brakes NISSAN ARMADA 2009 User Guide

Trailer brakes
When towing a trailer load of 3,500 lbs.
(1587 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.
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 op-
eration between the tow vehicle and the trailer.
Electric Trailer Brakes -Electric braking sys-
tems are activated by an electronic signal sent
from a trailer brake controller (special brake-
sensing module) . If electric trailer brakes are
used, see9Electric trailer brake controller9in this
section.
Have a professional supplier of towing equip-
ment make sure the trailer brakes are properly
installed and demonstrate proper brake function
testing.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system di-
rectly to the vehicle brake system.
Electric trailer brake controller
Trailers equipped with electric brakes may re-
quire the installation of an aftermarket trailer
brake controller.
Your vehicle is equipped with a connector and
jumper harness that is specifically designed to be
used when installing an aftermarket brake con-
troller.
To install the electric trailer brake controller jumper
harness, perform the following procedure:
1. Open the driver door. Move the seat to the
rearmost position.
example
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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. 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) (AT) and turn the 4WD switch
to 2WD or 4H. See “Automatic transmission
park warning light” in the “Instruments and
controls” section and “Using four wheel
drive” in the “Starting and driving” section.
7. 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.
cWhile 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.
cIf 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.
cTrailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
cAvoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
cFor the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do
tow, do not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h).cHave your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
cWhen 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.
cCrosswinds 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.
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3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal-
anced as described earlier in this section.
cBe 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.
cUse 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.
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
cIncrease your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
cNISSAN recommends that the cruise con-
trol not be used while towing a trailer.
cSome states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.cCheck your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after
50 miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
cWhen launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
cMake 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, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
Tow mode
Using tow mode is recommended when pulling a
heavy trailer or hauling a heavy load. Press the
TOW MODE switch to activate tow mode. The
indicator light on the TOW MODE switch illumi-
nates when tow mode is selected. Press the
TOW MODE switch again to turn tow mode off.
Tow mode is automatically cancelled when the
ignition switch is turned OFF.
Tow mode includes the following features:cGrade logic — Adjusts transmission shifts
when pulling a trailer or hauling a load up a
grade.
cDownhill Speed Control (DSC) — automati-
cally downshifts when driving down a grade
with a trailer or heavy load to help control
vehicle speed.
Driving the vehicle in the tow mode with no
trailer/load or light trailer/light load will not cause
any damage. However, fuel economy may be
reduced and the transmission/engine driving
characteristics may feel unusual.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
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.
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10 Index
4WD warning light...............2-16
A
Active Head Restraint..............1-9
Adjusting pedal position............3-28
Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system).....................1-49
Air bag system
Front (See supplemental front impact
air bag system)...............1-57
Air bag warning labels.............1-64
Air bag warning light...........1-64, 2-18
Air cleaner housing filter............8-17
Air conditioner
Air conditioner service...........4-39
Air conditioner specification label.....9-12
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
oil recommendations.............9-7
Heater and air conditioner controls. . . .4-36
Rear seat air conditioner..........4-38
Servicing air conditioner..........4-39
Alarm system
(See vehicle security system).........2-27
Anchor point locations.............1-32
Antenna.....................4-75
Anti-lock brake warning light......2-13, 2-14
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)........5-29
Audible reminders................2-20
Audio system..................4-39
Compact Disc (CD) changer.......4-50Compact disc (CD) player.........4-58
Audio System
CompactFlash (CF) player.........4-60
Audio system
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) changer................4-47
FM/AM/SAT radio with compact disc
(CD) player.................4-55
