overheating NISSAN PATHFINDER 2008 R51 / 3.G Owners Manual

The power assisted steering uses a hydraulic
pump, driven by the engine, to assist steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks, you
will still have control of the vehicle. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, especially
in sharp turns and at low speeds.
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned off
while driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
harder to operate.The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using engine
vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop the
vehicle by depressing the brake pedal. However,
greater foot pressure on the brake pedal will be
required to stop the vehicle and stopping dis-
tance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will overheat the brakes, wear out the
brakes and pads faster, and reduce gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may
reduce braking performance and could result in
loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
cWhile driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or accel-
erating could cause the wheels to skid
and result in an accident.
cIf the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result, your
braking distance will be longer and the vehicle
may pull to one side during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake pedal to
heat up the brakes. Do this until the brakes return
to normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at high
speeds until the brakes function correctly.
Parking brake break-in
Break-in the parking brake shoes whenever the
stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened
or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or
drum/rotors are replaced, in order to assure the
best brake performance.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-31
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CAUTION
cAlways connect positive (1) to positive
(1) and negative (2) to body ground (for
example, strut mounting bolt, engine
lift bracket, etc.) — not to the battery.
cMake sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and
let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster ve-
hicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start the en-
gine of the vehicle being jump started.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does
not start right away, turn the key off and
wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable.
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped) . Be
sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.
CAUTION
Automatic transmission models cannot
be push-started or tow-started. Attempt-
ing to do so may cause transmission
damage.
WARNING
cDo not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause engine
damage or a vehicle fire.
cTo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap while the engine is still
hot. When the radiator or coolant reser-
voir cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
cDo not open the hood if steam is com-
ing out.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading and
the illumination of the engine oil pressure/engine
coolant temperature high indicator light) , 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, apply
the parking brake and move the shift lever to
P (Park) .
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the
windows, move the heater or air conditioner
temperature control to maximum hot and fan
control to high speed.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
6-10In case of emergency
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Take care not to spill gasoline during refu-
eling. Gasoline containing oxygenates can
cause paint damage.
E–85 fuel
E-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline. E-85 can
only be used in a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) . Do
not use E-85 in your vehicle. U.S. government
regulations require fuel ethanol dispensing
pumps to be identified by a small, square, orange
and black label with the common abbreviation or
the appropriate percentage for that region.
Aftermarket fuel additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (for example, fuel injec-
tor cleaner, octane booster, intake valve deposit
removers, etc.) which are sold commercially.
Many of these additives intended for gum, varnish
or deposit removal may contain active solvents or
similar ingredients that can be harmful to the fuel
system and engine.
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than recommended can cause
persistent, heavy “spark knock.” (“Spark
knock” is a metallic rapping noise.) If se-
vere, this can lead to engine damage. If youdetect a persistent heavy spark knock even
when using gasoline of the stated octane
rating, or if you hear steady spark knock
while holding a steady speed on level
roads, have a NISSAN dealer correct the
condition. Failure to correct the condition
is misuse of the vehicle, for which NISSAN
is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may result in spark
knock, after-run and/or overheating, which may
cause excessive fuel consumption or engine
damage. If any of the above symptoms are en-
countered, have your vehicle checked at a
NISSAN dealer.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is not a
cause for concern, because you get the
greatest fuel benefit when there is light
spark knock for a short time under heavy
engine load.
CAUTION
cYour vehicle is not designed to run on
E-85 fuel. Using E-85 fuel in a vehicle
not specifically designed for E-85 fuel
can damage fuel system components
and is not covered by the NISSAN new
vehicle limited warranty.cE-85 is a mixture of approximately 85%
fuel ethanol and 15% unleaded
gasoline.
cU.S. government regulations require
ethanol dispensing pumps to be identi-
fied by a small, square, orange and
black label with the common abbrevia-
tion or the appropriate percentage for
that region.
9-4Technical and consumer information
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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 automati-
cally 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 engine
power and vehicle speed. The reduced
speed may be lower than other traffic,
which could increase the chance of a col-
lision. Be especially careful when driving.
Pull to the side of the road to a safe area.
Allow the engine to cool and return to
normal operation. See “If your vehicle
overheats” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this manual.
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from improper
towing procedures is not covered by
NISSAN warranties.
Tongue load
When using a weight carrying or a weight distrib-
uting hitch, keep the tongue load between 10 -
15 percent of the total trailer load within the
maximum tongue load limits shown in the follow-
ing “Towing Load/Specification” chart. If the
tongue load becomes excessive, rearrange cargo
to allow for proper tongue load.
Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW)/maximum Gross Axle Weight
(GAW)
The GVW of the towing vehicle must not exceed
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
shown on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification
label. The GVW equals the combined weight of
the unloaded vehicle, passengers, luggage,
hitch, trailer tongue load and any other optional
equipment. In addition, front or rear GAW must
not exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) shown on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S.
certification label.
WTI0160ATI1025
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cCheck 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.
cBe certain your rearview mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.
cDetermine the overall height of the vehicle
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 practice turning,
stopping and backing up in an area which is free
from traffic. Steering stability and braking perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than under
normal driving conditions.
cAlways secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
cLock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inadvert-
ently becoming unlatched.
cAvoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
cAvoid sharp turns or lane changes.cAlways drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
cWhen 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 backing 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 shift selector 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. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly
release the brake pedal until the blocks ab-
sorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park) .6. Make sure the
indicator light (if so
equipped) indicates the transfer case is in
4H, 4L, or 2H and that the ATP light is off. If
the
indicator light is flashing, or the
ATP light is ON, make sure the transmission
is in P (Park) (AT) and turn the 4WD switch
to 2WD or 4H. See9Automatic transmission
park warning light9in the9Instruments and
controls9section and9Using four wheel
drive9in the9Starting and driving9section.
7. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift 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.
cWhen going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When going up a long grade, downshift the
transmission to a lower gear and reduce
speed to reduce chances of engine over-
loading and/or overheating. However, for
9-24Technical and consumer information
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