
2003 Odyssey Online Reference Owner's Manual Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference. 
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com.  Contents  
Owner's Identification Form 
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i 
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii 
Your Vehicle at a Glance ........................................................................\
....................................................... 2 
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5 
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System. 
Instruments and  Controls........................................................................\
.................................................. .69 
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to  use dashboard and steering  column controls. 
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
.............................. .143 
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features. 
Before Driving  ........................................................................\
...................................................... ...............243 
What gasoline to use, how  to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo. 
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................257 
The proper way to start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer. 
Maintenance........................................................................\
...................................................... ...................283 
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer. 
Appearance Care........................................................................\
...................................................... ...........343 
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your car ever needs body repairs. 
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................351 
This section covers several problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them. 
Technical Information........................................................................\
...................................................... .383 
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information. 
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)..................................................................... .397 
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contact us. 
Authorized Manuals  (U.S. only )........................................................................\
......................................
.401 
How to order manuals and other technical literature. 
Index  ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I 
Service Information Summary 
A summary of information you need when you pull up to  the  fuel pump.  

These saf ety f eatures are designed
to reduce the severity of injuries in a
crash. However, you and your
passengers can’t take f ull advantage
of these saf ety f eatures unless you
remain sitting in a proper position
andIn f act, some saf ety
f eatures can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly. Seat belts are the single most
ef f ective saf ety device f or adults and
larger children. (Inf ants and smaller
children must be properly restrained
in child seats.)
In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces require you to
wear seat belts.
Foryoursafety,andthesafetyof
your passengers, your vehicle is
equipped with seat belts in all seating
positions.
Your seat belt system also
includes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to f asten your seat
belts. Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Seat Belts
always wear your seat belts
properly. Why Wear Seat Belt s
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
8 

The f ollowing pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect the driver and other adult
occupants.
These instructions also apply to
children who have outgrown child
seats and are large enough to wear
lap/shoulder belts. (See page f or
important additional guidelines on
how to properly protect larger
children.)Your vehicle has a door and tailgate
monitor light on the instrument
panel to indicate when a specif ic
door or the tailgate is not tightly
closed. Af ter everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors and
tailgate are closed and locked.
For security, locked doors can
prevent an outsider f rom
unexpectedly opening a door when
you come to a stop.
See page f or how to lock the
doors. For saf ety, locking the doors reduces
the chance that a passenger,
especially a child, will open a door
while the vehicle is moving and
accidentally f all out. It also reduces
the chance of someone being thrown
out of the vehicle during a crash.
Any driver who sits too close to the
steering wheel is at risk of being
seriously injured or killed by striking
the steering wheel or f rom being
struck by an inflating front airbag
during a crash.
42
92
CONT INUED
Introduction A djust the Front Seats
Close and L ock the Doors
1. 2.
Protecting Adults
Driver and Passenger Saf ety13 

To unlock the belt, push the red
PRESSbuttononthebuckle. To fasten the belt, insert the latch
plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is
latched.
Guide the belt across your body so
that it retracts completely. After
exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt
is out of the way and will not get
closed in the door.
All seat belts have an emergency
locking retractor. In normal driving,
the retractor lets you move f reely in
your seat while it keeps some
tension on the belt. During a collision
or sudden stop, the retractor
automatically locks the belt to help
restrain your body.
Your vehicle has two types of lap/
shoulder belts. The center position
of the third seat has a combination of
a lap belt and a shoulder belt. For
maximum saf ety, they are designed
to be used together.
All other seating positions have a
one-piece lap/shoulder belt. This
seat belt goes over your shoulder,
across your chest and across your
hips.
Your seat belt system includes lap/
shoulder belts in all seven seating
positions. The f ront seat belts are
also equipped with automatic seat
belt tensioners.
The seat belt system also
includes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to f asten your belts.
If the driver’s seat belt is not
fastened before the ignition is turned
ON (II), the light will come on and a
beeper will also sound. The beeper
will stop af ter a f ew seconds, but the
light will stay on until the driver’s
seat belt is f astened. Seat Belt System Components L ap/Shoulder Belt
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety50 

CONT INUED
During a frontal crash, your seat
belts help restrain your lower body
and torso. Your airbag provides a
cushion to help restrain and protect
your head and chest.
Since both airbags use the same
sensors, both airbags normally
inf late at the same time. However, it
is possible f or only one airbag to
inf late.
This can occur when the severity of
a collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
suf f icient protection, and the
supplemental protection of f ered by
the airbag would be minimal.
If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, the sensors
will detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration. If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the
control unit will instantly inf late the
f ront airbags. Your vehicle is equipped with dual-
stage, dual-threshold airbags to help
reduce the chance of airbag-caused
injuries.
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the driver’s seat position
and adjusts the inf lation and
timing of the driver’s airbag (see
page ).
Front passenger’s weight sensors
that monitor the weight on the
seat. These prevent the passenger’s
airbag from inflating if the weight
is less than about 65 lbs (30 kg)
(see page ).
An indicator light on the
instrument panel that alerts you to
a possible problem with the
system (see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
56
57 59
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
How Your Front A irbags Work
55 

