2012 NISSAN XTERRA ESP

This is especially important because your
vehicle has a supplemental restraint sys-
tem (air bag system) for the front passen-
ger. See “Supplemental restraint system”
later in this section.
INFANTS
Infants up to at least 1 year old should be placed
in a rear-facing child restraint. NISSAN recom-
mends that infants be placed in child restraints
that comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. You should choose a child restraint
that fits your vehicle and always follow the manu-
facturer’s instructions for installation and use.
SMALL CHILDREN
Children that are over 1 year old and weigh at
least 20 lbs (9 kg) should remain in a rear-facing
child restraint as long as possible up to the height
or weight limit of the child restraint. Forward-
facing child restraints are available for children
who outgrow rear-facing child restraints and are
at least 1 year old. Refer to the manufacturer’s
instructions for minimum and maximum weight
and height recommendations. NISSAN recom-
mends that small children be placed in child
restraints that comply with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. You should choose a childrestraint that fits your vehicle and always follow
the manufacturer’s instructions for installation
and use.
LARGER CHILDREN
Children who are too large for child restraints
should be seated and restrained by the seat belts
which are provided. The seat belt may not fit
properly if the child is less than 4 ft 9 in (142.5
cm) tall and weighs between 40 lbs (18 kg) and
80 lbs (36 kg) . A booster seat should be used to
obtain proper seat belt fit.
NISSAN recommends that a child be placed in a
commercially available booster seat if the shoul-
der belt fits close to the face or neck or if the lap
portion of the seat belt goes across the abdo-
men. The booster seat should raise the child so
that the shoulder belt is properly positioned
across the top, middle portion of the shoulder
and the lap belt is low on the hips. A booster seat
can only be used in seating positions that have a
three-point type seat belt. The booster seat
should fit the vehicle seat and have a label certi-
fying that it complies with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. Once the child has grown so
the shoulder belt is no longer on or near the face
and neck, use the shoulder belt without the
booster seat.
WARNING
Never let a child stand or kneel on any
seat and do not allow a child in the cargo
area. The child could be seriously injured
or killed in a sudden stop or collision.
Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-25

WARNING
●When sitting in the rear seat, do not
hold onto the seatback of the front seat.
If the side air bag inflates, you may be
seriously injured. Be especially careful
with children, who should always be
properly restrained. Some examples of
dangerous riding positions are shown
in the illustrations.
● Do not use seat covers on the front
seatbacks. They may interfere with side
air bag inflation.
WRS0363SSS0159
1-50Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

The vehicle should be driven with the Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) system on for most driv-
ing conditions.
If the vehicle is stuck in mud or snow, the VDC
system reduces the engine output to reduce
wheel spin. The engine speed will be reduced
even if the accelerator is depressed to the floor. If
maximum engine power is needed to free a stuck
vehicle, turn the VDC system off.
To turn off the VDC system, push the VDC OFF
switch. The
indicator will come on.
Push the VDC OFF switch again or restart the
engine to turn on the system. See “Vehicle Dy-
namic Control (VDC) system” in the “Starting and
driving” section.
WARNING
● Never rely solely on the hill descent
control system to control vehicle speed
when driving on steep downhill grades.
Always drive carefully when using the
hill descent control system and decel-
erate the vehicle speed by depressing
the brake pedal if necessary. Be espe-
cially careful when driving on frozen,
muddy or extremely steep downhill
roads. Failure to control vehicle speed
may result in a loss of control of the
vehicle and possible serious injury or
death. ●
The hill descent control may not control
the vehicle speed on a hill under all load
or road conditions. Always be prepared
to depress the brake pedal to control
vehicle speed. Failure to do so may re-
sult in a collision or serious personal
injury.
CAUTION
When the hill descent control system op-
erates continuously for a long time, the
temperature of the brake pads may in-
crease and the hill descent control system
may be temporarily disabled (the indicator
light will blink) . If the indicator light does
not come on continuously after blinking,
stop using the system.
The hill descent control system is designed to
reduce driver workload when going down steep
hills. The hill descent control system helps to
control vehicle speed so the driver can concen-
trate on steering the vehicle.
To activate the hill descent control system: ● the 4WD switch must be in the 4L position
and the vehicle speed must be under 15
MPH (25 km/h) or
LIC1548LIC0743
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
OFF SWITCH HILL DESCENT CONTROL SWITCH (if
so equipped)
2-32Instruments and controls

