NISSAN FRONTIER 2023 Owners Manual

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 regu-
lations 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 hy-
draulic 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 ve-
hicle and the trailer.
Electric Trailer Brakes -Electric braking
systems are activated by an electronic sig-
nal sent from a trailer brake controller (spe-
cial brake-sensing module). If electric trailer
brakes are used, see “Electric trailer brake
controller" (P. 10-37)..
Have a professional supplier of towing
equipment make sure the trailer brakes are properly installed and demonstrate proper
brake function testing.
Electric trailer brake controller
Trailers equipped with electric brakes may
require the installation of an af termarket
trailer brake controller.
A Genuine NISSAN jumper harness is avail-
able that is specifically designed to be used
when installing an af termarket brake
controller.
Install the af termarket electric trailer brake
controller according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
Pre-towing tips
• Be certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded and/or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive the vehicle if
it has an abnormal nose-up or nose-
down condition; check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspension
or other possible causes of either
condition.
• Always secure items in the trailer to pre- vent load shif t while driving.
• Keep the cargo load as low as possible in the trailer to keep the trailer center of
gravity low. • Load the trailer so approximately 60% of
the trailer load is in the front half and 40%
is in the back half. Also make sure the load
is balanced side to side.
• Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure, ve- hicle tire pressure, trailer light operation,
and trailer wheel lug nuts every time you
attach a trailer to the vehicle.
• Be certain your rearview mirrors conform to all federal, state or local regulations. If
not, install any mirrors required for towing
before driving the vehicle.
• Determine the overall height of the ve- hicle and trailer so the required clearance
is known.Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding
of the vehicle's behavior, you should prac-
tice turning, stopping and backing up in an
area which is free from traffic. Steering sta-
bility and braking performance will be
somewhat different than under normal
driving conditions.
• Always secure items in the trailer to pre-vent load shif t while driving.
• Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or lock to prevent the coupler from inadver-
tently becoming unlatched.
Technical and consumer information10-37

• Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
• Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
• Always drive your vehicle at a moderatespeed.
• When backing up, hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Move your
hand in the direction in which you want
the trailer to go. Make small corrections
and back up slowly. If possible, have
someone guide you when you are back-
ing up.
Always block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if you
must do so:
CAUTION
If you move the shif t lever to the P
(Park) position before blocking the
wheels and applying the parking brake,
transmission damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill side of the vehicle and trailer
wheels.
3. Af ter the wheel blocks are in place, slowly release the brake pedal until the
blocks absorb the vehicle load. 4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shif t the transmission into P (Park).
6. Make sure the 4WD shif t indicator light (if
so equipped) indicates the transfer case
is in 4H, 4LO, or 2WD and that the ATP
light is off. If the 4WD shif t indicator light
is flashing, or the ATP light is ON, make
sure the transmission is in P (Park) and
turn the 4WD switch to 2WD or 4H. For
additional information, see “Automatic
transmission park warning light” (P. 2-13)
and “Using 4-wheel drive (4WD)” (P. 5-109).
7. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shif t 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. • 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 shif t to a lower gear. Avoid
long or repeated use of the brakes when
descending a hill, as this reduces their
effectiveness and could cause overheat-
ing. Shif ting to a lower gear instead pro-
vides “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. 6-13).
• Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal circumstances.
• 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 of ten than at intervals specified. For additional
information, see the “Maintenance and
schedules” section of this manual.
• 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.
10-38Technical and consumer information

• Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-versely affect vehicle/trailer handling,
possibly causing vehicle sway. When be-
ing passed by larger vehicles, be pre-
pared 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 combination will help stabilize
the vehicle
– 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 balanced as described in this section.
• Be careful when passing other vehicles. 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. • Downshif t the transmission 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 re-
duced braking efficiency.
• Increase your following distance to allow for greater stopping distances while tow-
ing a trailer. Anticipate stops and brake
gradually.
• NISSAN recommends that the cruise control 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 connections, and trailer wheel lug nuts
af ter 50 miles (80 km) of travel and at
every break.
• When launching a boat, don't allow the water 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, refer
to the “Do-it-yourself ” section in this
manual.
Tow mode (if so equipped)
Using tow mode is recommended when
pulling a heavy trailer or hauling a heavy
load. Press the TOW MODE switch to acti-
vate tow mode. The indicator light on the
TOW MODE switch illuminates when tow
mode is selected. Press the TOW MODE
switch again to turn tow mode off. Tow
mode is automatically canceled when the
ignition switch is turned off.
Tow mode includes the following features:
• Grade logic — Adjusts transmission shif ts
when pulling a trailer or hauling a load up
a grade.
• Downhill Speed Control (DSC) — auto- matically downshif ts when driving down
a grade with a trailer or heavy load to help
control vehicle speed.
Technical and consumer information10-39

