2017 Honda Pilot Tire Size, Pressure & Specs Guide

Maintaining the correct tire size, pressure, and wheel specifications on your 2017 Honda Pilot is crucial for safety, ride comfort, and fuel efficiency. As an ASE-certified master technician, I frequently see premature tire wear and handling issues on these mid-size SUVs caused by improper tire maintenance. Below is your comprehensive guide to the 2017 Honda Pilot's tire and wheel specifications.

Quick answer

Here are the essential tire and wheel specifications for the 2017 Honda Pilot:

• OEM tire size: 245/60R18 or 245/50R20 (depending on trim)
• Recommended cold tire pressure: 35 PSI (Front) / 35 PSI (Rear)
• Bolt pattern: 5x120 mm
• Wheel size: 18x8J or 20x8J (Offset: +55 mm)
• Load index/speed rating: 105H (for 18-inch wheels) / 102H (for 20-inch wheels)
• Spare tire size: T165/80D17 (Compact temporary spare)
• TPMS frequency: 433 MHz

Tire sizes by trim

Honda offered the 2017 Pilot with two main wheel and tire combinations depending on the trim level you selected.

Recommended replacement tires

When it is time to replace the tires on your Pilot, you want a tire that provides a quiet ride, good wet traction, and long tread life. Here are my top recommendations across different price tiers:

1. Michelin Defender LTX M/S (Premium tier): An industry standard for SUVs. It offers exceptional tread life, fantastic wet and light snow traction, and a very quiet ride on the highway.
2. Continental CrossContact LX25 (Mid-to-Premium tier): A superb touring tire that competes closely with Michelin but often comes in at a slightly lower price point. Great fuel efficiency and comfort.
3. Pirelli Scorpion All Season Plus 3 (Mid-tier): Excellent handling characteristics and ride comfort, specifically tailored for the North American crossover and SUV market.
4. General AltiMAX RT43 or RT45 (Budget-friendly tier): A solid all-season performer that punches way above its weight class in terms of longevity and winter traction for the price.

When to inflate to max load psi

Note: Max load PSI instructions typically apply to Heavy Duty (HD) trucks (3/4-ton and 1-ton). The 2017 Honda Pilot is a mid-size unibody SUV, not an HD truck.

For the 2017 Honda Pilot, you should generally stick to the placard pressure of 35 PSI for normal daily driving. However, if you are towing a trailer near the vehicle’s maximum capacity (up to 5,000 lbs with AWD and ATF cooler) or carrying a vehicle fully loaded with seven or eight passengers plus cargo, you can safely inflate the rear tires to 38-40 PSI to reduce sidewall flex and improve stability. Never exceed the maximum PSI listed on the tire's sidewall (usually 44 or 51 PSI).

Lug nut torque & pattern

Proper wheel installation is vital to prevent brake rotor warping and ensure the wheel stays securely attached.

• Bolt Pattern: 5x120 mm
• Lug Nut Torque: 94 lb-ft (127 Nm)
• Thread Size: M14 x 1.5

Always use a calibrated torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts in a star (crisscross) pattern. Re-check the torque after 50 to 100 miles of driving following a wheel installation.

Common tire issues for this vehicle

The 2017 Honda Pilot is generally very reliable, but there are a few tire-related issues owners should monitor:

• Premature Shoulder Wear: Because the Pilot is a heavy, front-wheel-drive biased vehicle (even in AWD trims), the front tires do the majority of the steering and braking. If you don't rotate your tires every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, the front outer shoulders will wear down rapidly.
• TPMS Sensor Battery Failure: The 433 MHz TPMS sensors used in the 2017 Pilot have internal batteries that typically last 7 to 10 years. Because this vehicle is reaching that age bracket, you may start experiencing intermittent TPMS warnings due to dying sensor batteries. It is highly recommended to replace all four sensors when getting new tires installed.
• Alignment Sensitivity: Potholes and curbs can easily knock the Pilot's rear independent suspension out of alignment, leading to negative camber wear (inner tire edge wear). Get an alignment check at least once a year.

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