2009 NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK tow

9 Technical and consumer information
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants.........9-2
Fuel recommendation . . .........................9-4
Engine oil and oil filter recommendations..........9-6
Air conditioner system refrigerant and oil
recommendations..............................9-7
Specifications . . ...................................9-8
Engine........................................9-8
Wheels and tires...............................9-9
Dimensions and weights........................9-9
When traveling or registering your vehicle in
another country..................................9-10
Vehicle identification..............................9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate.........9-10
Vehicle identification number
(chassis number)..............................9-10
Engine serial number...........................9-11
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification label..........9-11
Emission control information label...............9-11Tire and loading information label................9-12
Air conditioner specification label................9-12
Installing front license plate........................9-12
Vehicle loading information........................9-13
Terms........................................9-13
Determining vehicle load capacity...............9-14
Loading tips..................................9-16
Measurement of weights.......................9-16
Towing a trailer...................................9-17
Flat towing....................................9-17
Uniform tire quality grading........................9-17
Emission control system warranty..................9-18
Reporting safety defects (US only).................9-19
Readiness for inspection/maintenance (I/M) test.....9-19
Event Data Recorders (EDR).......................9-20
Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order information . . . 9-21
In the event of a collision.......................9-21
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


FUEL RECOMMENDATION
Use unleaded regular gasoline with an octane
rating of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) num-
ber (Research octane number 91) .
CAUTION
●Using a fuel other than that specified
could adversely affect the emission
control system, and may also affect the
warranty coverage.
●Under no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, because this
will damage the three-way catalyst.
●Do not use E-85 fuel in your vehicle.
Your vehicle is not designed to run on
E-85 fuel. Using E-85 fuel can damage
the fuel system components and is not
covered by the NISSAN new vehicle lim-
ited warranty.
Gasoline specifications
NISSAN recommends using gasoline that meets
the World-Wide Fuel Charter (WWFC) specifi-
cations where it is available. Many of the automo-
bile manufacturers developed this specification
to improve emission control system and vehicle
performance. Ask your service station manager if
the gasoline meets the WWFC specifications.
Reformulated gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing reformu-
lated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. NISSAN
supports efforts towards cleaner air and sug-
gests that you use reformulated gasoline when
available.
Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing oxy-
genates such as ethanol, MTBE and methanol
with or without advertising their presence.
NISSAN does not recommend the use of fuels of
which the oxygenate content and the fuel com-
patibility for your NISSAN cannot be readily de-
termined. If in doubt, ask your service station
manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please take
the following precautions as the usage of such
fuels may cause vehicle performance problems
and/or fuel system damage.
●The fuel should be unleaded and have
an octane rating no lower than that
recommended for unleaded gasoline.●If an oxygenate-blend other than
methanol blend is used, it should con-
tain no more than 10% oxygenate.
(MTBE may, however, be added up to
15%.)
●If a methanol blend is used, it should
contain no more than 5% methanol
(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol) . It
should also contain a suitable amount
of appropriate cosolvents and corro-
sion inhibitors. If not properly formu-
lated with appropriate cosolvents and
corrosion inhibitors, such methanol
blends may cause fuel system damage
and/or vehicle performance problems.
At this time, sufficient data is not avail-
able to ensure that all methanol blends
are suitable for use in NISSAN ve-
hicles.
If any driveability problems such as engine stall-
ing and difficult hot-starting are experienced after
using oxygenate-blend fuels, immediately
change to a non-oxygenate fuel or a fuel with a
low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during refu-
eling. Gasoline containing oxygenates can
cause paint damage.
9-4Technical and consumer information
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


