tow NISSAN MAXIMA 2023 Owner's Guide

Two-Wheel Drive models with
Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT)
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flatbed
truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
• Never tow CVT models with the front
wheels on the ground or four wheels
on the ground (forward or back-
ward), as this may cause serious and
expensive damage to the transmis-
sion. If it is necessary to tow the ve-
hicle with the rear wheels raised al-
ways use towing dollies under the
front wheels. •
When towing CVT models with the
rear wheels on the ground or on tow-
ing dollies:
– Place the ignition switch in the
OFF position, and secure the
steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a rope or similar de-
vice. Never secure the steering
wheel by placing the ignition
switch in the LOCK position. This
may damage the steering lock
mechanism (for models with a
steering lock mechanism).
LCE2369
In case of emergency6-13

VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a
stuck vehicle)
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
• Contact a professional towing ser-
vice to recover the vehicle if you have
any questions regarding the recov-
ery procedure.
• Tow chains or cables must be at-
tached only to main structural mem-
bers of the vehicle.
• Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to
tow or free a stuck vehicle.
• Only use devices specifically de-
signed for vehicle recovery and fol-
low the manufacturer's instructions.
• Always pull the recovery device
straight out from the front of the ve-
hicle. Never pull at an angle.
• Route recovery devices so they do
not touch any part of the vehicle ex-
cept the attachment point. If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device de-
signed specifically for vehicle recovery. Al-
ways follow the manufacturer's instruc-
tions for the recovery device.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
WARNING
• Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
• Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode
and result in serious injury. Parts of
your vehicle could also overheat and
be damaged.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and lef t to clear an area around the front tires. 4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and
backward.
• Shif t back and forth between R (Re- verse) and D (Drive).
• Apply the accelerator as little as pos- sible to maintain the rocking motion.
• Release the accelerator pedal before shif ting between R (Reverse) and D
(Drive).
• Do not spin the tires above 35 mph (55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed af ter a few tries, contact a professional towing ser-
vice to remove the vehicle.
6-14In case of emergency

2. Once it is released from the shelf, gentlypull the stop light towards the rear seat-
back
O3.
The high-mounted stop light (if so
equipped) must be properly reinstalled be-
fore driving your vehicle.
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and
dust film from the glass surfaces. It is nor-
mal for glass to become coated with a film
af ter the vehicle is parked in the hot sun.
Glass cleaner and a sof t cloth will easily
remove this film.
To reinstall the high-mounted stop light
(if so equipped), reverse steps
O3, thenO2.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dows, do not use sharp-edged tools,
abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based
disinfectant cleaners. They could dam-
age the electrical conductors, radio an-
tenna elements or rear window defog-
ger elements.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge
dampened in a mild soap solution, espe-
cially during winter months in areas where
road salt is used. If not removed, road salt
can discolor the wheels.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining or discoloring the wheels:
• Do not use a cleaner that uses strong
acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
• Do not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as
ambient temperature.
• Rinse the wheel to completely re-
move the cleaner within 15 minutes
af ter the cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a
non-abrasive chrome polish to maintain
the finish.
TIRE DRESSINGS
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a
coating to the tires to help reduce discolor-
ation of the rubber. If a tire dressing is ap-
plied to the tires, it may react with the coat-
ing and form a compound. This compound
may come off the tire while driving and
stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
• Use a water-based tire dressing. The coating on the tire dissolves more easily
than with an oil-based tire dressing.
• Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help prevent it from entering the tire tread/
grooves (where it would be difficult to
remove).
• Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry towel. Make sure the tire dressing is
completely removed from the tire
tread/grooves.
•
Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom-
mended by the tire dressing manufacturer.
7-4Appearance and care

