2011 HONDA PILOT Engine

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 ).
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.
Be sure to read the
sectiononpage
if you plan to tow of f paved
surf aces. Your vehicle has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can also use it to
tow a trailer if you caref ully observe
the load limits, use the proper
equipment, and f ollow the guidelines
in this section.
Avoid towing a trailer during your
vehicle’s f irst 600 miles (1,000 km)
(see page ). 394
449 438
Towing a Trailer
Load Limit
Off-Highway
Driving Guidelines
T ot al T railer Weight
Break-In Period
434
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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When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering wheel,
then turn the wheel to the left to get
the trailer to move to the lef t. Turn
the wheel to the right to move the
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in Park and f irmly
setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer’s
tires. Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause the trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections.If the vehicle’s tires slip when
retrieving a boat f rom the water,
shif t to f irst gear, and turn on VTM-4
lock (see page ). Disengage
VTM-4 lock as soon as the boat is
out of the water to prevent damage
to the VTM-4 system.
Your vehicle is not designed to be
towed behind a motor home. If your
vehicle needs to be towed in an
emergency, see page .
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to D . Do
not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes. If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat. 418
531
bottom
3
3
Driving on Hills Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Backing UpParking Ret rieving a Boat
Towing a Trailer
Towing Your Vehicle
Remember, it
takes longer to slow down and
stop when towing a trailer.
448
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If you get stuck, engage the VTM-4
Lock (see page ). Caref ully try to
go in the direction (f orward or
reverse) that you think will get you
unstuck. Do not spin the tires at high
speeds. It will not help you get out
and may cause damage to the
transmission or VTM-4 system.
If you are still unable to f ree yourself ,
your vehicle is equipped with f ront
and rear tow hooks designed f or this
purpose.
Bef ore driving through water, stop,
get out if necessary, and make sure
that:
If the water is deeper than the wheel
hubs, some additional service may
be required. This service is not
covered by your warranties. After driving through water, test
your brakes. If they got wet, gently
‘‘pump’’ them while driving slowly
until they operate normally. If you decide it is saf e to drive
through water, choose a suitable
speed and engage the VTM-4 Lock.
Proceed without shif ting or changing
speeds, and do not stop the vehicle
or shut of f the engine.The banks and surf ace under the
water provide good traction. The
water may hide hazards such as
rocks, holes, or mud.
The water is not f lowing too f ast.
Deep rushing water can sweep you
downstream. Even very shallow
rushingwatercanwashthe
ground f rom under your tires and
cause you to lose traction and
possibly roll over. The banks are sloped so you can
drive out. The water is not deep enough to
cover your wheel hubs, axles, or
exhaust pipe. You could stall and
not be able to restart your engine.
The water can also damage
important vehicle components. 418
CONT INUED
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
If You Get Stuck
Crossing a Stream
Driving
451
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2011 Pilot

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance inf ormation messages
on the inf ormation display or multi-
inf ormation display (depending on
models), and instructions f or simple
maintenance tasks you may want to
take care of yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .454
............
Maintenance Inf ormation . 455
..............................
Fluid Locations .470
......
Engine Compartment Covers . 471
........................
Adding Engine Oil .472
Changing the Engine Oil and ...........................................
Filter .473
..............................
Engine Coolant .475
....................
Windshield Washers .477
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 478
.................
Rear Dif f erential Fluid . 480
.............
Transf er Assembly Fluid . 480
....................................
Brake Fluid .481
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 482
....................................
Timing Belt .482
.............................................
Lights .483
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 490
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts . 490
.....................................
Floor Mats .491
.................................
Wiper Blades .492
...............................................
Tires .496
...................
Checking the Battery . 504
.............................
Vehicle Storage .505
..................................
Interior Care .506
557
Maintenance
Maint enance
453
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2011 Pilot

To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and flames away from the battery
and all f uel-related parts. Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air.
All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.
Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
Let the engine and exhaust system cool
down bef ore touching any parts.
Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions Injury f rom moving parts.
Burns f rom hot parts. Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Potential Vehicle Hazards
454
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle, or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection
and maintenance
recommendations and
schedules in this owner’s
manual. Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner’s
manual.
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2011 Pilot

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Your vehicle displays engine oil lif e
and maintenance service items on
the inf ormation display or multi-
inf ormation display (depending on
models) to show you when you
should have your dealer perf orm
engine oil replacement and indicated
maintenance services.
Based on the engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil lif e and displays it as a
percentage. The remaining engine oil lif e is
shownonthedisplayaccordingto
this table:
To see the current engine oil lif e,
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position, and press the select/
reset knob repeatedly until the
engine oil lif e display appears (see
page ).83
Calculated Engine
Oil Lif e (%)
100 % 91 % 90 % 81 %
80 % 71 %
70 % 61 %
60 % 51 %
50 % 41 %
40 % 31 %
30 % 21 %
20 % 16 %
15 % 11 %10 % 6 % 5% 1% 0% Displayed
Engine Oil Lif e (%) 100 %90 %
80 %
70 %
60 %
50 %
40 %
30 %
20 %
15 %
10 %5%
0%
CONT INUED
On vehicles without navigation system
Engine Oil L if e Display
Maintenance Inf ormation
Maint enance
455
ENGINE OIL
LIFE DISPLAY
U.S. model is shown. SELECT/
RESET KNOB
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2011 Pilot

If the remaining engine oil lif e is 15
to 6 percent, you will see the engine
oil lif e indicator every time you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. The maintenance
inf ormation indicator will also come
on, and the maintenance item
code(s) f or other scheduled
maintenance items needing service
will be displayed near the ‘‘OIL
LIFE’’ message.When the remaining engine oil lif e is
5 to 1 percent, you will see a
‘‘SERVICE’’ message along with the
same maintenance item code(s),
everytimeyouturntheignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
The 15 and 10 percent oil lif e
indicators remind you that your
vehicle will soon be due f or
scheduled maintenance.
Maintenance Inf ormation
456
‘‘SERVICE’’ MESSAGE
MAINTENANCE ITEM CODE(S)
ENGINE OIL LIFE INDICATOR U.S. model is shown.
U.S. model is shown. U.S. model is shown.
MAINTENANCE INFORMATION
INDICATOR
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2011 Pilot

The maintenance item code or codes
indicate the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil change
(see page ).
You can switch the information
display f rom the engine oil lif e
display to the odometer or the trip
meter. Press and release the select/
reset knob on the instrument panel.
Whentheengineoillifeis15to1
percent, the maintenance
inf ormation indicator ( ) comes
oneverytimeyouturntheignition
switch to the ON (II) position, then it
goes out if you switch the
inf ormation display.When the remaining engine oil lif e is
0 percent, the engine oil lif e indicator
will blink. The display comes on
everytimeyouturntheignition
switch to the ON (II) position. The
maintenance inf ormation indicator
( ) also comes on and remains
on in the instrument panel. When
you see this message, immediately
have the indicated maintenance done
by your dealer.If you do not perf orm the indicated
maintenance, negative distance
traveled is displayed and begins to
blink af ter the vehicle has been
driven 10 miles (10 km) or more.
Negative distance traveled means
your vehicle has passed the
maintenance required point.
Immediately have the indicated
maintenance done by your dealer.
When you see this message, have
the indicated maintenance
perf ormed by your dealer as soon as
possible. 458
CONT INUED
Maintenance Inf ormation
Maint enance
457
U.S. model is shown.
U.S. model is shown.NEGATIVE DISTANCE TRAVELED
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