2012 HONDA PILOT service

The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Your vehicle tires and spare are in
good condition and properly
inf lated.
Towing perf ormance can be
af f ected by high altitude, high
temperature, or when climbing
steep grades. Theref ore, premium
f uel (premium unleaded gasoline
with pump octane number of 91 or
higher) is recommended when
towing more than 3,500 lbs (1,590
kg).
The trailer tires and spare are in
good condition and inf lated as
recommended by the trailer
maker.
When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:
The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the suspension and
the cooling system are in good
operating condition.
The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
The trailer jumper harness is used to
install the controller f or the electric
trailer brakes. For more inf ormation,
see on page .
Insert the trailer brake f use into the
secondary under-hood f use box (see
page ).
544
634
On Touring models
Pre-T ow ChecklistT railer Jumper Harness
T railer Brake FuseTrailer Brakes
Towing a Trailer
Driving
549
BRAKE LIGHTS
(SKY BLUE)
GROUND
(BLACK)
BRAKE
(20A)
(BLUE)
ELECTRIC BRAKE
(BROWN/WHITE)
Main MenuTable of Contents

Before you leave the pavement, be
sure to do all scheduled maintenance
and service, and inspect your vehicle
f or any problems. Pay special
attention to the condition of the tires,
and check the tire pressures.
After you return to the pavement,
caref ully inspect your vehicle to
make sure there is no damage that
could make driving it unsaf e.
Recheck the condition of the tires
and the tire pressures.
The route presents limits (too steep
or bumpy roads). You have limits
(driving skill and comf ort). And your
vehicle has limits (traction, stability,
and power).
Driving of f -highway can be
hazardous if you f ail to recognize
limits and take the proper
precautions.Forbettertractiononallsurfaces,
accelerate slowly and gradually build
up speed. If you try to start too fast
on wet soil, mud, snow, or ice, you
might not have enough traction to
get underway, and you may dig
yourself a hole. Starting with the
shif t lever in D position will help you
have a smoother start on snow or ice.
Keep in mind that you will usually
need more time and distance to
brake to a stop on unpaved surf aces.
Avoid hard braking. Do not ‘‘pump

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

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 Minder messages on
the inf ormation display or multi-
inf ormation display (depending on
the model), and instructions for
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.U.S. Vehicles:
......................
Maintenance Saf ety . 558
.................
Maintenance Minder . 559
..............................
Fluid Locations . 574
......
Engine Compartment Covers . 575
........................
Adding Engine Oil . 576
Changing the Engine Oil and
...........................................
Filter . 577
..............................
Engine Coolant . 579
....................
Windshield Washers . 581
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 582
....................................
Brake Fluid . 584
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 585
....................................
Timing Belt . 585
.............................................
Lights . 586
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 593
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts . 593
.....................................
Floor Mats . 594
.................................
Wiper Blades . 595
...............................................
Tires . 599
...................
Checking the Battery . 607
.............................
Vehicle Storage . 608
..................................
Interior Care . 609
661
Maintenance
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are ‘‘certif ied

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
558 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

µ
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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
the model) 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 ).81
CONT INUED
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%
Except Touring models
Engine Oil L if e Display
Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
559
ENGINE OIL
LIFE DISPLAY
U.S. model is shown. SELECT/
RESET KNOB
TM
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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 Minder
indicator will also come on, and the
maintenance item code(s) for other
scheduled maintenance items
needing service will be displayed
near the ‘‘OIL LIFE

To change the inf ormation display
f rom the engine oil lif e display to the
odometer or the trip meter, press
and release the select/reset knob.
Immediately have the service
perf ormed, and make sure to reset
the display as described as f ollows.
When the engine oil lif e is 0 percent
or negative distance traveled, the
Maintenance Minder indicator
( )remainsonevenif you
change the inf ormation display.
All maintenance items displayed on
the inf ormation display are in code.
For an explanation of these
maintenance codes, see page . Your dealer will reset the display
af ter completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘OIL LIFE 100%