Honda Pilot Owner's Manual page 449

Towing Equipment and
Accessories
Towing generally requires a variety
of supplemental equipment. To
ensure the best quality, we
recommend that you purchase
Honda equipment whenever possible.
Your dealer offers trailer packages
that include a ball mount, hitch plug,
and hitch pin. A wiring harness kit is
also available from your dealer.
Discuss any additional needs with
your trailer sales or rental agency,
and make sure all equipment is
properly installed, maintained, and
also meets state, federal, province,
and local regulations.
Hitch
Read the trailer manufacturer's
instructions, and select the
appropriate draw bar for the height
of the trailer you will be towing.
Weight Distributing Hitch
A weight distributing hitch is not
recommended for use with your
vehicle, as an improperly adjusted
weight distributing hitch may reduce
handling, stability, and braking
performance.
2009 Pilot
Towing a Trailer
Trailer Brakes
Honda recommends that any trailer
with a total trailer weight of 1,000 lbs
(450 kg) or more has its own brakes.
There are two common types of
trailer brakes: surge and electric.
Surge brakes are common for boat
trailers, since the brakes will get wet.
If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic system. No
matter how successful it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle's hydraulic system
will lower braking effectiveness and
create a potential hazard.
See your trailer dealer or rental
agency for more information on
installing electric brakes.
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