●Vehicle Capacity Weight, Load limit,
Total load capacity - maximum total
weight limit specified of the load
(passengers and cargo) for the ve-
hicle. This is the maximum combined
weight of occupants and cargo that
can be loaded into the vehicle. If the
vehicle is used to tow a trailer, the
trailer tongue weight must be in-
cluded as part of the cargo load. This
information is located on the Tire and
Loading Information label (if so
equipped) .
●Cargo capacity - permissible weight
of cargo, the subtracted weight of
occupants from the load limit.
DETERMINING VEHICLE LOAD
CAPACITY
The load capacity of this vehicle is deter-
mined by weight, not by available cargo
space. For example, a luggage rack, bike
carrier, cartop carrier or similar equipment
does not increase load carrying capacity
of your vehicle.To determine vehicle load capacity:
Vehicle weight can be determined by us-
ing a commercial-grade scale, found at
places such as a truck stop, gravel quarry,
grain elevator, or a scrap metal recycling
facility.
1. Determine the curb weight of your
vehicle.
2. Compare the curb weight amount to
the GVWR specified for your vehicle
to determine how much more weight
your vehicle can carry.
3. After loading (cargo and passen-
gers) , re-weigh your vehicle to deter-
mine if either GVWR or GAWR for
your vehicle is exceeded. If GVWR is
exceeded, remove cargo as neces-
sary. If either the front or rear GAWR
is exceeded, shift the load or remove
cargo as necessary.
9-14
Technical and consumer information
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle.
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
●Failure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
●Whenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward.
●DO NOT tow any continuously variable
transmission vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground (flat towing) . Do-
ing so WILL DAMAGE internal transmis-
sion parts due to lack of transmission
lubrication.
●For emergency towing procedures refer
to “Towing recommended by NISSAN”
in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
Automatic Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with an automatic
transmission, an appropriate vehicle dollyMUST
be placed under the towed vehicle’s drive
wheels.Alwaysfollow the dolly manufacturer’s
recommendations when using their product.
Continuously Variable Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with a continuously
variable transmission, an appropriate vehicle
dollyMUSTbe placed under the towed vehicle’s
drive wheels.Alwaysfollow the dolly manufac-
turer’s recommendations when using their prod-
uct.
Manual Transmission
●Always tow with the manual transmission in
Neutral.
●After towing 500 miles (805 km) , start and
idle the engine with the transmission in Neu-
tral for two minutes. Failure to idle the engine
after every 500 miles (805 km) of towing
may cause damage to internal transmission
parts.DOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times
as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the
tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as mea-
sured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
TOWING A TRAILER UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Technical and consumer information9-17
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie


Tire and Loading Information label.....9-12
Tirechains..................8-41
Tireplacard.................9-12
Tirepressure ................8-34
Tirerotation.................8-41
Types of tires................8-40
Uniform tire quality grading.........9-17
Wheels and tires..............8-34
Wheel/tire size................9-9
Tire pressure
Low tire pressure warning light.......2-9
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) . . .5-3
Top tether strap child restraint.........1-19
Towing
Flattowing..................9-17
Towtrucktowing..............6-10
Trailer towing................9-17
Transmission
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF)....8-13
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid .....................8-14
Driving with automatic transmission....5-14
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT).............5-17
Driving with manual transmission.....5-21
Selectorleverlockrelease .....5-16,5-20
Travel (See registering your vehicle in
another country).................9-10
Trip odometer...................2-4
Trunk access through the rear seat.......1-4
Trunklight....................2-35
Turnsignalswitch................2-21U
Uniform tire quality grading...........9-17
V
Vanity mirror...................3-29
Vehicle dimensions and weights........9-9
Vehicle identification..............9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
(Chassis number)................9-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . . .9-10
Vehicle loading information...........9-13
Vehicle recovery.............6-12,6-13
Vehicle security system.............2-14
Vehicle security system
(NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system) ,
engine start.............2-15,3-2,5-12
Ventilators.....................4-2
W
Warning
Air bag warning light.........1-50,2-11
Anti-lock brake warning light........2-7
Battery charge warning light.........2-8
Brake warning light..............2-7
Door open warning light...........2-8
Engine oil pressure warning light......2-8
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-22Lowfuelwarninglight............2-9
Low tire pressure warning light.......2-9
Low washer fluid warning light.......2-10
Passenger air bag and status light.....1-44
Seatbeltwarninglight...........2-11
Vehicle security system...........2-14
Warning labels (for SRS)..........1-50
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders...................2-6
Warning lights..................2-6
Washer switch
Rear window wiper and washer
switches...................2-18
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-17
Weights (See dimensions and weights)....9-9
Wheels and tires................8-34
Wheel/tire size..................9-9
When traveling or registering your vehicle
in another country................9-10
Window washer fluid..............8-16
Windows
Locking passengers’ windows.......2-30
Manual windows..............2-31
Power rear windows............2-30
Power windows...............2-29
Rear power windows............2-30
Windshield wiper and washer switch.....2-17
Wiper
Rear window wiper and washer
switches...................2-18
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-17
Wiperblades................8-20
10-6
REVIEW COPY—2009 Versa(vrs)
Owners Manual—USA_English(nna)
09/10/08—debbie