2006 NISSAN ARMADA four wheel drive

Welcome to the growing family of new NISSAN
owners. This vehicle is delivered to you with
confidence. It was produced using the latest
techniques and strict quality control.
This manual was prepared to help you under-
stand the operation and maintenance of your
vehicle so that you may enjoy many miles (kilome-
ters) of driving pleasure. Please read through this
manual before operating your vehicle.
A separate Warranty Information Booklet
explains details about the warranties cov-
ering your vehicle. The “NISSAN Service
and Maintenance Guide” explains details
about maintaining and servicing your ve-
hicle. Additionally, a separate Customer
Care/Lemon Law Booklet (U.S. only) will
explain how to resolve any concerns you
may have with your vehicle, as well as
clarify your rights under your state’s lemon
law.
Your NISSAN dealership knows your vehicle
best. When you require any service or have any
questions, they will be glad to assist you with the
extensive resources available to them.Before driving your vehicle please read this Own-
er’s Manual carefully. This will ensure familiarity
with controls and maintenance requirements, as-
sisting you in the safe operation of your vehicle.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION RE-
MINDERS FOR SAFETY!
Follow these important driving rules to
help ensure a safe and comfortable trip
for you and your passengers!
cNEVER drive under the influence of al-
cohol or drugs.
cALWAYS observe posted speed limits
and never drive too fast for conditions.
cALWAYS use your seat belts and appro-
priate child restraint systems. Pre-teen
children should be seated in the rear
seat.
cALWAYS provide information about the
proper use of vehicle safety features to
all occupants of the vehicle.
cALWAYS review this owner’s manual for
important safety information.
For descriptions specified for four-wheel drive
models, a
mark is placed at the begin-
ning of the applicable sections/items.As with other vehicles with features for
off-road use, failure to operate four-wheel
drive models correctly may result in loss of
control or an accident. Be sure to read
“Driving safety precautions” in the “Start-
ing and driving” section of this manual.
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD DRIVING
This vehicle will handle and maneuver
differently from an ordinary passenger
car because it has a higher center of
gravity for off-road use. As with other
vehicles with features of this type, fail-
ure to operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control or an accident.
Be sure to read “On-pavement and off-
road driving precautions”, and “Avoid-
ing collision and rollover”, and “Driving
safety precautions”, in the “Starting and
driving” section of this manual.
MODIFICATION OF YOUR VEHICLE
This vehicle should not be modified. Modi-
fication could affect its performance,
safety or durability, and may even violate
governmental regulations. In addition,
damage or performance problems result-
ing from modifications may not be covered
under NISSAN warranties.
FOREWORD READ FIRST—THEN DRIVE SAFELY
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WARNING
cIf the light does not come on with the
key switch turned ON, have the vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
cIf the light illuminates while driving,
avoid sudden steering maneuvers or
abrupt braking, reduce vehicle speed,
pull off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to an accident and could
result in serious personal injury. Check
the tire pressure for all four tires. Adjust
the tire pressure to the recommended
COLD tire pressure shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light OFF.
If the light still comes on while driving
after adjusting the tire pressure, a tire
may be flat. If you have a flat tire, re-
place it with a spare tire as soon as
possible.cWhen a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, tire pressure will not be
indicated and the low tire pressure
warning system will not function. Con-
tact your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting.
CAUTION
cThe low tire pressure warning system is
not a substitute for the regular tire pres-
sure check. Be sure to check the tire
pressure regularly.
cIf the vehicle is being driven at speeds
of less than 20 MPH (32 km/h) , the low
tire pressure warning system may not
operate correctly.
cBe sure to install the specified size of
tires to the 4 wheels correctly.
Low windshield washer fluid
warning light
This light comes on when the windshield washer
fluid is at a low level. Add windshield washer fluid
as necessary. See “Window washer fluid” in the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section of this
manual.
Seat belt warning light and
chime
The light and chime remind you to fasten your
seat belts. The light illuminates whenever the
ignition key is turned to the ON or START position
and remains illuminated until the driver’s seat belt
is fastened. At the same time, the chime sounds
for about 6 seconds unless the driver’s seat belt
is securely fastened.
