engine overheat NISSAN PATHFINDER 2023 Owners Manual

The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature. The engine coolant tempera-
ture is within the normal range
O1when
the gauge needle points within the zone
shown in the illustration.
The engine coolant temperature varies
with the outside air temperature and driv-
ing conditions.
CAUTION
If the gauge indicates coolant tem-
perature near the hot (H) end of the
normal range, reduce vehicle speed to
decrease temperature. If the gauge is
over the normal range, stop the vehicle
as soon as safely possible. If the engine
is overheated, continued operation of
the vehicle may seriously damage the
engine. For additional information, see
“If your vehicle overheats” (P. 6-13).
FUEL GAUGE
LIC4669
12.3 inch (31 cm) Type B (if so equipped)
LIC2222
7 inch (18 cm) Type A (if so equipped)
2-10Instruments and controls

WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use
the climate controlled seats if you or
the occupants cannot monitor seat
temperatures or have an inability to
feel pain in those body parts in contact
with the seat. Use of the climate con-
trolled seats by such people could re-
sult in serious injury.
CAUTION
• The battery could run down if the cli-
mate control seat is operated while
the engine is not running.
• Do not use the climate control seat
for extended periods or when no one
is using the seat.
• Do not put anything on the seat
which insulates heat, such as a blan-
ket, cushion, seat cover, etc. Other-
wise, the seat may become
overheated.
• Do not place anything hard or heavy
on the seat or pierce it with a pin or
similar objects. This may result in
damage to the climate controlled
seat.
• Any liquid spilled on the seat should
be removed immediately with a dry
cloth
• When cleaning the seat, never use
gasoline, benzine, thinner, or any
similar materials.
• If any malfunctions are found or the
climate controlled seat does not op-
erate, turn the switch off and have
the system checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for this service. The climate controlled seats cool down the
front seats by ventilating air into the seats.
The climate control switch is located by the
air conditioning controls.
The climate controlled seat can be oper-
ated as follows:
1. Start the engine.
2. Press the switch to adjust the desired
intensity. The indicator light on the
switch will illuminate.
3. When the vehicle's interior is cooled, or before you leave the vehicle, be sure to
press the switch to turn off the climate
controlled seats. The indicator light on
the switch will turn off. The climate con-
trolled seats will retain the current set-
tings even if the engine is restarted.
LIC4695
CLIMATE CONTROLLED SEAT
SWITCHES (if so equipped)
2-90Instruments and controls

WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use
the seat heater if you or the occupants
cannot monitor elevated seat tem-
peratures or have an inability to feel
pain in body parts that contact the
seat. Use of the seat heater by such
people could result in serious injury.
CAUTION
• The battery could run down if the
seat heater is operated while the en-
gine is not running.
• Do not use the seat heater for ex-
tended periods or when no one is us-
ing the seat.
• Do not put anything on the seat
which insulates heat, such as a blan-
ket, cushion, seat cover, etc. Other-
wise, the seat may become
overheated.
• Do not place anything hard or heavy
on the seat or pierce it with a pin or
similar object. This may result in
damage to the heater.
• Any liquid spilled on the heated seat
should be removed immediately with
a dry cloth.
• When cleaning the seat, never use
gasoline, benzine, thinner, or any
similar materials.
• If any malfunctions are found or the
heated seat does not operate, turn
the switch off and have the system
checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service. The front seats are warmed by built-in
heaters.
1. Start the engine.
2. Push the switch, as desired. The indica-
tor light in the switch will illuminate.
The heater is controlled by a thermostat,
automatically turning the heater on and
off. The indicator light will remain on as
long as the switch is on.
3. When the seat is warmed or before you leave the vehicle, be sure to push the
switch to turn it off. The heated seats will
retain the current settings even if the
engine is restarted.
LIC4696
HEATED SEAT SWITCHES (if so
equipped)
Instruments and controls2-91

WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use
the seat heater if you or the occupants
cannot monitor elevated seat tem-
peratures or have an inability to feel
pain in body parts that contact the
seat. Use of the seat heater by such
people could result in serious injury.
CAUTION
• The battery could run down if the
seat heater is operated while the en-
gine is not running.
• Do not use the seat heater for ex-
tended periods or when no one is us-
ing the seat.
• Do not put anything on the seat
which insulates heat, such as a blan-
ket, cushion, seat cover, etc. Other-
wise, the seat may become
overheated.
• Do not place anything hard or heavy
on the seat or pierce it with a pin or
similar object. This may result in
damage to the heater. •
Any liquid spilled on the heated seat
should be removed immediately with
a dry cloth.
• When cleaning the seat, never use
gasoline, benzine, thinner, or any
similar materials.
• If any malfunctions are found or the
heated seat does not operate, turn
the switch off and have the system
checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
The 2nd row outboard seats are warmed
by built-in heaters. The switches are lo-
cated on the rear of the front center con-
sole and can be operated independently of
each other.
1. Start the engine.
2. Push the switch, as desired. The indica-tor light in the switch will illuminate.
The heater is controlled by a thermostat,
automatically turning the heater on and
off. The indicator light will remain on as
long as the switch is on.
LIC4697
HEATED 2ND ROW SEAT SWITCHES (if
so equipped)
2-92Instruments and controls