If there is a problem in the sensor,
the SRS indicator in the instrument
panel comes on. In this case, the
driver’s airbag will inf late normally
during a crash regardless of the
driver’s seating position.Your vehicle has front passenger’s
weight sensors as a part of the
advanced airbag system. They are
located under both of the f ront
passenger’s seat rails. These sensors
monitor the total weight on the seat.If there is no passenger in the f ront
passenger’s seat, the passenger
airbag cutoff indicator does not
come on, however the system shuts
of f the f ront passenger’s airbag.
If the total weight on the seat is
about65lbs(30kg)orless,the
system shuts of f the f ront passenger’s
airbag and the passenger airbag
cutof f indicator comes on. It reminds
you that the f ront passenger’s airbag
will not inf late during a crash.
CONT INUED
Front Passenger’s Weight Sensors
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety57 

This light alerts you that the f ront
passenger’s airbag is shut of f .If the light is on, it does not mean
there is a problem with the f ront
passenger’s airbag. If there is a
problem in the weight sensors, the
SRS indicator in the instrument
panel comes on. In this case, the
passenger airbag cutof f indicator
turns of f , and the f ront passenger’s
airbag will inflate during a crash.
To reduce the chance of airbag-
caused injuries, the system shuts of f
the f ront passenger’s airbag when
the total weight on the f ront
passenger’s seat is about 65 lbs
(30 kg) or less. The passenger
airbag cutoff indicator comes on to
remind you the f ront passenger’s
airbag will not inf late during a crash.If there is no passenger in the f ront
passenger’s seat, this indicator does
not come on, however the system
shuts of f the f ront passenger’s
airbag.
If this indicator comes on with no
passenger in the f ront passenger’s
seat,orwithanadultintheseat,
there may be a problem in the
advanced airbag system. Have the
vehicle checked by the dealer as
soon as possible.
This indicator may come on or of f
repeatedly, if some objects are put
on the f ront passenger’s seat, or if
the temperature of the vehicle’s
interior changes suddenly when a
door is opened.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
How the Passenger Airbag Cutof f
Indicator Works
62
PASSENGER AIRBAG CUTOFF
INDICATOR 

This section gives inf ormation about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your Honda. All the essential
controls are within easy reach............................
Control Locations .70
...............................
Indicator Lights .71
.............................................
Gauges .78
Controls Near the Steering .......................................
Wheel .81
...................................
Headlights .82
Automatic Lighting Off .....................................
Feature .83
............
Daytime Running Lights . 83
....
Instrument Panel Brightness . 83
................................
Turn Signals .84 .....................
Windshield Wipers .84
..................
Windshield Washers . 86
Rear Window Wiper and .....................................
Washer .86
..........................
Hazard Warning .87
.............
Rear Window Def ogger . 87
......
Steering Wheel Adjustment . 88
...............................
Keys and Locks .89
..............................................
Keys .89
....................
Immobilizer System . 90
............................
Ignition Switch .91
......................
Power Door Locks .92
...................
Remote Transmitter . 94
..............
Childproof Door Locks . 98
........................................
Tailgate .98
..................................
Glove Box .100
...................
Manual Sliding Doors . 101
.....................
Power Sliding Doors .103
...............................................
Seats .109
....................
Passenger Seating .109
......................
Seat Adjustments .110
Driver’s Seat Manual Height ............................
Adjustment .112
Driver’s Seat Power ..........................
Adjustments .113
.........
Driver’s Lumbar Support . 114....................................
Armrests .115
........................
Head Restraints .115
.....................
Third Seat Access .116
Moving the Second Row ...........................
Bucket Seat .117
Removing the Bucket Seats ................
in the Second Row . 119
Folding the Third Row .........................
‘‘Magic Seat’’ .120
..................................
Seat Heaters .123
............................
Power Windows .124
...........................................
Mirrors .128
...............................
Parking Brake .129
..................................
Digital Clock .130
..................................
Center Table .130
.........................
Beverage Holders .132
........................
Sunglasses Holder .134
........................................
Sun Visor .134
................................
Vanity Mirror .135
.......................
Rear Compartment .135
...............................
Center Pocket .136
...................................
Coin Holder .136
...................................
Storage Box .137
......................................
Coat Hook .137
............
Accessory Power Sockets . 138
...............................
Interior Lights .139
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols69