2004 HONDA PILOT Owners Manual

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Do not leave children alone in a
vehicle. Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous. For
example, inf ants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition can accidentally set the
vehicle in motion, possibly injuring
themselves or others.Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back.
An inf ant must be properly
restrained in a rear-f acing, reclining
child seat until the child reaches the
seat maker’s weight or height limit
f or the seat, and the child is at least
one year old.
Lock all doors and the tailgate
when your vehicle is not in use.
Children who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles. Keep vehicle keys and remote
transmitters out of the reach of
children. Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition,
and open the trunk, which can
lead to accidental injury or death.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype
Protecting Children General Guidelines, Protecting Inf ants
29

A child who is at least one year old,
and who fits within the child seat
maker’s weight and height limits,
should be restrained in a f orward-
f acing, upright child seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.
We strongly recommend installing a
rear-facing child seat in a back seat.
If the passenger’s
f ront airbag inf lates, it can hit the
back of the child seat with enough
forcetokillorseriouslyinjurean
inf ant.
When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger f rom
moving the seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking the
seat-back in the desired position, and
interf ering with the proper operation
of the passenger’s advanced f ront
airbag (see page ).
In any of these situations, we
strongly recommend that you install
the child seat in a dif f erent back
seating position or get a smaller rear-
f acing child seat.
Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision. 22
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype
Child Seat Placement
Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe front seat.
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in a f orward-f acing position.
30
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death if the
passenger’s front airbag inflates.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.

We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the f ront.If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to cause very
serious or f atal injuries. Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the two second-
row seat. When buying a child seat, you need
to choose between a conventional
child seat, or one designed f or use
with the Lower Anchors and Tethers
f or Children (LATCH) system.
We also recommend that a small
child stay in the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit f or the seat.
If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle, and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
CONT INUED
Selecting a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Child Seat Placement
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.Selecting a Child Seat
31
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.

Af ter selecting a proper child seat,
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers f or Children) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is secure.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children.
Bef ore purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend that
you test the seat in the specif ic
vehicle seating position, or positions,
where the seat will be used.
Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.
We also recommend selecting a
LATCH-compatible seat with a rigid,
rather than a f lexible, anchor (see
page ).
In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
33
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Selecting a Child Seat, Installing a Child Seat
Properly secure t he child seat t o
the vehicle.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmlysecured.
T he child seat should be of the
proper t ype and size t o f it t he child.
T he child seat should f it thevehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
T he child seat should meet U.S. or Canadian Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213. 1.
2.
1. 2.
3.
32

Move the seat belt buckle or
tongue away f rom the lower
anchors.
Make sure there are no objects
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and
anchors.
Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers f or Children) at the second
row seats. The lower anchors are
located between the seat-back and
seat bottom, and are to be used only
with a child seat designed f or use
with LATCH.
The location of each lower anchor is
marked with a small circle above the
point.
To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:
The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A f orward-f acing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same f or a rear-
f acing child seat. Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash.
A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as f irmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid’’. Some side-to-side
movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat’s
ef f ectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured.
1.
2.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Installing a Child Seat Using
LATCH
Secure the child in the child seat.
3.
33
LOWER
ANCHORS

Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchorage point on the
underside of the seat cushion,
then tighten the strap as
instructed by the child seat maker.
Make sure the strap is not twisted.
Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verif y that it is secure.
Whatever type you have, f ollow
the child seat maker’s instructions
f or adjusting or tightening the f it.
Other LATCH-compatible seats have
a f lexible-type connection as shown
above.
Place the child seat on the vehicle
seat, and attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connection as
shown above. 4. 5.
6.
3.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety34
FLEXIBLE TYPE
RIGID TYPE

When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle.To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt f eed back into the
retractor.
Af ter the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
thebeltout,itisnotlocked,and
you will need to repeat these steps.
1.
2.
3.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
35

Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is f irmly secured. If
the child seat is not secure,
unlatch the belt, allow it to retract
f ully, then repeat these steps.
To deactivate the locking
mechanism and remove a child seat,
unlatch the buckle, unroute the seat
belt, and let the belt f ully retract.
Af ter conf irming that the belt is
locked,thengrabtheshoulder
part of the belt near the buckle
andpulluptoremoveanyslack
f rom the lap part of the belt.
Remember, if the lap part of the
belt is not tight, the child seat will
not be secure. To remove slack, it may help to put
weight on the child seat, or push on
the back of the seat while pulling up
on the belt.
4. 5.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety36