2004 NISSAN FRONTIER load capacity

cUnsecured cargo can be thrown around
when driving over rough terrain. Prop-
erly secure all cargo so it will not be
thrown forward and cause injury to you
or your passengers.
cTo avoid raising the center of gravity
excessively, do not exceed the rated
capacity of the roof rack (if so
equipped) and evenly distribute the
load. Secure heavy loads in the cargo
area as far forward and as low as pos-
sible. Do not equip the vehicle with tires
larger than specified in this manual.
This could cause your vehicle to roll
over.
cDo not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel when driving off-road.
The steering wheel could move sud-
denly and injure your hands. Instead
drive with your fingers and thumbs on
the outside of the rim.
cBefore operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers have
their seat belts fastened.
cAlways drive with the floor mats in
place as the floor may become hot.cLower your speed when encountering
strong crosswinds. With a higher center
of gravity, your NISSAN is more af-
fected by strong side winds. Slower
speeds ensure better vehicle control.
cDo not drive beyond the performance
capablity of the tires, even with 4WD
engaged.
cAccelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.
cIf at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high speeds.
Your NISSAN four-wheel drive vehicle
has a higher center of gravity than a
two-wheel drive vehicle. The vehicle is
not designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional two-wheel
drive vehicles. Failure to operate this
vehicle correctly could result in loss of
control and/or a rollover accident.
cAlways use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted,
or radial) , and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Install tire chains on the rear
wheels when driving on slippery roads
and drive carefully.cBe sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately after driving in mud or water. See
“Brake system” later in this section for
“Wet brakes”.
cAvoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and it
rolls forward, backward or sideways,
you could be injured.
cWhenever you drive off-road through
sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent maintenance
may be required. See “Periodic mainte-
nance” in the “NISSAN Service and
Maintenance Guide.”
5-6Starting and driving
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If you have a flat tire, see the “In case of
emergency” section of this manual.
TIRE PRESSURE
Tire inflation pressure
Check the tire pressures (including the spare)
often and always prior to long distance trips. The
recommended tire pressure specifications are
shown on the Tire and Loading Information label
(this label is also known as the tire placard) under
the9Recommended Cold Tire Inflation Pressure9
heading. The Tire and Loading Information label
is affixed to the driver side center pillar. Tire
pressures should be checked regularly because:
cMost tires naturally lose air over time.
cTires can lose air suddenly when driven over
potholes or other objects or if the vehicle
strikes a curb while parking.
The tire pressures should be checked when the
tires are cold. The tires are considered COLD
after the vehicle has been parked for 3 or more
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at
moderate speeds.
Incorrect tire pressure, including under in-
flation, may adversely affect tire life and
vehicle handling.
WARNING
cImproperly inflated tires can fail sud-
denly and cause an accident.
cThe vehicle weight capacity is indicated
on the Tire and Loading Information
label. Do not load your vehicle beyond
this capacity. Overloading your vehicle
may result in reduced tire life, unsafe
operating conditions due to premature
tire failure, or unfavorable handling
characteristics and could also lead to a
serious accident. Loading beyond the
specified capacity may also result in
failure of other vehicle components.
cBefore taking a long trip, or whenever
you heavily load your vehicle, use a tire
pressure gauge to ensure that the tire
pressures are at the specified level.
c
Do not drive your vehicle over 85 MPH
(137 km/h) unless it is equipped with high
speed rated tires. Driving faster than 85
MPH (137 km/h) may result in tire failure,
loss of control and possible injury.
cFor additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety In-
formation” (US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet.