WARNING
●Drive extra carefully when the vehicle is
loaded at or near the cargo carrying
capacity, especially if the significant
portion of that load is carried on the
roof rack.
● Heavy loading of the roof rack has the
potential to affect the vehicle stability
and handling during sudden or abnor-
mal handling maneuvers.
● Roof rack load should be evenly
distributed.
● Do not exceed maximum roof rack load
weight capacity.
● Properly secure all cargo with ropes or
straps to help prevent it from sliding or
shifting. In a sudden stop or collision,
unsecured cargo could cause personal
injury.
CAUTION
Use care when placing or removing items
from the roof rack. If you cannot comfort-
ably lift the items onto the roof rack from
the ground, use a ladder or stool. Always evenly distribute the cargo on the roof
rack.
The maximum total load including the
gear basket is 150 lb (68 kg) evenly distrib-
uted. The maximum total load for the gear
basket is 30 lb (13 kg) evenly distributed. Be
careful that your vehicle does not exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or the
Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR front and
rear) . The GVWR and GAWR are located on the
F.M.V.S.S. label (located on the driver’s side door
jamb pillar) . For more information regarding
GVWR and GAWR, refer to “Vehicle loading
information” in the “Technical and consumer in-
formation” section later in this manual.
The crossbars (if so equipped) can be adjusted
or removed. Use the Torxdriver provided in the
tool kit (located under the 2nd row seats) to
loosen both crossbar adjusting screws.
To adjust:
1. Loosen the adjusting screws with the Torx- driver
1by turning counterclockwiseA.
2. When the clamp is loosened, move the crossbar so the cargo can be positioned on
the crossbar
B.
3. Tighten the crossbar adjusting screws with the Torxdriver by turning clockwise. 4. Secure the cargo with rope.
5. Always check the tightness of the crossbar
adjusting screws.
To remove: 1. Loosen the adjusting screws with the Torx- driver
1by turning counterclockwiseA.
2. Rotate the clamps
C.
3. Remove the crossbar.
4. Reverse to install.
5. Always check the tightness of the crossbar adjusting screws.
2-44Instruments and controls

POWER WINDOWS
WARNING
●Make sure that all passengers have
their hands, etc. inside the vehicle while
it is in motion and before closing the
windows. Use the window lock switch
to prevent unexpected use of the power
windows.
● Do not leave children unattended inside
the vehicle. They could unknowingly ac-
tivate switches or controls and become
trapped in a window. Unattended chil-
dren could become involved in serious
accidents.
The power windows operate when the ignition
switch is placed in the ON position, or for a
period of time after the ignition switch is placed in
the OFF position. If the driver’s or passenger’s
door is opened during this period of time, the
power to the windows is canceled.
1. Window lock button
2. Power door lock switch
3. Front passenger’s side window switch
4. Right rear passenger’s window switch
5. Left rear passenger’s window switch
6. Driver’s side automatic switch
Driver’s side power window switch
The driver’s side control panel is equipped with
switches to open or close the front and rear
passenger windows.
To open a window, push the switch and hold it
down. To close a window, pull the switch and
hold it up. To stop the opening or closing function
at any time, simply release the switch.
Front passenger’s power window
switch
The passenger’s window switch operates only
the corresponding passenger’s window. To open
the window, push the switch and hold it down
1.
To close the window, pull the switch up
2.
WIC1100WIC0343
WINDOWS
2-46Instruments and controls

Rear power window switch
The rear power window switches open or close
only the corresponding windows. To open the
window, push the switch and hold it down
1.To
close the window, pull the switch up
2.
Locking passengers’ windows
When the window lock button is depressed, only
the driver’s side window can be opened or
closed. Push it again to cancel the window lock
function.
Automatic operation
To fully open a window equipped with automatic
operation, press the window switch down to the
second detent and release it; it need not be held.
The window automatically opens all the way. To
stop the window, lift the switch up while the
window is opening. The interior lights have a three-position switch
and operate regardless of ignition switch posi-
tion.
When the switch is in the ON position
1, the
interior lights illuminate, regardless of door posi-
tion. The lights will go off after a period of time
unless the ignition switch is in the ON position.
When the switch is in the ON, DOOR or normal
position
2, the interior lights will stay on for
about 30 seconds when:
WIC0874LIC0410
Type A
LIC0792
INTERIOR LIGHTS
Instruments and controls2-47

