
Bumper towing
The genuine NISSAN step bumper has provi-
sions to install a trailer hitch ball and is designed
to tow trailers of a maximum weight of 5,000 lb
(2,268 kg) .
To install a trailer hitch ball cut out the circle in the
center of the step bumper
A, then remove it to
install the trailer hitch ball.
Weight carrying hitches
A weight carrying or “dead weight” ball mount is
one that is designed to carry the whole amount of
tongue weight and gross weight directly on the
ball mount and on the receiver.
Weight distribution hitch
This type of hitch is also called a “load-leveling” or
“equalizing” hitch. A set of bars attach to the ball
mount and to the trailer to distribute the tongue
weight (hitch weight) of your trailer. Many ve-
hicles can’t carry the full tongue weight of a given
trailer, and need some of the tongue weight
transferred through the frame and pushing down
on the front wheels. This gives stability to the tow
vehicle.
A weight-distributing hitch system (Class IV) is
recommended if you plan to tow trailers with a
maximum weight over 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg) .
Check with the trailer and towing equipment
manufacturers to determine if they recommend
the use of a weight-distributing hitch system.
NOTE:
A weight-distributing hitch system may af-
fect the operation of trailer surge brakes. If
you are considering use of a weight-
distributing hitch system with a surge
brake-equipped trailer, check with the
surge brake, hitch or trailer manufacturer
to determine if and how this can be done.
Follow the instructions provided by the manufac-
turer for installing and using the weight-
distributing hitch system. General set-up instructions are as follows:
1. Park unloaded vehicle on a level surface. With the ignition on and the doors closed,
allow the vehicle to stand for several minutes
so that it can level.
2. Measure the height of a reference point on the front and rear bumpers at the center of
the vehicle.
3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and adjust the hitch equalizers so that the front bumper
height is within0-.5inches (0 – 13 mm) of
the reference height measured in step 2. The
rear bumper should be no higher than the
reference height measured in step 2.
WARNING
Properly adjust the weight distributing
hitch so the rear of the bumper is no
higher than the measured reference
height when the trailer is attached. If the
rear bumper is higher than the measured
reference height when loaded, the vehicle
may handle unpredictably which could
cause a loss of vehicle control and cause
serious personal injury or property
damage.
LTI0131
Technical and consumer information9-31
ProCarManuals.com

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.
● Be 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.
● Use the Tow Mode or downshift the trans-
mission to a lower gear for engine braking
when driving down steep or long hills. This
will help slow the vehicle without applying
the brakes. ●
Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
● Increase your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
● NISSAN recommends that the cruise con-
trol (if so equipped) not be used while tow-
ing a trailer.
● Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.
● Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
● When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
● Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out. When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
Tow mode
Using tow mode is recommended when pulling a
heavy trailer or hauling a heavy load. Press the
TOW MODE switch to activate tow mode. The
indicator light on the TOW MODE switch illumi-
nates when tow mode is selected. Press the
TOW MODE switch again to turn tow mode off.
Tow mode is automatically cancelled when the
ignition switch is turned OFF.
Tow mode includes the following features:
● Grade logic — Adjusts transmission shifts
when pulling a trailer or hauling a load up a
grade.
● Downhill Speed Control (DSC) — automati-
cally downshifts when driving down a grade
with a trailer or heavy load to help control
vehicle speed.
Driving the vehicle in the tow mode with no
trailer/load or light trailer/light load will not cause
any damage. However, fuel economy may be
reduced and the transmission/engine driving
characteristics may feel unusual.
9-38Technical and consumer information
ProCarManuals.com

Additional information concerning motor
vehicle safety may be obtained from Trans-
port Canada’s Road Safety Information
Centre at 1-800-333-0371 or online at
www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety (English speak-
ers) or www.tc.gc.ca/securiteroutiere
(French speakers) .
To notify NISSAN of any safety concerns
please contact our Consumer Information
Centre toll free at 1-800-387-0122.
Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready condi-
tion” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of
the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition” when it
is driven through certain driving patterns. Usually,
the ready condition can be obtained by ordinary
usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired or the
battery is disconnected, the vehicle may be reset to
a “not ready” condition. Before taking the I/M test,
check the vehicle’s inspection/maintenance test
readiness condition. Place the ignition switch in the
ON position without starting the engine. If the
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) comes on steady
for 20 seconds and then blinks for 10 seconds , the
I/M test condition is “not ready”. If the MIL does not
blink after 20 seconds, the I/M test condition is
“ready”. Contact a NISSAN dealer to set the “ready
condition” or to prepare the vehicle for testing.
This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Re-
corder (EDR) . The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like situa-
tions, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understand-
ing how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR
is designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this
vehicle is designed to record such data as:● How various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
● Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
● How far (if at all) the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
● How fast the vehicle was traveling.
● Sounds are not recorded.
These data can help provide a better understand-
ing of the circumstances in which crashes and
injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded by
your vehicle only if a nontrivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under
normal driving conditions and no personal data
(e.g. name, gender, age and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data with
the type of personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash investigation.
READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST EVENT DATA RECORDERS (EDR)
9-42Technical and consumer information
ProCarManuals.com