CAUTION
• The outlet and plug may be hot dur-
ing or immediately af ter use.
• Only certain power outlets are de-
signed for use with a cigarette lighter
unit. Do not use any other power out-
let for an accessory lighter. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer for additional information.
• Do not use with accessories that ex-
ceed a 12 volt, 120W (10A) power draw. •
Do not use double adapters or more
than one electrical accessory.
• Use power outlets with the engine
running to avoid discharging the ve-
hicle battery.
• Avoid using power outlets when the
air conditioner, headlights, or rear
window defroster is on.
• Before inserting or disconnecting a
plug, be sure the electrical accessory
being used is turned off.
• Push the plug in as far as it will go. If
good contact is not made, the plug
may overheat or the internal tem-
perature fuse may open.
• When not in use, be sure to close the
cap. Do not allow water or any other
liquid to contact the outlet.120V OUTLET (if so equipped)
CAUTION
• The outlet and plug may be hot dur-
ing or immediately af ter use.
• Use power outlets with the engine
running to avoid discharging the ve-
hicle battery.
• Do not use accessories that exceed a
120V, 150W power draw. Do not use
double adaptors or more than one
electrical accessory.
LIC4705
Cargo Area (if so equipped)
LIC4706
2nd Row
2-102Instruments and controls

•Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.
CAUTION
• Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline will seriously
reduce the three-way catalyst's abil-
ity to help reduce exhaust pollutants.
• Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich
fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep
driving if the engine misfires, or if no-
ticeable loss of performance or other
unusual operating conditions are de-
tected. Have the vehicle inspected
promptly. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer for this
service.
• Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the three-way catalyst.
• Do not race the engine while warm-
ing it up. •
Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check all your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substi-
tute for proper tire maintenance, and it is
the driver’s responsibility to maintain cor-
rect tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger illumi-
nation of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illu-
minated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the malfunc-
tion indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the installation of replacement or alter-
nate tires or wheels on the vehicle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale af ter replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
Starting and driving5-5

Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
• Spinning the front wheels on slippery
surfaces may cause the AWD
warning message to display and the
4WD system to automatically switch
from the 4WD to the 2WD mode. This
could reduce the traction. Be espe-
cially careful when towing a trailer
(4WD models).
• Drive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle
should be seated with their seat belt
fastened. This will keep you and your
passengers in position when driving
over rough terrain.
• Do not drive across steep slopes. In-
stead drive either straight up or
straight down the slopes. Off-road
vehicles can tip over sideways much
more easily than they can forward or
backward.
• Many hills are too steep for any ve-
hicle. If you drive up them, you may
stall. If you drive down them, you may
not be able to control your speed. If
you drive across them, you may roll
over. •
Do not shif t gears while driving on
downhill grades as this could cause
loss of control of the vehicle.
• Stay alert when driving to the top of a
hill. At the top there could be a drop-
off or other hazard that could cause
an accident.
• If your engine stalls or you cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill,
never attempt to turn around. Your
vehicle could tip or roll over. Always
back straight down in R (Reverse)
gear and apply brakes to control your
speed.
• Heavy braking going down a hill
could cause your brakes to overheat
and fade, resulting in loss of control
and an accident. Apply brakes lightly
and use a low gear to control your
speed.
• Unsecured cargo can be thrown
around when driving over rough ter-
rain. Properly secure all cargo so it
will not be thrown forward and cause
injury to you or your passengers. •
Secure heavy loads in the cargo area
as far forward and as low as possible.
Do not equip the vehicle with tires
larger than specified in this manual.
This could cause your vehicle to roll
over.
• Do not grip the inside or spokes of
the steering wheel when driving off-
road. The steering wheel could move
suddenly and injure your hands. In-
stead drive with your fingers and
thumbs on the outside of the rim.
• Before operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers
have their seat belts fastened.
• Always drive with the floor mats in
place as the floor may become hot.
• Lower your speed when encounter-
ing strong crosswinds. With a higher
center of gravity, your NISSAN is more
affected by strong side winds. Slower
speeds ensure better vehicle control.
• Do not drive beyond the perfor-
mance capability of the tires, even
with 4WD engaged.
Starting and driving5-11

