2018 NISSAN FRONTIER engine overheat

E-15 can only be used in vehicles designed
to run on E-15 fuel. U.S. government regula-
tions require fuel ethanol dispensing
pumps to be identified with small, square,
orange and black label with the common
abbreviation or the appropriate percent-
age for that region.
E–85 fuel
E-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately 85%
fuel ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline.
E-85 can only be used in a Flexible Fuel
Vehicle (FFV). Do not use E-85 in your ve-
hicle. U.S. government regulations require
fuel ethanol dispensing pumps to be iden-
tified by a small, square, orange and black
label with the common abbreviation or the
appropriate percentage for that region.
Fuel containing MMT
MMT, or methylcyclopentadienyl manga-
nese tricarbonyl, is an octane boosting ad-
ditive. NISSAN does not recommend the
use of fuel containing MMT. Such fuel may
adversely affect vehicle performance, in-
cluding the emissions control system. Note
that while some fuel pumps label MMT
content, not all do, so you may have to
consult your gasoline retailer for more de-
tails.
Af termarket fuel additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
any af termarket fuel additives (for ex-
ample, fuel injector cleaner, octane
booster, intake valve deposit removers,
etc.) which are sold commercially. Many of
these additives intended for gum, varnish
or deposit removal may contain active sol-
vents or similar ingredients that can be
harmful to the fuel system and engine.
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can
cause persistent, heavy “spark knock.”
(“Spark knock” is a metallic rapping
noise.) If severe, this can lead to engine
damage. If you detect a persistent heavy
spark knock even when using gasoline
of the stated octane rating, or if you hear
steady spark knock while holding a
steady speed on level roads, have a
NISSAN dealer correct the condition. Fail-
ure to correct the condition is misuse of
the vehicle, for which NISSAN is not re-
sponsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may result in
spark knock, af ter-run and/or overheating,
which may cause excessive fuel consump-
tion or engine damage. If any of the abovesymptoms are encountered, have your ve-
hicle checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for servicing.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is not
a cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.
FUEL RECOMMENDATION (for
VQ40DE models)
Use unleaded regular gasoline with an oc-
tane rating of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock
Index) number (Research octane number
91).
CAUTION
∙ Only vehicles with the E-85 filler door
label can operate on E-85. Fuel system
or other damage can occur if E-85 is
used in vehicles that are not designed
to run on E-85.
∙ Using a fuel other than that specified could adversely affect the emission
control system, and may also affect
the warranty coverage.
10-6Technical and consumer information

Incorrect ignition timing may result in
spark knock, af ter-run and/or overheating,
which may cause excessive fuel consump-
tion or engine damage. If any of the above
symptoms are encountered, have your ve-
hicle checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for servicing.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is not
a cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.
FLEXIBLE FUEL VEHICLE (FFV) FUEL
RECOMMENDATION (if so
equipped)
Your vehicle is designed to use (E-85) Fuel
Ethanol, “Regular” unleaded regular gaso-
line or any percentage of the two fuels
combined.
U.S. government regulations require Fuel
Ethanol dispensing pumps to have a
small, square, orange and black label
with the common abbreviation or the
appropriate percentage for that region.
CAUTION
Use of other fuels such as Fuel Metha-
nol may cause powertrain damage or a
loss of vehicle performance.
Under no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, because this
will cause damage to the three-way
catalyst.
General information
This information is for Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(FFV) only. FFV vehicles can be identified by
the fuel filler door label that states Ethanol
(E-85) or Unleaded Gasoline Only. This sec-
tion only covers those subjects that are
unique to Flexible Fuel Vehicles.
CAUTION
Only vehicles with the E-85 filler door
label can operate on E-85. Fuel system
or other damage can occur if E-85 is
used in vehicles that are not designed
to run on E-85.
Ethanol Fuel (E-85)
E-85 is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline.
WARNING
∙ Ethanol vapors are extremely flam-mable and could cause serious per-
sonal injury.
∙ Never have any smoking materials lit in or near the vehicle when removing
the fuel filler cap or filling the tank.
∙ Do not use E-85 as a cleaning agent and never use it near an open flame.
Fuel requirements
Your vehicle will operate on both unleaded
regular gasoline with an octane rating of at
least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) number (Re-
search octane number 91), or E-85 fuel, or
any mixture of these two.
Technical and consumer information10-9

A NISSAN Towing Guide (U.S. only) is avail-
able on the website at
www.nissanusa.com. This guide includes
information on trailer towing capability and
the special equipment required for proper
towing.
MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITS
Maximum trailer loads
Never allow the total trailer load to exceed
the value specified in the “Towing
Load/Specification” chart found in this sec-
tion. The total trailer load equals trailer
weight plus its cargo weight.∙ When towing a trailer load of
3,500 lbs. (1,587 kg) or more, trailers
with a brake system MUST be used.
The maximum Gross Combined Weight
Rating (GCWR) should not exceed the value
specified in the following “Towing
Load/Specification” chart. The GCWR equals the combined weight of
the towing vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) plus the total trailer load. Tow-
ing loads greater than these or using im-
proper towing equipment could adversely
affect vehicle handling, braking and perfor-
mance.
The ability of your vehicle to tow a trailer is
not only related to the maximum trailer
loads, but also the places you plan to tow.
Tow weights appropriate for level highway
driving may have to be reduced for low
traction situations (for example, on slippery
boat ramps).Temperature conditions can also affect
towing. For example, towing a heavy trailer
in high outside temperatures on graded
roads can affect engine performance and
cause overheating. The engine protection
mode, which helps reduce the chance of
engine damage, could activate and auto-
matically decrease engine power. Vehicle
speed may decrease under high load. Plan
your trip carefully to account for trailer and
vehicle load, weather and road conditions.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced en-
gine power and vehicle speed. The re-
duced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance
of a collision. Be especially careful when
driving. If the vehicle cannot maintain a
safe driving speed, pull to the side of the
road in a safe area. Allow the engine to
cool and return to normal operation. For
additional information, refer to “If your
vehicle overheats” in the “In case of
emergency ” section of this manual.LTI0161
Technical and consumer information10-31