Audio System
Music Box hard-disk drive audio
system....................4-62
Audio system
Radio....................4-39
Rear audio controls.............4-74
Audio System
Settings................4-47, 4-55
Audio system
Steering wheel audio control switch. . . .4-73
Autolight switch.................2-33
Automatic
Automatic drive positioner.........3-32
Automatic power window switch.....2-53
Automatic transmission position indicator
light.....................2-27
Driving with automatic transmission. . . .5-14
Transmission selector lever lock
release....................5-16
Automatic anti-glare inside mirror.......3-29
Automatic transmission fluid temperature
gauge.......................2-9
AUX jack.................4-53, 4-60B
Battery......................8-13
Charge warning light............2-15
Before starting the engine...........5-12
Belt (See drive belt)..............8-15
Block heater
Engine....................5-35
BluetoothThands-free phone
system..................4-92, 4-107
Booster seats..................1-44
Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)......5-29
Brake fluid..................8-12
Brake light (See stop light).........8-30
Brake system................5-28
Brake warning light.............2-14
Brake wear indicators........2-20, 8-22
Parking brake operation..........5-17
Self-adjusting brakes............8-22
Brakes......................8-22
Break-in schedule................5-19
Brightness control
Instrument panel..............2-35
Brightness/contrast button.......4-16, 4-32
Bulb check/instrument panel..........2-13
Bulb replacement................8-30
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S
Safety
Child safety rear door lock..........3-7
Child seat belts........1-27, 1-38, 1-44
Reporting safety defects (US only). . . .9-31
Screen (See NISSAN mobile entertainment
system).....................4-78
Seat adjustment
Front manual seat adjustment........1-2
Front power seat adjustment........1-4
Second row bench seats..........1-6
Second row captain’s chair.........1-5
Third row power folding seats.......1-15
Seat belt
Child safety.................1-19
Infants and small children.........1-19
Injured Person................1-20
Larger children...............1-19
Precautions on seat belt usage......1-16
Pregnant women..............1-20
Pre-tensioner seat belt system.......1-62
Rear center seat belt............1-23
Seat belt extenders.............1-26
Seat belt maintenance...........1-27
Seat belts..................1-16
Shoulder belt height adjustment......1-26
Three-point type with retractor.......1-20
Seat belt warning light.............2-18
Seatback pockets................2-44
Seats
Adjustment..................1-2
Automatic drive positioner.........3-32
Front seats..................1-2
Heated seats................2-37Manual front seat adjustment........1-2
Second row captain’s chair adjustment.....1-5
Security indicator light.............2-19
Security system (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer
system) , engine start........2-29, 3-3, 5-11
Self-adjusting brakes..............8-22
Service manual order form...........9-33
Servicing air conditioner............4-39
Setting button...............4-9, 4-25
Shift lock release................5-16
Shifting
Automatic transmission...........5-14
Shoulder belt height adjustment........1-26
Side air bag system (See supplemental side air
bag, curtain and rollover air bag systems). . .1-61
Sonar
Front system.................5-32
Rear system.................5-31
Spark plug replacement............8-16
Speedometer...................2-5
SRS warning label...............1-64
Starting
Before starting the engine.........5-12
Jump starting.................6-8
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
Push starting................6-10
Starting the engine.............5-12
Startup screen.................4-19
Steering
Heated steering wheel...........2-37
Power steering fluid.............8-11
Power steering system...........5-28
Tilting steering wheel............3-28
Steering wheel audio control switch......4-73
Stop light....................8-30
Storage.....................2-41Overhead storage compartment......2-44
Storage bin................2-45, 2-48
Storage tray...................2-41
Sun visors....................3-28
Sunglasses case................2-43
Sunglasses holder...............2-43
Sunroof.....................2-55
Supplemental air bag warning labels.....1-64
Supplemental air bag warning light . . .1-64, 2-18
Supplemental front impact air bag system . .1-57
Supplemental restraint system
Information and warning labels.......1-64
Precautions on supplemental restraint
system....................1-49
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system).........1-49
Switch
Autolight switch...............2-33
Automatic power window switch.....2-53
Fog light switch...............2-35
Hazard warning flasher switch.......2-36
Headlight and turn signal switch......2-32
Headlight control switch..........2-32
Ignition switch................5-9
Power door lock switch...........3-5
Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch....................2-32
Rear window wiper and washer
switches...................2-31
Turn signal switch..............2-35
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off
switch....................2-38
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-30
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