2005 Fuel Octane and Oil Update from HOA

[Edog]

Here is the text from the official memo from Honda of America:

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"In the 2005 Pilot Owner’s Manual, on page 146 and on the Service Information Summary page, the fuel octane recommendation is incorrect. The correct recommendation is 86 octane or higher, not 91. Premium unleaded fuel is NOT needed in the 2005 Pilot except for towing in certain conditions.

In addition, the recommended engine oil on the Service Information Summary page should be “API premium grade 5W-20 detergent oil,” not “API Service SJ Energy Conserving oil, SAE 5W-20 viscosity.”

Please notify all current and prospective Pilot customers of this error. It will be corrected in the next printing of the owner’s manual."

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I just received this from the dealer that I purchased my '05 from.

[tracy]

Originally posted by Edog
In addition, the recommended engine oil on the Service Information Summary page should be “API premium grade 5W-20 detergent oil,” not “API Service SJ Energy Conserving oil, SAE 5W-20 viscosity.”

Let me guess... that's another Acura requirement?

[04silver]

Is the 03 and 04 model still premium fuel only (91 octaine)? Is the oil recommendation in the 03-04 manual incorrect as well?

[FamilyGuy]

Looks like the updated octane requirments for the 2005 Pilot are exactly as the 03 & 04. This page is from the 04 manual.

The recommended engine oil leaves me stumped though..... as mentioned above, is it wrong in the 03 & 04 manual also then?

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by FamilyGuy
Looks like the updated octane requirments for the 2005 Pilot are exactly as the 03 & 04. This page is from the 04 manual.

The recommended engine oil leaves me stumped though..... as mentioned above, is it wrong in the 03 & 04 manual also then?

I think the industry chaqnged the name of the 0W20 oil.

[Pilot Rider]

Edog or anyone else who has a copy of the official memo from Honda of America regarding the 2005 Fuel Octane and Oil Update, can you post a (scanned) copy of the entire letter? I have called a couple of dealers and oddly none have heard of this notice.

[Edog]

Originally posted by Pilot Rider
Edog or anyone else who has a copy of the official memo from Honda of America regarding the 2005 Fuel Octane and Oil Update, can you post a (scanned) copy of the entire letter? I have called a couple of dealers and oddly none have heard of this notice.

I never got an official copy of the memo. I received an E-mail from the dealer quoting the "official memo". I would be more than happy to post the entire contents of the E-mail, including the contact at my dealership.

[Pilot Rider]

Edog, if you can post the E-mail + contact info that would be great. thanks in advance.

[FamilyGuy]

A co-worker of mine just purchased a 2005 Sienna Limited. Before he consumated the deal, he wanted to make sure that he would have absolutely no problem using regular unleaded, as the salesperson had stated.

They showed him the owners manual, and it stated "premium fuel is recommended for OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE." Any fuel rated 86 octane or higher would be acceptable however.

We both run regular unleaded (87) in our company cars, turbo 1.8L VW engines, which recommend midgrade (89) or better. I have not noticed any issues at all in the last 2 yrs of using only regular.

In my personal opinion, any engine that is designed to run on premium or midgrade, should be capable of running on regular unleaded without any noticeable difference (I guess that's what knock sensors and all the other electronics are for). Obviously if the owners manual stated not to use a lower octane, I would not, but I would seriously think twice about purchasing that vehicle.

I was shocked when I heard that the 05 Pilot required premium, but I guess that has been corrected now.

[viventis]

New 2005 EX-L owner here. Hello all. My salesman told me that 86 octane was fine. When I mentioned that I had read in this group that the manual was in error before he could tell me, he laughed.

[Edog]

I received this in the mail today, along with a new manual. The new Pilots will have this new manual, but I thought it was interesting that Honda would send an entirely new manual to the early '05 purchasers.