The seat belt warning light may also illuminate if
the front passenger’s seat belt is not fastened
when the front passenger’s seat is occupied (if
so equipped) . For 5 seconds after the ignition
switch is in the ON position, the system does not
activate the warning light for the front passenger.
Refer to “Seat belts” in the “Safety—Seats, seat
belts and supplemental restraint system” section
for precautions on seat belt usage.
Supplemental air bag warning
light
When the ignition key is in the ON or START
position, the supplemental air bag warning light
illuminates for about 7 seconds and then turns
off. This means the system is operational.
If any of the following conditions occur, the
supplemental front air bags, supplemental side
air bags (if so equipped) , curtain side-impact and
2-16Instruments and controls
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5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide)..................5-2
Three-way catalyst..............................5-2
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions....................................5-3
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)..........5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover....................5-5
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving................5-5
Driving safety precautions.......................5-6
Ignition switch.....................................5-7
Automatic transmission..........................5-7
Key positions..................................5-8
Nissan vehicle immobilizer system................5-8
Before starting the engine..........................5-9
Starting the engine................................5-9
Driving the vehicle................................5-10
Engine protection mode........................5-10
Automatic transmission.........................5-11
Parking brake....................................5-14
Cruise control....................................5-15
Precautions on cruise control...................5-15Cruise control operations.......................5-15
Break-in schedule................................5-17
Increasing fuel economy...........................5-17
Using four wheel drive (4WD).............5-18
Transfer case shifting procedures...............5-18
Parking/parking on hills............................5-24
Power steering...................................5-25
Brake system....................................5-25
Brake precautions.............................5-25
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)...................5-26
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system..............5-27
Rear sonar system (if so equipped).................5-28
Cold weather driving..............................5-29
Freeing a frozen door lock......................5-29
Anti-freeze....................................5-29
Battery.......................................5-29
Draining of coolant water.......................5-30
Tire equipment................................5-30
Special winter equipment.......................5-30
Driving on snow or ice.........................5-30
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Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if underinflation has not reached the level to
trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure
telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system
is not operating properly. The TPMS malfunction
indicator is combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one minute
and then remain continuously illuminated. This se-
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists. When
the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the installation of re-
placement or alternate tires or wheels on the ve-
hicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale
after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your
vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
Additional information:
cThis system does not monitor the tire pres-
sure of the spare tire.cThe low tire pressure warning system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 20 MPH (32 km/h) . Also, this
system may not detect a sudden drop in tire
pressure (for example a flat tire while driv-
ing) .
cTire pressure rises and falls depending on
the heat caused by the vehicle’s operation
and the outside temperature. Low outside
temperature can lower the temperature of
the air inside the tire which can cause a
lower tire inflation pressure. This may cause
the low tire pressure warning light to illumi-
nate. If the warning light illuminates in low
ambient temperature, check the tire pres-
sure for all four tires.
cYou can also check the pressure of all tires
(except the spare tire) on the display screen.
The order of the tire pressure figures dis-
played on the screen does not correspond
with the actual order of the tire position. See
“Tire pressure information” in the “Display
screen, heater, air conditioner and audio
systems” section.
For additional information, see “Low tire pressure
warning light” in the “Instruments and controls”
section, “Low tire pressure warning system” in
the “In case of emergency” section.
WARNING
cIf the low tire pressure warning light
flashes while driving, avoid sudden steer-
ing maneuvers or abrupt braking, reduce
vehicle speed, pull off the road to a safe
location and stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. Serious vehicle damage could
occur and may lead to an accident and
could result in serious personal injury.
Check the tire pressure for all four tires.
Adjust the tire pressure to the recom-
mended COLD tire pressure shown on
the Tire and Loading Information label to
turn the low tire pressure warning light
OFF. If you have a flat tire, replace it with
a spare tire as soon as possible. (See
“Flat tire” in the “In case of emergency”
section for changing a flat tire.)
cWhen a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, tire pressure will not be
indicated and the low tire pressure
warning system will not function. Con-
tact your NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting.
cDo not inject any tire liquid or aerosol
tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pressure
sensors.
5-4Starting and driving
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DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Your NISSAN is designed for both normal and
off-road use. However, avoid driving in deep wa-
ter or mud as your NISSAN is mainly designed for
leisure use, unlike a conventional off-road ve-
hicle.
