HONDA PILOT 2004 1.G Owners Manual

2004 Pilot Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com.
Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance ........................................................................\
....................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5
P roper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
...................................................45
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
................................. 81
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
....................................................... ..............123
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................135
The proper way to start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
....................................................... ..................159
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................195
This section covers several problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
....................................................... 215
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)...................................................................... 229
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

T his Owner’s Manual should be considered
a permanent part of the vehicle, and should
remain with the vehicle when it is sold.
T his Owner’s Manual covers all models of
the Pilot. You may f ind descriptions of
equipment and f eatures that are not on your
particular model.
T he inf ormation and specif ications included
in this publication were in ef f ect at the time
of approval f or printing. Honda Motor Co.,
Ltd. reserves the right, however, to
discontinue or change specif ications or
design at any time without notice and
without incurring any obligation whatsoever.
Owner’s Identif ication
POUR CLIENTS CANADIEN
A VIS IMPORT A NT : Si vous avez
besoin d’un Manuel du Conduct eur
en f rançais, veuillez demander à
votreconcessionnairede
commander le numéro de pièce
33S9VC10
OWNER
ADDRESS
V. I. N.
DELIVERY DATE
DEALER NAMEDEALER NO.
ADDRESS
OWNER’S SIGNATURE
DEALER’S SIGNATURE
STREET
CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP CODE/
POSTAL CODE
(Date sold to original retail purchaser)
STREET
CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP CODE/
POSTAL CODE

Congratulations! Your selection of a 2004 Honda Pilot was a wise investment.
It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Honda is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Af terwards, keep this owner’s manual in your vehicle so
youcanrefertoitatanytime.
Several warranties protect your new Honda. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the schedules given in this manual
helps to keep your driving trouble-f ree while it preserves your investment.
When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Honda
dealer’s staf f is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to
your Honda. Your Honda dealer is dedicated to your satisf action and will be
pleased to answer any questions and concerns.
Calif ornia Proposition 65 WarningThis product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of
Calif ornia to cause cancer and birth def ects or other reproductive harm. As you read this manual, you will
f ind inf ormation that is preceded by
a
symbol. This
inf ormation is intended to help you
avoid damage to your Honda, other
property, or the environment.
WARNING:
Introduction
i

µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
Your safety, and the safety of others,
is very important. And operating this
car saf ely is an important
responsibility.
To help you make inf ormed
decisions about saf ety, we have
provided operating procedures and
other inf ormation on labels and in
this manual. This inf ormation alerts
you to potential hazards that could
hurt you or others.
Of course, it is not practical or
possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or
maintaining your vehicle. You must
use your own good judgement. You will f ind this important saf ety inf ormation in a variety of f orms,
including:
preceded by a saf ety alert symbol and one of
three signal words: , , or .
These signal words mean:
such as Important Saf ety Reminders or Important
Safety Precautions. such as Driver and Passenger Safety.
how to use this vehicle correctly and safely.
This entire book is f illed with important saf ety inf ormation please read it
caref ully. on the vehicle.
Saf ety Messages
Saf ety Headings
Saf ety Section
Instructions Saf ety L abels
AFewWordsAboutSafety
DANGER WARNING CAUTION
ii
You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don’t follow instructions.
You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don’t follow instructions.
You CAN be HURT if you don’t follow
instructions.

Your Pilot has higher ground clearance than a passenger vehicle designed f or use only on pavement. Higher ground
clearance has many advantages f or of f -highway driving. It allows you to travel over bumps, obstacles, and rough
terrain. It also provides good visibility so you can anticipate problems earlier.
These advantages come at some cost. Because your vehicle is taller and rides higher of f the ground, it has a high
center of gravity. This means your vehicle can tip or roll over if you make abrupt turns. Utility vehicles have a
signif icantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is signif icantly
more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt. As a reminder, make sure you and your passengers always wear
seat belts.
For inf ormation on how to reduce the risk of rollover, read ‘‘Driving Guidelines’’ on page of this manual and thesection on page . Failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or an
accident. 155 136
Of f -Highway Guidelines
Important Handling Inf ormation
iii

Your Vehicle at a Glance
2
GAUGES
POWER DOOR LOCK
SWITCHES
MIRROR
CONTROLS
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE AUDIO SYSTEM
CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM
FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
PEDALREAR A/C CONTROL
(P.
54)
INSTRUMENT PANEL (P.
47)
(P. 65)
(P. 74)
(P. 73)
(P. 126)
(P.125) (P.
75) (P.
87) (P.
86)
(P.
88)

Your Vehicle at a Glance
3
HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS
LIGHT CONTROL
SWITCH
REMOTE AUDIO
CONTROLS STEERING WHEEL
ADJUSTMENT CRUISE CONTROL
WINDSHIELD WIPERS/
WASHERS REAR WINDOW
DEFOGGER VTM-4
LOCK
HORN
(P. 58)
(P. 79)
(P.101) (P.61) (P.
116)
(P.57)
(P.
60)
(P.
142 )
CRUISE
CONTROL
MASTER
SWITCH
(P. 116) HAZARD WARNING
BUTTON
(P.
59)

4

µµ
This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains how your
airbags work. And it tells you how to
properly restrain infants and
children in your vehicle.
.........
Important Safety Precautions . 6
.......
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features . 7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
...........................................
Airbags .9
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens . 10
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors . 10
...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats . 10
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 11
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 12
5. Fasten and Position the ...
Lap/Shoulder Seat Belts . 12
....
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel . 14
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .14 .....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 15
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 16
Additional Inf ormation About Your .................................
Seat Belts .17
..
Seat Belt System Components . 17
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .17
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .18
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 19
Additional Inf ormation About ..........................
Your Airbags .19
......
Airbag System Components . 19
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .20
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 22
How the SRS Indicator Light .......................................
Works .23
How The Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .23
.............................
Airbag Service .24
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 24
Protecting Children General ................................
Guidelines .25
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .25 All Children Should Sit in the
.................................
Back Seat .26
The Passenger’s Front Airbag .........
Can Pose Serious Risks . 26
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .28
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .28
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 28
...........................
Protecting Inf ants .29
.............
Protecting Small Children . 30
.....................
Selecting a Child Seat .31
....................
Installing a Child Seat .32
Installing a Child Seat Using .....................................
LATCH .33
Installing a Child Seat with a ..................
Lap/shoulder Belt . 35
Installing a Child Seat with a ......................................
Tether .37
...........
Protecting Larger Children . 38
...............
Checking Seat Belt Fit . 39
..................
Using a Booster Seat . 39
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 41
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 42
...................................
Saf ety Labels .43
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety5

You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inf late only in a
moderate to severe frontal or side
collision. So even though your
vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your passengers
always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly (see page ).
Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. Infants and small children
should be restrained in a child seat.
Larger children should use a booster
and a lap/shoulder belt until theycanusethebeltproperlywithouta
booster (see page ).
Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual (see page
).
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
12 25
9 161
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Restrain All ChildrenBe Aware of Airbag Hazards
Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Don’t Drink and Drive
Driver and Passenger Saf ety6