2009 NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK tow

6 In case of emergency
Flat tire...........................................6-2
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)..........6-2
Changing a flat tire.............................6-2
Jump starting . . ...................................6-7
Push starting......................................6-9If your vehicle overheats............................6-9
Towing your vehicle...............................6-10
Towing recommended by NISSAN..............6-11
Vehicle recovery (freeing a stuck vehicle).........6-12
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


●Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and
let it run for a few minutes.
For Intelligent Key system equipped models,
use the mechanical key to start the engine.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster ve-
hicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start the en-
gine of the vehicle being jump started.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does
not start right away, turn the key off and
wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable.
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped) . Be
sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.
CAUTION
●Do not push start this vehicle. The
three-way catalyst may be damaged.
●Automatic Transmission (AT) or Con-
tinuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
models cannot be push-started or tow-
started. Attempting to do so may cause
transmission damage.
●For manual transmission models, never
try to start the vehicle by towing it.
When the engine starts, the forward
surge could cause the vehicle to collide
with the tow vehicle.If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by a red
high temperature warning light) , or if you
feel a lack of engine power, detect abnormal
noise, etc. take the following steps.
WARNING
●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 com-
ing out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the shift lever to
N (Neutral) (manual transmission) or to P
(Park) (AT or CVT) .
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner (if so equipped) .
Open all the windows, move the heater or air
conditioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-9
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


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.6. After the engine cools down, check the cool-
ant level in the engine coolant reservoir tank
with the engine running. Add coolant to the
engine coolant reservoir tank if necessary.
Have your vehicle repaired at a NISSAN
dealer.When towing your vehicle, all State (Provincial in
Canada) and local regulations for towing must be
followed. Incorrect towing equipment could dam-
age your vehicle. Towing instructions are avail-
able from a NISSAN dealer. Local service opera-
tors are generally familiar with the applicable laws
and procedures for towing. To assure proper
towing and to prevent accidental damage to your
vehicle, NISSAN recommends having a service
operator tow your vehicle. It is advisable to have
the service operator carefully read the following
precautions:
WARNING
●Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
●Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
●When towing, make sure that the trans-
mission, axles, steering system and
powertrain are in working condition. If
any of these conditions apply, dollies or
a flatbed tow truck must be used.
●Always attach safety chains before
towing.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
6-10In case of emergency
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


For information about towing your vehicle behind
a recreational vehicle (RV) , refer to “Flat towing”
in the “Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion of this manual.
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be towed
with the driving (front) wheels off the ground or
place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as illustrated.
ACE0511SCE0199A
In case of emergency6-11
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


CAUTION
●Never tow Automatic Transmission (AT)
or Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) models with the front wheels on
the ground or four wheels on the
ground (forward or backward) , as this
may cause serious and expensive dam-
age to the transmission. If it is neces-
sary to tow the vehicle with the rear
wheels raised always use towing dollies
under the front wheels.
●When towing Automatic Transmission
(AT) or Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion (CVT) models with the front wheels
on towing dollies, or when towing
manual transmission models with the
front wheels on the ground:
– Turn the ignition key to the OFF po-
sition, and secure the steering wheel
in a straight-ahead position with a
rope or similar device. Never secure
the steering wheel by turning the ig-
nition key to the LOCK position. This
may damage the steering lock
mechanism.
– Move the gearshift lever to the N
(Neutral) position.●When towing Automatic Transmission
(AT) or Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion (CVT) or manual transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground (if you do not use towing dol-
lies): Always release the parking brake.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
WARNING
●Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
●Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode and
result in serious injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged.
CAUTION
●Tow chains or cables must be attached
only to the main structural members of
the vehicle or the towing hooks (if so
equipped) . Otherwise, the vehicle body
will be damaged.●Use the towing hook (if so equipped)
only to free a vehicle stuck in sand,
snow, mud, etc. Never tow the vehicle
for a long distance using only the tow-
ing hook.
●The towing hook is under tremendous
force when used to free a stuck vehicle.
Never pull the hook at an angle.
●Always pull the cable straight out from
the front or rear of the vehicle.
●Pulling devices should be routed so
they do not touch any part of the sus-
pension, steering, brake or cooling
systems.
●Pulling devices such as ropes or canvas
straps are not recommended for use in
vehicle towing or recovery.
6-12In case of emergency
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


