wheel HONDA PILOT 2012 2.G Owner's Guide

You will f eel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the ABS activates, and
may hear some noise. This is normal:
it is the ABS rapidly pumping the
brakes. On dry pavement, you will
need to press on the brake pedal
very hard before the ABS activates.
However, you may f eel the ABS
activate immediately if you are trying
to stop on snow or ice.
The anti-lock brake system (ABS)
helpspreventthewheelsfrom
locking up, and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly, much f aster than a
person can do it.
The electronic brake distribution
(EBD) system, which is part of the
ABS, also balances the f ront-to-rear
braking distribution according to
vehicle loading.
Let the ABS work f or you by always
keeping f irm, steady pressure on the
brake pedal. This is sometimes
ref erred to as ‘‘stomp and steer.

on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. It only helps with steering
control during braking.
such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe
speed f or the road and weather
conditions.
Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your vehicle to veer
into oncoming traffic or off the road.
If the ABS indicator and the brake
system indicator come on together,
and the parking brake is f ully
released, the EBD system may also
be shut down.
If this indicator comes on, the anti-
lock f unction of the braking system
has shut down. The brakes still work
like a conventional system, but
without anti-lock. You should have
your dealer inspect your vehicle as
soon as possible.
If the indicator comes on while
driving, test the brakes as instructed
on page .
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK ABS
SYSTEM

Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the VSA to
malf unction. When replacing tires,
makesuretheyareof thesamesize
and type as your original tires (see
page ).
If you install winter tires, make sure
they are the same size as those that
were originally supplied with your
vehicle. Exercise the same caution
during winter driving as you would if
your vehicle was not equipped with
VSA.Your vehicle is equipped with a hill
start assist f eature to help prevent
the vehicle f rom rolling on inclines
as you move your f oot f rom the
brake pedal to the accelerator.
This f eature starts operating a f ew
seconds af ter you are in any drive
gear position (when f aced uphill) or
in reverse (when f aced downhill).
This f eature requires that the
vehicle has come to a complete stop
bef ore it can work.
Hillstartassistmaynotholda
heavily loaded vehicle, such as when
your vehicle is connected to a trailer,
or prevent your vehicle f rom rolling
downhill on a very steep or slippery
slope.
605
VSA and Tire Sizes Hill Start Assist
Vehicle St abilit y A ssist (VSA), aka Electronic Stability Control (ESC), System
Driving
535
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Your vehicle is equipped with a
connector to install an optional trailer
lighting connector that mates with
your vehicle. You can get this
optional connector f rom your dealer.
Ref er to the above illustration f or
wiring inf ormation.
Trailer lights and equipment must
comply with f ederal, state, province/
territory, and local regulations.
Check trailer light requirements f or
the areas where you plan to tow, and
use only equipment designed f or
your vehicle.
When towing a trailer, we
recommend that you carry a f ull-size
spare wheel and tire for your vehicle
and trailer. When replacing the
compact spare with a f ull size spare,
remove the plastic spacer (see page
). Store the plastic spacer and
compact spare together. Reinstall
thespacerbeforeonceagainstowing
the compact spare.
See page f or proper tire size,
page f or how to store a f ull size
wheel and tire, and page for
inf ormation on changing a f lat tire.
Remember to unhitch the trailer
bef ore changing a f lat. Ask your
trailer sales or rental agency where
and how to store the trailer

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.Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering wheel,
then turn the wheel to the left to get
the trailer to move to the lef t. Turn
the wheel to the right to move the
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in Park and f irmly
setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer

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

ÛÝYou will also see the system
message every time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position until you have the indicated
maintenance perf ormed by your
dealer.
To cancel the system message, press
and release the INFO ( / ) button
on the steering wheel. At this time,
the system message indicator will
also be turned of f . Then the display
will change to the engine oil lif e
display. You will see a ‘‘SERVICE

ÛÝÛÝ
When you see this message, have
the indicated maintenance done by
your dealer immediately.
The system message indicator on
the instrument panel will also come
on, and a beeper will sound.
You will also see the system
message every time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position until you have the indicated
maintenance perf ormed by your
dealer.
To cancel the system message, press
and release the INFO ( / ) button
on the steering wheel. At this time,
the system message indicator will be turned of f . Then the display
will change to the engine oil lif e
display. You will see the engine oil
lif e blinking and a ‘‘SERVICE

Press and hold the SEL/RESET
button on the steering wheel f or
more than 10 seconds. The
remaining engine oil lif e reset
mode will be shown on the multi-
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%

µµ
Check the level on the side of the
reservoir when the engine is cold.
The f luid should be between the
UPPER LEVEL and LOWER LEVEL.
If not add power steering f luid to the
UPPER LEVEL mark. Always use Honda Power Steering
Fluid. You may use another power
steering f luid as an emergency
replacement, but have the power
steering system f lushed and ref illed
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
The timing belt should be replaced
at the intervals shown in the
Maintenance Minder schedule.
A low power steering f luid level can
indicate a leak in the system. Check
the f luid level f requently, and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.
If you are not sure how to add
f luid, contact your dealer.
Pour the f luid slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill any. Clean up any
spills immediately; it could damage
components in the engine
compartment. Replace the timing belt every 60,000
miles (100,000 km) if you regularly
drive your vehicle in any of the
f ollowing conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Frequently towing a trailer.
Timing Belt
Power Steering Fluid
Power Steering Fluid, Timing Belt
Maint enance
585
UPPER LEVEL
LOWER LEVELTM
T urning the steering wheel to f ull lef t
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.
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