∙ Always drive your vehicle at a moderatespeed.
∙ 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 cor-
rections 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 shif t lever to the P (Park)
position before blocking the wheels
and applying the parking brake, trans-
mission 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. Af ter the wheel blocks are in place, slowly release the brake pedal until the
blocks absorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake. 5. Shif t the transmission into P (Park).
6. Make sure the
indicator light (if so
equipped) indicates the transfer case is
in 4H, 4L, or 2H and that the ATP light is
off. If the
indicator light is flashing,
or the ATP light is ON, make sure the
transmission is in P (Park) (A/T) and
turn the 4WD switch to 2WD or 4H. For
additional information, refer to “Auto-
matic transmission park warning light”
in the “Instruments and controls” sec-
tion and “Using 4-wheel drive (4WD)” in
the “Starting and driving” section of this
manual.
7. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shif t 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. ∙ While going downhill, the weight of the
trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may
decrease overall stability. Therefore, to
maintain adequate control, reduce your
speed and shif t to a lower gear. Avoid
long or repeated use of the brakes
when descending a hill, as this reduces
their effectiveness and could cause
overheating. Shif ting to a lower gear in-
stead provides “engine braking” and re-
duces the need to brake as frequently.
∙ 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 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 of ten than at intervals specified. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Mainte-
nance Schedules” in the “Maintenance
and schedules” section of this manual.
Technical and consumer information10-41

∙ When making a turn, your trailer wheelswill be closer to the inside of the turn
than your vehicle wheels. To compen-
sate for this, make a larger than normal
turning radius during the turn.
∙ Crosswinds and rough roads will ad- versely affect vehicle/trailer handling,
possibly causing vehicle sway. When
being passed by larger vehicles, be pre-
pared for possible changes in cross-
winds that could affect vehicle han-
dling.
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 condi-
tions allow. This combination will help
stabilize the vehicle
– Do not correct trailer sway by steer- ing or applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently ap- ply 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 in this section.
∙ Be careful when passing other vehicles. Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than nor-
mal passing. Remember, the length of
the trailer must also pass the other ve-
hicle before you can safely change
lanes.
∙ Downshif t 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 re-
duced braking efficiency.
∙ Increase your following distance to al- low for greater stopping distances
while towing a trailer. Anticipate stops
and brake gradually.
∙ NISSAN recommends that the cruise control not be used while towing a
trailer. ∙ Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for ve-
hicles that are towing trailers. Obey the
local speed limits.
∙ Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness connections, and trailer wheel lug nuts
af ter 50 miles (80 km) of travel and at
every break.
∙ 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, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, refer
to the “Do-it-yourself ” section in this
manual.
10-42Technical and consumer information

Rearview...................3-15
Vanitymirror................3-15
Mirrors......................3-15
Mobile apps ...................4-73
Moonroof ....................2-52
N
NissanConnect® ................4-73
NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer
System ..................2-26,5-12
NISSAN voice recognition system .....4-101
O
Octane rating
(Seefueloctanerating).........10-6,10-8
Odometer ....................2-4
Oil Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants...............10-2
Changing engine oil ............8-8
Changing engine oil filter .........8-10
Checking engine oil level .........8-7
Engine oil ...................8-7
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation .............10-11
Engine oil viscosity ............10-11
One shot call ..............4-83,4-94
Outsidemirrors.................3-17
Overdriveswitch................5-18
Overhead sunglasses holder ........2-45
Overheat Ifyourvehicleoverheats.........6-14 Owner's manual order form
........10-48
Owner's manual/service manual order
information..................10-48
P
Parking Parking brake operation .........5-21
Parking/parkingonhills.........5-34
Phone, Bluetooth® hands-free system . .4-92
Power Front seat adjustment ...........1-5
Power door locks ..............3-4
Poweroutlet................2-39
Powersteeringfluid............8-11
Power steering system ..........5-35
Powerwindows..............2-50
Rearpowerwindows...........2-51
Poweroutlet..................2-39
Powersteering.................5-35
Powersteeringfluid..............8-11
Precautions Maintenance precautions .........8-2
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions .................5-6
Precautions on booster
seats............1-28, 1-41, 1-56, 1-68
Precautions on child
restraints.........1-28, 1-41, 1-56, 1-68
Precautions on seat belt usage .....1-15
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system ................... .1-74
Precautions when starting and
driving.....................5-2
Programmable features ............4-7Push starting
..................6-14
R
Radio Car phone or CB radio ..........4-79
FM/AM radio with compact disc (CD)
player....................4-40
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc (CD)
player.................4-46,4-52
Steering wheel audio control
switch....................4-72
Readiness for inspection
maintenance (I/M) test ...........10-46
Rearpowerwindows............ .2-51
Rearseat.................... .1-6
Rearslidingwindow..............2-52
Rear sonar system ..............5-42
Rear sonar system OFF switch .......2-39
Rearviewmirror ................3-15
RearViewMonitor...............4-10
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch......................2-28
Rearwindowdefrosterswitch.......2-28
Recommended Fluids ............10-2
Recorders EventData.................10-47
Refrigerant recommendation .......10-12
Registering a vehicle in another
country .....................10-16
Remote keyless entry system ......3-6,3-7
Reporting safety defects (US only) . . . .10-45
Roofrack................... .2-48
11-5