2004 Nissan Xterra Owner's Manual - Page 276

● Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal circumstances. ● Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle's first 500 miles (805 km). ● Have your vehicle serviced more often than at intervals specified in the recommended Maintenance Schedule in the "NISSAN Service and Maintenance Guide". ● When making a turn, your trailer wheels will be closer to the inside of the turn than your vehicle wheels. To compensate for this, make a larger than normal turning radius during the turn. ● Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly causing vehicle sway. When being passed by larger vehicles, be prepared for possible changes in crosswinds that could affect vehicle handling. If swaying does occur, firmly grip the steering wheel, steer straight ahead, and immediately (but gradually) reduce vehicle speed. This combination will help stabilize the vehicle. Never increase speed. ● Be careful when passing other vehicles. Passing while towing a trailer requires considerably more distance than normal passing. Remember, the length of the trailer must also pass the other vehicle before you can safely change lanes. ● To maintain engine braking efficiency and electrical charging performance, do not use 5th gear (manual transmission) or overdrive (automatic transmission). ● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced braking efficiency. When towing a trailer, transmission oil/fluid should be changed more frequently. For additional information, see the "Maintenance and do-it-yourself" section earlier in this manual. ● DO NOT tow any automatic transmission vehicle 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 refer to "Towing recommended by NISSAN" in the "In case of emergency" section of this manual. Automatic Transmission To tow a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, an appropriate vehicle dolly MUST be placed under the towed vehicle's drive wheels. Always follow the dolly manufacturer's recommendations when using their product. 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 vehicle, such as a motor home. Manual Transmission ● Always tow with the manual transmission in Neutral. ● On four-wheel drive vehicles, place the transfer case in the 2H range. Failure to do so will cause the powertrain to bind up. ● After towing 500 miles, start and idle the engine with the transmission in Neutral for two minutes. Failure to idle the engine after every 500 miles of towing may cause damage to internal transmission parts. CAUTION ● Failure to follow these guidelines can result in severe transmission damage. ● Whenever flat towing your vehicle, always tow forward, never backward. 9-22 Technical and consumer information