2000 HONDA ODYSSEY key

Power Window s
The power window system has a key-
off delay function. The windows willstill operate for up to ten minutes
after you turn off the ignition.Opening either front door cancels
the delay function. You must turn
the ignition switch ON (II) again
before you can operate the windows.
You can open or close each rear
window with the switches on thedriver's door armrest. The rightswitch controls the passenger's side
rear window and the left switch controls the driver's side window. To
open the window, push the switch
down and hold it. Release the switch
when you want the window to stop. Close the window by pulling back on
the switch and holding it.
Instrument s an d Control s
REAR WINDO W SWITCHE S

Starting th e Engin e
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off all electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
3. Make sure the shift lever is in Park. Press on the brake pedal.
4. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. If the engine does not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) for
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause for at least 10 seconds before trying again.
5. If the engine does not start within 15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal so the engine does not race. 6. If the engine still does not start,
press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while starting in order to clear flooding.
As before, keep the ignition key in the START (III) position for nomore than 15 seconds. Return tostep 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal so the engine does not race.
Startin g in Col d Weathe r a t Hig h
Altitud e (Abov e 8,00 0 feet /
2,400 meters )
An engine is harder to start in cold
weather. The thinner air found athigh altitude above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters) adds to the problem.
Use the following procedure:
1. Turn off all electrical accessories to reduce the drain on the battery. 2. Push the accelerator pedal half-
way to the floor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do nothold the ignition key in START(III) for more than 15 seconds.
When the engine starts, release the accelerator pedal gradually as
the engine speeds up and smoothsout.
3. If the engine fails to start in step 2, push the accelerator pedal to the
floor and hold it there while you
try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the enginedoes not start, return to step 2.
Drivin g

Automatic Transmissio n
Shift Leve r Position s
The shift lever has seven positions.
It must be in Park or Neutral to start
the engine. When you are stopped in
D4, D3, 2,1, N or R, press firmly on
the brake pedal, and keep your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
Park (P ) — This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the
accelerator pedal. Pull the shift lever
towards you, then move it out of
Park.
If you have done all of the above and still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see Shift Lock Release on page
208.
You must also pull the shift lever towards you to shift into Park. Toavoid transmission damage, come to
a complete stop before shifting into
Park. The shift lever must be in Park
before you can remove the key from the ignition switch.
CONTINUED
Drivin g
SHIFT LEVE R

Automatic Transmissio n
Second (2 ) — To shift to Second,
pull the shift lever towards you, then shift to the lower gear. This position
locks the transmission in second
gear. It does not downshift to first
gear when you come to a stop. Second gives you more power when
climbing, and increased engine
braking when going down steep hills. Use second gear when starting outon a slippery surface or in deep snow.
It will help reduce wheelspin.
When driving down hill with a trailer, use the Second position.
Firs t (1 ) — To shift from Second to
First, pull the shift lever towards you,
then shift to the lower gear. With the
lever in this position, the transmis- sion locks in First gear. By upshift-
ing and downshifting through 1, 2,
D
3 and D4, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal. Engin
e Spee d Limite r
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine speed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may feel the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone. Shif
t Loc k Releas e
This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normalmethod of pushing on the brake
pedal and pulling the shift lever does not work.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Place a cloth on the edge of the shift lock release slot cover on the
steering column. Remove the
cover by carefully prying on the
edge with a small flat-tipped screwdriver (not included in the
toolkit).
Drivin g
CONTINUED

Automatic Transmissio n
4. Insert the key in the Shift Lock
Release slot.
5. Push down on the key while you pull the shift lever towards youand move it out of Park to Neutral. 6. Remove the key from the Shift
Lock Release slot, then install a
new cover. Depress the brake
pedal and restart the engine.
If you need to use the Shift Lock
Release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your Honda dealer.
Drivin g
SHIFT LOC K RELEAS E SLO T COVE R

Parking
Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. The indicator on the instrument panel shows that
the parking brake is not fully
released; it does not indicate that the
parking brake is firmly set. Makesure the parking brake is set firmly
or your vehicle may roll if it is
parked on an incline.
Set the parking brake before you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the vehicle from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanismin the transmission — making it
easier to move the shift lever out of
Park when you want to drive away. If the vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the curb.
If the vehicle is facing downhill, turn
the front wheels toward the curb.Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away. Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Parkin
g Tip s
Make sure the windows are closed.
Turn off the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the cargo area or take them
with you.
Lock the doors with the key or the
remote transmitter.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
Drivin g

If You r Engin e Won' t Star t
Diagnosing why your engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almostnothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run.
Nothin g Happen s o r th e Starte r
Moto r Operate s Ver y Slowl y
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Your vehicle has the ImmobilizerSystem. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 77).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer systemindicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park or Neutral or the starter will not
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and checktheir brightness. If the headlightsare very dim or don't light at all,the battery is discharged. See
Jum p Startin g on page 303 .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 317.)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 257). You can then try jump starting the vehicle
from a booster battery (see page 303).
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Index
Accessories and Modifications.... 195
Accessories................................. 195
Additional Safety Precaution.... 196
Modifications............................. 196
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key Position)........................................ 79
Accessory Power Sockets............. 124
Adding Automatic Transmission
Fluid........................................ 249
Brake Fluid................................. 250
Engine Coolant........................... 243
Engine Oil.................................. 239
Power Steering Fluid................. 251
Windshield Washer Fluid......... 248
Additional Information About
Your Seat Belts........................ 45
Lap/Shoulder Belt....................... 45
Seat Belt Maintenance................ 47
Seat Belt System Components... 45
Additional Information About
Your SRS ................................
48
Additional Safet
y Precautions.... 52
How the Automatic Seat Belt
Tensioners Work..................... 50
How the SRS Indicator
Works........................................ 50
How Your Airbags Work............ 48
SRS Components......................... 48
Additives, Engine Oil..................... 24 1
Adjustments Head Restraints......................... 104
Mirrors........................................ 115
Seats............................................ 100
Steering Wheel............................ 72
Airbag (SRS)............................... 9, 4 9
Air Cleaner Element...................... 252
Air Conditioning Filter.................. 262
Air Conditioning System....... 130, 138
Maintenance............................... 261
Rear A/C Control...................... 152
Usage................................. 130, 138
Air Outlets (Vents)............... 132, 138
Air Pressure, Tires........................ 263
Alcohol in Gasoline........................ 326
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning........ 285
Antifreeze....................................... 243
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Indicator Light..................... 59 , 212Operation.................................... 211
Anti-theft, Audio System............... 186
Anti-theft Steering Column Lock.. 78
Appearance Care........................... 283
Armrests........................................ . 103
Audio Controls, Remote................ 185
Audio System........................ 155, 167
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners.... 50
Automatic Lighting Off Feature.... 67
Automatic Speed Control................ 73
Automatic Transmission............... 204
Capacity, Fluid........................... 322
Checking Fluid Level................ 249
Shifting........................................ 205
Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 204
Shift Lever Positions................. 205
Shift Lock Release..................... 208CONTINUED