WARNING
.Properly secure all cargo with
ropes or straps to help prevent
it from sliding or shifting. Do
not place cargo higher than
the seatbacks. In a sudden
stop or collision, unsecured
cargo could cause personal
injury.
.Do not load your vehicle any
heavier than the GVWR or the
maximum front and rear
GAWRs. If you do, parts of
your vehicle can break, tire
damage could occur, or it can
change the way your vehicle
handles. This could result in
loss of control and cause per-
sonal injury.
.Overloading not only can
shorten the life of your vehicle
and the tire, but can cause
unsafe vehicle handling and
longer braking distances. Thismay cause a premature tire
failure, which could result in a
serious accident and personal
injury. Failures caused by
overloading are not covered
by the vehicle’s warranty.
MEASUREMENT OF WEIGHTS
Secure loose items to prevent weight
shifts that could affect the balance of
your vehicle. When the vehicle is loaded,
drive to a scale and weigh the front and
the rear wheels separately to determine
axle loads. Individual axle loads should
not exceed either of the Gross Axle
Weight Ratings (GAWR) . The total of
the axle loads should not exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) .
These ratings are given on the vehicle
certification label. If weight ratings are
exceeded, move or remove items to bring
all weights below the ratings.
WARNING
Overloading or improper loading of a
trailer and its cargo can adversely affect
vehicle handling, braking and perfor-
mance and may lead to accidents.
CAUTION
. Do not tow a trailer or haul a heavy
load for the first 500 miles (800 km) .
Your engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged.
. For the first 500 miles (800 km) that
you tow a trailer, do not drive over
50 MPH (80 km/h) and do not make
starts at full throttle. This helps the
engine and other parts of your
vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
Your new vehicle was designed to be used
primarily to carry passengers and cargo. Re-
member that towing a trailer places additional
loads on your vehicle’s engine, drivetrain, steer-
ing, braking and other systems.
A NISSAN Towing Guide (U.S. only) is available
on the website at www.nissanusa.com. This
Technical and consumer information10-15
TOWING A TRAILER
10-22Technical and consumer information
.Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure,
vehicle 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
performance 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. Some states or provinces have
specific speed limits for vehicles that are towing trailers. Obey the local speed limits.
. 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 lever 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
absorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park) . 6. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
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.
. When going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When going up a long grade, downshift the
transmission to a lower gear and reduce
speed to reduce chances of engine over-
loading and/or overheating.
. If the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioning
system is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Coolant heat can be additionally vented by
opening the windows, switching the fan
control to high and setting the temperature
control to the HOT position.
. Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
. Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km) .
.Have your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
maintenance schedule shown in the “9.
Maintenance and schedules” section.
. 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
vehicle handling. If swaying does occur,
firmly grip the steering wheel, steer straight
ahead, and immediately (but gradually)
reduce vehicle speed. This combination will
help stabilize the vehicle. Never increase
speed.
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
vehicle.
.Do not correct trailer sway by steering orapplying 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 balanced as described earlier in this section.
. Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the trailer
must also pass the other vehicle before you
can safely change lanes.
. Down shift the transmission 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.
. Do not use cruise control 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
connections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after
50 miles (80 km) of travel and at every
break.
. When stopped in traffic for long periods of
time in hot weather, put the vehicle in the P
(Park) position.
. When launching a boat, don’t allow the
water 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, the transmission
fluid should be changed more frequently.
For additional information, see the “9.
Maintenance and schedules” section.
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
Technical and consumer information10-23