Cold Weather Precautions (Nissan Almera N15)

Battery

Remember that in cold weather, the electrolyte of a battery that is not fully charged can freeze, which will lead to battery failure. To maintain maximum battery performance, it is necessary to inspect it regularly. See the section "Battery".

Draining the coolant

If you need to leave the car outdoors for a long time, and if the cooling system does not use antifreeze, you need to drain the coolant. To do this, unscrew the drain plugs at the bottom of the radiator and in the engine block. Before using the car, fill the liquid again. See section "Engine cooling system".

Car tires

1. Summer tires have a tread pattern to provide the best performance on dry roads. In snowy or icy conditions, the performance of such tires is significantly reduced. When driving on snowy roads and in icy conditions, Nissan recommends using autumn-winter or all-season tires on all four wheels. For questions about the type, size, speed rating and availability of tires, please contact your Nissan dealer.

2. For better traction on icy roads, you can use studded tires. However, remember that their use is prohibited in some countries and regions. Before installing studded tires, you must make sure that this does not violate local regulations.

Please note that studded tyres may provide less grip on wet or dry roads than non-studded winter tyres.



3. If necessary, use anti-skid chains. The size of the chains must match the size of the tires. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing them. Be sure to tighten the chains with a special tensioner if there are special instructions from the manufacturer. To avoid damage to the fenders and chassis, securely fasten the ends of the chains and drive at a lower speed than usual. At high speed, the controllability and dynamic performance of the car are significantly reduced with chains.

Special winter equipment

During winter, it is recommended to have the following tools in your car:

• 1. A scraper and a stiff brush to remove ice and snow from the glass and wiper blades
• 2. A strong flat board to use as a support for the jack.
• 3. A shovel for digging a car out of a snowdrift.
• 4. Supply of washing fluid for filling the windshield washer reservoir.

Driving on snowy roads and in icy conditions

Wet snow and melting ice (at 0°C) or deeply frozen snow and ice can be very slippery and their presence on the road significantly complicates driving due to a significant reduction in the grip of the tires on the road surface. It is recommended to avoid driving on such roads and drive on roads sprinkled with sand or road salt.

Drive with extra caution and accelerate smoothly. Accelerating too fast will cause the wheels to spin, further reducing traction.

You should expect a longer braking distance and start braking earlier than on a dry road,

On slippery roads, it is necessary to maintain a large distance from the car in front.



It is necessary to watch out for slippery places (with shiny icy surfaces) and pay more attention to poorly lit sections of the road. You should slow down your car if there is an icy spot on the road ahead. Avoid braking if your car has entered an icy section of the road and do not make sudden maneuvers.

Warming up the engine with a heater

CAUTION: To avoid injury from electric shock, do not use portable heaters that are not grounded or that operate on a two-phase network to warm up the engine (with a two-pin plug).

Corrosion protection

Chemicals sprayed on the road in icy conditions have a strong corrosive effect and accelerate rusting and wear of body and suspension parts - exhaust ducts, brake fluid and fuel supply lines, brake cables, the bottom and wings of the body, etc.

In winter, the underbody of the car body must be cleaned periodically. The procedure for cleaning the car body and applying anti-corrosion protection measures is described in Chapter "Car care".

If, due to local conditions, the recommended anti-corrosion protection measures are not sufficient, contact your Nissan dealer.