2021 NISSAN ARMADA brakes

WAJ0219X
To install the trailer hitch cover:
1. Insert the upper clips to the recesses
, and then push in the cover to its
original position.
2. Install the 2 clips
.
WARNING
Trailer hitch components have spe-
cific weight ratings. Your vehicle may
be capable of towing a trailer heavier
than the weight rating of the hitch
components. Never exceed the
weight rating of the hitch compo-
nents. Doing so can cause serious personal injury or property damage.
Hitch ball
Choose a hitch ball of the proper size and
weight rating for your trailer:
.
The required hitch ball size is stamped
on most trailer couplers. Most hitch
balls also have the size printed on top
of the ball.
. Choose the proper class hitch ball
based on the trailer weight.
. The diameter of the threaded shank of
the hitch ball must be matched to the
ball mount hole diameter. The hitch
ball shank should be no more than
1/16″ smaller than the hole in the ball
mount.
. The threaded shank of the hitch ball
must be long enough to be properly
secured to the ball mount. There
should be at least 2 threads showing
beyond the lock washer and nut.
Ball mount
The hitch ball is attached to the ball
mount and the ball mount is inserted into
the hitch receiver. Choose a proper class
ball mount based on the trailer weight.
Additionally, the ball mount should be
chosen to keep the trailer tongue level
with the ground.
Weight carrying hitches
A weight carrying or “dead weight” ball
mount is one that is designed to carry the
whole amount of tongue weight and
gross weight directly on the ball mount
and on the receiver.
Weight distribution hitch
This type of hitch is also called a “load-
leveling” or “equalizing” hitch. A set of bars
attach to the ball mount and to the trailer
to distribute the tongue weight (hitch
weight) of your trailer. Many vehicles
cannot carry the full tongue weight of a
given trailer, and need some of the
tongue weight transferred through the
frame and pushing down on the front
wheels. This gives stability to the tow
vehicle.
A weight-distributing hitch system (Class
IV) is recommended if you plan to tow
trailers with a maximum weight over
5,000 lbs (2,267 kg). Check with the trailer
and towing equipment manufacturers to
determine if they recommend the use of a
weight-distributing hitch system.
NOTE:
A weight-distributing hitch system may
affect the operation of trailer surge
brakes. If you are considering use of a
weight-distributing hitch system with a
surge brake-equipped trailer, check
Technical and consumer information10-25

.Do not modify the vehicle ex-
haust system, brake system, etc.
. Do not attach any additional
hitches to your vehicle because
a hitch is already mounted to
your vehicle frame.
Tire pressures
.When towing a trailer, inflate the
vehicle tires to the recom-
mended cold tire pressure indi-
cated on the Tire and Loading
Information label.
. Trailer tire condition, size, load
rating and proper inflation pres-
sure should be in accordance
with the trailer and tire manu-
facturers’ specifications.
Safety chains
Always use a suitable chain between your
vehicle and the trailer. The safety chains
should be crossed and should be at-
tached to the hitch, not to the vehicle
bumper or axle. Be sure to leave enough
slack in the chains to permit turning
corners.
STI0745
Trailer lights (if so equipped)
Your vehicle is equipped with a towing
package, which also includes the 7-pin
trailer harness connector located under
the trailer hitch cover on the rear bumper.
CAUTION
. When splicing into the vehicle
electrical system, a commercially
available power-type module/
converter must be used to pro-
vide power for all trailer lighting.
This unit uses the vehicle battery
as a direct power source for all trailer lights while using the ve-
hicle tail light, stoplight and turn
signal circuits as a signal source.
The module/converter must draw
no more than 15 milliamps from
the stop and tail lamp circuits.
Using a module/converter that
exceeds these power require-
ments may damage the vehicle’s
electrical system. See a reputable
trailer retailer to obtain the prop-
er equipment and to have it
installed.
. Do not connect electrical devices
that draw more than 40 amps to
the vehicle. The fusible link may
melt.
Trailer lights should comply with federal
and/or local regulations. For assistance in
hooking up trailer lights, contact a NISSAN
dealer or reputable trailer retailer.
Trailer brakes
When towing a trailer load of 3,500 lbs.
(1,587 kg) or more, trailers with a brake
system MUST be used. However, most
states require a separate braking system
on trailers with a loaded weight above a
specific amount. Make sure the trailer
meets the local regulations and the
regulations where you plan to tow.
Technical and consumer information10-27

