●Check 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.
●Be certain your rearview mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.
●Determine 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.
●Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
●Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inadvert-
ently becoming unlatched.
●Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
●Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.●Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
●When 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. Turn off the engine.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.
●While going downhill, the weight of the
trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may de-
crease overall stability. Therefore, to main-
tain adequate control, reduce your speed
and use the manual shift mode (M5) . Avoid
long or repeated use of the brakes when
descending a hill, as this reduces their effec-
tiveness and could cause overheating. Shift-
ing the manual shift mode to M5 (5th) pro-
vides “engine braking” and reduces the need
to brake as frequently.
●If the engine coolant temperature rises to a
high temperature, refer to “If your vehicle
overheats” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this owner’s manual.
●Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
9-22Technical and consumer information
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
10/20/08—debbie
Outside mirror control.............3-27
Outside mirrors.................3-27
Overheat
Ifyourvehicleoverheats..........6-10
Owner’s manual order form..........9-27
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information....................9-27
P
Parking
Parking brake operation..........5-17
Parking/parking on hills...........5-21
Personal lights.................2-50
Phone, Bluetoothhands-free
system..................4-88,4-103
Power
Power door locks...............3-5
Power outlet.................2-36
Power rear windows............2-42
Power steering fluid.............8-11
Power steering system...........5-22
Power windows...............2-41
Rear power windows............2-42
Precautions
Maintenance precautions..........8-5
Precautions on child
restraints............1-17,1-25,1-31
Precautions on seat belt usage.......1-9
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-35
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Programmable features..........4-7,4-22
Push starting..................6-10R
Radio
Car phone or CB radio...........4-87
Compact Disc (CD) changer....4-53,4-60
FM-AM radio with compact disc
(CD) changer................4-51
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) changer.............4-57,4-65
Rear audio controls.............4-86
Steering wheel audio control switch....4-84
Readiness for inspection maintenance
(I/M) test.....................9-26
Rearaudiocontrols...............4-86
Rear power windows..............2-42
Rearseat.....................1-5
Rearseatairconditioner............4-42
Rear sun shade.................2-48
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch......................2-26
RearViewMonitor................4-28
Recorders
Eventdata..................9-27
Refrigerant recommendation..........9-6
Registering your vehicle in another country. . .9-9
Reporting safety defects (US only)......9-25
Resetting the fuel economy........4-5,4-19
S
Safety
Child safety rear door lock..........3-6
Child seat belts........1-17,1-25,1-31
Reporting safety defects (US only)....9-25Seat adjustment
Front power seat adjustment........1-3
Seat belt
Child safety.................1-12
Infants and small children.........1-12
Injured Person................1-13
Larger children...............1-12
Precautions on seat belt usage.......1-9
Pregnant women..............1-13
Seat belt extenders
.............1-16
Seat belt maintenance...........1-16
Seat belts...................1-9
Shoulderbeltheightadjustment......1-16
Three-point type with retractor.......1-13
Seatbeltwarninglight.............2-13
Seatback pockets................2-37
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Automatic drive positioner.........3-28
Frontseats..................1-2
Heated seats................2-34
Rearseat...................1-5
Security indicator light.............2-15
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start........2-24,3-3,5-10
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-19
Service manual order form...........9-27
Servicing air conditioner............4-43
Setting button...............4-7,4-22
Shift lock release................5-16
Shifting
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) ....................5-13
Shoulder belt height adjustment........1-16
Spark plug replacement............8-16
Speedometer...................2-4
10-5
REVIEW COPY—2009 Maxima(max)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
11/03/08—debbie