Windshield-washer fluid...........8-13
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ...........9-11
Fog light switch .................2-33
Front air bag system
(See supplemental restraint system) ......1-54
Front seats .....................1-2
Fuel Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Fuel economy ................5-22
Fuel-filler door and cap ...........3-12
Fuel gauge ...................2-7
Fuel octane rating ...............9-4
Fuel recommendation .............9-3
Loose fuel cap warning ........2-24, 3-12
Fuel economy setting ...............4-4
Fuses .......................8-21
Fusible links ...................8-23
G
Garage door opener, HomeLink Universal
Transceiver ....................2-56
Gascap .....................3-12
Gauge Automatic transmission fluid temperature
gauge .....................2-8
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-6
Engine oil pressure gauge ..........2-7
Fuel gauge ...................2-7
Odometer ...................2-5
Speedometer .................2-5
Tachometer ..................2-6
Trip odometer .................2-5
Voltmeter ....................2-8 General maintenance
...............8-2
Glove box .....................2-42
Glove box lock ..................2-42
Grocery hooks ..................2-47
H
Hands-free phone system, Bluetooth .....4-67
Hazard warning flasher switch .........2-33
Headlight
and turn signal switch ........2-29
Headlight control switch ............2-29
Headlights ....................8-27
Headphones (See NISSAN mobile
entertainment system) ..............4-59
Heated seats ...................2-35
Heater Heater and air conditioner
controls .............4-14, 4-21, 4-28
Heater operation ........4-15, 4-22, 4-29
HomeLink Universal Transceiver ........2-56
Hood release ...................3-11
Horn .......................2-34
I
Ignition switch ...................5-9
Immobilizer system .........2-26, 3-2, 5-11
Important vehicle information label .......9-11
In-cabin microfilter ................8-18
Increasing fuel economy .............5-22
Indicator lights and audible reminders
(See warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders) ....................2-13
Inside automatic anti-glare mirror ........3-17Inside mirror
...................3-17
Instrument brightness control ..........2-32
Instrument panel ...............0-6, 2-2
Instrument panel dimmer switch ........2-32
Interior light ....................2-54
ISOFIX child restraints .............1-28
J
Jump starting ...................6-8
K
Key.........................3-2
Keyfob battery replacement ...........8-25
Keyless entry system
(See remote keyless entry system) ........3-7
L
Labels Air conditioner specification label .....9-12
C.M.V.S.S. certification label ........9-11
Emission control information label .....9-11
Engine serial number ............9-11
F
.M.V.S.S. certification label .........9-11
Tire and Loading Information label .....9-12
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . .9-10
Warning labels (for SRS) ..........1-61
Language setting ................4-10
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
System ......................1-28
10-3
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Push starting.................6-10
Starting the engine .............5-12
Startup screen ...................4-3
Steering Power steering fluid .............8-12
Power steering system ...........5-31
Tilting steering wheel ............3-14
Steering wheel audio control switch ......4-54
Stop light .....................8-29
Storage ......................2-40
Lockable bedside storage compartment . .2-48
Overhead storage compartment ......2-44
Storage bin ....................2-44
Storage tray ...................2-40
Sunglasses case .................2-43
Sunroof ......................2-52
Sunroof (see Moonroof) .............2-52
Sun visors ....................3-15
Supplemental air bag warning labels ......1-61
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-62, 2-18
Supplemental front impact air bag system . . .1-54
Supplemental restraint system Information and warning labels .......1-61
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system ....................1-47
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system) .........1-47
Switch Autolight switch ...............2-30
Automatic power window switch ......2-50
Electronic locking rear differential (E-Lock)
system switch ................2-36
Fog light switch ...............2-33
Hazard warning flasher switch .......2-33
Headlight and turn signal switch ......2-29
Headlight control switch ..........2-29 Ignition switch
.................5-9
Power door lock switch ............3-4
Rear sonar system off switch ........2-37
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch .....................2-28
Turn signal switch ..............2-33
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off
switch .....................2-36
Windshield
wiper and washer switch . . .2-27
T
Tachometer ....................2-6
Tailgate latch ...................3-22
Temperature gauge Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-6
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light .......2-15
Theft (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system) ,
engine start .............2-26, 3-2, 5-11
Three-way catalyst ................5-2
Tie down hooks .................3-24
Tilting steering wheel ..............3-14
Tire Flat tire .....................6-2
Spare tire ...................6-3
Tire and Loading Information label .....9-12
Tire chains ..................8-40
Tire placard ..................9-12
Tire pressure .................8-33
Tire rotation ..................8-40
Tires of 4-wheel drive ............8-42
Types of tires .................8-39
Uniform tire quality grading .........9-40
Wheels and tires ...............8-33 Wheel/tire size
.................9-9
Tire pressure Low tire pressure warning light .......2-16
Tire pressure display ...............4-7
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) . . . .5-3
Tire rotation maintenance reminder .......4-7
Towing 2-wheel drive models ............6-12
4-wheel drive models ............6-13
Flat towing ..................9-39
Towing load/specification ..........9-28
Tow truck towing ...............6-11
Trailer towing .................9-24
Tow mode switch ................2-38
Transceiver HomeLink Universal
Transceiver ......2-56
Transmission Driving with automatic transmission . . . .5-13
Shift selector lock release ..........5-18
Travel (See registering your vehicle in
another country) .................9-10
Trip button .....................4-4
Trip odometer ...................2-5
Truck - camper loading .............9-22
Turn signal switch ................2-33
U
Uniform tire quality grading ...........9-40
V
Vanity mirror ...................3-16
Variable voltage control system .........8-16
10-6
ProCarManuals.com