HONDA PILOT 2003 1.G Owners Manual

The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below.
Avoid towing a trailer during your
vehicle’s f irst 500 miles (800
kilometers) (see page ).Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations. Obey all local
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
To keep the transmission f rom
f requently upshif ting and
downshif ting, drive in D. When
driving with a f ix-sided (e.g, camper,
utility) trailer, do not exceed 55 mph
(88 km/h). At higher speeds, the
trailer may sway or affect vehicle
handling.
Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. When you need
to slow down, slowly lif t your f oot of f
the throttle and gradually apply the
brakes. Do not brake or turn
suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
216
CONT INUED
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Break-In Period T owing Speed
Making T urns and Braking
Towing a Trailer
Driving257

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.
If the transmission shif ts f requently
while going up a hill, shif t down one
gear.
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.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to D . Do
not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and remember
it will take longer to slow down and
stop when towing a trailer.Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause your trailer
to sway. When being passed by a
truck or other large vehicle, keep a
constant speed and steer straight
ahead. Do not try to make quick
steering or braking corrections.
Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in PARK and f irmly
setting the parking brake when you
have f inished parking.
Donotparkonaninclineunlessitis
unavoidable. If you must park on an
incline, turn the vehicle wheels
toward the curb on a downhill and
awayfromthecurbonanuphill.
After parking, place wheel chocks at
each trailer tire, on the downhill side.
If the vehicle wheels slip when
retrieving a boat f rom the water,
shifttofirstgearandturnonVTM-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.
238
3
bottom
Driving on Hills
Handling Crosswinds and
T urbulence
Backing Up Parking
Ret rieving a Boat
Towing a Trailer
Driving258

When purchasing a tow bar, make
sure you select a reputable
manuf acturer and installer. Follow
the manufacturer’s attachment
instructions caref ully.If you tow more than 8 hours in one
day, you should repeat the above
procedure at least every 8 hours.
(when you stop f or f uel, etc.)
Check the transmission f luid level
(see page ). Maintaining the correct f luid level
is very important.
Start the engine.
Leave the ignition switch in
ACCESSORY (I) so the steering
wheel does not lock. Make sure
the radio and any items plugged
into the accessory power sockets
are turned of f so you do not run
down the battery. Release the parking brake.
Your Pilot can be towed behind a
motorhome at legal highway speeds
up to 65 mph (100 km/h). Do not
exceed 65 mph (100 km/h).
Otherwise, severe transmission
damage will occur. To avoid damage
to the 4WD system, it must be towed
with all f our wheels on the ground
(f lat towing).
Press on the brake pedal. Shif t the
lever through all the positions (P,
R, N, D, D , 2, 1)
ShifttoD,thentoN.Letthe
engine run f or three minutes, then
turn of f the engine.
Do the f ollowing to prepare your
Pilot f or ‘‘f lat towing.’’ Perf orm this
procedure every day immediately
bef ore you begin towing, and f ollow
this procedure exactly; otherwise,
severe automatic transmission
damage will occur. 293
Do not overf ill.
CONT INUED
3
Ext ended T owing
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a Motorhome
Driving259

Replace the transmission fluid every
two years or 30,000 miles (48,000
km), whichever comes f irst.
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a Motorhome
Driving260
The steering system can be damaged if
the steering wheel is locked. Leave the
ignition switch in Accessory (I), and
make sure the steering wheel turns
f reely bef ore you begin towing.
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shif t the transmission or start the
engine, your vehicle must be
transported on a f lat-bed or trailer.

Your Pilot has been designed
primarily f or use on pavement. But
its higher ground clearance and f our-
wheel drive VTM-4 system allow you
to occasionally travel on unpaved
roads, to campgrounds, picnic sites,
and similar locations. It is not
designed f or trailblazing, mountain
climbing, or other challenging of f -
road activities.
If you decide to drive on unpaved
roads, you will f ind that it requires
somewhat dif f erent driving skills.
Your Pilot will also handle somewhat
dif f erently than it does on pavement.
So be sure to read this owner’s
manual, pay special attention to the
precautions and tips in this section,
and get acquainted with your vehicle
before you leave the pavement. General Inf ormation
Off-Highway Guidelines
Driving261

The route presents limits (some
roads are too steep and bumpy f or
example). You have limits (in driving
skills and comf ort). And your vehicle
also has limits (traction, stability, and
power, f or instance).
Driving of f -highway can be
hazardous if you f ail to recognize
limits and take proper precautions.
For example, you can have an
accident or rollover during
maneuvers such as turning, driving
on hills, or over large obstacles.
On many unpaved roads, you won’t
f ind lane markers, traf f ic signals, or
signs to warn you of possible trouble
ahead. It’s up to you to continually
assess the situation and drive within
limits.
Remember that your Pilot has higher
ground clearance and a higher
center of gravity than passenger
vehicles designed f or use only on
pavement. This means your vehicle
can more easily tip or roll over if you
make abrupt turns or drive on slopes.
Be sure to store cargo properly, and
do not exceed your Pilot cargo load
limits (see pages and ).
Utility vehicles have a signif icantly
higher rollover rate than other types
of vehicles. To avoid loss of control
or rollover, be sure to f ollow all
recommendations and precautions
on page and in this section.
Seat belts are just as important of f -
road as on paved roads. Wherever
you drive, make sure you and your
passengers always wear seat belts. If
children or inf ants are along f or the
ride, see that they are properly
secured. In a rollover crash, an
unbelted person is more likely to die
than a person wearing a seat belt. 230
226 247
Important Saf ety Precautions
Off-Highway Guidelines
Driving262
Improperly operating this
vehicle on or off-pavement can
cause an accident or rollover in
which you and your passengers
could be seriously injured or
killed.
Follow all instructions and
guidelines in the owner’s
manual.
Keep your speed low and
don’t drive faster than
conditions permit.