License plate light
WDI0301
WHEELS AND TIRES
8-36Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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Tire and loading information label (for
US)
s1Seating capacity: The maximum number of
occupants that should be seated in the ve-
hicle.
s2Vehicle load limit: See loading information in
the Technical and consumer information
section.
s3Original tire size: The size of the tires origi-
nally installed on the vehicle at the factory.
s4Recommended cold tire inflation pressure:
Inflate the tires to this pressure when the
tires are cold. Tires are considered COLD
after the vehicle has been parked for 3 or
more hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km) at moderate speeds. The recommended
cold tire inflation is set by the manufacturer
to provide the best tire wear and vehicle
handling characteristics based on the ve-
hicles GVWR.
s5Tire size – refer to “Tire labeling” later in this
section.
s6ands7Spare tire size or compact spare tire
size (if so equipped) .
type a
LDI0392
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-37
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1. Wear indicator
2. Location mark
Tire wear and damage
WARNING
cTires should be periodically inspected
for wear, cracking, bulging or objects
caught in the tread. If excessive wear,
cracks, bulging or deep cuts are found,
the tire(s) should be replaced.cThe original tires have built-in tread
wear indicators. When the wear indica-
tors are visible, the tire(s) should be
replaced.
cImproper service of the spare tire may
result in serious personal injury. If it is
necessary to repair the spare tire, con-
tact a NISSAN dealer.
cFor additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety In-
formation” (US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet.
Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size, tread
design, speed rating and load carrying capacity
as originally equipped. Recommended types and
sizes are shown in “Wheels and tires” in the
“Technical and consumer information” section of
this manual.
WARNING
cThe use of tires other than those recom-
mended or the mixed use of tires of
different brands, construction (bias,
bias-belted or radial) , or tread patterns
can adversely affect the ride, braking,
handling, ground clearance, body-to-
tire clearance, tire chain clearance,
speedometer calibration, headlight aim
and bumper height. Some of these ef-
fects may lead to accidents and could
result in serious personal injury.
cIf the wheels are changed for any rea-
son, always replace with wheels which
have the same off-set dimension.
Wheels of a different off-set could
cause premature tire wear, degrade ve-
hicle handling characteristics and/or
interference with the brake
discs/drums. Such interference can
lead to decreased braking efficiency
and/or early brake pad/shoe wear. Re-
fer to “Wheels and tires” in the “Techni-
cal and consumer information” section
of this manual for wheel off-set
dimensions.
WDI0259
8-44Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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9 Technical and consumer information
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants.........9-2
Fuel recommendation...........................9-3
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation...........9-5
Recommended SAE viscosity number............9-6
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations......................9-6
Specifications.....................................9-7
Engine........................................9-7
Wheels and tires...............................9-8
Dimensions and weights........................9-9
When traveling or registering your vehicle in
another country..................................9-10
Vehicle identification..............................9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate.........9-10
Vehicle identification number
(chassis number)..............................9-10
Engine serial number...........................9-11
F.M.V.S.S. certification label....................9-11
Emission control information label...............9-12
Tire placard...................................9-12
Air conditioner specification label................9-12
Installing front license plate........................9-13
Vehicle loading information........................9-13Terms........................................9-13
Determining vehicle load capacity...............9-14
Securing the load..............................9-14
Loading tips..................................9-14
Truck-camper loading information..................9-15
Crew Cab Models.............................9-15
King Cab models..............................9-15
Special Body vehicles..........................9-15
Location for center of gravity....................9-15
Vehicle load weight capacity....................9-16
Measurement of weights.......................9-18
Towing a trailer...................................9-18
Maximum load limits...........................9-18
Towing load/specification chart.................9-20
Towing safety.................................9-21
Flat towing....................................9-23
Uniform tire quality grading........................9-23
Emission control system warranty..................9-24
Reporting safety defects (US only).................9-25
Readiness for inspection/maintenance (I/M) test.....9-25
Dynamometer testing for Inspection/
Maintenance (I/M) test (US only)................9-26
Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order information . . . 9-27
In the event of a collision.......................9-28
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cGAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) - maxi-
mum weight (load) limit specified for the
front or rear axle.
DETERMINING VEHICLE LOAD
CAPACITY
The load capacity of this vehicle is determined by
weight, not by available cargo space. For ex-
ample, a roof rack, bike carrier, or similar equip-
ment does not increase load carrying capacity of
your vehicle.
To determine vehicle load capacity:
Vehicle weight can be determined by using a
commercial-grade scale, found at places such as
a truck stop, gravel quarry, grain elevator, or a
scrap metal recycling facility.
