2003 HONDA PILOT Owners Manual

Regular cleaning and polishing of
your Honda helps to keep it ‘‘new’’
looking. This section gives you
informationonhowtocleanyour
vehicle and preserve its appearance:
the paint, brightwork, wheels and
interior. Also included are several
things you can do to help prevent
corrosion..................................
Exterior Care .326
.....................................
Washing .326
.......................................
Waxing .327
....................
Aluminum Wheels .327
..........................
Paint Touch-up .327
..................................
Interior Care .328
...................................
Carpeting .328
.................................
Floor Mats .328
.........................................
Fabric .329
...........................................
Vinyl .329
.......................................
Leather .329
...................................
Seat Belts .329
....................................
Windows .330
..........................
Air Fresheners .330
....................
Corrosion Protection .331
.................................
Body Repairs .332
Appearance Care
Appearance Care325

Frequent washing helps preserve
your vehicle’s beauty. Dirt and grit
can scratch the paint, while tree sap
and bird droppings can permanently
ruin the f inish.
Wash your vehicle in a shady area,
not in direct sunlight. If the vehicle is
parked in the sun, move it into the
shade and let the exterior cool down
bef ore you start.When you have washed and rinsed
the whole exterior, dry it with a
chamois or sof t towel. Letting it
air-dry will cause dulling and water
spots.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with
cool water to remove loose dirt.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommendedinthisOwner’s
Manual. Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix
in a mild detergent, such as
dishwashing liquid or a product
made especially f or car washing.
Wash the vehicle using the water
and detergent solution and a sof t-
bristle brush, sponge, or sof t cloth.
Start at the top and work your way
down. Rinse f requently.
Check the body f or road tar, tree
sap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it
of f immediately so it does not
harm the f inish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of
the vehicle does not need waxing.As you dry the vehicle, inspect it f or
chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page ).
327
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Washing
326
Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your vehicle. The radio antenna on your vehicle does
not need to be removed when you use a
‘‘drive-through’’ car wash. However, if
you remove the antenna, make sure to
reinstall it and tighten it securely using
an appropriate tool.

µµ Your dealer has touch-up paint to
match your vehicle’s color. The color
code is printed on a sticker on the
driver’s doorjamb. Take this code to
your dealer so you are sure to get
the correct color.
Inspect your vehicle f requently f or
chips or scratches in the paint.
Repair them right away to prevent
corrosion of the metal underneath.
Use the touch-up paint only on small
chips and scratches. More extensive
paint damage should be repaired by
a prof essional.
Always wash and dry the whole
vehiclebeforewaxingit.Youshould
wax your vehicle, including the metal
trim, whenever water sits on the
surf ace in large patches. It should
formintobeadsordropletsafter
waxing.
Cleaning tar, insects, etc. with
removers also takes off the wax.
Remember to re-wax those areas,
even if the rest of the vehicle does
not need waxing.
You should use a quality liquid or
paste wax. Apply it according to the
instructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of
products:
The wheels have a protective clear-
coat that keeps the aluminum from
corroding and tarnishing. Using
harsh chemicals, including some
commercial wheel cleaners, or stif f
brushes can damage this clear-coat.
Only use a mild detergent and sof t
brush or sponge to clean the wheels.
Waxes A wax coats the finish and
protects it f rom damage by exposure
to sunlight, air pollution, etc. You
should use a wax on your Honda
when it is new.
Polishes Polishes and cleaner/
waxes can restore the shine to paint
that has oxidized and lost some of its
shine. They normally contain mild
abrasives and solvents that remove the top layer of the f inish. You
should use a polish on your Honda if
the f inish does not have its original
shine af ter using a wax.
Clean your Honda’s aluminum alloy
wheels as you do the rest of the
exterior.Washthemwiththesame
solution, and rinse them thoroughly.
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Paint T ouch-up
Waxing
A luminum Wheels
327

Vacuum the carpeting f requently to
remove dirt. Ground-in dirt will make
the carpet wear out f aster.
Periodically shampoo the carpet to
keep it looking new. Use one of the
foam-type carpet cleaners on the
market. Follow the instructions that
come with the cleaner, applying it
with a sponge or sof t brush. Keep
the carpeting as dry as possible by
not adding water to the f oam.Do not put additional f loor mats on
top of the anchored mat, otherwise
the additional mats may slide
f orward and interf ere with the pedals.
The Genuine Honda driver’s f loor
mat that came with your vehicle was
designed to be hooked over the f loor
mat anchor. This keeps the f loor mat
f rom sliding f orward and possibly
interf ering with the pedals. If you remove the driver’s f loor mat,
make sure to re-anchor it when you
putitbackinyourvehicle.
If you replace it, use a genuine
Honda f loor mat that is designed to
be used with the f loor mat anchor in
your vehicle.
If you use a non-Honda f loor mat in
the driver’s f ootwell, make sure it
f its properly and that it can be used
with the floor mat anchor.
Carpeting
Floor Mats
Appearance Care
Interior Care
328