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 characteris-
tics may feel unusual.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission oil/
fluid should be changed more frequently.
For additional information, see the “Do-it-
yourself ” section of this manual.
FLAT TOWING – 4WD WITH
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Towing a vehicle behind a recreational ve-
hicle, such as a motor home, is sometimes
called flat towing.
CAUTION
• DO NOT flat tow a 4WD vehicle
equipped with an automatic trans-
mission. Flat towing or using a ve-
hicle dolly WILL DAMAGE internal
transmission parts due to lack of
lubrication.
• For emergency towing procedures,
see “Towing recommended by
NISSAN” (P. 6-15).
FLAT TOWING – 2WD WITH
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Towing a vehicle behind a recreational ve-
hicle, such as a motor home, is sometimes
called flat towing.
CAUTION
• Failure to follow these guidelines
can result in severe transmission
damage.
• Whenever flat towing your vehicle,
always tow forward, never backward.
• DO NOT tow any automatic transmis-
sion vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground. Doing so WILL DAMAGE
internal transmission parts due to
lack of transmission lubrication.
• For emergency towing procedures,
see “Towing recommended by
NISSAN” (P. 6-15).
To tow a vehicle equipped with an auto-
matic transmission, an appropriate vehicle
dolly MUST be placed under the towed ve-
hicle’s drive wheels. Alwaysfollow the dolly
manufacturer’s recommendations when
using their product.
Automatic Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with an auto-
matic transmission, an appropriate vehicle
dolly MUST be placed under the towed ve-
hicle's drive wheels. Alwaysfollow the dolly
manufacturer's recommendations when
using their product.
NOTE:
If the battery is completely drained the
transmission will not manually shif t to
other positions.
10-40Technical and consumer information

DOT (Department of Transportation) Qual-
ity Grades: All passenger car tires must
conform to federal safety requirements in
addition to these grades.
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades repre-
sent the tire's ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlledconditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include ac-
celeration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A, B and C
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat, and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal Mo-
tor Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the mini-
mum required by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, under-inflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in combi-
nation, can cause heat build-up and
possible tire failure.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Technical and consumer information10-41

Your NISSAN vehicle is covered by the fol-
lowing emission warranties:
For USA
1. Emission Defects Warranty
2. Emissions Performance Warranty
Details of this warranty may be found with
other vehicle warranties in your Warranty
Information Booklet which comes with
your NISSAN vehicle. If you did not receive a
Warranty Information Booklet, or it is lost,
you may obtain a replacement by writing
to:
• Nissan North America, Inc.Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 685003
Franklin, TN 37068-5003
For Canada
Emission Control System Warranty
Details of this warranty may be found with
other vehicle warranties in your Warranty
Information Booklet which comes with
your NISSAN vehicle. If you did not receive a
Warranty Information Booklet, or it is lost,
you may obtain a replacement by writing
to:
• Nissan Canada Inc. 5290 Orbitor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 4Z5For USA
If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you
should immediately inform the Na-
tional Highway Traffic Safety Admin-
istration (NHTSA) in addition to noti-
f ying NISSAN.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints,
it may open an investigation, and if it
finds that a safety defect exists in a
group of vehicles, it may order a re-
call and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you,
your dealer, or NISSAN.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the
Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153);
go to http://www.safercar.gov; or
write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, D.C.
20590. You can also obtain other in-
formation about motor vehicle safety
from http://www.safercar.gov.
You may notif y NISSAN by contact-
ing our Consumer Affairs Depart-
ment, toll-free, at 1-800-NISSAN-1.
For Canada
If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you
should immediately inform Trans-
port Canada in addition to notif ying
NISSAN.
If Transport Canada receives com-
plaints, it may open an investigation,
and if it finds that a safety defect
exists in a group of vehicles, it may
request that NISSAN conduct a recall
campaign. However, Transport
Canada cannot become involved in
individual problems between you,
your dealer, or NISSAN.
You may contact Transport Canada's
Defect Investigations and Recalls
Division toll free at 1-800-333-0510.
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
WARRANTY REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
10-42Technical and consumer information

