2005 HONDA PILOT maintenance

Run the engine until it reaches
normal operating temperature,
then shut it off.
Open the hood and remove the
engine oil f ill cap. Remove the oil
drain bolt and washer f rom the
bottom of the engine. Drain the oil
into an appropriate container.
Always change the oil and f ilter
according to the recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. The oil
and f ilter collect contaminants that
can damage your engine if they are
not removed regularly.
You may use a synthetic motor oil if
it meets the same requirements
given f or a conventional motor oil: it
displays the API Certif ication Seal,
and it is the proper weight. You must
f ollow the oil and f ilter change
intervals given on the maintenance
schedule.
Your vehicle does not require any oil
additives. Additives may adversely
af f ect your engine’s or transmission’s
perf ormance and durability. Changing the oil and f ilter requires
special tools and access f rom
underneath the vehicle. The vehicle
should be raised on a service station-
type hydraulic lif t f or this service.
Unless you have the knowledge and
proper equipment, you should have
this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.
1.
2.
Changing the Oil and Filter
Synthetic Oil
Engine Oil A dditives
A dding Engine Oil, Changing the Oil and Filter
200
DRAIN BOLT
WASHER

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To thoroughly f lush the
transmission, the technician
should drain and ref ill it with
Honda ATF-Z1 (Automatic
Transmission Fluid), then drive
the vehicle f or a short distance.
Do this three times. Then drain
and ref ill the transmission a f inal
time.
Insert the dipstick all the way back
into the transmission.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
If you are not sure how to add f luid,
contact your dealer. Put a new washer on the f iller bolt,
then reinstall the f iller bolt and
tighten it securely. Tightening
torque:
The dif f erential should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
The timing belt should be replaced
at the intervals shown in the
maintenance schedule. Replace the
belt at 60,000 miles (100,000 km) if
you regularly drive your vehicle in
one or more of these conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Frequently tow a trailer.
Check the f luid level with the
dif f erential at normal operating
temperature and the vehicle sitting
on level ground. Remove the
dif f erential f luid f iller bolt and
washer, and caref ully f eel inside the
bolt hole with your f inger. The f luid
level should be up to the edge of the
bolt hole. If it is not, slowly add
VTM-4 Dif f erential Fluid until it
starts to run out of the hole.
6.
Timing Belt
Dif f erential Oil
A utomatic T ransmission Fluid, Dif f erential Oil, T iming Belt
Maint enance
205
FILLER BOLT
CORRECT LEVEL
33 lbf·ft (45 N·m , 4.6 kgf·m)

The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.
Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement.
Using any non-Honda brake f luid can
cause corrosion and decrease the lif e
of the system. Have the brake
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 as soon as possible.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your vehicle’s
braking system and can cause
extensive damage.
Check the brake f luid level in the
reservoirs monthly. Replace brake
fluidaccordingtothetime
recommendation in the maintenance
schedule.
Brake Fluid
206
MAX
MIN

Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort.Underinf lated tires wear unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to
fail from being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,are
more prone to damage f rom road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
To saf ely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inf lated.
The f ollowing pages give more
detailed inf ormation on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they need to be replaced.
We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure in each tire at least once a
month. Even tires that are in good
condition may lose one to two psi (10
to 20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per
month. Remember to check the
sparetireatthesametime.
Check the air pressures when the
tires are cold. This means the
vehicle has been parked f or at least
three hours, or driven less than 1
mile (1.6 km). Add or release air, if
needed, to match the recommended
cold tire pressures on the next page.
The tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS)willwarnyouwhenatire
pressure is low. See page f or
inf ormation on the TPMS.
165
Tires
Inf lation Guidelines
216
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.

Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a
band 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide across
the tread. This shows there is less
than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread lef t
on the tire.
A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators.In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you f eel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed f rom the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance.
To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires at these intervals:
Move the tires to the positions
shown in the illustration each time
they are rotated. If you purchase
directional tires, rotate only f ront-to-
back.
Tires
T ire Maintenance
T ire Rotation
218
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS Front
Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) (For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only genuine Honda wheels weights f or
balancing.

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 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.
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
Maint enance
221
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 periodically run the
engine until it reaches normal
operating temperature (the
cooling f ans cycle twice).
Pref erably, do this once a month.
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your dealer
perf orm the inspections called f or in
the 24 months/30,000 miles
(48,000 km) 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. 192
Vehicle Storage
222

ÎÎIn Canada, Honda vehicles comply
with the Canadian emission
requirements, as specif ied in an
agreement with Environment
Canada, at the time they are
manuf actured.
Your vehicle has a positive
crankcase ventilation system. This
keeps gasses that build up in the
engine’s crankcase f rom going into
the atmosphere. The positive crankcase ventilation valve routes
them from the crankcase back to the
intake manif old. They are then
drawn into the engine and burned.
As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
The onboard ref ueling vapor
recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f .
The burning of gasoline in your
vehicle’s engine produces several by-
products. Some of these are carbon
monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen
(NOx) and hydrocarbons (HC).
Gasoline evaporating f rom the tank
also produces hydrocarbons. Con-
trolling the production of NOx, CO,
and HC is important to the environ-
ment. Under certain conditions of
sunlight and climate, NOx and HC
react to f orm photochemical ‘‘smog.’’
Carbon monoxide does not contri-
bute to smog creation, but it is a
poisonous gas.
The United States Clean Air Act
sets standards f or automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
workandwhattodotomaintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page
.
164
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
The Clean Air Act
Emissions Cont rols
T echnical Inf ormation
251