2001 NISSAN ALTIMA towing

Your new vehicle was designed to be used
primarily to carry passengers and cargo. Re-
member that towing a trailer will place addi-
tional loads on your vehicle's engine, drive
train, steering, braking and other systems.
A Nissan Trailer Towing Guide (U.S. only)
containing information on trailer towing ability
and the special equipment required may be
obtained from an authorized NISSAN dealer.
MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITS
Maximum trailer loads:
Never allow the total trailer load to exceed
1,000 lb (454 kg). The total trailer load
equals trailer weight plus its cargo weight.
Towing loads greater than 1,000 lb (454 kg)
or using improper towing equipment could
adversely affect vehicle handling, braking
and performance.
The ability of your vehicle to tow a trailer is
not only related to the maximum trailer
loads, but also the places you plan to tow.
Tow weights appropriate for level highway
driving may have to be reduced on very
steep grades or in low traction situations (for
example, on slippery boat ramps).
WARNING
Vehicle damage and/or personal injury
resulting from improper towing proce-
dures are not covered by NISSAN warran-
ties. A NISSAN Trailer Towing Guide (U.S.
only) containing information on trailer
towing ability and the special equipment
required may be obtained from an autho-
rized NISSAN dealer.
Tongue load:
Keep the tongue load between 9 and 11%
of the total trailer load. If the tongue load
becomes excessive, rearrange cargo to al-
low for proper tongue load.
Maximum gross vehicle weight/
maximum gross axle weight:
The gross vehicle weight of the towing
vehicle must not exceed the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) shown on the
F.M.V.S.S. certification label. The gross ve-
hicle weight equals the combined weight of
the unloaded vehicle, passengers, luggage,
TI1011MTI1012M
TOWING A TRAILER
Technical and consumer information10-15
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hitch, trailer tongue load and any other
optional equipment. In addition, front or rear
gross axle weight must not exceed the
gross axle weight rating (GAWR) shown on
the F.M.V.S.S. certification label.
TOWING LOAD/SPECIFICATION
CHART
UNIT: lb (kg)
MAXIMUM
TOWING LOAD1,000 (454)
MAXIMUM
TONGUE LOAD110 (49)
TOWING SAFETY
Trailer hitch
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and
trailer. A genuine NISSAN trailer hitch is
available from your NISSAN dealer
(Canada only). Make sure the trailer hitch is
securely attached to the vehicle, to help
avoid personal injury or property damage
due to sway caused by crosswinds, rough
road surfaces or passing trucks.
CAUTION
cDo not use axle-mounted hitches.
cThe hitch should not be attached to
or affect the operation of the impact-
absorbing bumper.
cDo not modify the vehicle exhaust
system, brake system, etc. to install
a trailer hitch.
cTo reduce the possibility of addi-
tional damage if your vehicle is
struck from the rear, where practical,
remove the hitch and/or receiver
when not in use.
cAfter the hitch is removed, seal the
bolt holes to prevent exhaust fumes,
water or dust from entering the pas-
senger compartment.
cRegularly check that all hitch mount-
ing bolts are securely mounted.
Tire pressures
cWhen towing a trailer, inflate the vehicle
tires to the recommended cold tire pres-
sure indicated on the tire placard (affixed
to the driver's door, center pillar).cTrailer tire condition, size, load rating and
proper inflation pressure should be in
accordance with the trailer and tire
manufacturer's specifications.
Safety chains
Always use suitable chains between your
vehicle and the trailer. Safety chains should
be crossed and should be attached to the
hitch, not to the vehicle bumper or axle. Be
sure to leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights should comply with federal
and/ or local regulations. When wiring the
vehicle for towing, connect the stop and tail
light pickup into the vehicle electrical circuit.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to Federal
and/or local regulations and that it is prop-
erly installed.
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WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system
directly to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tips
cBe certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded and/or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive the vehicle if
it has an abnormal nose-up or nose- down
condition; check for improper tongue load,
overload, worn suspension or other pos-
sible causes of either condition.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
cBe certain your rear view mirrors conform
to all federal, state or local regulations. If
not, install any mirrors required for towing
before driving the vehicle.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding
of the vehicle's behavior, you should prac-
tice turning, stopping and backing up in an
area which is free from traffic. Steering
stability and braking performance will be
somewhat different than under normal driv-
ing conditions.cAlways secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
cAvoid abrupt starts, acceleration or
stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.
cAlways drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
cAlways block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if
you must do so, and if your vehicle is
equipped with an automatic transmis-
sion, first block the wheels and apply the
parking brake, and then move the shift
lever into the P position. If you move the
shift lever to the P position before block-
ing the wheels and applying the parking
brake, transmission damage could occur.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When ascending a long grade, downshift
the transmission to a lower gear and
reduce speed to reduce chances of en-
gine overloading and/or overheating.
cIf the engine coolant rises to an ex-
tremely high temperature when the airconditioner system is on, turn off the air
conditioner. Coolant heat can be addi-
tionally vented by opening the windows,
switching the fan control to high and
setting the temperature control to the
HOT position.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.
