emergency towing NISSAN NV PASSENGER VAN 2018 Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: NISSAN, Model Year: 2018, Model line: NV PASSENGER VAN, Model: NISSAN NV PASSENGER VAN 2018Pages: 426, PDF Size: 4.52 MB
Page 275 of 426

ENGINE PROTECTION MODE
The engine has an engine protection mode
to reduce the chance of damage if the
coolant temperature becomes too high
(for example, when climbing steep grades
in high temperature with heavy loads, such
as when towing a trailer). When the engine
temperature reaches a certain level:∙ The engine coolant temperature gauge will move toward the H position.
∙ Engine power may be reduced.
∙ The air conditioning cooling function may be automatically turned off for a
short time (the blower will continue to
operate).
Engine power and, under some conditions,
vehicle speed will decrease. Vehicle speed
can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the vehicle may not accelerate at
the desired speed. The transmission will
downshif t or upshif t as it reaches pre-
scribed shif t points. You can also shif t
manually.
As driving conditions change and engine
coolant temperature is reduced, vehicle
speed can be increased using the accel- erator pedal, and air conditioning cooling
function will automatically be turned back
on.
A malfunction may have occurred if:
∙ The engine coolant temperature is not reduced,
∙ The air conditioning cooling function does not turn back on, or
∙ The engine oil pressure warning light illuminates or the engine coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates an overheat-
ing condition.
If a malfunction occurs move the vehicle
off the road in a safe area and allow the
engine to cool. If the condition is still pres-
ent af ter checking the oil and coolant, do
not continue to drive. It is recommended
that you contact a NISSAN dealer.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may
also come on. If onlyit remains on, you do
not need to have your vehicle towed, but
have it inspected soon. It is recommended
that you visit a NISSAN dealer for this ser-
vice. For additional information, refer to
“Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” in the “In-
struments and controls” section of this
manual.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced en-
gine power and vehicle speed. The re-
duced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance
of a collision. Be especially careful when
driving. If the vehicle cannot maintain a
safe driving speed, pull to the side of the
road in a safe area. Allow the engine to
cool and return to normal operation. For
additional information, refer to “If your
vehicle overheats” in the “In case of
emergency ” section of this manual.
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause
serious damage to the engine almost
immediately. Such damage is not cov-
ered by warranty. Turn off the engine as
soon as it is safe to do so.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-12Starting and driving
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6 In case of emergency
Hazard warning flasher switch..................6-2
Flat tire ..........................................6-2
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)........................................6-2
Changing a flat tire ...........................6-3
Jump starting .................................. 6-10Push starting
................................... 6-12
If your vehicle overheats ........................6-12
Towing your vehicle ............................ 6-13
Towing recommended by NISSAN ...........6-14
Vehicle recovery (freeing a stuck
vehicle) ...................................... 6-15
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If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by
an extremely high temperature gauge
reading) or if you feel a lack of engine
power, detect abnormal noise, etc., take the
following steps.1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, ap- ply the parking brake and move the
shif t lever to P (Park).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maxi-
mum hot and fan control to high
speed.
3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the
radiator before opening the hood. If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off
the engine. Do not open the hood fur-
ther until no steam or coolant can be
seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned. 5. Visually check drive belts for damage
or looseness. Also check if the cooling
fan is running. The radiator hoses and
radiator should not leak water. If cool-
ant is leaking, the water pump belt is
missing or loose, or the cooling fan
does not run, stop the engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or
the engine cooling fan. The engine cool-
ing fan can start at any time.
6. Af ter the engine cools down, check the coolant level in the engine coolant res-
ervoir tank with the engine running.
Add coolant to the engine coolant res-
ervoir tank if necessary. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN dealer
for this service. Incorrect towing equipment could dam-
age your vehicle. Towing instructions are
available from a NISSAN dealer. Local ser-
vice operators are generally familiar with
the applicable laws and procedures for
towing. To assure proper towing and to
prevent accidental damage to your vehicle,
NISSAN recommends having a service op-
erator tow your vehicle. It is advisable to
have the service operator carefully read the
following precautions:
WARNING
∙ Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
∙ Never get under your vehicle af ter it has been lif ted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
∙ When towing, make sure that thetransmission, axles, steering system
and powertrain are in working condi-
tion. If any of these conditions apply,
dollies or a flatbed tow truck must be
used.
∙ Always attach safety chains before towing.
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
In case of emergency6-13
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TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
NISSAN recommends towing your vehicle
based upon the type of drivetrain. For addi-
tional information, refer to the diagrams in
this section to ensure that your vehicle is
properly towed.
2WD models with automatic
transmission
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (rear) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flatbed
truck as illustrated.
LCE2383
6-14In case of emergency
Page 312 of 426

