2014 Nissan Pathfinder Owner's Manual - Page 556

● 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 shift 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. Shifting to a lower gear instead provides "engine braking" and reduces 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 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. 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 conditions allow. This combination will help stabilize the vehicle - Do not correct trailer sway by steering or applying the brakes. 2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the brakes and pull to the side of the road in a safe area. 3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is balanced as described earlier in this section. ● 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. ● Use the Tow Mode or downshift the transmission to a lower gear for engine braking when driving down steep or long hills. This will help slow the vehicle without applying the brakes. ● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced braking efficiency. ● Increase your following distance to allow for greater stopping distances while towing a trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually. ● NISSAN recommends that the cruise control not be used while towing a trailer. ● Some states or provinces have specific regulations and speed limits for vehicles that are towing trailers. Obey the local speed limits. ● Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness connections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50 miles (80 km) of travel and at every break. 9-26 Technical and consumer information