2014 HONDA PILOT stop start

323
Driving
This chapter discusses driving, refueling, and information on items such as accessories.
Before Driving
Driving Preparation .......................... 324
Maximum Load Limit........................ 327
Towing a Trailer Towing Preparation .......................... 329
Driving Safely with a Trailer .............. 338
Towing Your Vehicle ........................ 339
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines General Information ......................... 340
Important Safety Precautions............ 340
Avoiding Trouble ............................. 341
When Driving Starting the Engine .......................... 342
Precautions While Driving................. 344 Automatic Transmission ................... 345
Shifting ............................................ 346
Cruise Control ................................. 348
VSA® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC
(Electronic Stability Control), System ...... 352
VTM (Variable Torque Management)-4 r
System *.............................................354TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) ... 355Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) -
Required Federal Explanation ......... 357
Braking Brake System ................................... 360
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ........... 362 Brake Assist System ......................... 363
Parking Your Vehicle When Stopped ................................ 364
Parking Sensor System
*...................365
Rearview Camera *............................369
Multi-View Rear Camera *................370
Refueling
Fuel Information .............................. 371
How to Refuel ................................. 372
Fuel Economy ..
.................................. 374
Accessories and Modifications Accessories ...................................... 375
Modifications................................... 375
* Not available on all models

341
uu Off-Highway Driving Guidelines u Avoiding Trouble
Driving
Avoiding Trouble
• Check Out Your Vehicle before you leave the pavement and make sure that all
scheduled maintenance has been completed. Pay special attention to the
condition of the tires, and check the tire pressures.
• Remember the route
you choose presents limits (too steep or bumpy), you have
limits (driving skill and comfort), and your vehicle has limits (traction, stability, and
power). Failing to recognize these limits will likely put you and your passengers in
a hazardous situation.
• Ac
celerating and Braking should be done slowly and gradually. Trying to start
or stop too fast can cause a loss of traction and you could lose control.
• Av
oiding Obstacles and Debris in the road reduces the likelihood of a rollover
or damage to your suspension or other components.
• Dri
ving on Slopes increasing your risk of a rollove r, particularly if you attempt to
drive across a slope that is too steep. Going straight or down a slope is usually the
safest. If you can’t clearly see all conditions or obstacles on a slope, walk it before
you drive it. If there is any doubt whether you can safely pass, don’t try it. Find
another route. If you get stuck when climbing, do not try to turn around. Back
down slowly following the same route you took up the hill.
• Cros
sing a Stream - Avoid driving through deep water. If you encounter water
in your route (a small stream or large pu ddle, for example), evaluate it carefully
before going ahead. Make sure it is shallow, flowing slowly, and has firm ground
underneath. If you are not sure of the depth or the ground, turn around and find
another route. Driving through deep water can also damage your vehicle. The
water can get into the transmission and di fferential, diluting the lubricant and
causing an eventual failure. It can also wash the grease out of the wheel bearings.
• If Yo
u Get Stuck , carefully go in the direction that you think will get you
unstuck. Do not spin the tires as this will only make things worse and could
damage the transmission. If you are unable to free yourself, your vehicle will need
to be towed. Front and rear tow ho oks are provided for this purpose.

342
Driving
When Driving
Starting the Engine
1.Make sure the parking brake is applied.
2. Check
that the shift lever is in (P
, then
depress the brake pedal.
u Althou
gh it is possible to start the vehicle
in
(N
, it is safer to start it in (P
.
3. Turn
the ignition switch to START (e

without depressing the accelerator pedal.
1 Starting the Engine
Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal when
starting the engine.
The engine is harder to st art in cold weather and in
thinner air found at altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters).
When starting the engine in cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories such as the lights, climate
control system, and rear de fogger in order to reduce
battery drain.
If you live in a region where winter is extremely cold,
an engine block heater will improve starting and
warming of the engine. If temperatures consistently
below -22°F (-30°C) are expected, the coolant
mixture should be changed to a higher concentration
to prevent freezing. Cons ult a dealer for details.
If the exhaust system sounds abnormal or you can
smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle, have your vehicle
checked by a dealer. There may be a problem with
the engine or exhaust system.
Do not hold the key in START
(
e
for more than 15
seconds.
•If the engine does not start right away, wait for at
least 10 seconds before trying again.
•If the engine starts, but then immediately stops,
wait at least 10 seconds before repeating step 3
while gently depressing the accelerator pedal.
Release the accelerator pedal once the engine
starts.
Brake Pedal

345
uu When Driving u Automatic Transmission
Driving
Automatic Transmission
The following conditions cause the engine to run at high revolutions, and increase
creeping:
• Immediately after the engine
starts.
• When t
he climate control system is in use.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.
Quickly depressing the accelerator peda l
while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower gear, unex pectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especi ally on slippery roads and curves.
■Creeping
■Kickdown

