Honda Pilot
12V Automotive Battery Replacement Guide
How to change a dead 12 volt car battery
in the engine bay of a 1st generation 2003 to 2008 Honda Pilot SUV.
2006 Pilot VTEC 3.5L V6 |
Remove Negative Terminal |
Remove Positive Terminal |
This
automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist
owners of the first generation (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and
2008) Honda Pilot SUV in changing a dead 12V automotive battery for
the VTEC 3.5 liter V6 engine. Owners of other Honda or Acura vehicles such as the Accord, Civic, Crosstour, CR-V, CR-Z, Fit, Insight, Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline, ILX, TSX, TLX, TL, RLX, RDX, NSX and MDX may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. The OEM 12 volt battery is a "Group Size" 24F and part number Honda 31500-SD4-100M. You can also use a group size 35 battery if necessary. A few compatible replacement Group Size 24F or 35 batteries with their part numbers are as follows: Exide FP-AGM24F, Optima 8040-218 D35 and Optima 8020-164 35. The tools needed to change the battery include a deep 10mm socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet or a 10mm wrench. |
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Pry Off Wire Loom Fastener |
Lift Wire Loom Off Bar |
Loosen Counterclockwise |
The first two steps
are to open the hood and then move to the right (driver) side of the engine
bay. The 12V battery is located just behind the driver side headlight and to the left of the engine air filter box. Loosen the negative terminal first by turning the nut in the counterclockwise direction with the 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet. Pull the negative terminal off the "-" battery post. Wrap the negative terminal with a small towel and tuck it away on the side of the battery to help prevent accidental electrical contact. Then loosen the 10mm nut on the positive terminal by turning it in the counterclockwise direction and pull it off the "+" post. Pull the black plastic fastener that secures the wire loom off the rear mounting bar on the battery hold down clamp. You might need to use a flathead screwdriver to pry the fastener off the end of the bar. |
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2nd Battery Clamp Nut |
Pull Off Battery Hold Down Bar |
Honda 31500-SD4-100M |
Loosen the two nuts
on the battery hold down bar by turning them counterclockwise with a deep
well 10mm socket and a ratchet or a 10mm wrench. You don't need to fully remove the two nuts. Just loosen them enough so that you can disengage the two "J" hook bars from their slots on the front and rear of the battery tray. Set the battery hold down clamp aside in a safe place. Pull the old battery straight out of the engine bay while avoiding making contact with the electrical posts. The OEM battery was a genuine Honda part number 31500-SD4-100M. If you can wait a few days for delivery, I recommend buying the Exide FP-AGM24F since it has excellent reviews on Amazon. |
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Bought November 2010 |
Lower In New Battery & Clamp |
Replace "J" Hook Bar |
Clean off any
debris from the battery tray so that the new battery will rest evenly on it. Carefully lower the new battery down in to the engine bay with the positive "+" post on the left (passenger) side and the negative "-" terminal on the right (driver) side of the engine bay. Carefully lower the hold down clamp and the two "J" hooks over the new battery while avoiding making contact with the posts. Re-insert the "J" hooks at the end of the bars in to their mounting slots on the front and rear of the battery tray. |
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Re-Insert Front "J" Hook |
Tighten 10mm Clockwise |
Tighten Rear 10mm Nut |
Tighten the two
10mm nuts on the hold down bar in the clockwise direction until they are
snug. If you've had a problem with corrosion (white or blue powder) building up on the battery terminals, consider installing some felt anti-corrosion washers to the battery posts. |
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Replace Positive Terminal |
Replace Negative Terminal |
12V Battery Replaced |
Push the positive
terminal on to the "+" battery post. Tighten the 10mm positive terminal nut in the clockwise direction until it is snug. Try to avoid over tightening the terminal nut to prevent from damaging the battery post which may lead to an acid leak. Replace the negative terminal on to the "-" battery post and tighten the 10mm nut in the clockwise direction. Check that the battery can not be moved, rocked or slid around on the tray. If it can be moved, tighten the two 10mm hold down clamp nuts an extra turn or two. Test the new 12V battery by starting the engine and turning on the headlights. (If your radio says "Enter Code", check out my Honda Radio Serial Number Retrieval & Code Entry Guide.) For more, check out all of my
2003-2008 Honda Pilot DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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