preventing
wheel lockup, the system helps the driver main-
tain steering control and helps to minimize swerv-
ing and spinning on slippery surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping
distances.
Normal operation
The anti-lock braking system does not operate at
speeds below 3 - 6 MPH (5 - 10 km/h). (The
speeds vary according to road conditions.)
When driving, the anti-lock braking system con-
trols the wheels so they will not lock when brak-
ing abruptly or when braking on a slippery road.
Thus, steering control is increased and swerving
of the vehicle is decreased during emergency
braking. The system detects the wheel rotation
rate and electronically controls the pressure ap-
plied to each brake. Slight vibration on the brake
pedal accompanied by noise usually occurs while
the ABS system is operating. Such vibration and
noise encountered during abrupt braking is not a
problem, but indicates that the system is func-
tioning properly. However, the pulsation may in-
dicate that road conditions are hazardous and
extra care is required while driving.
Self-test feature
The anti-lock braking system consists of elec-
tronic sensors and hydraulic solenoids controlled
by a computer. The computer has a built-in diag-
nostic feature that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle at a low
speed in forward or reverse. When the self-test
occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise and/or feel a
pulsation in the brake pedal. This is normal and is
not an indication of any malfunction. If the com-
puter senses any malfunction, it switches the
anti-lock braking system off and turns on the ABS
brake warning light on the instrument panel. The
braking system then operates normally, but with-
out anti-lock assistance.
5-20 Starting and driving
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REVIEW COPY— 2006 Altima (l30)
Owners Manual—USA_English (nna)
02/23/06—arosenma
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