For Alcantara® (if so equipped)
Water Soluble StainsStains Not Soluble in Water Resistant Stains
Stain Cleaning Method StainCleaning Method Repeat as Necessary Don’t Know What Caused the Stain?
Fruit juice, jam, jelly,
syrup, ketchup,
chocolate, ice cream
and mustard Use a white towel
damped in lukewarm
water; rinse by dabbing
with a damped white
towel in clean water. Makeup (Lipstick, foun-
dation, mascara, eye
shadow), perfume,
shoe polish, grease or
oil (in general), grass
stainRub with ethyl alcohol
(remember not to rub
too hard), wipe with
water and rinse by
dabbing with clean
water.Repeat treatments as
of ten as necessary.
Even stains that are
not soluble in water
will of ten require to be
treated with water
af terwards.Treat with lukewarm water first, then
rinse by dabbing with clean water.
If the stain begins to dissolve in the
water, repeat the treatment as of ten
as necessary. Allow to dry and if
necessary, treat with ethyl alcohol
Blood, eggs, excre-
ment or urine Wipe with water at
room temperature,
rinse with clean water.
AVOID the use of warm
water because it will
make these sub-
stances coagulate.
Chewing gum
Put a plastic bag full of
ice on top of the gum,
when the gum has
become hard remove
the pieces, then treat
with ethyl alcohol.
Vinegar, tomato sauce,
coffee or hair gel Pre-treat with lemon
juice, then wipe with
lukewarm water, rinse
by dabbing with clean
water.
7-6Appearance and care

•When driving on roads covered with
snow or ice, the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire should be used on the
rear wheels and the original tire used
on the front wheels (drive wheels).
• Tire tread of the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire will wear at a faster
rate than the standard tire. Replace
the spare tire as soon as the tread
wear indicators appear.
• Do not use the spare tire on other
vehicles.
• Do not use more than one spare tire
at the same time.
• Do not tow a trailer when the TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire is installed.CAUTION
• Do not use tire chains on a TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire. Tire chains
will not fit properly and may cause
damage to the vehicle.
• Because the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire is smaller than the original
tire, ground clearance is reduced. To
avoid damage to the vehicle, do not
drive over obstacles. Also, do not
drive the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash since it may get
caught.
8-40Do-it-yourself

10 Technical and consumer information
Recommended fluids/lubricants and
capacities...................................... 10-2
Fuel recommendation ......................10-4
Engine oil and oil filter
recommendations .......................... 10-7
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
oil recommendations .......................10-8
Specifications .................................. 10-9
Engine ...................................... 10-9
Wheels and tires ........................... 10-10
Dimensions and weights ...................10-10
When traveling or registering in another
country ........................................ 10-11
Vehicle identification ........................... 10-11
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
plate ........................................ 10-11
Vehicle identification number (chassis
number) .................................... 10-11
Engine serial number ......................10-12
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification label ........10-12 Emission control information label
.........10-12
Tire and Loading Information label .........10-13
Air conditioner specification label ..........10-13
Installing front license plate ...................10-14
Vehicle loading information ...................10-15
Terms ...................................... 10-15
Vehicle load capacity ....................... 10-15
Loading tips ................................ 10-17
Measurement of weights ...................10-18
Towing a trailer ................................ 10-19
Flat towing ................................. 10-19
Uniform tire quality grading ...................10-19
Emission control system warranty ............10-20
Reporting safety defects ......................10-21
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M)
test ........................................... 10-22
Event Data Recorders (EDR) ...................10-22
Owner's Manual/Service Manual order
information ................................... 10-23

FUEL RECOMMENDATION
NISSAN recommends the use of unleaded
premium gasoline with an octane rating of
at least 91 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) number
(Research octane number 96). If unleaded
premium gasoline is not available, you may
use unleaded regular gasoline with an oc-
tane rating of at least 87 AKI number (Re-
search octane number 91), but you may
notice a decrease in performance.
CAUTION
• Using a fuel other than that specified
could adversely affect the emission
control system, and may also affect
the warranty coverage.
•
Under no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, because this
will damage the three-way catalyst.
• Do not use a fuel containing more
than 15% ethanol in your vehicle. Your
vehicle is not designed to run on a
fuel containing more than 15% etha-
nol. Using a fuel containing more
than 15% ethanol in a vehicle not spe-
cifically designed for a fuel contain-
ing more than 15% ethanol can ad-
versely affect the emission control
devices and systems of the vehicle.
Damage caused by such fuel is not
covered by the NISSAN New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
• Do not use fuel that contains the oc-
tane booster methylcyclopentadi-
enyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
Using fuel containing MMT may ad-
versely affect vehicle performance
and vehicle emissions. Not all fuel
dispensers are labeled to indicate
MMT content, so you may have to
consult your gasoline retailer for
more details. Note that Federal and
California laws prohibit the use of
MMT in reformulated gasoline. •
U.S. government regulations require
ethanol dispensing pumps to be
identified by a small, square, orange
and black label with the common ab-
breviation or the appropriate per-
centage for that region.
Gasoline specifications
NISSAN recommends using gasoline that
meets the World-Wide Fuel Charter (WWFC)
specifications where it is available. Many of
the automobile manufacturers developed
this specification to improve emission con-
trol system and vehicle performance. Ask
your service station manager if the gaso-
line meets the WWFC specifications.
Reformulated gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing re-
formulated gasolines. These gasolines are
specially designed to reduce vehicle emis-
sions. NISSAN supports efforts towards
cleaner air and suggests that you use re-
formulated gasoline when available.
10-4Technical and consumer information