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 temperatures with heavy loads,
such as when towing a trailer). When the
engine temperature reaches a certain
level:
• The engine coolant temperature gaugewill 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 the air conditioning cool-
ing function will automatically be turned
back on. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may
also come on if the engine coolant tem-
perature is not reduced or the air condi-
tioning cooling function does not turn back
on. If
only it remains on, you do not need to
have your vehicle towed, but have it in-
spected soon. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service. For
additional information, see “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” (P. 2-20).
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,
see “If your vehicle overheats” (P. 6-13).
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.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (A/T)
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shif ting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual) range. Always depress the
brake pedal until shif ting is com-
pleted. Failure to do so could cause
you to lose control and have an
accident.
• Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shif ting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Do not downshif t abruptly on slip-
pery roads. This may cause a loss of
control.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-18Starting and driving

WARNING
• Before leaving the vehicle, move the
shif t position to the P (Park) position
and check that the electronic parking
brake warning light is illuminated to
confirm that the electronic parking
brake is applied. The electronic park-
ing brake warning light will remain
on for a period of time af ter the driv-
er’s door is locked.
CAUTION
When parking in an area where the out-
side temperature is below 32°F (0°C),
the parking brake, if applied, may
freeze in place and may be difficult to
release.
For safe parking, it is recommended
that you place the shif t lever in the P
(Park) position and securely block the
wheels.
NOTE:
• To keep the electronic parking brake released af ter the engine is turned off,
place the ignition switch in the OFF po-
sition, depress the brake pedal and
push down the parking brake switch
before opening the driver’s door.
• If a malfunction occurs in the elec- tronic parking brake system (for ex-
ample, due to battery discharge), it is
recommended that you visit a NISSAN
dealer.
• Under the following conditions the electronic parking brake will automati-
cally be applied and the braking force
of the automatic brake hold will be
released:– The braking force is applied by the automatic brake hold function for 3
minutes or longer.
– The vehicle is in the P (Park) position.
– The electronic parking brake is ap- plied manually.
– The driver’s seat belt is unfastened.
– The driver’s door is opened.
– The ignition switch is placed in the OFF position.
– A malfunction occurs in the auto- matic brake hold function.
Manual operation
To apply: Pull the switch upO1. The indica-
tor light
OAwill illuminate.
To release: With the ignition switch in the
ON position, depress the brake pedal and
push the switch down
O2. The indicator
light
OAwill turn off.
Before driving, check that the electronic
parking brake indicator light (
or PARK)
goes out. For additional information, see
“Warning lights, indicator lights and audible
reminders” (P. 2-12).
NOTE:
• While the electronic parking brake is applied or released, an operating
sound is heard from the lower side of
the rear seat. This is normal and does
not indicate a malfunction.
• When the electronic parking brake is frequently applied and released in a
short period of time, the parking brake
may not operate in order to prevent the
parking brake system from overheat-
ing. If this occurs, operate the elec-
tronic parking brake switch again af ter
waiting approximately 1 minute.
Starting and driving5-27

•HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB
OC:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it moves.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position.
NOTE:
Use the Idling Stop System when the ve-
hicle is stopped for a period of time, for
example waiting at stop lights. Stop the
engine with the ignition switch when
parking, etc. for an extended period of
time.
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.
• When the electric power steering
warning light illuminates with the
engine running, there will be no
power assist for the steering. You will
still have control of the vehicle, but
the steering will be harder to operate.
Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN dealer for this service.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assist while driving to oper-
ate the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power as-
sist for the steering wheel will be reduced.
This is to prevent overheating of the power
steering system and protect it from getting
damaged. While the power assist is re-
duced, steering wheel operation will be-
come heavy. When the temperature of the
power steering system goes down, the
power assist level will return to normal.
Avoid repeating such steering wheel op- erations that could cause the power steer-
ing system to overheat.
You may hear a sound when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the electric power steering warning light
illuminates while the engine is running, it
may indicate the power steering system is
not functioning properly and may need
servicing. Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you visit a
NISSAN dealer for this service.
When the electric power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine running,
there will be no power assist for the steer-
ing, but you will still have control of the
vehicle. At this time, greater steering effort
is required to operate the steering wheel,
especially in sharp turns and at low speeds.
For additional information, see “Electric
Power steering warning light” (P. 2-17).
POWER STEERING
5-174Starting and driving