CAUTION
∙ Never tow automatic transmissionmodels with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the ground
(forward or backward), as this may
cause serious and expensive damage
to the transmission. If it is necessary
to tow the vehicle with the front
wheels raised always use towing dol-
lies under the rear wheels.
∙ When towing automatic transmission models with the front wheels on the
ground or on towing dollies:
– Place the ignition switch in the OFF position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
secure the steering wheel by plac-
ing the ignition switch in the LOCK
position. This may damage the
steering lock mechanism (for
models with a steering lock
mechanism).
VEHICLE RECOVERY
(freeing a stuck vehicle)
There are two options to recover a stuck
vehicle: pulling and rocking. For additional
information regarding these options,
please refer to the following sections.
Pulling a stuck vehicle
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
∙ Contact a professional towing serviceto recover the vehicle if you have any
questions regarding the recovery
procedure.
∙ Attach recovery devices only to main structural members of the vehicle or
the recovery hooks.
∙ Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to tow or free a stuck vehicle.
∙ Only use devices specifically designed for vehicle recovery and follow 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 except
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.
In case of emergency6-15
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3. Turn the steering wheel right and lef t toclear 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 34 mph (55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed af ter a few tries, contact a professional towing
service to remove the vehicle.
6-16In case of emergency
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The GCWR equals the combined weight of
the towing vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) plus the total trailer load. Tow-
ing loads greater than these or using im-
proper towing equipment could adversely
affect vehicle handling, braking and perfor-
mance.
The ability of your vehicle to tow a trailer is
not only related to the maximum trailer
loads, but also the places you plan to tow.
Tow weights appropriate for level highway
driving may have to be reduced for low
traction situations (for example, on slippery
boat ramps).Temperature conditions can also affect
towing. For example, towing a heavy trailer
in high outside temperatures on graded
roads can affect engine performance and
cause overheating. The engine protection
mode, which helps reduce the chance of
engine damage, could activate and auto-
matically decrease engine power. Vehicle
speed may decrease under high load. Plan
your trip carefully to account for trailer and
vehicle load, weather and road conditions.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced en-
gine power and vehicle speed. The re-
duced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance
of a collision. Be especially careful when
driving. If the vehicle cannot maintain a
safe driving speed, pull to the side of the
road in a safe area. Allow the engine to
cool and return to normal operation. For
additional information, refer to “If your
vehicle overheats” in the “In case of
emergency ” section of this manual.
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from im-
proper towing procedures is not cov-
ered by NISSAN warranties.
LTI2025
Technical and consumer information10-19
Page 410 of 426

1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on thedownhill 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. 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
overheating. Shif ting to a lower gear in-
stead provides “engine braking” and re-
duces the need to brake as frequently.
∙ If 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.
∙ 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 in the recom-
mended Maintenance Schedule in 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 compen-
sate for this, make a larger than normal
turning radius during the turn.
∙ Crosswinds and rough roads will ad- versely affect vehicle/trailer handling,
possibly causing vehicle sway. When
being passed by larger vehicles, be pre-
pared for possible changes in cross-
winds that could affect vehicle han-
dling.
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 condi-
tions allow. This combination will help
stabilize the vehicle.
– Do not correct trailer sway by steer- ing or applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently ap- ply the brakes and pull to the side of the
road in a safe area.
Technical and consumer information10-29
Page 412 of 426

FLAT TOWING FOR REAR WHEEL
DRIVE VEHICLE
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 canresult in severe transmission damage.
∙ Whenever flat towing your vehicle, al- ways tow forward, never backward.
∙ Never tow your rear wheel drive ve- hicle with the rear tires on the ground.
Doing so may cause serious and ex-
pensive damage to the powertrain.
∙ DO NOT tow your rear wheel drive ve- hicle 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 re- fer to “Towing recommended by
NISSAN” in the “In case of emergency ”
section of this manual.
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. 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.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Technical and consumer information10-31