The f ollowing pages contain practical
tips on basic of f -highway operation.
Driving of f -highway can be hard on a
vehicle. Bef ore you leave the
pavement, be sure all scheduled
maintenance and service has been
done, and that you have inspected
your vehicle. Pay special attention to
the condition of the tires, and use a
gauge to check the tire pressures.Of f -highway, the general rule is to
keep your speed low. Of course,
you’ll need enough speed to keep
moving forward. But at higher
speeds, you have less time to assess
conditions and make good decisions.
There’s also a greater chance of
sliding if you brake or turn too
quickly on wet soil, gravel, or ice. In
any situation, never go f aster than
conditions allow.Generally, the best of f -pavement
braking technique is to gently
depress the brake pedal, then
increase pressure as more braking is
needed. Avoid hard braking. Keep in
mind that you will usually need more
time and distance to brake to a stop
on unpaved surf aces.
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. Check
the tires for damage and for proper
pressure. If you need to brake hard because of
an emergency, apply steady, even
pressure to the brake pedal. Do not
pump the brakes; let the anti-lock
braking system pump them f or you.
If you pump the brakes, the anti-lock
cannot work as ef f iciently, and your
stopping distance may be increased.
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. You may even dig
yourself into a hole. Starting with the
shif t lever in second gear (2) will
help get you to a smooth start on
snow and ice.
CONT INUED
Cont rolling Speed
Check Out Your Vehicle
A ccelerat ing and BrakingDriving T ips
Off-Highway Guidelines
Driving263

Test your brakes from time to time
to make sure they are operating
properly. This will also give you a
f eel f or how much traction you have
on a given surf ace.
Off-highway, the basic turning
technique is to drive at low speed
and gradually adjust the amount of
steering to suit the surf ace.
You should have no problem making
sharp turns at low speed on level
ground. But never make an abrupt
turn at higher speeds, on or of f
pavement. With a higher center of
gravity, your vehicle can more easily
tip or roll over.Bef ore driving up or down a hill, stop
and assess the situation. If you can’t
clearly see all road conditions (good
traction, no bumps, holes or other
obstacles, a safe way out, etc.) walk
the slope bef ore you drive on it. If
you have any doubt about whether
you can saf ely drive on the slope,
. Find another route.
If you are driving up a hill and f ind
that you cannot continue (because of
the steepness, a large obstacle, etc.), . Your vehicle
could roll over. Slowly back down the
hill, f ollowing the same route you
took up the hill. Bumps, holes, rocks, and other
obstacles can be hazardous. Debris
in the road can damage your
suspension or other components.
Even small rocks can cut your tires.
More important, because your
vehicle has a high center of gravity,
driving over a large obstacle, or
allowing a wheel to drop into a deep
hole, can cause your vehicle to tip or
roll over.
Drive slow enough to observe
obstacles ahead and maneuver
around them. If you can’t avoid a
serious obstacle, turn around and
look f or a better route.
don’t do it
do not try to turn around
T urning
Avoiding Obstacles
Driving on Slopes
Off-Highway Guidelines
Driving264

Bef ore driving through water, stop
and make sure that:The water is never deep enough to
cover your wheel hubs, axles or
exhaust pipe. You could stall, and
not be able to restart the engine.
The water could also damage
important vehicle components. 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 banks and surf ace under the
water provide good traction. The
water may hide hazards such as
rocks, holes, or mud.
If you decide it’s saf e to drive
through water, choose a suitable
speed and engage VTM-4 Lock (see
page ), then proceed without
shif ting or changing speed. Do not
stop the vehicle or shut of f the
engine while trying to cross a stream.
After driving through water, test
your brakes. If the brakes got wet,
drive slowly while gently pumping
the brakes until they operate
normally.
If the water is deeper than the wheel
hubs, some additional service to the
engine, transmission and dif f erential
mayberequired.Thisserviceisnot
covered by your warranties. 238
Crossing a Stream
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
Driving265

If you get stuck, engage the VTM-4
Lock mode (see page ).
Caref ully try to go in the direction
(f orward or reverse) that you think
will give you the best chance of
getting unstuck.
Donotspinthetiresathighspeeds.
It will not help you get out and may
cause damage to the transmission or
the VTM-4 system.You should never use a jack to try
getting unstuck. A jack only works
on f irm, level ground. Also, your
vehicle could easily slip of f the jack
and hurt you or someone else.
You may be able to saf ely tow a light
weight trailer (such as a motorcycle
trailer or small tent trailer) of f -road if
you f ollow these guidelines:
Do not exceed a trailer weight of
1,000 pounds (450 kg) (including
cargo) or a tongue weight of 100
pounds ( 45kg).(Tongue weight
should be about 10% of the trailer
weight.)
If you are unable to f ree yourself ,
you will need to be pulled out by
another vehicle. Your Pilot is
equipped with f ront and rear tow
hooks designed f or this purpose. Use a nylon strap to attach the Pilot
to the recovery vehicle, and caref ully
take out the slack in the strap. Once
the strap is tight, the recovery
vehicle should apply f orce.
Remember that the recovery vehicle
needs good traction to avoid
becoming stuck, too.
238
If You Get Stuck
T owing a T railer
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
Driving266