The Nissan Path

About to tow our 3600 lb pop up trailer. My old truck I towed with OD off. My 2012 doesn't have an overdrive just D then manual ish shifting. Do I just tow in D?

I tried the book but that told me nothing about towing specific to the pathy

It really just comes down to how hard it's working the vehicle. If it's constantly shifting, then manually downshift it to hold the gear. 3,600# pop up should be pretty easy going. I almost always leave mine in D unless I'm driving very hilly back roads. Out on the highway it rarely downshifts even with far more weight, and when it does it will hold the lower gear until you top the hill. So that's not really hurting anything.

Perfect! Thank you! That is what I was guessing but didn't want to drop the tranny on a guess.

According to the service manual, the torque converter only goes into lock-up in gears 3 and 5, never in gear 4. So extra heat is generated while in gear 4.

Thanks for everything guys. Pathfinder towed the trailer with ease. Had to watch my speed at times, something that was near impossible with my 03 xterra. Now to put in the air bags that just arrived sitting in the box at home.

CPLTECH wrote:According to the service manual, the torque converter only goes into lock-up in gears 3 and 5, never in gear 4. So extra heat is generated while in gear 4.

This makes no sense to me? Why would the TQ lock up in 5th and not forth gear? I would think it would be less stress on the trans to drive in 4th gear instead of 5th where it would be hunting for a lower gear often and it would generate more heat shifting often?

http://www.thenewx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=46272
In 4th gear you get what Nissan calls "Slip Lock", looks to be modified version of full lock up that allows for a locked condition at low speed or small throttle open positions, but reverts to open quicker when in 4th or 5th gear for better torque multiplication.


Lock-up Applied (Service Manual)
• In the lock-up applied state, the torque converter clutch control valve is set into the locked state by the torque converter clutch solenoid and lock-up apply pressure is generated. In this way, the torque converter clutch piston is pressed and coupled.
SMOOTH LOCK-UP CONTROL
OBH@/ / 02D
Select lever D position 3 position 2 position
Gear position 5 4 3 2
Lock-up × – × –
Slip lock-up × × – –
OBH@/ / 03D
TM-96

Hope this pasted OK, but slip-lock occurs in 4th. 3rd & 5th only go into lock-up. Is this due to the fact it is a dual-clutch transmisssion?

So from what I read I guess keep it in 5th gear until you come to a hill and drop it in 3rd gear and let it spin. It looks like there is little advantage to towing in 4th gear. My 2006 V6 Toyota 4Runner was different it was recommended not to tow in 5th gear at all. I would follow this although I would shift to 5th going down long hills to let it cool down with no load just coasting.