●Keep the cargo load as low as possible in
the trailer to keep the trailer center of gravity
low.
● Load the trailer so approximately 60% of the
trailer load is in the front half and 40% is in
the back half. Also make sure the load is
balanced side to side.
● 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 inadver-
tently 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 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.
9-26Technical and consumer information
●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 shift to a lower gear. Avoid long or
repeated use of the brakes when descend-
ing a hill, as this reduces their effectiveness
and could cause overheating. Shifting to a
lower gear instead provides “engine brak-
ing” and reduces the need to brake as fre-
quently.
● 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.
● Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
● For the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do
tow, do not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h).
● Have your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”. ●
When making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.
● Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling.
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 not be used while towing 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.
Technical and consumer information9-27
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.
WARNING
A vehicle equipped with Four-Wheel Drive
(4WD) should never be tested using a two
wheel dynamometer (such as the dyna-
mometers used by some states for emis-
sions testing) , or similar equipment. Make
sure you inform the test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with 4WD
before it is placed on a dynamometer.
Using the wrong test equipment may re-
sult in transmission damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which could re-
sult in serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
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.
READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
Technical and consumer information9-31
10 Index
A
Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system) .....................1-49
Air bag system Front (See supplemental front impact
air bag system) ...............1-56
Airbagwarninglabels.............1-64
Airbagwarninglight...........1-64,2-14
Air cleaner housing filter ............8-18
Air conditioner Air conditioner service ...........4-58
Air conditioner specification label .....9-11
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
oil recommendations .............9-6
Heater and air conditioner
controls................4-50,4-55
Rear seat air conditioner ..........4-52
Servicing air conditioner ..........4-58
Alarm system
(See vehicle security system) .........2-27
Anchor point locations .............1-34
Antenna....................4-114
Anti-lock brake warning light ......2-10,2-11
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ........5-27
Audible reminders ...............2-17
Audio system ..................4-59
Bluetooth®audio.............4-108
Compact Disc (CD) changer .......4-77
Compact disc (CD) player .....4-83,4-91
FM-AM radio with compact disc
(CD) changer ................4-75 FM/AM/SAT radio with CD/DVD player . .4-87
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc (CD)
player ....................4-80
Audio System iPod®Player...........4- 103, 4-105
Audio system Radio ....................4-59
Audio System Settings ...............4-81,4-87
Audio system Steering wheel audio control switch . . .4-112
USB interface ............4-98,4-99
Autolight switch .................2-33
Automatic Automatic drive positioner .........3-35
Automatic power window switch .....2-53
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror .......3-32
Automatic door locks ..............3-6
AUXjack ....................4-79
B
Battery ......................8-14
Chargewarninglight............2-11
Before starting the engine ...........5-13
Belt (See drive belt) ..............8-16
Block heater Engine ....................5-33
Bluetooth®audio...............4-108
Bluetooth® hands-free phone
system .................4- 127, 4-141
Boosterseats..................1-46 Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ......5-27
Brakefluid..................8-12
Brakelight(Seestoplight).........8-27
Brake system ................5-27
Brake warning light .............2-11
Brake wear indicators ........2-17,8-20
Parking brake operation ..........5-18
Self-adjusting brakes ............8-20
Brakes ......................8-20
Break-inschedule ...............5-20
Brightness/contrast button .......4-15,4-30
Brightness control Instrument panel ..............2-35
Bulb check/instrument panel ..........2-10
Bulbreplacement................8-27
C
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants ...................9-2
C
argolight ...................2-58
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) . . .9-13
CarphoneorCBradio............4-127
CDcareandcleaning.............4-111
CD changer (See audio system) .......4-77
CD player (See audio system) .....4-83,4-91
Check tire pressure ...............2-26
Child restraints .......1-28,1-29,1-30,1-32
Precautions on child
restraints ........1-30,1-37,1-41,1-46
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-34
Child restraint with top tether strap.......1-34
Child safety rear door lock ............3-7
Chimes, audible reminders ...........2-17
Cleaningexteriorandinterior...........7-2
Clock (models with navigation system) . . .4-11, 4-26
Clockset .................4-11,4-26
C.M.V.S.S. certification label ..........9-10
Cold weather driving ..............5-32
Compact disc (CD) player ........4-83,4-91
Console box ...................2-48
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). . .5-14 Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) fluid ..................8-11
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) .............5-14
Controlpanelbuttons..............4-16 Brightness/contrast button ......4-15,4-30
Enterbutton...............4-4,4-16
Setting button .............4-9,4-23
Without navigation system ..........4-4
Controls Audiocontrols(steeringwheel)......4-112
Heater and air conditioner controls .4-50, 4-55
Rear seat air conditioner ..........4-52
Coolant Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changing engine coolant ...........8-8
Checking engine coolant level ........8-8
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-5
Corrosionprotection ...............7-6
Cruise control ..................5-19
Cupholders...................2-46 D
Daytime running light system (Canada only) . .2-34
Defroster switch Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch.....................2-31
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) player .......4-95
Dimensionsandweights.............9-8
Dimmer switch for instrument panel ......2-35
Display controls
(seecontrolpanelbuttons) ........4-4,4-16
Distance to empty .............4-7,4-20
Door locks .....................3-5
Drive belt .....................8-16
Drive positioner, Automatic ...........3-35
Driving Cold weather driving ............5-32
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) .............5-14
Precautions when starting and driving ....5-2
E
Economy - fuel ..................5-22
Emission control information label .......9-10
Emission control system warranty .......9-30
Engine Before starting the engine ..........5-13
Block heater .................5-33
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changing engine coolant ...........8-8
Changing engine oil .............8-10
Changing engine oil filter ..........8-11 Checking engine coolant level
........8-8
Checking engine oil level ...........8-9
Engine compartment check locations ....8-6
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-5
Engine cooling system ............8-7
Engine oil ...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity ..............9-5
Engine serial number ............
9-10
Engine specifications .............9-7
Starting the engine .............5-13
Enterbutton.................4-4,4-16
Eventdatarecorders ..............9-32
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) .........5-2
Extended storage switch ............8-24
Eyeglass case ..................2-45
F
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher switch) . .6-2
Flat tire .......................6-3
Floor mat positioning aid .............7-5
Fluid Brake fluid ..................8-12
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT)fluid..................8-11
Engine coolant .................8-7
Engine oil ...................8-9
Power steering fluid .............8-12
Windshield-washer fluid ...........8-13
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ...........9-10
Foglightswitch .................2-36
10-2
Emission control information label.....9-10
Engine serial number ............9-10
F.M.V.S.S. certification label .........9-10
Tire and Loading Information label .....9-11
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . .9-9
Warning labels (for SRS) ..........1-64
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
System ......................1-32
License plate Installing the license plate ..........9-12
Liftgate......................3-22
Liftgaterelease.................3-26
Light Airbagwarninglight.........1-64,2-14
Brakelight(Seestoplight).........8-27
Bulb check/instrument panel ........2-10
Bulb replacement ..............8-27
Chargewarninglight ............2-11
Foglightswitch ...............2-36
Headlight and turn signal switch ......2-32
Headlightcontrolswitch ..........2-32
Headlights..................8-26
Interiorlight..................2-57
Lightbulbs..................8-26
Low tire pressure warning light .......2-12
Low windshield-washer fluid warning
light......................2-25
Passenger air bag and status light .....1-58
Security indicator light ............2-16
Spotlights (See map light) .........2-58
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders ...................2-10
Lights Maplights ..................2-58
Lock Child safety rear door lock ..........3-7 Door locks
...................3-5
Gloveboxlock................2-48
Liftgaterelease...............3-26
Power door locks ...............3-6
Loose fuel cap warning ..........2-26,3-28
Lowfuelwarninglight ..........2-13,2-25
Low tire pressure warning light .........2-12
Low windshield-washer fluid warning light . . .2-25
Luggage hook ..................2-49
Luggage rack (see roof rack) ..........2-50
Luggage (See vehicle loading information) . .9-13
Luggage storage
(see vehicle loading information) ........2-50
M
Maintenance Changing the maintenance interval . .4-8, 4-22
Displaying the maintenance notice
reminder .................4-8,4-22
Generalmaintenance.............8-2
Insidethevehicle...............8-3
Maintenance precautions ...........8-5
Outside the vehicle ..............8-2
Resetting the maintenance interval . .4-8, 4-22
Seatbeltmaintenance............1-28
Setting .................4-8,4-21
Underthehoodandvehicle .........8-4
Malfunction indicator light ............2-15
Manual front seat adjustment ...........1-2
Maplights ....................2-58
Map pocket ....................2-44
Meters and gauges ................2-3
Instrument brightness control ........2-35Mirror
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror ......3-32
Inside mirror .................3-32
Outside mirror control ............3-34
Outside mirrors ...............3-34
Vanity mirror .................3-32
Moonroof.....................2-53
N
NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system . . .2-28, 3-4, 5-13
NISSAN voice recognition system ......4-152
O
Octane rating (See fuel octane rating) ......9-4
Odometer .....................2-4
Oil Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changingengineoil.............8-10
Changing engine oil filter ..........8-11
Checking engine oil level ...........8-9
Engine
oil ...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity ..............9-5
Outside mirror control ..............3-34
Outside mirrors .................3-34
Overheat If your vehicle overheats ...........6-11
Owner’s manual order form ...........9-32
Owner’s manual/service manual order
information ....................9-32
10-4