1998 Nissan Sentra Owner's Manual - Page 206

●

Be certain your rear view mirrors con-

form to all federal, state or local regula-

tions. If not, install any mirrors required

for towing before driving the vehicle.

Trailer towing tips

In order to gain skill and an understanding

of the vehicle’s behavior, you should prac-

tice turning, stopping and backing up in an

area which is free from traffic. Steering,

stability,

and

braking

performance

are

somewhat different than under normal driv-

ing conditions.

●

Always secure items in the trailer to

prevent load shift while driving.

●

Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.

●

Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.

●

Always drive your vehicle at a moderate

speed.

●

Always block the wheels on both vehicle

and trailer when parking. Parking on a

slope is not recommended; however, if

you must do so, and if your vehicle is

equipped with an automatic transmission,

first block the wheels and apply the park-

ing brake, and then move the transmis-

sion shift selector lever into the P position.

If you move the shift selector lever to the P

position before blocking the wheels and

applying the parking brake, transmission

damage could occur.

●

When going down a hill, shift into a lower

gear and use the engine braking effect.

When ascending a long grade, down-

shift the transmission to a lower gear

and reduce speed to reduce chances of

engine overloading and/or overheating.

●

If the engine temperature coolant rises

to an extremely high temperature when

the air conditioning system is on, turn off

the air conditioner. Coolant heat can be

additionally vented by opening the win-

dows, switching the fan control to high

and setting the temperature control to

the HOT position.

●

Trailer towing requires more fuel than

normal circumstances.

●

Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s

first 500 miles (800 km).

●

Have your vehicle serviced more often

than at intervals specified in the recom-

mended Maintenance Schedule.

●

When making a turn, your trailer wheels

will be closer to the inside of the turn

than your vehicle wheels. To compen-

sate for this, make a larger than normal

turning radius during the turn.

●

Crosswinds and rough roads 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 imme-

diately (but gradually) reduce vehicle

speed. This combination helps to stabi-

lize 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 fifth 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 re-

duced braking efficiency.

When towing a trailer, change the oil in

the transmission more frequently. For

additional information see the ‘‘Mainte-

nance’’ section earlier in this manual.

Technical and consumer information

10-17

1998 Nissan Sentra Owner's Manual - Page 206

1998 Nissan Sentra Manual

Page 206 highlights