2004 HONDA PILOT battery

µ
Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors. If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your Honda dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f urther corrosion. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
Maint enance
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking Your Battery
193
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the battery
maintenance.

Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors. Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield. Disconnect the battery.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park. To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals.If possible, run the engine
periodically (pref erably once a
month).
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Honda
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months/30,000 miles
maintenance schedule (Normal
Conditions) as soon as you take it
out of storage (see page ). The
replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the vehicle has
actually reached that time or mileage. 165
Maint enance
Vehicle Storage
194

Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things: Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
orNeutralorthestarterwillnot
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereis
probably something wrong with
the electrical circuit f or the
ignition switch or starter motor.
You will need a qualif ied
technician to determine the
problem (see
on page ). If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
202
208 193
202
137
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Jump Starting
Emergency T owing Starting the
Engine
T he Starter Operates Normally
If theEngineWon’tStart
201

´´
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . You cannot start a Honda by pushing
or pulling it. Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions. Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or like ice, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly(seepage ).
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the warning light may not
be working.
1.
2.
3.
209
20853
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing Jump Starting
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
If the Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
202
NOTICE:
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme
cold, the electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

µ
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle. Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
and then from the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
4.
5. 6.
7.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting
203

Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure light. If it does not go out
within ten seconds, turn off the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving.
(Seeon page
).
This light should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible and you should
take immediate action. Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
171
127
208
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
L ow Oil Pressure L ight, Charging System Indicator
206
NOTICE:
Running the engine with low
oil pressure can cause serious
mechanical damage almost immediately.
Turn of f the engine as soon as you can
saf ely get the vehicle stopped.

If the indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emission control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance,
continued operation may cause
serious damage.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing f uel f ill cap. Check the cap
or replace it. Tightening the cap will
not make the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving.
If the indicator remains on or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have the vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible. If the malf unction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicator, there is a problem in the
automatic transmission control
system.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.If your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition to ON (II), without starting
the engine. The Malf unction
Indicator Lamp will come on f or 20
seconds. If it then goes of f , the
readiness codes are set. If it blinks 5
times, the readiness codes are not
set. If possible, do not take your
vehicle f or a state emissions test
until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to State Emissions Testing for
more information (see page ).
226
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness Code
Malf unction Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed207
NOTICE:If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emission
controls and the engine. Those repairs
may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.

The vehicle’s f uses are located in
f our f use boxes. The interior f use
boxes are located under the
dashboard on the driver’s and
passenger’s side.To open the passenger’s side, pull
the right edge of the cover.
The primary under-hood f use box is
locatedonthepassenger’sside.The
secondary f use box is next to the
battery.
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed209
UNDER-
HOOD
FUSE
BOXES
PASSENGER’ S SIDE INTERIOR
DRIVER’ S SIDE INTERIOR