2005 HONDA PILOT Page 75

Use the compact spare tire as a
temporary replacement only. Get
your regular tire repaired or replaced,
and put it back on your vehicle as
soon as you can.
Check the inf lation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indicator bars. The
replacement should be the same size
and design tire, mounted on the
same wheel. The spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the spare wheel is not
designed f or mounting a regular tire.
Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50mph ( 80km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
f aces. Use greater caution while
driving.
Do not mount snow chains on it.
Do not use the compact spare tire
if you are towing a trailer.
Do not use your compact spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel.
Turn of f the VSA system (see
page ). Driving with the
compact spare tire may activate
the VSA system. 172
On EX-L models
Compact Spare Tire
224
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)

Diagnosing why the 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
areverydimordonotcomeonat
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.
230
237 221
230
159
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
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
229

´´
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 . 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 f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
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 ).
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery. 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.
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
You cannot start your vehicle by
pushing or pulling it. 1.
2.
3.
59
238 237Emergency
Towing Jump Starting
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
If the Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
230
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.

The pointer of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).
If the vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running, and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f all the accessories, and
turn on the hazard indicator.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
5.
6. 4.
1.
2. 3.
237
If theEngineOverheats
Emergency
Towing
232
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.

If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the f iller neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and
ref illed with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.
Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
7.
8.
9.
11. 10.
237Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
233
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

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
).
Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
This indicator 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.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance. 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.If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
1.
2.
3.
4. 149
237 199
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
234
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 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.
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 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 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 this 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. 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
f ive 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
f or more inf ormation (see page ).
254
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness Codes State Emissions T esting
Malf unction Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
235
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emission
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.

However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed and repaired as
soon as possible (see
on page ).
If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and caref ully.
If this indicator comes on
while driving, the brake
f luid level is probably low in the
reservoir. Press lightly on the brake
pedal to see if it f eels normal. If it
does, check the brake f luid level the
next time you stop at a service
station (see page ). If the f luid
level is low, take the vehicle to your
dealer and have the brake system
inspected f or leaks or worn brake
pads. 237
206
Brake System Indicator
Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
236