You may also report safety defects
online at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/
motorvehiclesafety/menu.htm
(English speakers) or
http://www.tc.gc.ca/fra/
securiteautomobile/menu.htm
(French speakers)
Or contact Transport Canada by
mail at:
Transport Canada Motor Vehicle
Safety Investigations Laboratory
80 Noel Street Gatineau, QC J8Z0A1
Additional information concerning
motor vehicle safety may be obtained
from Transport Canada's Road Safety
Information Centre at 1-800-333-0371
or online at www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety
(English speakers) or www.tc.gc.ca/
securiteroutiere (French speakers).
To notif y NISSAN of any safety con-
cerns please contact our Consumer
Information Centre toll free at
1-800-387-0122.
WARNING
A vehicle equipped with Four-Wheel
Drive (4WD) should never be tested
using a two wheel dynamometer (such
as the dynamometers used by some
states for emissions testing), or similar
equipment. Make sure you inform the
test facility personnel that your vehicle
is equipped with 4WD before it is placed
on a dynamometer. Using the wrong
test equipment may result in transmis-
sion damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in seri-
ous vehicle damage or personal injury.
Due to legal requirements in some states
and Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may
be required to be in what is called the
“ready condition” for an Inspection/
Maintenance (I/M) test of the emission
control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition”
when it is driven through certain driving
patterns. Usually, the ready condition can
be obtained by ordinary usage of the
vehicle. If a powertrain system component is re-
paired or the battery is disconnected, the
vehicle may be reset to a “not ready” condi-
tion. Before taking the I/M test, check
the vehicle's inspection/maintenance test
readiness condition. Place the ignition
switch in the ON position without starting
the engine. If the Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) comes on steady for 20 seconds
and then blinks for 10 seconds, the I/M test
condition is “not ready”. If the MIL does not
blink af ter 20 seconds, the I/M test condi-
tion is “ready”. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer to set the “ready con-
dition” or to prepare the vehicle for testing.
READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
Technical and consumer information10-43

This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an
EDR is to record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data
that will assist in understanding how a ve-
hicle's systems performed. The EDR is de-
signed to record data related to vehicle dy-
namics and safety systems for a short
period of time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed to re-
cord such data as:
• How various systems in your vehicle wereoperating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depress- ing the accelerator and/or brake pedal;
and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
• Sounds are not recorded. These data can help provide a better un-
derstanding of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data
are recorded by your vehicle only if a non-
trivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data (e.g.,
name, gender, age, and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as
law enforcement, could combine the EDR
data with the type of personally identif ying
data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required, and access to the
vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to
the vehicle manufacturer and NISSAN
dealer, other parties, such as law enforce-
ment, that have the special equipment, can
read the information if they have access to
the vehicle or the EDR.
EDR data will only be accessed with the
consent of the vehicle owner or lessee or
as otherwise required or permitted by law.Genuine NISSAN Service Manuals for this
model year and prior can be purchased.
A Genuine NISSAN Service Manual is the
best source of service and repair informa-
tion for your vehicle. This manual is the
same one used by the factory-trained
technicians working at NISSAN dealer-
ships. Genuine NISSAN Owner’s Manuals
can also be purchased.
For USA
For current pricing and availability of
Genuine
NISSAN Service Manuals, contact:
www.nissan-techinfo.com
For current pricing and availability of
GenuineNISSAN Owner's Manuals, contact:
1-800-247-5321
For Canada
To purchase a copy of a Genuine NISSAN
Service Manual or Owner’s Manual, for this
model year and prior, please contact your
nearest NISSAN dealer. For the phone num-
ber and location of a NISSAN dealer in your
area, call the NISSAN Information Center at
1-800-387-0122 and a bilingual NISSAN rep-
resentative will assist you.
EVENT DATA RECORDERS (EDR) OWNER'S MANUAL/SERVICE
MANUAL ORDER INFORMATION
10-44Technical and consumer information

