2009 HONDA PILOT maintenance

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.Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort.
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. 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.
Even though your vehicle is
equipped with TPMS, 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 1 to 2 psi (10 to
20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per
month. Remember to check the
sparetireatthesametime.
Thetirepressuremonitoringsystem
(TPMS) warns you when a tire
pressure is low. See page or f or more inf ormation. 424
427
Inf lation Guidelines
Tires
500
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.
——
y
y
(/yy
2009 Pilot

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.
Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:
Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Excessive tread wear. The service lif e of your tires is
dependent on many f actors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inf lation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).
In addition to your regular
inspections and inf lation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
perf ormed once the tires reach f ive
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
The last f our digits of the TIN (tire
identif ication number) are f ound on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (See
on page ).
Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a 1/2
inch (12.7 mm) wide band across the
tread. This shows there is less than
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread lef t on
the tire.
546
Tire Inspection
Tire Service Lif e
Tire
Labeling
Tires
502
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
——
y
y
(/yy
2009 Pilot

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.Replace your tires with radial tires of
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s sidewall).
Mixing radial and bias-ply tires on
your vehicle can reduce braking
ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Using tires of a dif f erent
size or construction can cause the
ABS and vehicle stability assist
system (VSA) to work inconsistently.
To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires according to the
maintenance messages displayed on
the inf ormation display or multi-
inf ormation display (depending on
models). Move the tires to the
positions shown in the diagram each
time they are rotated. If you
purchase directional tires, rotate
only f ront-to-back.
CONT INUED
T ire Maintenance Replacing T ires and Wheels
Tire Rotation
Tires
Maint enance
503
Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) (For Directional
Tires and Wheels)Front
On vehicles with aluminum wheels,
improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only Honda wheel weights f or
balancing.
——
y

y
(/yy
2009 Pilot

µ
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.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
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. If the radio f use is removed, the
audio system will disable itself . The
nexttimeyouturnontheradioyou
will see ‘‘ENTER CODE’’ in the
f requency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the digit code (see
page ).
Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors.
311
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
508
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
technician do the battery
maintenance.
——
y

y
(/y
y
2009 Pilot

µ
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inf lated to
the inf lation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manuf acturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inf lation
pressure label.
(If your vehicle has tires of a
dif f erent size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire
inf lation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inf lation
pressure f or those tires.)As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale
when one or more of your tires is
signif icantly under-inf lated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inf late them to
the proper pressure.Driving on a signif icantly under
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inf lation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Required Federal Explanation
548
——
y

y
(/yy
2009 Pilot

Î
ÎThe 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
.
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 .
In 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. 473
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
Emissions Cont rols
Technical Inf ormation
551
——
y

y
(/yy
2009 Pilot

T he publications shown below can be purchased f rom Helm
Incorporated. You can order by phone or online:Call Helm Inc. at 1-800-782-4356 (credit card orders only)
Go online at
If you are interested in other years or models, contact Helm Inc.
at 1-800-782-4356.Covers maintenance and recommended procedures f or
repair to engine and chassis components. It is written
f or the journeyman mechanic, but it is simple enough
f or most mechanically inclined owners to understand.
Complements the Service Manual by providing in-depth
troubleshooting inf ormation f or each electrical circuit
in your vehicle.
Describes the procedures involved in the replacement
of damaged body parts.
Authorized Manuals
Service Manual:
Electrical T roubleshooting Manual:
Body Repair Manual:
Purchasing Factory Authorized Manuals (U.S.only)
Authorized Manuals
561
Publication
Form Number 61SZA00
61SZA00EL
61SZA30
31SZA600
31SZA800
31SZAM00 31SZAQ00 HON Form Description
2009 Honda Pilot Service Manual 2009 Honda Pilot
Electrical Troubleshooting Manual
2009 Honda Pilot Body Repair Manual 2009 Honda Pilot Owner’s Manual 2009 Honda Pilot
Navigation System Owner’s Manual
2009 Honda Pilot Honda Service History 2009 Honda Pilot Quick Start Guide Order Form for Previous Years
Indicate Year and Model Desired
www. helminc. com
——
y
y
(/yy
2009 Pilot

CONT INUED
BatteryCharging System ...........................
Indicator .68, 525
............................
Jump Starting .521
..............................
Maintenance .508 ............................
Specif ications .543
..............................
Bef ore Driving .397
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,20
.........................
Beverage Holders .179
.......
Bluetooth
HandsFreeLink. 360
..................................
Booster Seats .56
Brakes ...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 433
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 398
............
Bulb Replacement . 490,492
...........................................
Fluid .485
.......................................
Parking .167
.................
System Indicator . 69,527
........................
Wear Indicators .433
.............................
Braking System .432
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle . 398
Brightness Control, ...............................
Instruments .129
................................................
AAC .298
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 406
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .....................................
Position) .135
............
Accessory Power Sockets . 184
...........................
AC Power Outlet .185
................
Active Head Restraints . 156
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 477
...........................
Advanced Airbags .29
...............................
Airbag (SRS) .9, 24
..........
Airbag System Components . 24
......
Air Conditioning System . 190,197
.............
Rear A/C Control . 195,202
.......................
Air Outlets (Vents) .204
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .500
......................................
Antif reeze .479
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ....................
Indicator Light .70, 434
...................................
Operation .433
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 311
Anti-thef t Steering Column ............................................
Lock .135
........
Audio System . 206,208,224,250 Auto Control Mode, Starting
........................................
Engine .415
............................
Auto Door Lock .114
...
Auto Door Locking/Unlocking . 137
.........................
Auto Door Unlock .115
..........
Automatic Climate Control . 197
.......................
Automatic Lighting .125
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 22
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 348
..............
Automatic Transmission . 417
..........................
Capacity, Fluid .542
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 482
.......................................
Shif ting .417
Shif t Lever Position ...............................
Indicators .417
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 418
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 420
......................
Auxiliary Input Jack .308
Index
A
B
INDEX
I
——y

y
(/yy
2009 Pilot