Honda Pilot and Carseats (VERY pic heavy.)

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Since the Pilot is a popular family vehicle, there are a number of questions that arise on the board regarding fitting seats in it. I thought I would provide a brief vehicle overview, as well as a study of the sizes of seating locations and at least a few three-across options. Additionally, I tried the Radian RF and FF in each position, and have a photographic explanation of why the Nautilus is incompatible third row passenger outboard.

This is a 2006 Pilot; it is the same body style as the 2003-2008 models. The only notable exception that I'm aware of is that the 2003 model year second row seats do not move forwards and backwards. I'm not sure the degree to which the 2009+ MY interior changed, so YMMV on success. (I know there are more LATCH positions, at a minimum.)

The photographs are small, but are clickable thumbnails which will take you to full size pictures.

DISCLAIMER: These seats are test installs and were reinstalled before children rode in them. There may be some minor misuse, most notably, unattached tethers. Please read your manual and visit a CPST to check your seat installation before transporting your children. This thread is intended as a reference/sample material only, not a guarantee that this will work in every Pilot.

I've divided this into several subsections; each subsection takes several posts due to restrictions on photographs.

1) Introduction
2) Honda Pilot Overview
3) SK Radian & the Pilot
4) Graco Nautilus & Third Row Passenger Outboard Incompatability
5) Building a Third Row Three-Across

#2: Honda Pilot Overview

The Pilot has six rear seating positions, all with lap-shoulder belts, headrests, and tether anchors. All belts lock at the retractor. Second row tether anchors are on the seatback; third row tether anchors are under covers in the rear sill. (The outboard anchors are under sliding covers, whereas the center cover is "L"-shaped and removable.)



Second row:

Both the second and third rows are 60/40 split benches. The second row has a fairly generous amount of seating room, with 33 and 21 inches per portion. (All measurements are buckle stalk to buckle stalk.)



The second row slides forward and backwards with a lever underneath the seat, and its seatbacks have five recline positions. The recline lever is located on the top outside of the outboard seating positions.




With the second row seats all the way forward, second row leg room is sparse. The difference between forward and backward are illustrated in the next post.

 
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Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
#2: Pilot Overview, Part 2



The second row has flexible, somewhat lengthy buckle stalks in all locations. Additionally, the center position has a plug-in recepticle for the non-buckle side of the belt, to make for two lengthy buckle stalks to condend with in that position.




Third row:

The third row is significantly narrower than the second row; the 60 portion of the bench is just 25" wide, and the 40 portion is 14".



The third row's leg room is minimal with the second row scooted all of the way back, at just 6.5". With the second row all of the way forward, it is better, at about 10".


Forward Backwards

The third row has a single recline option, operated by a lever (also the lever to stow the seat) on the back of each side of the bench.

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
#3: Sunshine Kids Radian & the Honda Pilot

I have heard a few people report difficulty installing the Radian in the Pilot in a few positions. I was able to achieve a successful install, both RF and FF, in all positions of the Pilot. (I will amend that to say that I'm not certain it will fit RF behind the driver, even with the second row all of the way back, unless the driver is relatively petite. It was okay for me at 5'4", though.) The below post is very detailed, in install method, and also in a photo examination of its fit in various positions, including rearfacing in the third row.

Third Row Passenger Outboard, FFing

This install is difficult, and would probably be made much easier with two people. It also ends up very reclined, so some may not be comfortable using it on an everyday basis. In order to start, I reclined both the Radian and the seat back, and placed the Radian such that the belt path was in line with
the forward-of-bight, fixed buckle stalk. There is a gap between the bottom of the Radian and the seat back. (Note: I don't have photos, but I was able to get it a bit less reclined by taking the Radian out of recline mode, placing the belt path back a smidge, and putting lots of weight in the seat as I tightened.)



I ran the belt through the belt path and buckled it, then pulled at this angle to tighten. (Any other angle would not allow the belt to be tightened properly.)



Once I got the seat as tight as I possibly could, I fed the belt back into the retractor and pulled the seat back back into an upright position. (This is where a second set of hands would have been immensely helpful.) There is a gap at the seatback, and the seat overhangs at the front, but is more than 80% in contact with the vehicle's seat. (I believe it was 10 of 12 inches in contact with the seat.)



I found this install to go much more easily the second time around -- if I recall correctly, it was tight enough before pulling the seat back upright when I installed it again.

This is the amount of space that the Radian takes up FF, third row center. A RF seat takes up exactly to the line at the edge of the patterned area, so I believe you could fit a FF/RF Radian combo in here. It would be very tight, though, and I don't have a second Radian to try it. (I don't recall if the recline foot was down because I couldn't get it to install with it up, or just because it was down -- I don't think there was any consequence to it, though.)



I believe the shape of the Radian base would allow an independently tight installation of a seat next to it, but again, I'm not certain. It's definitely tricky with the overlap, and if I were going to attempt it I would definitely double-verify independent installs.



FFing third row outboard required two (?) twists of the buckle stalk.



Rearfacing in the third row, driver outboard, you gain a bit of room due to the shape of the Radian boot.

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
#3: Honda Pilot & the Radian, Part 2

This is a series of pictures intended to show the difference in angle between when the seat is braced on the second row, and when the second row is folded. I had a really difficult time getting the pictures to clearly illustrate that, but I feel the difference is slight enough that I'm totally comfortable using it this way. The base remains in contact with the seat. (Note: the second row must be completely forward for this to fit front-to-back.)



