2021 NISSAN ARMADA heating

JVM0733X
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir
when the engine is cold. If the coolant
level is below MIN
, open the reservoir
tank cap and add coolant up to the MAX
level. If the reservoir tank is empty,
check the coolant level in the radiator
when the engine is cold. If there is
insufficient coolant in the radiator, fill the
radiator with coolant up to the filler
opening and also add it to the reservoir
tank up to the MAX level
.
Tighten the cap securely after adding
engine coolant.
If the cooling system requires coolant
frequently, have it checked. It is recom- mended you visit a NISSAN dealer for
this service.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
It is recommended that major cooling
system repairs be performed by a NISSAN
dealer. The service procedures can be
found in the appropriate NISSAN Service
Manual.
Improper servicing can result in re-
duced heater performance and engine
overheating.
WARNING
.
To avoid the danger of being
scalded, never change the cool-
ant when the engine is hot.
. Never remove the radiator cap or
coolant reservoir cap when the
engine is hot. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid
escaping from the radiator.
. Avoid direct skin contact with
used coolant. If skin contact is
made, wash thoroughly with soap
or hand cleaner as soon as pos-
sible.
. Keep coolant out of reach of
children and pets. Engine coolant must be disposed of
properly. Check your local regulations.
Do-it-yourself8-5

10-6Technical and consumer information
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended above
can cause persistent, heavy spark
knock. (Spark knock is a metallic rap-
ping noise.) If severe, this can lead to
engine damage. If you detect a persis-
tent 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, it is recommended you have a
NISSAN dealer correct the condition.
Failure to correct the condition is mis-
use of the vehicle, for which NISSAN is
not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing will result in
knocking, after-run or overheating. This
in turn may cause excessive fuel con-
sumption or damage to the engine. If any
of the above symptoms are encountered,
have your vehicle checked. It is recom-
mended 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
no cause for concern, because you get
the greatest fuel benefit when there is
light spark knock for a short time under
heavy engine load.
JVT0342X
API certification markAPI service symbol
ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER RE-
COMMENDATION
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose the correct grade,
quality, and viscosity engine oil to ensure
satisfactory engine life and performance,
see “Capacities and recommended fluids/
lubricants” (P.10-2). NISSAN recommends
the use of an energy conserving oil in
order to improve fuel economy.
Select only engine oils that meet the
American Petroleum Institute (API) certifi-
cation or International Lubricant Standar-dization and Approval Committee (ILSAC)
certification and SAE viscosity standard.
These oils have the API certification mark
on the front of the container. Oils which
do not have the specified quality label
should not be used as they could cause
engine damage.
Oil additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
oil additives. The use of an oil additive is
not necessary when the proper oil type is
used and maintenance intervals are fol-
lowed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or
has been previously used should not be
used.

10-20Technical and consumer information
STI0541
The GCWR equals the combined weight of
the towing vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) plus the total trailer load.
Towing loads greater than these or using
improper towing equipment could ad-
versely affect vehicle handling, braking
and performance.
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 high-
way driving may have to be reduced on
very steep grades or for low traction
situations (for example, on slippery boat
ramps).
Temperature conditions can also affecttowing. For example, towing a heavy
trailer in high outside temperatures on
graded roads can affect engine perfor-
mance and cause overheating. The trans-
mission high fluid temperature and
engine protection mode, which helps
reduce the chance of transmission and
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
engine power and vehicle speed.
The reduced speed may be lower
than other traffic, which could in-
crease the chance of a collision. Be
especially careful when driving. If the
vehicle cannot maintain a safe driv-
ing speed, pull to the side of the road
in a safe area. Allow the engine to
cool and return to normal operation.
See “If your vehicle overheats” (P.6-
14).
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from im-
proper towing procedures is not
covered by NISSAN warranties.

2. Start the engine.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle andtrailer 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 shift 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. Shifting to a lower
gear instead provides “engine braking”
and reduces the need to brake as
frequently.
. If the engine coolant temperature
rises to a high temperature, see “If
your vehicle overheats” (P.6-14).
. Trailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.
. Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s
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 ad-
versely affect vehicle/trailer handling,
possibly causing vehicle sway. When
being passed by larger vehicles, be
prepared for possible changes in
crosswinds that could affect vehicle
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 combina-
tion will help stabilize the vehicle.
.Do not correct trailer sway bysteering 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 balanced as described earlier in this
section.
. Be careful when passing other vehi-
cles. 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.
. Use the Tow mode or downshift the
transmission to a lower gear for en-
gine 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, result-
ing 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
control not be used while towing a
trailer.
. While towing a trailer, do not use the
following systems (if so equipped):
— the Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
system
(See “How to enable/disable the
LDW system” (P.5-28).)
— the Intelligent Lane Intervention (I- LI) system
(See “How to enable/disable the I-LI
system” (P.5-34).)
Technical and consumer information10-33