trailer NISSAN ARMADA 2012 1.G Owner's Manual

●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 often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “NISSAN Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
● 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 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.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal- anced as described earlier in this section.
● Be 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.
● Use 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.
● 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.
● NISSAN recommends that the cruise con-
trol not be used 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 con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
● When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter 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, 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.
9-30Technical and consumer information

Tow mode includes the following features:● Grade logic — Adjusts transmission shifts
when pulling a trailer or hauling a load up a
grade.
● Downhill 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.
CAUTION
● Failure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
● Whenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward.
● DO NOT tow any automatic transmis-
sion vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground (flat towing) . Doing so WILL
DAMAGE internal transmission parts
due to lack of transmission lubrication.
● For emergency towing procedures refer
to “Towing recommended by NISSAN”
in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
Automatic Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with an automatic
transmission, an appropriate vehicle dolly MUST
be placed under the towed vehicle’s drive
wheels. Always follow the dolly manufacturer’s
recommendations when using their product.
WARNING
Do not use this vehicle for snowplowing.
Installing a snowplow may affect vehicle
handling. This may cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle and could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal injury.
SNOW PLOW
Technical and consumer information9-31

T
Tachometer ....................2-6
Temperature gauge Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-6
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light .......2-15
Theft (NISSAN vehicle immobilizer system) ,
engine start .............2-27, 3-4, 5-13
Third row power folding seats .........1-23
Three-way catalyst ................5-2
Tilting steering wheel ..............3-30
Tire Flat tire .....................6-2
Spare tire ...................6-3
Tire and Loading Information label .....9-13
Tire chains ..................8-43
Tire placard ..................9-13
Tire pressure .................8-36
Tire rotation ..................8-43
Tires of 4-wheel drive ............8-45
Types of tires .................8-42
Uniform tire quality grading .........9-32
Wheels and tires ...............8-36
Wheel/tire size ................9-10
Tire pressure Low tire pressure warning light .......2-16
Tire pressure display ............4-6, 4-22
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) . . . .5-3
Tire rotation maintenance reminder . . . .4-6, 4-22
Top tether strap child restraint .........1-41
Towing 2-wheel drive models ............6-12
4-wheel drive models ............6-13
Flat towing ..................9-31 Towing load/specification
..........9-22
Tow truck towing ...............6-11
Trailer towing .................9-19
Tow mode switch ................2-38
Transceiver HomeLink Universal Transceiver ......2-59
T

ransmission Driving with automatic transmission . . . .5-15
Travel (See registering your vehicle in another
country) ......................9-11
Trip odometer ...................2-5
Turn signal switch ................2-33
U
Uniform tire quality grading ...........9-32
V
Vanity mirror ...................3-32
Variable voltage control system .........8-16
Vehicle dimensions and weights ........9-10
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) off switch . . .2-37
Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) system .....5-33
Vehicle electronic system ........4-13, 4-28
Vehicle identification ...............9-11
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
(Chassis number) ................9-11
Vehicle identification number (VIN) plate . . . .9-11
Vehicle loading information ...........9-14
Vehicle recovery ..............6-13, 6-14
Vehicle security system .............2-26
Vehicle security system (NISSAN vehicle immobi-
lizer system) , engine start ......2-27, 3-4, 5-13 Ventilators
....................4-35
Visors .......................3-31
Voice recognition system ...........4-118
Voltmeter ......................2-8
W
Warning 4WD warning light ..............2-16
Air bag warning light .........1-72, 2-18
Anti-lock brake warning light ........2-14
Battery charge warning light ........2-15
Brake warning light .............2-14
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light .......2-15
Hazard warning flasher switch .......2-34
Low fuel warning light .....2-16, 2-18, 2-24
Low tire pressure warning light .......2-16
Low windshield-washer fluid warning
light ......................2-24
Passenger air bag and status light .....1-66
Seat belt warning light ............2-18
V

ehicle security system ...........2-26
Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders ...................2-13
Warning labels (for SRS) ..........1-71
Warning lights ..................2-13
Washer switch Rear window wiper and washer
switches ...................2-29
Windshield wiper and washer switch . . .2-28
Weights (See dimensions and weights) . . . .9-10
Wheels and tires .................8-36
Wheel/tire size ..................9-10
10-7