WARNING
• It is extremely dangerous to
ride in a cargo area inside a ve-
hicle. In a collision, people rid-
ing in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or
killed.
• Do not allow people to ride in
any area of your vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and
seat belts.
• Be sure everyone in your ve-
hicle is in a seat and using a
seat belt properly.
TERMS
It is important to familiarize yourself
with the following terms before
loading your vehicle:
• Curb Weight (actual weight of your vehicle) - vehicle weight including:
standard and optional equipment, fluids, emergency tools, and spare
tire assembly. This weight
does
not include passengers and cargo.
• GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) - curb weight plus the combined weight
of passengers and cargo.
• GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rat- ing) - maximum total combined
weight of the unloaded vehicle,
passengers, cargo, hitch, trailer
tongue load and any other op-
tional equipment. This information
is located on the F.M.V.S.S./
C.M.V.S.S. certification label.
•
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) -
maximum weight (load) limit speci-
fied for the front or rear axle. This
information is located on the
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification label.
• GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) - The maximum total
weight rating of the vehicle, pas-
sengers, cargo, and trailer. • Vehicle Capacity Weight, Load limit,
Total load capacity - maximum to-
tal weight limit specified of the load
(passengers and cargo) for the ve-
hicle. This is the maximum com-
bined weight of occupants and
cargo that can be loaded into the
vehicle. If the vehicle is used to tow
a trailer, the trailer tongue weight
must be included as part of the
cargo load. This information is lo-
cated on the Tire and Loading In-
formation label.
•
Cargo capacity - permissible weight
of cargo, the subtracted weight of
occupants from the load limit.
VEHICLE LOAD CAPACITY
Before driving a loaded vehicle, con-
firm that you do not exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
or the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for your vehicle. Both the
VEHICLE LOADING INFORMATION
Technical and consumer information10-15

1. Locate the statement “The com-bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg
or XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s
placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For ex-
ample, if the “XXX ” amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be five 150
lb. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650 lbs.) 5. Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being
loaded on the vehicle. That weight
may not safely exceed the avail-
able cargo and luggage load ca-
pacity calculated in step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Con-
sult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
of your vehicle.
Towing a trailer with a vehicle that is
not intended for towing may result in
an accident involving injury or death.
WARNING
Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle.
Towing a trailer may result in an acci-
dent involving injury or death.
Before driving a loaded vehicle, con-
firm that you do not exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
or the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for your vehicle. For addi-
tional information, see “Measure-
ment of weights” (P. 10-18).
Also check tires for proper inflation
pressures. For additional informa-
tion, see “Tire and Loading Informa-
tion label” (P. 10-13).
LOADING TIPS
• The GVW must not exceed GVWR or GAWR as specified on the F.M.V.S.S./
C.M.V.S.S. certification label.
• Do not load the front and rear axle to the GAWR. Doing so will exceed
the GVWR.
Technical and consumer information10-17

Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle.
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 ve-
hicle, such as a motor home.
CAUTION
•
Failure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
• Whenever flat towing your vehicle,
always tow forward, never backward.
•
Never tow your front wheel drive ve-
hicle with the front tires on the ground.
Doing so may cause serious and ex-
pensive damage to the powertrain.
• DO NOT tow any continuously vari-
able transmission vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground (flat tow-
ing). Doing so WILL DAMAGE internal
transmission parts due to lack of
transmission lubrication.
•
For emergency towing procedures see
“Towing recommended by NISSAN”
(P. 6-12).
Continuously Variable
Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with a continu-
ously variable transmission, an appropriate
vehicle dolly MUSTbe placed under the
towed vehicle's drive wheels. Alwaysfollow
the dolly manufacturer's recommenda-
tions when using their product. 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.
TOWING A TRAILER
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Technical and consumer information10-19