Temperature conditions can also affect towing.
For example, towing a heavy trailer in high outside
temperatures on graded roads can affect engine
performance and cause overheating. The engine
protection mode, which helps reduce the chance
of engine damage, could activate and automati-
cally decrease engine power. Vehicle speed may
decrease under high load. Plan your trip carefully
to account for trailer and vehicle load, weather
and road conditions.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced engine
power and vehicle speed. The reduced
speed may be lower than other traffic,
which could increase the chance of a col-
lision. Be especially careful when driving.
Pull to the side of the road to a safe area.
Allow the engine to cool and return to
normal operation. See “If your vehicle
overheats” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this manual.
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from improper
towing procedures is not covered by
NISSAN warranties.
Tongue load
When using a weight carrying or a weight distrib-
uting hitch, keep the tongue load between 10 -
15 percent of the total trailer load within the
maximum tongue load limits shown in the follow-
ing “Towing Load/Specification” chart. If the
tongue load becomes excessive, rearrange cargo
to allow for proper tongue load.
Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW)/maximum Gross Axle Weight
(GAW)
The GVW of the towing vehicle must not exceed
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
shown on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification
label. The GVW equals the combined weight of
the unloaded vehicle, passengers, luggage,
hitch, trailer tongue load and any other optional
equipment. In addition, front or rear GAW must
not exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) shown on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S.
certification label.
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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 possible
causes of either condition.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
cKeep the cargo load as low as possible in
the trailer to keep the trailer center of gravity
low.
cLoad the trailer so approximately 60% of the
trailer load is in the front half and 40% is in
the back half. Also make sure the load is
balanced side to side.
cCheck your hitch, trailer tire pressure, ve-
hicle tire pressure, trailer light operation, and
trailer wheel lug nuts every time you attach a
trailer to the vehicle.
cBe certain your rearview mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.cDetermine the overall height of the vehicle
and trailer so the required clearance is
known.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding of the
vehicle’s behavior, you should practice turning,
stopping and backing up in an area which is free
from traffic. Steering stability and braking perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than under
normal driving conditions.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
cLock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inadvert-
ently becoming unlatched.
cAvoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.
cAlways drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
cWhen backing up, hold the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand. Move your
hand in the direction in which you want the
trailer to go. Make small corrections and
back up slowly. If possible, have someone
guide you when you are backing up.Always block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is not
recommended; however, if you must do so:
CAUTION
If you move the shift selector lever to the P
(Park) position before blocking the
wheels and applying the parking brake,
transmission damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill
side of the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly
release the brake pedal until the blocks ab-
sorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park) .
6. Make sure the
indicator light (if so
equipped) indicates the transfer case is in
4H, 4L, or 2H and that the ATP light is off. If
the
indicator light is flashing, or the
ATP light is ON, make sure the transmission
is in P (Park) (AT) and turn the 4WD switch
to 2WD or 4H. See9Automatic transmission
park warning light9in the9Instruments and
controls9section and9Using four wheel
drive9in the9Starting and driving9section.
7. Turn off the engine.
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cDo not use cruise control while towing a
trailer.
cSome states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.
cCheck your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
cWhen stopped in traffic for long periods of
time in hot weather, put the vehicle in the P
(Park) position.
cWhen launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
cMake sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
Tow mode
Tow mode should be used when pulling a heavy
trailer or hauling a heavy load. Press the towbutton to activate the tow mode. The tow indica-
tor in the instrument panel illuminates when the
tow mode is selected. Press the Tow button
again to turn the tow mode OFF. The Tow mode is
automatically cancelled when the key is turned
OFF.
The Tow mode does the following:
cReduces transmissions shifts when pulling a
trailer or hauling a load.
cProvides similar shift feel to driver when the
vehicle is towing.
The Tow mode should be used when the vehicle
and trailer weight is at least 75% of the vehicle’s
GCWR. Tow mode is most useful in the following
driving conditions when towing a heavy trailer or
hauling a heavy load:
cRolling terrain.
cStop and go traffic.
cBusy parking lots.
Driving the vehicle in the Tow mode with no
trailer/load or light trailer/light load will not cause
any damage. However, fuel economy may be
reduced and the transmission/engine driving
characteristics may feel unusual.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmissionoil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
FLAT TOWING
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor
home.
CAUTION
cFailure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
cWhenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward.
cDO NOT tow any automatic transmis-
sion vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground (flat towing) . Doing so WILL
DAMAGE internal transmission parts
due to lack of transmission lubrication.
cFor emergency towing procedures refer
to “Towing recommended by NISSAN”
in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
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8. Stop the vehicle. Place the transmission se-
lector lever in the P (Park) or N (Neutral)
position.
9. Turn the engine off.
10. Repeat steps1-8atleast one more time.
If steps 1 through 7 are interrupted, repeat the
preceding step. Any safe driving mode is accept-
able between steps. Do not stop the engine until
step 7 is completed.This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Re-
corder (EDR) . The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like situa-
tions, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understand-
ing how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR
is designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this
vehicle is designed to record such data as:
cHow various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
cWhether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
cHow far (if at all) the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
cHow fast the vehicle was traveling.
cSounds are not recorded.
These data can help provide a better understand-
ing of the circumstances in which crashes and
injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded by
your vehicle only if a nontrivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under
normal driving conditions and no personal data
(e.g. name, gender, age and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data withthe type of personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equip-
ment is required and access to the vehicle or the
EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle manu-
facturer and NISSAN dealer, other parties, such
as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have ac-
cess to the vehicle or the EDR. The EDR data
may be retrieved during routine vehicle servicing
or for special research. It might also be accessed
with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee, in
response to a request by law enforcement, or as
otherwise required or permitted by law.
EVENT DATA RECORDERS
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C
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants...................9-2
Captain’s chair adjustment (2nd row)......1-5
Car phone or CB radio.............4-93
Cargo light...................2-60
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) . . .9-13
CD care and cleaning.............4-73
CD changer (See audio system)........4-52
CD player (See audio system).........4-60
Child restraint with top tether strap......1-31
Child restraints.......1-18, 1-19, 1-26, 1-28
Precautions on child
restraints............1-26, 1-37, 1-43
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-31
Child safety rear door lock............3-6
Chimes, audible reminders...........2-20
Cigarette lighter.................2-41
Cleaning exterior and interior..........7-2
Clock...................4-50, 4-58
(models with navigation system) . .4-11, 4-28
Clock set.................4-11, 4-28
C.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-11
Cold weather driving..............5-32
Compact disc (CD) player...........4-60
CompactFlash (CF) player...........4-62
Compass display.................2-9
Console box...............2-42, 2-49
Control panel buttons
Brightness/contrast
button.............4-16, 4-17, 4-34
Enter button..............4-2, 4-17
Setting button.............4-9, 4-26
Startup screen...............4-20Without navigation system..........4-2
Controls
Audio controls (steering wheel)......4-75
Heater and air conditioner controls. . . .4-38
Rear audio controls.............4-77
Rear seat air conditioner..........4-40
Coolant
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-8
Checking engine coolant level........8-7
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-6
Corrosion protection...............7-5
Cruise control..................5-17
Cup holders...................2-46
Curtain side-impact and rollover air bag . . .1-60
D
Daytime running light system
(Canada only)..................2-34
Defroster switch
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-31
Digital video disc DVD.............4-78
Dimensions and weights.............9-9
Dimmer switch for instrument panel......2-35
Display controls
(see control panel buttons)........4-2, 4-17
Distance to empty.............4-5, 4-21
Door locks....................3-4
Drive belt....................8-15
Drive positioner, Automatic...........3-31
Driving
Cold weather driving............5-32Driving with automatic
transmission.............5-12, 5-13
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
E
Economy - fuel.................5-19
Emission control information label.......9-11
Emission control system warranty.......9-30
Engine
Before starting the engine.........5-11
Block heater.................5-34
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant..........8-8
Changing engine oil.............8-9
Changing engine oil filter..........8-10
Checking engine coolant level........8-7
Checking engine oil level..........8-8
Engine compartment check locations. . . .8-6
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-6
Engine cooling system............8-7
Engine oil...................8-8
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation...............9-6
Engine oil viscosity..............9-6
Engine serial number............9-11
Engine specifications.............9-8
Starting the engine.............5-11
Engine oil pressure gauge............2-7
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light.........2-15
Enter button................4-2, 4-17
Event data recorders..............9-32
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)........5-2
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Tire
Flat tire....................6-2
Spare tire...................6-3
Tire chains..................8-40
Tire placard.................9-12
Tire pressure................8-34
Tire rotation.................8-41
Tires of 4-wheel drive............8-43
Types of tires................8-40
Uniform tire quality grading.........9-29
Wheels and tires..............8-34
Wheel/tire size................9-9
Tire pressure
Low tire pressure warning light......2-16
Tire pressure display...........4-6, 4-22
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) . . .5-3
Tire rotation maintenance reminder . . .4-6, 4-22
Top tether strap child restraint.........1-31
Tow mode switch................2-40
Towing
2-wheel drive models............6-12
4-wheel drive models............6-13
Flat towing..................9-28
Tow truck towing..............6-11
Towing load/specification.........9-20
Trailer towing................9-17
Transceiver
HomeLinkTUniversal Transceiver.....2-60
Transmission
Driving with automatic transmission. . . .5-12,
5-13
Selector lever lock release.........5-15
Travel (See registering your vehicle in another
country).....................9-10
Trip odometer...................2-5Troubleshooting guide (NISSAN voice
recognition system)..............4-134
Turn signal switch................2-35
U
Uniform tire quality grading...........9-29
V
Vanity mirror...................3-28
Vehicle dimensions and weights........9-9
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off switch. . .2-38
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system. . . .5-29
Vehicle electronic system........4-13, 4-29
Vehicle identification..............9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
(Chassis number)................9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . . .9-10
Vehicle loading information...........9-13
Vehicle recovery.................6-14
Vehicle security system.............2-27
Vehicle security system (NISSAN vehicle immobi-
lizer system) , engine start.....2-29, 3-3, 5-11
Ventilators....................4-37
Visors......................3-28
Voice recognition system...........4-117
Voltmeter.....................2-8
W
Warning
4WD warning light.............2-16Air bag warning light.........1-63, 2-18
Anti-lock brake warning light. . . .2-13, 2-14
Battery charge warning light........2-15
Brake warning light.............2-14
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light.......2-15
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-36
Low fuel warning light. . . .2-16, 2-17, 2-26
Low tire pressure warning light......2-16
Low washer fluid warning light.......2-26
Passenger air bag and status light.....1-57
Seat belt warning light...........2-17
Vehicle security system...........2-27
Warning labels (for SRS)..........1-63
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders..................2-13
Warning lights..................2-13
Washer switch
Rear window wiper and washer
switches...................2-31
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-30
Weights (See dimensions and weights). . . .9-9
Wheels and tires................8-34
Wheel/tire size..................9-9
When traveling or registering your vehicle
in another country................9-10
Window washer fluid..............8-12
Windows
Locking passengers’ windows.......2-54
Manual vent windows............2-56
Power rear windows............2-54
Power vent windows............2-55
Power windows...............2-53
Rear power windows............2-54
Windshield wiper and washer switch.....2-30
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