Remember that two-wheel drive models are less
capable than four-wheel drive models for rough
road driving and extrication when stuck in deep
snow or mud, or the like.
Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
cDrive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle
should be seated with their seat belt
fastened. This will keep you and your
passengers in position when driving
over rough terrain.
cDo not drive across steep slopes. In-
stead drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. Off-road vehicles can
tip over sideways much more easily
than they can forward or backward.cMany hills are too steep for any vehicle.
If you drive up them, you may stall. If
you drive down them, you may not be
able to control your speed. If you drive
across them, you may roll over.
cDo not shift gears while driving on
downhill grades as this could cause
loss of control of the vehicle.
cStay alert when driving to the top of a
hill. At the top there could be a drop-off
or other hazard that could cause an
accident.
cIf your engine stalls or you cannot make
it to the top of a steep hill, never at-
tempt to turn around. Your vehicle
could tip or roll over. Always back
straight down in R (Reverse) gear and
apply brakes to control your speed.
cHeavy braking going down a hill could
cause your brakes to overheat and fade,
resulting in loss of control and an acci-
dent. Apply brakes lightly and use a low
gear to control your speed.
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 and evenly
distribute the load. Secure heavy loads
in the cargo area as far forward and as
low as possible. Do not equip the ve-
hicle with tires larger than specified in
this manual. This could cause your ve-
hicle 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.
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.
5-6Starting and driving
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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.”
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
The ignition lock is designed so the key cannot be
turned to the LOCK position and removed until
the shift selector lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
When removing the key from the ignition, make
sure the shift selector lever is in the P (Park)
position.
If the selector lever is not returned to P (Park)
position, the key cannot be moved to the LOCK
position.
WSD0041
IGNITION SWITCH
Starting and driving5-7
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CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) ,
follow these recommendations to obtain
maximum engine performance and en-
sure the future reliability and economy of
your new vehicle. Failure to follow these
recommendations may result in short-
ened engine life and reduced engine
performance.
cAvoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow, and do not run the
engine over 4,000 rpm.
cDo not accelerate at full throttle in any gear.
cAvoid quick starts.
cAvoid hard braking as much as possible.
cDo not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km) . Your engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged.cAccelerate slowly and smoothly. Maintain
cruising speeds with a constant accelerator
position.
cDrive at moderate speeds on the highway.
Driving at high speed lowers fuel economy.
cAvoid unnecessary stopping and braking.
Maintain a safe distance behind other ve-
hicles.
cUse a proper gear range which suits road
conditions. On level roads, shift into high
gear as soon as possible.
cAvoid unnecessary engine idling.
cKeep your engine tuned up.
cFollow the recommended periodic mainte-
nance schedule.
cKeep the tires inflated to the correct pres-
sure. Low tire pressure increases tire wear
and lowers fuel economy.
cKeep the front wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment increases tire wear and
lowers fuel economy.
cAir conditioner operation lowers fuel
economy. Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.cWhen cruising at highway speeds, it is more
economical to use the air conditioner and
leave the windows closed to reduce drag.
c
Use 4H or 4L position only when
necessary. Four-wheel drive operation low-
ers fuel economy.
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
Starting and driving5-17
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CAUTION
cDo not drive the vehicle in the 4H or 4LO
position on dry hard surface roads. Driv-
ing on dry, hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO
may cause unnecessary noise, tire wear
and increased fuel consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on when
you are driving on dry hard surface
roads:
– in the 4H position, shift the 4WD shift
switch to 2WD.
– in the 4LO position, stop the vehicle,
move the automatic transmission
shift selector lever to the N position
with the brake pedal depressed, and
shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
cIf the warning light is still on after the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked by a NISSAN dealer as soon as
possible.
cThe transfer case may be damaged if
you continue driving with the warning
light blinking rapidly.
TRANSFER CASE SHIFTING
PROCEDURES
All mode 4WD system provides 4 positions
(AUTO, 2WD, 4H and 4LO) , so you can select
the desired drive mode according to the driving
conditions.2WD or 4WD shift procedure:
USING FOUR WHEEL DRIVE
(4WD)
5-18Starting and driving
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