I just bought a 1988 Maxima and I have a few questions.
The owners manual was missing and the previous owners could not answer these.

1) How does the alarm work? The previous two owners (neither of which had the manual) said that "sometimes" the alarm would go off when the passenger door is unlocked and wouldn't shut off until the driver door was unlocked. The alarm is triggered by UNLOCKING the passenger door? How else is it triggered?


2) Next to the parking brake there is a little switch with a drawing of a shock absorber. The switch has three positions labeled with the letters, "S", "N", and "F".
What is this switch for and what do the letters stand for?

Thanks,

Mike

 

The alarm is armed by locking the doors either with 1) the key or 2) the inside power lock button and shutting the door or 3) (GXE only) the "lock" button on the keypad under the outside door handle. It disarms (when in good working condition that is) when you unlock either front door with the key or with the keypad on the touch entry system. Since your car's alarm is sometimes going off when unlocking the passenger door, someting ain't right.

The switch is for adjustable shock absorbers (I assume you have an SE?). The S is Soft, N-Normal, F-Firm.

 

To add what delerium75 stated all the doors including trunk and hood
are sensors activated atleast on my 87 SE is. The alarm is auto set
the minute all doors are locked manually or key. To disarm the alarm
you have to use your key. If you unlock it any other way the alarm
will go off. What he said about the shocks are correct.

Mike