2014 HONDA PILOT steering

Continued325
uu Before Driving u Driving Preparation
Driving
• Store or secure all items on board properly.
u Carrying too much cargo, or improperly storing it, can affect your vehicle's
handling, stability, sto pping distance, and tires, and make it unsafe.
2Maximum Load Limit P. 327
• Do not pile items higher than the seat height.
u Th
ey can block your view and may be thrown forward in the event of sudden
braking.
• Do not pla
ce anything in the front seat footwells. Make sure to secure the floor
mat.
u An object or unsecured floor m
at can interfere with your brake and accelerator
pedal operation while driving.
• If yo
u have any animals on board, do not let them move around in the vehicle.
u Th
ey may interfere with driving and a crash could occur.
• Secure
ly close and lock al l doors and the tailgate.
2Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 103
• Adjust your seating position properly.
u Adjust the head re
straint, too.
2Adjusting the Seats P. 137
2 Adjusting the Head Restraints P. 141
•Adjust the mirrors and steering wh eel properly for your driving.
u Ad
just them while sitting in the proper driving position.
2 Adjusting the Steering Wheel P. 134
2 Adjusting the Mirrors P. 135
■Interior Checks1Interior Checks
The headlight aim is set by the factory, and does not
need to be adjusted. Howeve r, if you regularly carry
heavy items in the cargo area or tow a trailer, have
the aiming readjusted at a dealer or by a qualified
technician.

331
uu Towing a Trailer u Towing Preparation
Continued
Driving
■To estimate the tongue load
Excessive tongue load reduces front tire traction and steering control. Too little
tongu
e load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway.
You can estimate the tongue load by measuring the trailer hitch height from the
groun
d in the following steps:
1. Park the
vehicle on level ground.
2.Measur
e the distance between the groun d and the bottom of the trailer hitch.
3. Connect
the fully loaded trailer to the hitch.
4.Measur
e the distance between the groun d and the bottom of the trailer hitch
again.
5. Sub
tract the second measurement from the first measurement, then refer to the
following table.
If the difference becomes more than indica ted in the ta
ble, distribute the load or
remove cargo as needed.
If the difference is4WD models2WD models
5/8”150 lbs (68 kg)
1 1/4”250 lbs (114 kg)
1 3/4”350 lbs (159 kg)
2 1/4”450 lbs (205 kg)-

344
uu When Driving u Precautions While Driving
Driving
Precautions While Driving
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
To prevent rollovers or loss of control:
• Take corne
rs at slower speeds than yo u would with a passenger vehicle.
• Av
oid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers whenever possible.
•Do
not modify your vehicle in any way that you would raise the center of gravity.
•Never
carry more than 165 lbs (75 kg ) of cargo on the roof rack (Honda
accessory).
Avoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine,
driv
eline, or cause electrical component failure.
If there is a strong impact with something u
nder the vehicle, stop in a safe location.
Check the underside of the vehicle for damage or any fluid leaks.
■Driving Guidelines for Your Utility Vehicle
■In Rain
■Other Precautions
1 Driving Guidelines for Your Utility Vehicle
Failure to operate your vehi cle correctly might result
in a crash or a rollover. 2 Important Handling Information P. 26
2 Precautions While Driving P. 344
1Precautions While Driving
NOTICE
Do not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.
If the ignition switch is turned to ACCESSORY
(
q
or
LOCK (
0
while driving, the e ngine will shut down
and all steering and brake pow er assist functions will
stop, making it difficult to control the vehicle.
Do not put the shift lever in
(
N
, as you will lose
engine braking (and acce leration) performance.
During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as not to damage the engine or powertrain.
Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
You should also follow this when the brake pads are
replaced.

348
uu When Driving u Cruise Control
Driving
Cruise Control
Maintains a constant vehicle speed without having to keep your foot on the
accelerator. Use cruise control on freeways or open roads where you can travel at a
constant speed with little acceleration or deceleration.1Cruise Control
It may not be possible to maintain a constant speed
when driving uphill or downhill.
When not using cruise control:
Turn off cruise control by pressing the CRUISE
button.
3 WARNING
Improper use of the cruise control can lead
to a crash.
Use the cruise control only when traveling
on open highways in good weather.
■Shift positions for cruise control:
In (
D
or (
d
Always keep sufficient distance
between you and the vehicle in
front of you.
■Vehicle speed for cruise control:
Desired speed in a range above
roughly 25 mph (40 km/h) ~
CRUISE MAIN is on in the
instrument panel.
Cruise control is ready to use.
■Press the CRUISE button
on the steering wheel.
When to use
When to use

uu When Driving u Cruise Control
350
Driving
Increase or decrease the vehicle speed using the RES/ACCEL or DECEL/SET buttons
on the steering wheel.
• Each time you press the button, the vehicl e speed is increased or decreased by
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
• If
you keep the button pressed, the vehicl e speed increases or decreases until you
release it. This speed is then set.
■To Adjust the Vehicle Speed1 To Adjust the Vehicle Speed
You can set the vehicle speed using the DECEL/SET
button on the steering wheel when adjusting the
speed with the accelera tor and brake pedals.
To decrease speed
To increase speed

361
uu Braking u Brake System
Driving
Your vehicle is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. A vacuum power assist
helps reduce the effort needed on the brake pedal. The brake assist system increases
the stopping force when you depress the brake pedal hard in an emergency
situation. The anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
2 Brake Assist System P. 363
2 ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) P. 362
■Foot Brake1Foot Brake
Check the brakes after driving through deep water,
or if there is a buildup of road surface water. If
necessary, dry the brakes by lightly depressing the
pedal several times.
If you hear a continuous me tallic friction sound when
applying the brakes, the brake pads need to be
replaced. Have the vehicle checked by a dealer.
Constantly using the brak e pedal while going down a
long hill builds up heat, which reduces the brake
effectiveness. Apply engine braking by taking your
foot off the accelerator pe dal and downshifting to a
lower gear.
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, as it will lightly apply the brakes and cause
them to lose effectiveness over time and reduce pad
life. It will also conf use drivers behind you.

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.

377
Maintenance
This chapter discusses basic maintenance.
Before Performing MaintenanceInspection and Maintenance ............ 378
Safety When Performing Maintenance..... 379Parts and Fluids Used in Maintenance Service ........................................... 380
Maintenance Minder™ ...............
..... 381
Maintenance Under the Hood
Maintenance Items Under the Hood ..... 389Opening the Hood ........................... 390
Recommended Engine Oil ................ 392
Oil Check ......................................... 393
Adding Engine Oil ............................ 394
Changing the Engine Oil and Oil Filter ..... 395
Engine Coolant ................................ 397
Transmission Fluid ............................ 399
Brake Fluid ....................................... 400
Power Steering Fluid ........................ 400
Refilling Window Wa s
her Fluid......... 401
Replacing Light Bulbs .... ................... 402Checking and Maintaining Wiper Blades.... 410Checking and Maintaining Tires
Checking Tires ................................. 414
Tire and Loading Information Label ...... 415Tire Labeling .................................... 415DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)....... 417Wear Indicators................................ 419 Tire Service Life ................................ 419
Tire and Wheel Replacement ........... 420
Tire Rotation .................................... 421
Winter Tires ..................................... 422
Battery .............
.................................. 423
Remote Transmitter Care
Replacing the Button Battery ........... 424
Remote Control and Wireless Headphone Care
*...........................425Climate Control System Maintenance..... 427Cleaning
Interior Care .................................... 428
Exterior Care.................................... 430
* Not available on all models