Nissan Pathfinder: Technical and consumer information - Flat towing your vehicle

Flat towing for 4-Wheel drive vehicle

Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground is sometimes called flat towing, dinghy towing or 4 down towing. This method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor home.

CAUTION

• Failure to follow these guidelines can result in severe transmission damage.
• Never flat tow your 4-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle.
• DO NOT tow your 4-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle with any wheels on the ground. Doing so may cause serious and expensive damage to the powertrain.

Flat towing for front wheel drive vehicle

Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground is sometimes called flat towing, dinghy towing or 4 down towing. This method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor home.

CAUTION

• Failure to follow these guidelines can result in severe transmission damage.
• Whenever flat towing your vehicle, always tow forward, never backward.
• Never tow your front wheel drive vehicle with the front tires on the ground. Doing so may cause serious and expensive damage to the powertrain.
• DO NOT tow your front wheel drive 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.

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.

NOTE: If the battery is completely drained the transmission will not manually shift to other positions.

Towing a trailerNissan Pathfinder (R53) 2022-2025 Service Manual