2004 Nissan Xterra Owner's Manual - Page 177

POWER STEERING 1. Firmly apply the parking brake. 2. Manual transmission models: Place the shift lever in the R (Reverse) position. When parking on an uphill grade, place the shift lever in 1st gear. Automatic transmission models: Move the shift selector lever to the P (Park) position. 3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into traffic when parked on an incline, it is a good practice to turn the wheels as illustrated. ● HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB: 1 Turn the wheels into the curb and move the vehicle forward until the curb side wheel gently touches the curb. ● HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB: 2 Turn the wheels away from the curb and move the vehicle back until the curb side wheel gently touches the curb. ● HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO CURB: 3 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. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position and remove the key. The power assisted steering is designed to use 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. BRAKE SYSTEM 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 distance will be longer. 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 much harder to operate. Using the brakes Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving. This will overheat the brakes, wear out the brake linings 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. Starting and driving 5-23