CHILD SAFETY REAR DOOR LOCK
Child safety locks help prevent the rear doors
from being opened accidentally, especially when
small children are in the vehicle.
The child safety lock levers are located on the
edge of the rear doors.
When the lever is in the LOCK position, the
door can be opened only from the outside.
WARNING
The remote keyless entry keyfob trans-
mits radio waves when the buttons are
pushed. The FAA advises radio waves may
affect aircraft navigation and communica-
tion systems. Do not operate the remote
keyless entry keyfob while on an airplane.
Make sure the buttons are not operated
unintentionally when the unit is stored for
a flight.
It is possible to lock/unlock all doors, turn the
interior light on, and activate the panic alarm by
using the keyfob from outside the vehicle.
Be sure to remove the key from the vehicle
before locking the doors.
The keyfob can operate at a distance of approxi-
mately 33 ft (10 m) from the vehicle. The effective
distance depends upon the conditions around
the vehicle.
As many as 5 keyfobs can be used with one
vehicle. For information concerning the purchase
and use of additional keyfobs, contact a NISSAN
dealer. The keyfob will not function when:
● the battery is discharged
● the distance between the vehicle and the
keyfob is over 33 ft (10 m)
The panic alarm will not activate when the
key is in the ignition switch.
CAUTION
Listed below are conditions or occur-
rences which will damage the keyfob:
● Do not allow the keyfob, which contains
electrical components, to come into
contact with water or salt water. This
could affect the system function.
● Do not drop the keyfob.
● Do not strike the keyfob sharply against
another object.
● Do not change or modify the keyfob.
● Wetting may damage the keyfob. If the
keyfob gets wet, immediately wipe until
it is completely dry.
● Do not place the keyfob for an extended
period in an area where temperatures
exceed 140°F (60°C) .
WPD0321
REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-5

Static and flutter: During signal interference from
buildings, large hills or due to antenna position
(usually in conjunction with increased distance
from the station transmitter) , static or flutter can
be heard. This can be reduced by adjusting the
treble control to reduce treble response.
Multipath reception: Because of the reflective
characteristics of FM signals, direct and reflected
signals reach the receiver at the same time. The
signals may cancel each other, resulting in mo-
mentary flutter or loss of sound.
AM RADIO RECEPTION
AM signals, because of their low frequency, can
bend around objects and skip along the ground.
In addition, the signals can be bounced off the
ionosphere and bent back to earth. Because of
these characteristics, AM signals are also sub-
ject to interference as they travel from transmitter
to receiver.
Fading: Occurs while the vehicle is passing
through freeway underpasses or in areas with
many tall buildings. It can also occur for several
seconds during ionospheric turbulence even in
areas where no obstacles exist.
Static: Caused by thunderstorms, electrical
power lines, electric signs and even traffic lights.
SATELLITE RADIO RECEPTION (if so
equipped)
When the satellite radio is used for the first time
or the battery has been replaced, the satellite
radio may not work properly. This is not a mal-
function. Wait more than 10 minutes with satellite
radio ON and the vehicle outside of any metal or
large building for satellite radio to receive all of
the necessary data.
No satellite radio reception is available and “NO
SAT” is displayed when the SAT band option is
selected unless optional satellite receiver and
antenna are installed and an XMsatellite radio
service subscription is active. Satellite radio can
only be installed in vehicles that were factory
pre-wired for satellite radio. Satellite radio is not
available in Alaska, Hawaii and Guam.
Satellite radio performance may be affected if
cargo carried on the roof blocks the satellite radio
signal.
If possible, do not put cargo over the satellite
antenna.
A build up of ice on the satellite radio antenna can
affect satellite radio performance. Remove the
ice to restore satellite radio reception.
AUDIO OPERATION PRECAUTIONS
LHA0099
4-18Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems