2008 HONDA PILOT trailer

How to operate the heating and air
conditioning system, the audio
system, and other conveniencef eatures.
A convenient ref erence to the
sections in this manual.
A quick ref erence to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and gauge,
and how to use the controls on the
dashboard and steering column. ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
How to order manuals and other
technical literature.
A summary of the inf ormation you
need when you pull up to the f uel
pump.
The proper way to start the engine,
shif t the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you’re
planning to tow a trailer.
Important inf ormation about the
proper use and care of your vehicle’s
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable inf ormation on how to
protect children with child restraints. The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance service.
There is also a list of things to check
and instructions on how to check
them.
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience,
and details how to handle them.A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual f or detailed
inf ormation.
What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
Overview of Contents
Contents
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Instruments and Controls
Features T echnical Inf ormation
Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only)
Index
Service Inf ormation Summary
Maintenance
Driving
Bef ore Driving
T aking Care of the Unexpected Warranty and Customer
Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
3
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Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
We recommend using quality
gasolines containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits.Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 % ethanol by
volume and up to 15 % MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
Premium f uel is recommended when
towing in certain conditions (see
page ).
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service. If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
228
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
188
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The f ollowing f actors can lower your
vehicle’s f uel economy:
Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traf f ic
Cold engine operation (engines
aremoreefficientwhenwarmed
up)
Driving with a heavy load or the
air conditioner running
Improperly inf lated tires
A properly maintained vehicle
maximizes f uel economy. Poor
maintenance can signif icantly reduce
f uel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the
inf ormation display (see on page ).
For example: An under-inf lated tire increases
‘‘rolling resistance,’’ which reduces
f uel economy.
It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing f uel
consumption. In
particular, a build-up of snow or
mud on your vehicle’s underside
adds weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
economy.
Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking increase fuel
consumption. Aerodynamic drag has a big ef f ect
on f uel mileage at speeds above 45
mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your f uel economy by up
shif ting as early as possible. Idling
results in 0 miles per gallon.
The A/C
puts an extra load on the engine
which makes it use more f uel. Use
the f resh-air ventilation when
possible.
Combine several short trips into
one. A warmed-up engine is more
f uel ef f icient than a cold one.
242
Fuel Economy Factors
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks Use the recommended viscosity
motor oil, displaying the A PI
Certif ication Seal (see page
).
Maintain proper tire inf lation
A void carrying excess weight in
your vehicle
K eep your vehicle clean
Drive moderately Observe the speed limit
Always drive in the highest gear
possible
Avoid excessive idling
Minimize the use of the air
conditioning system
Plan and combine trips
245
Fuel Economy
Vehicle Maint enance
Drive Ef f icient ly
194
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Steps f or Determining Correct Load
Limit:
Locate the statement ‘‘The
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX
kg or XXX lbs.’’ on your vehicle’s
placard.
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle.
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers f rom
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
For example, if the amount equals
850 lbs, and there will be f ive 150
lb. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 100 lbs.
(850 750 (5 150) = 100 lbs.)
The maximum load f or your vehicle
is 1,322 lbs (600 kg).
See Tire And Loading Inf ormation
label attached to the driver’s
doorjamb.
This f igure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, and
accessories, and the tongue load if
you are towing a trailer.
Label Example
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
CONT INUED
Load Limits
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
199
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.
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Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not saf ely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, the load f rom your trailer
will be transf erred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
In addition, the total weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, accessories,
cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). Both
areonalabelonthedriver’s
doorjamb.
(5)
(6)
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Carrying Cargo
200
Passenger Weight
(150 lbs x 2 = 300 lbs)
Passenger Weight
(150 lbs x 4 = 600 lbs)
Passenger Weight
(150 lbs x 5 = 750 lbs)
Max Load (1,322 lbs)
Max Load (1,322 lbs)
Max Load (1,322 lbs) Cargo Weight
(1,022 lbs)
Cargo Weight
(722 lbs)
Cargo Weight
(572 lbs)
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This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the VTM-4 system (4WD
models only), the vehicle stability
assist (VSA) system, the tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS),
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer or drive off-
highway.........................
Driving Guidelines .204
.......................
Starting the Engine .205
..............
Automatic Transmission .206
..............................
VTM-4 System .210
Tire Pressure Monitoring
........................
System (TPMS) .211
...........................................
Parking .214
.............................
Braking System .215
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .216
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
....................................
System .218
.........................
VSA Of f Switch .219
...........................
Towing a Trailer .220
Of f -Highway Driving
..................................
Guidelines .230
Driving
Driving
203
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This position is similar
to D, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D to provide
engine braking when going down a
steep hill. D can also keep the
transmission f rom cycling between
third and f ourth gears in stop-and-go
driving.
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
rpm below the red zone.This position locks the
transmission in f irst gear. By
upshif ting and downshif ting through
1, 2, D , and D, you can operate the
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal.
This position locks
thetransmissioninsecondgear.It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop.
Use second gear:
For more power when climbing.
To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.
For starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow.
When driving downhill with a
trailer.
To help reduce wheel spin.
3
3 3
Automatic Transmission
Drive (D )
Engine Speed L imiter
First (1)
Second (2)3
208
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Theweightthatthe
tongue of a f ully loaded trailer puts
on the hitch should be 5 to 10
percent of the total trailer weight for
boat trailers, and 8 to 15 percent of
total trailer weight for all other
trailers. (See page f or limits f or
your towing situation). Too much
tongue load reduces f ront-tire
traction and steering control. Too
little tongue load can make the
trailer unstable and cause it to sway.
Your vehicle has been designed to
tow a trailer, as well as carrying
passengers and their cargo. To
saf ely tow a trailer, you should
caref ully observe the load limits (see
page ), use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.
Be sure to read the
sectiononpage
if you plan to tow of f paved
surf aces.
Towing a trailer that is too heavy can
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.The maximum
allowable weight of the trailer and
everything in or on it depends on the
number of occupants in your vehicle
and the type of trailer being towed
(see page ).
199
223 223
230 Load Limits
Off-Highway
Driving GuidelinesTongue Load:
T ot al T railer Weight :
Towing a Trailer
220
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.
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