cAvoid towing a trailer for the first 500
miles (800 km).
cHave your vehicle serviced more often
than at intervals specified in the recom-
mended Maintenance Schedule.
cWhen making a turn, your trailer wheels
will be closer to the inside of the turn than
your vehicle wheels. To compensate for
this, make a larger than normal turning
radius during the turn.
cCrosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect vehicle/trailer handling,
possibly causing vehicle sway. When
being passed by larger vehicles, be pre-
pared for possible changes in crosswinds
that could affect vehicle handling. If
swaying does occur, firmly grip the steer-
ing wheel, steer straight ahead, and im-
mediately (but gradually) reduce vehicle
Technical and consumer information
10-17
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speed. This combination will help stabi-
lize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the
trailer must also pass the other vehicle
before you can safely change lanes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency
and electrical charging performance, do
not use fifth gear (manual transmission)
or overdrive (automatic transmission).
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in re-
duced braking efficiency.
When towing a trailer, change the trans-
mission fluid more frequently. For addi-
tional information see the ``Mainte-
nance'' section earlier in this manual.DOT (Department of Transportation) Qual-
ity Grades: All passenger car tires must
conform to federal safety requirements in
addition to these grades.
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Tempera-
ture A
Treadwear
Treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on tire wear rate when tested under
controlled conditions on specified govern-
ment test courses. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1-1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100. However,
relative tire performance depends on actual
driving conditions, and may vary signifi-
cantly due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades repre-sent the tire's ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlled condi-
tions on specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your ve-
hicle tires is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hydro-
planing, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A, B and C
Temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C. They represent a tire's resistance to
heat build-up, and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause tire material to degenerate, reducing
tire life. Excessive temperatures can lead to
sudden tire failure. Grade C corresponds to
a performance level which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A
and B represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on laboratory test wheels than the
minimum required by law.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
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Shoulder belt height adjustment ................ 1-26
Spark plug replacement............................. 8-16
Speedometer ............................................... 2-3
Spotlights (See map light) ......................... 2-28
SRS warning label ..................................... 1-18
Starting
Before starting the engine ...................... 5-6
Jump starting................................. 6-8, 8-15
Precautions when starting and driving ... 5-2
Push starting......................................... 6-10
Starting the engine ................................. 5-7
Steering
Power steering fluid .............................. 8-12
Power steering system ......................... 5-17
Tilting steering wheel............................ 3-14
Stop light .................................................... 8-34
Storage ...................................................... 2-21
Sunroof ...................................................... 2-26
Supplemental restraint system
Information and warning labels ............ 1-18
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system).................... 1-8
Switch
Automatic power window switch .......... 2-26
Front fog light switch ............................ 2-18
Hazard warning flasher switch ............. 2-18
Headlight and turn signal switch .......... 2-16
Ignition switch ......................................... 5-4
Overdrive switch ................................... 5-10
Rear window defogger switch .............. 2-15
Windshield wiper and washer switch ... 2-14T
Tachometer .................................................. 2-4
Three-way catalyst....................................... 5-2
Tilting steering wheel ................................. 3-14
Tire
Flat tire.................................................... 6-2
Spare tire....................................... 6-7, 8-38
Tire chains ............................................ 8-36
Tire placard......................................... 10-12
Tire pressure ............................. 10-16, 8-35
Tire rotation .......................................... 8-36
Types of tires ........................................ 8-35
Uniform tire quality grading ................ 10-18
Wheels and tires................................... 8-35
Wheel/tire size ...................................... 10-9
Towing
Tow truck towing .................................. 6-11
Towing load/specification chart .......... 10-16
Trailer towing ...................................... 10-15
Transmission
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ...... 8-11
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 5-4
Driving with manual transmission ........... 5-5
Travel (See registering your vehicle in
another country)....................................... 10-10
Trip odometer .............................................. 2-3
Trunk access through the rear seat ............ 1-6
Trunk lid lock opener lever ........................ 3-10
Trunk light .................................................. 2-29
Trunk side net ............................................ 2-25Turn signal switch (See headlight and turn
signal switch) .................................... 2-16, 2-17
U
Uniform tire quality grading ..................... 10-18
V
Vanity mirror .............................................. 3-14
Vehicle dimensions and weights ............... 10-9
Vehicle identification ................................ 10-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
(chassis number) ..................................... 10-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
plate ......................................................... 10-10
Vehicle loading information ..................... 10-13
Vehicle recovery ........................................ 6-13
Vehicle security system ............................. 2-12
Ventilators .................................................... 4-2
W
Warning
Air bag warning light ............ 1-14, 1-19, 2-7
Hazard warning flasher switch ............. 2-18
Vehicle security system ........................ 2-12
Warning labels (for SRS) ..................... 1-18
Warning/indicator lights and chimes ...... 2-6
Weights (See dimensions and weights) .... 10-9
Wheels and tires ........................................ 8-35
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