Pulling a stuck vehicle
Front (if so equipped)
Do not use the hook (if so equipped) to tow the
vehicle.Rear
Do not use the hook to tow the vehicle.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.,
use the following procedure:
1. Make sure the area in front and behind the
vehicle is clear of obstructions.
2. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear
an area around the front tires.
3. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and back-
ward.●Shift back and forth between R (reverse)
and D (drive) (AT and CVT models) or 1st
(low) and R (reverse) (manual transmis-
sion models) .
●Apply the accelerator as little as possible
to maintain the rocking motion.
●Release the accelerator pedal before
shifting between R and D (AT and CVT
models) or 1st and R (manual transmis-
sion models) .
●Do not spin the tires above 35 mph (55
km/h) .
4. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few
tries, contact a professional towing service
to remove the vehicle.
WCE0132SCE0578
In case of emergency6-13
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, insects,
and tree sap as quickly as possible from the
surface of the paint to avoid lasting damage or
staining. Special cleaning products are available
at a NISSAN dealer or any automotive accessory
store.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, it is
necessary to clean the underbody regularly in
order to prevent dirt and salt from building up and
causing the acceleration of corrosion on the un-
derbody and suspension. Before the winter pe-
riod and again in the spring, the underseal must
be checked and, if necessary, retreated.
GLASS
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust film
from the glass surfaces. It is normal for glass to
become coated with a film after the vehicle is
parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner and a soft
cloth will easily remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the windows,
do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage the electri-
cal conductors, radio antenna elements or
rear window defroster elements.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge damp-
ened in a mild soap solution, especially during
winter months in areas where road salt is used. If
not removed, road salt can discolor the wheels.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining or discoloring the wheels:
●Do not use a cleaner that uses strong
acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
●Do not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as am-
bient temperature.
●Rinse the wheel to completely remove
the cleaner within 15 minutes after the
cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.
TIRE DRESSINGS
NISSAN does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating to
the tires to help reduce discoloration of the rub-
ber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires, it may
react with the coating and form a compound. This
compound may come off the tire while driving and
stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
●Use a water-based tire dressing. The coat-
ing on the tire dissolves more easily than
with an oil-based tire dressing.
●Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help
prevent it from entering the tire
tread/grooves (where it would be difficult to
remove) .
●Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry
towel. Make sure the tire dressing is com-
pletely removed from the tire tread/grooves.
●Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom-
mended by the tire dressing manufacturer.
Appearance and care7-3
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


●For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or “Tire Safety Infor-
mation” (Canada) in the Warranty In-
formation Booklet.
Care of wheels
●Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle
to maintain their appearance.
●Clean the inner side of the wheels when the
wheel is changed or the underside of the
vehicle is washed.
●Do not use abrasive cleaners when washing
the wheels.
●Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause loss of
pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
●NISSAN recommends waxing the road
wheels to protect against road salt in areas
where it is used during winter.
Spare tire (TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire)
Observe the following precautions if the TEM-
PORARY USE ONLY spare tire must be used.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged or
involved in an accident:
WARNING
●The spare tire should be used for emer-
gency use only. It should be replaced
with the standard tire at the first oppor-
tunity to avoid possible tire or differen-
tial damage.
●Drive carefully while the TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire is installed. Avoid
sharp turns and abrupt braking while
driving.
●Periodically check spare tire inflation
pressure. Always keep the pressure of
the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire
at 60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 bar) .
●With the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare
tire installed do not drive the vehicle at
speeds faster than 50 MPH (80 km/h) .
●When driving on roads covered with
snow or ice, the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire should be used on the
rear wheels and the original tire used
on the front wheels (drive wheels) . Use
tire chains only on the front (original)
tires.●Tire tread of the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire will wear at a faster rate
than the standard tire. Replace the
spare tire as soon as the tread wear
indicators appear.
●Do not use the spare tire on other
vehicles.
●Do not use more than one spare tire at
the same time.
●Do not tow a trailer when the TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire is installed.
CAUTION
●Do not use tire chains on a TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire. Tire chains
will not fit properly and may cause dam-
age to the vehicle.
●Because the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire is smaller than the original
tire, ground clearance is reduced. To
avoid damage to the vehicle, do not
drive over obstacles. Also, do not drive
the vehicle through an automatic car
wash since it may get caught.
8-44Maintenance and do-it-yourself
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie