2008 NISSAN MURANO overheating

Black plate (338,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the steering will not work. Steering will
be harder to operate.
The power assisted steering uses a hydraulic
pump, driven by the engine, to assist steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks, you
will still have control of the vehicle. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, espe-
cially in sharp turns and at low speeds.
BRAKING PRECAUTIONSThe brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at two wheels.Vacuum assisted brakesThe brake booster aids braking by using engine
vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop the
vehicle by depressing the brake pedal. However,
greater foot pressure on the brake pedal will be
required to stop the vehicle and the stopping
distance will be longer.Using the brakesAvoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will cause overheating of the
brakes, wearing out the brake and pads faster
and reduce gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may
reduce braking performance and could result in
loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
.While driving on a slippery surface,
be careful when braking, accelerat-
ing or downshifting. Abrupt brakingor accelerating could cause the
wheelstoskidandresultinan
accident.
.If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
Braking will be harder.
Wet brakesWhen the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result, your
braking distance will be longer and the vehicle
may pull to one side during braking.
To dry brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly tapping the brake pedal to heat-up
the brakes. Do this until the brakes return to
normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at high speeds
until the brakes function correctly.PARKING BRAKE BREAK-INBreak in the parking brake shoes whenever the
stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened
or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or
drums/rotors are replaced, in order to assure the
best braking performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual and can be performed by a
NISSAN dealer.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM5-26
Starting and driving

Black plate (355,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
CAUTION
.Do not continue to drive if your
vehicle overheats. Doing so could
cause engine damage or a vehicle
fire.
.To avoid the danger of being
scalded, never remove the radiator
cap while the engine is still hot.
When the radiator cap is removed,
pressurized hot water will spurt out,
possibly causing serious injury.
.Do not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading) , or if
you feel a lack of engine power, detect abnormal
noise, etc., take the following steps:
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the selector
lever to the P (Park) position.
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the
windows, move the heater or air conditioner
temperature control to maximum hot and fan
control to high speed.3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. (If steam or
coolant is escaping, turn off the engine.)
Do not open the hood further until no steam
or coolant can be seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
5. Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leaking,
the water pump belt is missing or loose, or
the cooling fan does not run, stop the
engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or
the engine cooling fan. The engine
cooling fan can start at any time.6. After the engine cools down, check the
coolant level in the reservoir tank with the
engine running. Add coolant to the reservoir
tank if necessary. Have your vehicle repaired
at a NISSAN dealer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency
6-11

Black plate (410,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
E-85 fuelE-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline. E-85 can
only be used in a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) . Do
not use E-85 fuel in your vehicle. U.S. govern-
ment regulations require fuel ethanol dispensing
pumps to be identified by a small, square,
orange and black label with the common
abbreviation or the appropriate percentage for
that region.Aftermarket fuel additivesNISSAN does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (for example, fuel
injector cleaner, octane booster, intake valve
deposit removers, etc.) which are sold commer-
cially. Many of these additives intended for gum,
varnish or deposit removal may contain active
solvent or similar ingredients that can be harmful
to the fuel system and engine.Octane rating tipsUsing unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can cause
persistent, heavy “spark knock”. (Spark
knock is a metallic rapping noise.) If
severe, this can lead to engine damage. If
you detect a persistent heavy spark knock
even when using gasoline of the stated
octane rating, or if you hear steady spark
knock while holding a steady speed on
level roads, have a NISSAN dealer correctthe condition. Failure to correct the condi-
tion is misuse of the vehicle, for which
NISSAN is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing will result in spark
knock, after-run and/or overheating, which may
cause excessive fuel consumption or engine
damage. If any of the above symptoms are
encountered, have your vehicle checked at a
NISSAN dealer.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is not a
cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.9-4
Technical and consumer information

Black plate (422,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
for proper towing.MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITS
Maximum trailer loadsNever allow the total trailer load to exceed the
value specified in the “Towing Load/Specifica-
tion” chart. The total trailer load equals trailer
weight plus its cargo weight.
.When towing a trailer load of 1,000 lbs
(454 kg) or more, trailers with a brake
system MUST be used.
The maximum GCWR (Gross Combined Weight
Rating) should not exceed the value specified in
the following “Towing Load/Specification” chart.
STI0541
The GCWR equals the combined weight of the
towing vehicle (including passengers and cargo)
plus the total trailer load. Towing loads greater
than these 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 for low
traction situations (for example, on slippery boat
ramps) .
Temperature conditions can also affect towing.
For example, towing a heavy trailer in highoutside temperatures on graded roads can
affect engine performance and cause overheat-
ing. The transmission high fluid temperature
protection mode, which helps reduce the
chance of transmission damage, could activate
and automatically 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 en-
gine power and vehicle speed. The
reduced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance
of a collision. 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 “6. In case of emergency” section
of this manual.
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from impro-
per towing procedures are not covered
by NISSAN warranties.
9-16
Technical and consumer information

Black plate (428,1)
Model "Z51-D" EDITED: 2008/ 6/ 26
the wheels and applying the parking
brake, transmission damage could oc-
cur.
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
absorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park) .
6. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
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.
.When 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.
.If the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioning
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.
.Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
.Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km) .
.Have your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
maintenance schedule in the NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide.
.When 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.
.Crosswinds 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 affectvehicle handling. If swaying does occur,
firmly grip the steering wheel, steer straight
ahead, and immediately (but gradually)
reduce vehicle speed. This combination will
help stabilize the vehicle. Never increase
speed.
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
vehicle.
— 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
balanced as described earlier in this section.
.Be 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.
.Down shift the transmission to a lower gear
for engine braking when driving down steep
or long hills. This will help slow the vehicle9-22
Technical and consumer information