tow NISSAN ARMADA PLATINUM 2011 Service 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.

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