353
uu When Driving u VSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Driving
This button is on the driver side control panel.
To turn the VSA ® system on and off, press and
hold it until you hear a beep.
VSA ® will stop and the indicator will come on.
To turn it on again, press the (VSA® OFF)
button until you hear a beep.
VSA ®
is turned on every time you start the
engine, even if you turned it off the last time
you drove the vehicle.
■VSA ® On and Off1 VSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability
Control), System
Without VSA®, your vehicle will have normal braking
and cornering ability, bu t it will not have VSA®
traction and stability enhancement.
In certain unusual conditions when your vehicle gets
stuck in shallow mud or fr esh snow, it may be easier
to free it with the VSA ® temporarily switched off.
When the VSA ® system is off, the traction control
system is also off. You should only atte mpt to free
your vehicle with the VSA ® off if you ar e not able to
free it when the VSA ® is on.
Immediately after freeing your vehicle, be sure to
switch VSA ® on again. We do not recommend driving
your vehicle with the VSA ® and traction control
systems switched off.
If the low tire pressure/TPMS, low tire pressure, or
TPMS indicator comes on or blinks, the VSA® system
comes on automatically. In this case, you cannot turn
the system off by pressing the button.
You may hear a motor sound coming from the
engine compartment while system checks are being
performed immediately after starting the engine or
while driving. This is normal.
VSA ® OFF Indicator

362
uu Braking u ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Driving
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps prevent the wheels from locking up, a nd helps you retain steering control by
pumping the brakes rapidly, much faster than you.
The electronic brake distribution (EBD) system, which
is part of the ABS, also
balances the front-to-rear braking distri bution according to vehicle loading.
You should never pump the brake pedal. Let
the ABS work for you by always
keeping firm, steady pressure on the brake pe dal. This is sometimes referred to as
“stomp and steer.”
■ABS operation
The brake pedal may pulsate slightly when the ABS
is working. Keep holding the
pedal firmly down. On dry pavement, you will need to press on the brake pedal very
hard before the ABS activates. However, you may feel the ABS activate immediately
if you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
When the vehicle speed goes under 6 mph (10 km/h), the ABS stops.
■ABS1 ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
NOTICE
The ABS may not function correctly if you use an
incorrect tire type and size.
When the ABS indicator comes on while driving,
there may be a problem with the system.
While normal braking is not affected, there is a
possibility of the ABS not operating. Have the vehicle
checked by a dealer immediately.
The ABS does not reduce the ti me or distance it takes
to stop the vehicle. It only helps with steering control
during hard braking.
In the following cases, yo ur vehicle may need more
stopping distance than a vehicle without the ABS:
•When driving on rough road surfaces, including
when driving on uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow.
•When tire chains are installed.
You may hear a motor sound coming from the
engine compartment while system checks are being
performed immediately after starting the engine or
while driving. This is normal.

450
Handling the Unexpected
Indicator, Coming On/Blinking
If the Low Oil Pressure Indicator Comes On
■Reasons for the indicator to come on
Comes on when the engine oil pressure is low.
■What to do as soon as the indicator comes on
1. Immediately park the
vehicle on level ground in a safe place.
2. If
necessary, turn the ha zard warning lights on.
■What to do after parking the vehicle
1. Stop the e
ngine and let it sit for about three minutes.
2. Open the hoo
d and check the oil level.
2Oil Check P. 393
3. Start the engine and check th e low oil pressure indicator.
u The light
goes out: Start driving again.
u The l
ight does not go out within 10 seconds: Stop the engine and
contact a dealer for repairs immediately.
If the Charging System Indicator Comes On
■Reasons for the indicator to come on
Comes on when the battery is not being charged.
■What to do when the indicator comes on
Turn off the climate con trol system, rear
defogger, and other electrical
systems, and immediately contact a dealer for repairs.
1 If the Low Oil Pressure Indicator Comes On
NOTICE
Running the engine with low oil pressure can cause
serious mechanical damage almost immediately.
1If the Charging System Indicator Comes On
If you need to stop temporarily, do not turn off the
engine. Restarting the engi ne may rapidly discharge
the battery.

451
uu Indicator, Coming On/Blinking u If the Malfunction Indicator Lamp Comes On or Blinks
Handling the Unexpected
If the Malfunction Indica tor Lamp Comes On or
Blinks
■Reasons for indicator lamp to come on or blink
• Co
mes on when there is a problem with the engine emissions control
system, or the fuel fill cap is missing, or loose.
• Blinks
when engine misfiring is detected.
■What to do when the indicator lamp comes on
Avoid high speeds and immediately get your vehicle inspected at a
deale

r.
■What to do when the indicator lamp blinks
Park the vehicle in a safe place with no flamma
ble items and wait at least
ten minutes or more with the engine stopped until it cools.
■The message appears on when:
An evaporative system leak is detected. This may be ca
used by the fuel fill cap being
loose or not being installed.
■What to do when the message appears:
1. Stop the engin
e.
2. Check
that the fuel fill cap is fully installed.
u I
f not, loosen the cap, and then retighten it until it clicks at least once.
3. Driv
e for several days of normal driving.
u The mes
sage should go off.
■When the malfunction indicator lamp comes on
Malfunction indicator lamp comes on if th e syst
em continues to detect a leak of
gasoline vapor. If this happens, check the fuel fill cap using the procedures described
above.
■Check/Tighten Fuel Cap Message
1 If the Malfunction Indicato r Lamp Comes On or Blinks
NOTICE
If you drive with the malf unction indicator lamp on,
the emissions control system and the engine could be
damaged.
If the malfunction indicator lamp blinks again when
restarting the engine, drive to the nearest dealer at
31 mph (50 km/h) or less. Have your vehicle
inspected.