2008 NISSAN ARMADA engine

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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To drive away:
1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are
clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When going up a long grade, downshift the
transmission to a lower gear and reduce
speed to reduce chances of engine over-
loading and/or overheating. However, for
long steep grades, do not stay in 1st gear
when driving above 35 MPH (56 km/h) or
2nd gear when driving above 58 MPH (93
km/h) .
cIf the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioner
system is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Coolant heat can be additionally 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 your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
cFor the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do
tow, do not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h) .
cHave your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
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 adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling.
Do the following if the trailer begins to sway:
1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to
allow the vehicle to coast and steer as
straight ahead as the road conditions allow.
This combination will help stabilize the ve-
hicle– Do not correct trailer sway by steering or
applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the
brakes and pull to the side of the road in a
safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal-
anced as described earlier in this section.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
cDownshift the transmission to a lower gear
for engine braking when driving down steep
or long hills. This will help slow the vehicle
without applying the brakes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
overdrive.
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
cIncrease your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
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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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If you believe that your vehicle has a de-
fect which could cause a crash or could
cause injury or death, you should immedi-
ately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addi-
tion to notifying NISSAN.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot be-
come involved in individual problems be-
tween you, your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Ve-
hicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-
327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go
to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590.
You can also obtain other information
about motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov.
You may notify NISSAN by contacting our
Consumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at
1-800-NISSAN-1.Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready condi-
tion” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of
the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition” when it
is driven through certain driving patterns. Usually,
the ready condition can be obtained by ordinary
usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired or
the battery is disconnected, the vehicle may be
reset to a “not ready” condition. Before taking the
I/M test, check the vehicle’s
inspection/maintenance test readiness condi-
tion. Turn the ignition switch ON without starting
the engine. If the Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) comes on steady for 20 seconds and then
blinks for 10 seconds , the I/M test condition is
9not ready9. If the MIL does not blink after 20
seconds, the I/M test condition is9ready.9If the
MIL indicates the vehicle is in a9not ready9con-
dition, drive the vehicle through the following
pattern to set the vehicle to the ready condition. If
you cannot or do not want to perform the driving
pattern, a NISSAN dealer can conduct it for you.WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic con-
ditions and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine when the engine coolant
temperature gauge needle points to C. Al-
low the engine to idle until the gauge needle
points between the C and H (normal oper-
ating temperature) .
2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88
km/h) , then quickly release the accelerator
pedal completely and keep it released for at
least 10 seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for a
moment, then drive the vehicle at a speed of
53 - 60 MPH (86 - 96 km/h) for at least 9
minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 MPH (55 km/h)
and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 through 5 at least 10 times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88 km/h)
and maintain the speed for at least 3 min-
utes.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (US
only)READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
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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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10 Index
4WD warning light...............2-16
A
Active Head Restraint..............1-9
Adjusting pedal position............3-27
Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system).....................1-48
Air bag system
Front (See supplemental front impact
air bag system)...............1-55
Air bag warning labels.............1-63
Air bag warning light...........1-63, 2-18
Air cleaner housing filter............8-17
Air conditioner
Air conditioner service...........4-41
Air conditioner specification label.....9-12
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
oil recommendations.............9-7
Heater and air conditioner controls. . . .4-38
Rear seat air conditioner..........4-40
Servicing air conditioner..........4-41
Alarm system
(See vehicle security system).........2-27
Anchor point locations.............1-31
Antenna.....................4-77
Anti-lock brake warning light......2-13, 2-14
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)........5-28
Audible reminders................2-20
Audio system..................4-41
Compact Disc (CD) changer.......4-52Compact disc (CD) player.........4-60
Audio System
CompactFlash (CF) player.........4-62
Audio system
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc (CD)
changer...................4-49
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-57
Audio System
Music Box hard-disk drive audio
system....................4-64
Audio system
Radio....................4-41
Rear audio controls.............4-77
Audio System
Settings................4-49, 4-57
Audio system
Steering wheel audio control switch. . . .4-75
Autolight switch.................2-33
Automatic
Automatic drive positioner.........3-31
Automatic power window switch.....2-55
Automatic transmission position indicator
light.....................2-27
Driving with automatic
transmission.............5-12, 5-13
Transmission selector lever lock
release....................5-15
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror.......3-29
Automatic transmission fluid temperature
gauge.......................2-8AUX jack.................4-55, 4-62
B
Battery......................8-13
Charge warning light............2-15
Before starting the engine...........5-11
Belt (See drive belt)..............8-15
Block heater
Engine....................5-34
BluetoothThands-free phone
system..................4-94, 4-108
Booster seats..................1-43
Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)......5-28
Brake fluid..................8-12
Brake light (See stop light).........8-30
Brake system................5-27
Brake warning light.............2-14
Brake wear indicators........2-20, 8-22
Parking brake operation..........5-16
Self-adjusting brakes............8-22
Brakes......................8-22
Break-in schedule................5-19
Brightness control
Instrument panel..............2-35
Brightness/contrast button.......4-16, 4-34
Bulb check/instrument panel..........2-13
Bulb replacement................8-30
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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
10-2
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Eyeglass case..................2-44
F
Flashers
(See hazard warning flasher switch)......2-36
Flat tire......................6-2
Floor mat positioning aid.............7-4
Fluid
Brake fluid..................8-12
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Engine coolant................8-7
Engine oil...................8-8
Power steering fluid.............8-11
Window washer fluid............8-12
F.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-11
Fog light switch.................2-35
Front air bag system
(See supplemental restraint system).....1-55
Front seats....................1-2
Front sonar system............2-39, 5-31
Fuel
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Fuel economy................5-19
Fuel gauge..................2-7
Fuel octane rating..............9-4
Fuel recommendation............9-3
Fuel-filler door and cap...........3-25
Fuses......................8-22
Fusible links...................8-24G
Garage door opener, HomeLinkTUniversal
Transceiver...................2-60
Gascap.....................3-25
Gauge
Automatic transmission fluid temperature
gauge.....................2-8
Engine coolant temperature gauge.....2-6
Engine oil pressure gauge..........2-7
Fuel gauge..................2-7
Odometer...................2-5
Speedometer.................2-5
Tachometer..................2-6
Trip odometer.................2-5
Voltmeter...................2-8
General maintenance..............8-2
Glass hatch...................3-25
Glove box....................2-44
Glove box lock.................2-44
H
Hands-free phone system,
BluetoothT...............4-94, 4-108
Hazard warning flasher switch.........2-36
Head restraints..................1-8
Active Head Restraint............1-9
Headlight and turn signal switch........2-32
Headlight control switch............2-32
Headlights....................8-28
Headphones (See NISSAN mobile
entertainment system).............4-81
Heated seats..................2-37Heated steering wheel.............2-37
Heater
Heater and air conditioner controls. . . .4-38
Heater operation..............4-39
Rear seat air conditioner..........4-40
HomeLinkTUniversal Transceiver.......2-60
Hood release..................3-20
Hook
Luggage hook................2-50
Horn.......................2-36
I
Ignition switch..................5-8
Immobilizer system.........2-29, 3-3, 5-11
Important vehicle information label.......9-11
In-cabin microfilter...............8-17
Increasing fuel economy............5-19
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders)....................2-13
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror.......3-29
Instrument brightness control.........2-35
Instrument panel..............0-6, 2-2
Instrument panel dimmer switch........2-35
Intelligent Key system..............3-10
Key operating range............3-12
Key operation................3-13
Mechanical key................3-3
Remote keyless entry operation......3-16
Troubleshooting guide...........3-18
Warning signals...............3-18
Interior light...................2-58
ISOFIX child restraints.............1-28
10-3
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