10-28Technical and consumer information
Several types of braking systems are
available.
Surge Brakes -The surge brake actuator
is mounted on the trailer tongue with a
hydraulic line running to each trailer
wheel. Surge brakes are activated by the
trailer pushing against the hitch ball
when the tow vehicle is braking. Hydraulic
surge brakes are common on rental
trailers and some boat trailers. In this
type of system, there is no hydraulic or
electric connection for brake operation
between the tow vehicle and the trailer.
Electric Trailer Brakes - Electric braking
systems are activated by an electronic
signal sent from a trailer brake controller
(special brake sensing module).
Have a professional supplier of towing
equipment make sure the trailer brakes
are properly installed and demonstrate
proper brake function testing.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system
directly to the vehicle brake system.
WAJ0207X
Gain –
Gain +
Manual control lever
Boost
Trailer Brake Controller Unit (TBCU)
The Trailer Brake Controller Unit (TBCU),
located on the lower instrument panel, is
a device that assists the vehicle in having
effective and smooth braking while tow-
ing a trailer. Operating modes:
.
Automatic mode:
This is the normal operation of the
TBCU depending on the gain and
boost settings adjusted by the custo-
mer. This mode will activate when
vehicle brake pedal is pressed.
. Manual mode:
This mode is initiated by adjusting the
manual control lever from resting
position. This mode will provide out-
put power to trailer brakes without
applying the vehicle brake pedal.
To determine the output operation of the
system:
. Gain + and Gain - :
Used to increase or decrease the
braking force supplied to the trailer
brakes.To adjust the gain, press Gain +
or Gain - to the desired point (0-10).
For example: gain setting 6.0 is a
typical starting point for heavy loads.
. Boost:
Used to adjust the feel of the auto-
matic brake event that occurs when
the vehicle brake pedal is applied. To
set up boost, press Boost button once
to display for current boost setting
(display for 3 seconds). Keep pressing
to increase boost level until the de-
sired level (0-3) is achieved.

.Manual Control Lever:
Provides brake output power to trailer
brakes without applying the vehicle
brake pedal. The amount of brake
output supplied corresponds to the
amount of pinch pressure applied to
the manual control lever.
Technical and consumer information10-29

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

When Trailer Sway Control is in operation,
the VDC warning light blinks. When vehi-
cle control is regained, VDC warning light
will turn OFF.
For additional information about the VDC
system, see “Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) system” (P.5-144).
If Trailer Sway Control activates:
1. Take your foot off the acceleratorpedal to allow the vehicle to coast
and steer as straight ahead as the
road conditions allow. This combina-
tion will help stabilize the vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not try to 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 balanced.
NOTE:
Trailer Sway Control cannot reduce
trailer sway in all situations.
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 recrea-
tional vehicle, such as a motor home.
CAUTION
. Failure to follow these guidelines
can result in severe transmission
damage.
. Whenever flat towing your vehi-
cle, always tow forward, never
backward.
. DO NOT tow any automatic trans-
mission vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground (flat tow-
ing). Doing so WILL DAMAGE inter-
nal transmission parts due to lack
of transmission lubrication.
. DO NOT tow a Four-Wheel Drive
(4WD) vehicle with any of the
wheels on the ground. Doing so
may cause serious and expensive
damage to the powertrain.
. For emergency towing proce-
dures refer to “Towing recom-
mended by NISSAN” (P.6-17).
Automatic Transmission
Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) models:
Do not tow a 4WD vehicle with any of the
wheels on the ground.
Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models:
To tow a vehicle equipped with an auto-
matic transmission, an appropriate vehi-
cle dolly MUSTbe placed under the towed
vehicle’s drive wheels. Alwaysfollow the
dolly manufacturer’s recommendations
when using their product.
Technical and consumer information10-35