Cylinder 3 is the rear-most cylinder on the driver-side bank of the 3.5-liter V6 engine, closest to the firewall.
Understanding the engine layout in the 2015 Pilot
The two-bank V6 arrangement
The 2015 Pilot uses Honda’s 3.5-liter V6 architecture, which is arranged in two banks of three cylinders each. Bank 1 sits on the driver’s side, and Bank 2 sits on the passenger side. Within Bank 1, cylinders are numbered 1 through 3 from the front of the engine toward the firewall; Bank 2 contains cylinders 4 through 6 in the same front-to-back order.
- Cylinder 1 — front-most on Bank 1 (driver side).
- Cylinder 2 — middle on Bank 1.
- Cylinder 3 — rear-most on Bank 1 (closest to the firewall).
- Cylinder 4 — front-most on Bank 2 (passenger side).
- Cylinder 5 — middle on Bank 2.
- Cylinder 6 — rear-most on Bank 2.
In short, cylinder 3 is the farthest back on the left-hand (driver) side of the engine when viewed from the front of the vehicle.
Locating Cylinder 3 in the engine bay
Follow these practical steps to visually identify cylinder 3 without removing major components. The numbering runs 1–3 on the driver-side bank and 4–6 on the passenger-side bank.
- Stand at the front of the vehicle and look down into the engine bay toward the left side (driver side).
- Identify Bank 1 by tracing the left-side valve cover, which houses cylinders 1–3.
- Count from the front of the engine along that bank: 1 at the front, then 2 in the middle, and 3 at the back near the firewall.
- Note ignition coil/spark plug locations on the left bank; the rear-most coil corresponds to cylinder 3.
Always ensure the engine is cool and, if you are planning any maintenance, disconnect the negative battery cable and consult the factory service manual for exact access points, torque specs, and safety precautions.
Summary
On a 2015 Honda Pilot, cylinder 3 is the rear-most cylinder on the driver-side (left) bank of the 3.5-liter V6. It sits behind cylinders 1 and 2 toward the firewall. Use the Bank 1 (cylinders 1–3) vs Bank 2 (cylinders 4–6) layout to verify its location, and refer to service diagrams for precise coil/spark plug access and specifications.