This is the base before and after the second row seatback is raised up.



Third row center: (No clue what, if anything, would fit next to it. Maybe a seatbelted child.)


Second row passenger side:

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Pilot & Radian, Part 3

Second row center, RF:

The Radian goes in second row center very upright, due to the fact that there's a funky divot in the seat that's like it's made for it.



However, in order to get it to stay in the divot -- and not "hop" on top of it -- it requires two twists of one stalk and three of the other (I can't remember which is which!) and a locking clip. Without the locking clip, the shoulder belt pulls up on the driver's side of the Radian, and it causes it to hop up.




In relation to the front passenger seats -- I believe this is with the second row all the way forward.



It also installs well without all of that tomfoolery, it's just more reclined. (I don't have a picture of the more reclined install, but here's the foot post-hop.)

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
#4: Graco Nautilus Incompatability, Third Row Pass Outboard

The Graco Nautilus is incompatable in the third row, passenger side outboard. (It fits on the driver's side and/or center, but it will not share that bench with any other seat. It also fits in any position of the second row, with the only concern being to keep it 100% over the seat in the center position.)

The seat fits, and does not cover the buckle. It has a smidge of room when tight against the wall.



In order to get (the illusion of) a tight install, the seat must be pulled forward from the seat bight a bit, to line up the belt path with the buckle.



But once tight side-to-side, a simple tug will pull it forward, introducing tons of slack into the seatbelt.

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
#5: Building a Third Row Three-Across

There are a very few combinations I have found to fit three-across in the third row. Almost all of these involve a RF Radian driver outboard and a RF MyRide in the center. (I have also fit a RF MR center with a FPSVB outboard.)

In order to assure independent tightness when I put my three-across together, I start with an install of the MyRide.

I install it as upright as it can go, with just shy of an inch of movement, and mark the seatbelt with chalk.



Then I uninstall it, and install the Radian. The boot of the Radian sits against the plastic outboard hinge, allowing the Radian itself to sit slightly off the outside edge of the seat.



The shape of the Radian base allows the overlapping belts to clear with minimal interference.



If I'm installing a non-booster seat, I then install it passenger outboard. In this example, I used a Coccoro. (I can also fit a RF Avenue, and a small variety of boosters.) There's not a lot of space between the seats.



Getting the MR in there is... tricky, at best. It has to lip over both the Radian and the CCO, so the best way I've found to get it in there is to put it, well, over them. Then I run the belt through and buckle it before I wedge it down in there.



Then it's just a matter of placing it in there -- it takes a bit of wiggle to get it seated properly -- and pulling out alllll of the slack. When I feel like it's tight, I tighten it a bit more :p and then look for the chalk line. Ideally, I can get the chalk line a bit further north than just showing, but once I can see it I know there's less than an inch of movement.



If I opt for a booster, and I change it out, I have to get the Monterey in like this...

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
#5: Building a Third Row Three-Across, Part 2

It's tight, but it fits.



Other options are the Ambassador, and the FPSVB (not pictured.)



Once I put the second row up, I can slide the 40 portion back quite a few clicks further than the 60 portion (assuming I have the Coccoro or a booster on the 40 portion of the third row; with the Avenue they both have to be forwards all the way.) It just barely clears the MyRide.



In the second row, I have a Monterey/Pronto/Nautilus, for six seats in! Good luck buckling that sucker ;)



The whole assembly from the back hatch...

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Jeez. Not sure if you're done yet, but yeah, you get rep for that.

Only question: What year is your Pilot? They changed the body style in 2008? 09? Something? That might affect installs a bit, but probably for the better if nothing else.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I'm done. I thought I could split it into five posts, ha, I didn't realize there was a 16-pic limit per post. LOL!

It's a 2006; I'll go edit that into the intro. Guess that is kinda important. ;)
 

NVMBR02

New member
It wont let me give you rep (says I have given too much today, but I don't think I have given any recently?) so I gave you a bunch of thanks.

:thumbsup:
 

emtb79

New member
I gave you big reps for that. Now it makes me want to go run out to my Odyssey to do one for my van. :whistle: Although I must say you had lots of free time on your hands to do that.
 

Chely7425

New member
Definite rep for that! Also not helping my want for a Pilot... but DH says it isn't a "real" SUV, whatever that means :rolleyes:
 

wavegal

New member
They changed the pilot body in 2009 to the newest one, 06-08 is one body and the prior was 03-05

I have an 06 pilot and had the radian behind driver, my DH who's 5'11 could drive as well but it was braced. I thought the radian was a pretty easy latch install in the pilot, seat belt fairly easy as well but took a little longer.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Thanks, guys. I just know for the volume of posts I see on here about Pilots, it seemed to make sense to do up a pictoral for easy linkage.

Susan, I think it would be great to have a post like this for the Ody, as well as the Sienna and other "frequent flyer" vehicles. Quick & easy reference :)

I do love my Pilot, as long as I'm not trying to get six kids into it. . 'Cause until I figured out the Radian/MR, I thought that three-across in the third row was going to be the death of me.
 

pepsicola

New member
Holy smokes that's a lot of work! These are all for your daycare kiddos, right? How did you come to have this variety of different seats for them all? Did their parents provide them or did you buy them yourself? Just wondering since they're all different.
 

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