Remove dirt and dust with a vacuum
cleaner. Wipe the vinyl with a sof t
cloth dampened in a solution of mild
soap and water. Use the same
solution with a soft-bristle brush on
more dif f icult spots. You can also use
commercially-available spray or
f oam-type vinyl cleaners.If your seat belts get dirty, you can
use a sof t brush with a mixture of
mild soap and warm water to clean
them. Do not use bleach, dye, or
cleaning solvents. They can weaken
the belt material. Let the belts air-
drybeforeyouusethevehicle.
Vacuum dirt and dust out of the
material f requently. For general
cleaning, use a solution of mild soap
and lukewarm water, letting it air dry.
To clean of f stubborn spots, use a
commercially-available f abric cleaner.
Test it on a hidden area of the f abric
first, to make sure it does not bleach
or stain the f abric. Follow the
instructions that come with the
cleaner.
Vacuum dirt and dust f rom the
leather f requently. Pay particular
attention to the pleats and seams.
Clean the leather with a sof t cloth
dampened with clear water, then
buf f it with a clean, dry cloth. If
f urther cleaning is needed, use a
soap specif ically f or leather, such as
saddle soap. Apply this soap with a
damp,softcloth.Wipedownand
buf f as described above.
CONT INUED
VinylSeat Belts
Fabric
Leather
Interior Care
Appearance Care329
LOOP

Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth
dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass
cleaner. You can also use a mixture
of one part white vinegar to ten parts
water. This will remove the haze that
builds up on the inside of the
windows. Use a sof t cloth or paper
towels to clean all glass and clear
plastic surf aces.If you want to use an air f reshener/
deodorizer in the interior of your
vehicle, it is best to use a solid type.
Some liquid air f resheners contain
chemicals that may cause parts of
the interior trim and f abric to crack
or discolor.
If youusealiquidairfreshener,
make sure you f asten it securely so it
does not spill as you drive.
Windows
A ir Fresheners
Interior Care
Appearance Care330
The rear window def ogger wires are
bonded to the inside of the glass.
Wiping vigorously up-and-down can
dislodge and break the def ogger wires.
When cleaning the rear window, use
gentle pressure and wipe side-to-side.

Two f actors normally contribute to
causing corrosion in your vehicle:Moisture trapped in body cavities.
Dirtandroadsaltthatcollectsin
hollows on the underside of the
vehicle stays damp, promoting
corrosion in that area.
Removal of paint and protective
coatings f rom the exterior and
underside of the vehicle. Repair chips and scratches in the
paint as soon as you discover them.
Inspect and clean out the drain
holes in the bottom of the doors
and body.
Check the f loor coverings f or
dampness. Carpeting and f loor
mats may remain damp f or a long
time, especially in winter. This
dampness can eventually cause
the f loor panels to corrode.Use a high-pressure spray to clean
the underside of your vehicle. This
is especially important in areas
that use road salt in winter. It is
also a good idea in humid climates
and areas subject to salt air. Be
caref ul of the ABS wheel sensors
and wiring at each wheel.
Have the corrosion-preventive
coatings on the underside of your
vehicle inspected and repaired
periodically.
Many corrosion-preventive measures
are built into your Honda. You can
help keep your vehicle f rom
corroding by perf orming some
simple periodic maintenance:
1.
2.
Corrosion Prot ect ion
Appearance Care331

Body repairs can affect your vehicle’s
resistance to corrosion. If your
vehicle needs repairs af ter a collision,
pay close attention to the parts used
in the repair and the quality of the
work.
Make sure the repair f acility uses
genuine Honda replacement body
parts. Some companies make sheet
metal pieces that seem to duplicate
the original Honda body parts, but
are actually inf erior in f it, f inish, and
corrosion resistance. Once installed,
they do not give the same high-
quality appearance.When reporting your collision to the
insurance company, tell them you
want genuine Honda parts used in
the repair. Although most insurers
recognize the quality of original
parts, some may try to specif y that
the repairs be done with other
available parts. You should investi-
gate this before any repairs have
begun.
Take your vehicle to your authorized
Honda dealer f or inspection af ter the
repairs are completed. Your dealer
can make sure that quality materials
were used, and that corrosion-
preventive coatings were applied to
all repaired and replaced parts.
Body Repairs
Appearance Care332