2003 Honda Pilot Service and Repair Manual

This 2003 Honda Pilot factory service and repair manual is built for the LX and EX trims and the 3.5L V6 (J35A4) that came in them, giving you the specifications, torque values, and procedures Honda published for this exact truck instead of generic V6 SUV figures.

Engines covered

• 3.5L V6 — SOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 4-door sport utility

Trims covered

• EX
• LX

Known issues on the 2003 Pilot. Fourteen recalls are on federal record for this model year. Eight of them cover Takata driver- and passenger-side frontal air bag inflators that can rupture or explode after prolonged exposure to heat and humidity, sending metal fragments toward the vehicle's occupants. A ninth covers a front passenger air bag that may have been installed incorrectly during a repair, which can cause it to deploy improperly in a crash. A separate recall covers the ignition switch interlock lever, which can deform and let the key be removed with the automatic transmission out of park, allowing the vehicle to roll away. Another covers the headlight switch wiring harness connector, where melted terminal ends can knock out the low beams and cut driver visibility. A recall for an aftermarket bike rack sold for the Pilot addresses a pinch bolt that risked severe laceration or amputation to fingers. The timing belt tensioner pulley can be misaligned so the belt contacts a cylinder head bolt and eventually fails, stalling the engine, and the automatic transmission's second gears can overheat and chip or break, locking up the transmission. Owners have filed 746 complaints for the year. The factory diagnostic and repair procedures behind each of those systems are here.

Whether you're inspecting the air bag inflators, checking the ignition interlock, or working through a timing belt job, it keeps you on the OEM procedure and the correct specification for your specific 2003 Pilot.