2001 HONDA ODYSSEY check engine light

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions f or simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.......................
Maintenance Saf ety . 236
.
Important Safety Precautions . 237
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Maintenance Schedule . 238
...
Required Maintenance Record . 245
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 247
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Fluid Locations . 248
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Engine Oil . 249
..................................
Adding Oil . 249
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Recommended Oil . 249
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Synthetic Oil . 250
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Additives . 251
.....
Changing the Oil and Filter . 251
.............................
Cooling System . 253
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 253
.......
Replacing Engine Coolant . 255
....................
Windshield Washers . 258
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 259
....................................
Brake Fluid . 260
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Brake System . 260
..............................
Power Steering . 261
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Air Cleaner Element . 262
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Hood Latch . 264
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Spark Plugs . 264
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Replacement . 264
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Specif ications . 266
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Battery . 267 .................................
Wiper Blades . 269
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Air Conditioning System . 271
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Air Conditioning Filter . 272
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Drive Belts . 272
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Timing Belt . 273
...............................................
Tires . 273
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Inf lation . 273
..................................
Inspection . 275
..............................
Maintenance . 276
.............................
Tire Rotation . 276
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 277
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Wheels and Tires . 278
..........................
Winter Driving . 278
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Snow Tires . 279
............................
Tire Chains . 279
.............................................
Lights . 280
.....................
Headlight Aiming . 282
........................
Replacing Bulbs . 282
....................
Storing Your Vehicle . 291
351
Maintenance
Maint enance
235

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Follow the Severe Conditions
Maintenance Schedule if you
drive your vehicle
under one or more of the
f ollowing conditions:Driving less than 5 miles (8
km) per trip or, in f reezing
temperatures, driving less
than 10 miles (16 km) per trip.
Driving in extremely hot
[over 90°F (32°C)] conditions.
Extensive idling or long
periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a
roof top carrier, or driving in
mountainous conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, or
de-iced roads.
Follow the Maintenance
Schedule f or Severe Conditions.
MAINLY
Maint enance U.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
242 Visually inspect the following items:
Refer to page for replacement
information under special driving
conditions.
Refer to page for replacement
information under special driving
conditions.
Replace every 3,750 miles (6,000 km) or 6 months
Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop
Service at the indicated
distance or time whichever
comes first.
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000
months
120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 120 months, thereafter every60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 60 months
Tie rod ends, steering gear box, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and conditions of fluids
Cooling system hoses and connections
Exhaust system
Fuel lines and connections
Lights and controls
Vehicle underbody Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or 6 months
Rotate tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) Every 36 months
Inspect every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or 6 months
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Check engine oil and coolant
Clean ( ) or replace ( ) air cleaner element
Use normal schedule except in dusty
conditions
Inspect valve clearance
Replace spark plugs
Inspect and adjust drive belts
Inspect idle speed
Replace engine coolant
Replace transmission fluid
Inspect front and rear brakes
Replace brake fluid
Check parking brake adjustment
Replace air conditioning filter
Lubricate all hinges, locks and latches
Rotate tires (Check tire inflation and condition
at least once per month) 152412
304824457236 60964875
120 60 90
144 72 105168
84 120192
96
Adjust only if noisy
1: 2:: See page 239. 273272
Replace timing belt and inspect water pump,1
2
Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions

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CONT INUED
Maint enance 243
A, B, C, D
Severe Conditions:
A B C
Use this schedule if your vehicle is MAINLY driven in any of the following Severe Conditions, o
r normally driven in Canada; otherwise use the Normal
Schedule. Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in as required for each distance/time.
Driving less than 5 miles (8 km) per trip or, in freezing temperatures, driving less than 10 miles (16 km) p er trip.
Driving in extremely hot (over 90°F/32°C) conditions.
Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack, or driving in mountainous conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads.
3,750 mi/6,000 km/-
7,500 mi/12,000 km/6 mos
11,250 mi/18,000 km/-
15,000 mi/24,000 km/1 yr
18,750 mi/30,000 km/-
22,500 mi/36,000 km/1½ yrs
26,250 mi/42,000 km/-
30,000 mi/48,000 km/2 yrs
33,750 mi/54,000 km/-
37,500 mi/60,000 km/2½ yrs
41,250 mi/66,000 km/-
45,000 mi/72,000 km/3 yrs
48,750 mi/78,000 km/-
52,500 mi/84,000 km/3½ yrs Replace engine oil and filter.
Inspect front and rear brakes.
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page 276 ).
Inspect tie rod ends, steering gearbox and boots.
Inspect suspension components.
Inspect driveshaft boots.
Check parking brake adjustment.
Lubricate all hinges, locks and latches, with
multipurpose grease.
Inspect brake hoses and lines (including ABS).
Check all fluid levels, condition of fluids, and check
for leaks.
Inspect cooling system hoses and connections.
Inspect exhaust system .
Inspect fuel lines and connections .
Check all lights.
Inspect the underbody.
Do items in A.
Do items in A, B.
Do items in A.
Clean air cleaner element. Do items in A, B, C.
Do items in A.
Do items in A, B.
Do items in A.
DoitemsinA,B,C,D.
Do items in A.
Do items in A, B.
Do items in A. Clean air cleaner element.
DoitemsinA,B,C,E.
Do items in A.
Do items in A, B.
·····
Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions (listed by distance/time)

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Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the page given.
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
youfillthefueltank.Seepage .Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
Windshield washer f luid Check
the level in the reservoir monthly.
If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers f requently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
f or f uel. See page .
Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See page .
Brakes Check the f luid level
monthly. See page . Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate light monthly. See
page .
200
201
258
259 260 273
280
Owner Maintenance Checks
Maint enance 247

Remove the oil f ilter and let the
remaining oil drain. A special
wrench (available f rom your
Honda dealer) is required to
remove the f ilter.
Install a new oil f ilter according to
instructions that come with it.
Put a new washer on the drain bolt,
then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:Refill the engine with the recom-
mended oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including f ilter):
Replace the engine oil f ill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
f ive seconds. If it does not, turn of f
the engine and reinspect your
work.
Let the engine run f or several
minutes and check the drain bolt
and oil f ilter f or leaks.
Turn of f the engine, let it sit f or
several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.
9.
8.
7.
6.
4. 5.
3.
Engine Oil
Maint enance
252
OOIILLFFIILLTTEERR
29 lbf·ft (39 N·m , 4.0 kgf·m) 4.6 US qt (4.4
, 3.9 Imp qt)
Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmf ul to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose of
the used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling
center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.

Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather.
When you ref ill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer f luid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly
during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers of ten,
check the level every time you stop
f or f uel. This reservoir supplies the
windshield and rear window washers.
The windshield washer reservoir is
located behind the passenger’s side
headlight.
Check the reservoir’s f luid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
level gauge attached to the cap.
The low washer level indicator will
light when the level is low (see page
).
65
On Canadian models
Windshield Washers
Maint enance
258
LLEEVVEELLGGAAUUGGEE Do not use engine antif reeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antif reeze can damage your vehicle’s
paint, while a vinegar/water solution
can damage the windshield washerpump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer f luid.

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Your vehicle’s air conditioning is a
sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be
done by a qualif ied mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to make
sure the air conditioning works
ef f iciently.
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them. 334
Maint enance
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
271
AAIIRRCCOONNDDIITTIIOONNIINNGGCCOONNDDEENNSSEERR Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.

Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. 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
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. 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 ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
orNeutralorthestarterwillnot
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
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 Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See
on page .)
81
313 313267329
Jump Starting
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Won’t Start
312