1. Determine the curb weight of your vehicle.
2. Compare the curb weight amount to the
GVWR specified for your vehicle to deter-
mine how much more weight your vehicle
can carry.
3. After loading (cargo and passengers) , re-
weigh your vehicle to determine if either
GVWR or GAWR for your vehicle is ex-
ceeded. If GVWR is exceeded, remove
cargo as necessary. If either the front or rear
GAWR is exceeded, shift the load or remove
cargo as necessary.
SECURING THE LOAD
For your convenience, tie down hooks are placed
at each corner of the truck box. These may be
used to help secure cargo loaded into the truck
box.
WARNING
cProperly secure all cargo with ropes or
straps to help prevent it from sliding or
shifting. In a sudden stop or collision,
unsecured cargo could cause personal
injury.cDo not load your vehicle any heavier
than the GVWR or the maximum front
and rear GAWRs. If you do, parts of your
vehicle can break, tire damage could
occur, or it can change the way your
vehicle handles. This could result in
loss of control and cause personal
injury.
LOADING TIPS
cThe GVW must not exceed GVWR or
GAWR as specified on the F.M.V.S.S. Cer-
tification Label.
cDo not load the front and rear axle to the
GAWR. Doing so will exceed the GVWR.
cLoads should be spread out, and cargo
should be properly secured. Large or heavy
objects should be placed toward the front of
the truck box to help prevent shifting.
WTI0067
9-14Technical and consumer information
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WARNING
Improper loading may be dangerous. If a
load is too far back, it can affect handling
characteristics. If a load is too far forward,
the front axle may be overloaded.
When the truck is used to carry a slide-in camper,
the total cargo load of the truck consists of the
camper manufacturer’s weight figure, plus:
cthe weight of installed additional camper
equipment not included in the camper
manufacturer’s weight figure,
cthe weight of camper cargo,
cand the weight of occupants in the camper.
The total cargo load should not exceed the
truck’s pay load weight rating and the camper’s
center of gravity should fall within the truck’s
recommended center of gravity location zone
when installed.
WARNING
Overloading or improper loading can ad-
versely affect vehicle handling, braking
and performance and may lead to
accidents.
VEHICLE LOAD WEIGHT CAPACITY
The vehicle load weight capacity shown on fol-
lowing charts indicate the maximum total weight
of passengers, optional equipment (air condition-
ing, trailer hitch, etc) and cargo that your vehicle
is designed to carry.
Before driving a loaded vehicle, confirm that you
do not exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) or the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for your vehicle. See ’’Vehicle Loading
Information’’ earlier in this section for details.
Also check tires for proper inflation pressures.
See the tire placard.
ATI0705
9-16Technical and consumer information
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Vehicle Load Weight Capacity (KA24DE Engine)
2WD
King Cab
Manual Transmission Automatic Transmission
XE XE
lbs kg lbs kg
Federal 1312 595 1312 595
California 1312 595 1312 595
Canada 1312 595 1312 595
Vehicle Load Weight Capacity (VG33E Engine)
2WD4WD
K/C C/C S/B C/C L/B K/C C/C S/B C/C L/B
lbs kg lbs kg lbs kg lbs kg lbs kg lbs kg
Federal 1191 540 1036 470 1103 500 1147 520 970 440 1080 490
California 1191 540 1036 470 1103 500 1147 520 970 440 1080 490
Canada 1191 540 N/A N/A 1103 500 1147 520 N/A N/A 1080 490
Vehicle Load Weight Capacity (VG33ER Engine)
2WD4WD
K/C C/C S/B C/C L/B K/C C/C S/B C/C L/B
lbs kg lbs kg lbs kg lbs kg lbs kg lbs kg
Federal 1169 530 1014 460 1080 490 1080 490 915 415 1025 465
California 1169 530 1014 460 1080 490 1080 490 915 415 1025 465
Canada N/A N/A N/A N/A 1080 490 N/A N/A N/A N/A 1025 465
Technical and consumer information9-17
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