11 Index
4
4-Wheel Drive................5-1094WD......................5-109
A
Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS)
system....................5-120Air bag (See supplemental restraint
system).....................1-70Air bag systemFront (See supplemental front impact air
bag system)
................1-77Air bag warning labels............1-90Air bag warning light.........1-90, 2-15Air bag warning light,
supplemental..............1-90, 2-15Air cleaner housing filter..........8-20Air conditionerAir conditioner operation. . . .4-33, 4-39Air conditioner service..........4-43Air conditioner specification label. .10-14Air conditioner system refrigerant and oil
recommendations............10-8Air conditioner system refrigerant
recommendations............10-8Heater and air conditioner (automatic)
(if so equipped)..............4-38
Heater and air conditioner controls.4-39Servicing air conditioner........4-43Air flow charts................4-34Alarm system (See vehicle security
system)................... .2-39Anchor point locations............1-31Antenna....................4-44Anti-lock brake warning light.......2-13Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)......5-118Antifreeze...................5-134Autolight switch...............2-44Automatic
Automatic power window switch. . .2-76Driving with automatic transmission.5-19Automatic anti-glare inside mirror. . . .3-25Automatic door locks.............3-7Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) with
Pedestrian Detection............5-81Automatic transmission fluid temperature
gauge..................... .2-8
B
Battery.................5-134, 8-16Charge warning light...........2-14Battery replacement............8-26Key fob...................8-26NISSAN Intelligent Key®.........8-26Before starting the engine.........5-17Belt (See drive belt)..............8-19
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)..........5-32Booster seats.................1-64Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). . . .5-118Brake fluid.................8-14Brake light (See stop light).......8-29Brake system...............5-118Brake warning light............2-13Brake wear indicators.......2-21,8-22Parking brake operation.........5-24Self-adjusting brakes..........8-22Brake fluid...................8-14Brake system................5-118Brakes.....................8-22Break-in schedule..............5-107Brightness controlInstrument panel.............2-49Bulb check/instrument panel.......2-13Bulb replacement..............8-29
C
C.M.V.S.S. certification label........10-13Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants................10-2Car phone or CB radio...........4-44Cargo (See vehicle loading
information)................ .10-16Cargo lamp switch.............2-50Cargo light................. .2-80

Check tire pressure..........2-34, 2-36Child restraint with top tether strap. . . .1-31Child restraints.......1-23,1-24,1-26,1-28Precautions on child
restraints.........1-38, 1-41, 1-54, 1-64Top tether strap anchor point
locations...................1-31Child safety rear door lock..........3-7Cleaning exterior and interior......7-2,7-4Cold weather driving............5-134Console box..................2-72Controls
Heater and air conditioner controls. .4-39Heater and air conditioner controls
(manual)...................4-29CoolantCapacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants
...............10-2Changing engine coolant.........8-7Checking engine coolant level......8-7Engine coolant temperature gauge. . .2-6Corrosion protection..............7-7Cruise control..............5-50, 5-51Cup holders...................2-73Curtain side-impact and rollover air
bag....................... .1-86
D
Daytime Running Light System......2-48Daytime Running Lights (DRL) system. .2-48Dimensions and weights..........10-11Dimmer switch for instrument panel. . .2-49
Door locks....................3-4Drive belt....................8-19Driving
Cold weather driving...........5-134Driving with automatic transmission.5-19Precautions when starting and
driving................. .5-4, 5-11Driving the vehicle...............5-18
E
Eco Drive Report................2-9Economy - fuel................5-109Electronic locking rear differential (E-Lock)
system.....................5-115Electronic locking rear differential (E-Lock)
system switch.................2-55Emergency call (SOS) button........2-58Emergency engine shutoff.......5-15,6-2Emission control information label. . . .10-13Emission control system warranty. . . .10-42Engine
Before starting the engine........5-17Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants...............10-2Changing engine coolant.........8-7Changing engine oil............8-8Changing engine oil filter.........8-8Checking engine coolant level......8-7Checking engine oil level.........8-8Engine coolant temperature gauge. . .2-6Engine cooling system...........8-6Engine oil.................. .8-8
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation.............10-7Engine oil pressure gauge.........2-8Engine oil pressure warning light. . . .2-15Engine oil viscosity.............10-7Engine serial number..........10-12Engine specifications...........10-9Engine Block Heater.............5-135Engine coolant temperature gauge. . . .2-6Engine oil pressure gauge..........2-8Event Data recorders............10-44Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)......5-4Explanation of maintenance items.....9-2Explanation of scheduled maintenance
items...................... .9-5Extended storage switch..........2-66Eyeglass case.................2-72
F
Flashers (See hazard warning flasher
switch)......................6-2Flat tire......................6-3Floor mat positioning aid...........7-6Fluid
Brake fluid..................8-14Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants...............10-2Engine coolant................8-6Engine oil.................. .8-8Power steering fluid............8-14Windshield-washer fluid.........8-15Fog light switch................2-49
11-2