2008 NISSAN QUEST overheating

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, especially
in sharp turns and at low speeds.
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 brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The 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 stopping dis-
tance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will overheat the brakes, wear out the
brake 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
cWhile driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or accel-
erating could cause the wheels to skid
and result in an accident.
cIf 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 brakes
When 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 the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing 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-in
Break-in the parking brake shoes whenever the
stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened
or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or
drum/rotors are replaced, in order to assure the
best brake performance.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-17
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CAUTION
Automatic transmission models cannot
be push-started or tow-started. Attempt-
ing to do so may cause transmission
damage.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.
WARNING
cDo not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause engine
damage or a vehicle fire.
cTo 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.
cDo not open the hood if steam is com-
ing out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the shift lever to
P (Park) .
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 cool-
ant 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 en-
gine, 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 en-
gine.
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.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-9
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E–85 fuel
E-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 in your vehicle. U.S. government
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 additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (for example, fuel injec-
tor cleaner, octane booster, intake valve deposit
removers, etc.) which are sold commercially.
Many of these additives intended for gum, varnish
or deposit removal may contain active solvents or
similar ingredients that can be harmful to the fuel
system and engine.
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can cause
persistent, heavy “spark knock.” (“Spark
knock” is a metallic rapping noise.) If se-
vere, 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 levelroads, have a NISSAN dealer correct the
condition. Failure to correct the condition
is misuse of the vehicle, for which NISSAN
is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may 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 en-
countered, 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.
CAUTION
cYour vehicle is not designed to run on
E-85 fuel. Using E-85 fuel in a vehicle
not specifically designed for E-85 fuel
can damage fuel system components
and is not covered by the NISSAN new
vehicle limited warranty.
cE-85 is a mixture of approximately 85%
fuel ethanol and 15% unleaded
gasoline.cU.S. government regulations require
ethanol dispensing pumps to be identi-
fied by a small, square, orange and
black label with the common abbrevia-
tion or the appropriate percentage for
that region.
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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
Keep the tongue load between 10 - 15 percent of
the total trailer load within the maximum tongue
load limits shown in the following “Towing
Load/Specification” chart. If the tongue load be-
comes 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.
WTI0160TI1012M
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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.
cDo not use cruise control while towing a
trailer.
9-22Technical and consumer information
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