2004 HONDA ODYSSEY Transmission

Trailer lights and equipment must
comply with f ederal, state, province,
and local regulations. Check with
your local recreational vehicle dealer
f or the requirements in your area,
and use only equipment designed f or
your vehicle.
Your vehicle has a trailer lighting
connector located behind the lef t
side panel in the cargo area. Ref er to
thedrawingaboveforthewiringcolor code and purpose of each pin.
To use the trailer lighting connector,
you will need a wiring harness and
converter. This comes with the
Honda hitch (see page ), or it
may be obtained separately from
your dealer.
If you use a non-Honda trailer
lighting harness and converter, you
can get the connector and pins that
mate with the connector in your
vehicle f rom your Honda dealer.
Since lighting and wiring vary by
trailer type and brand, you should
have a qualif ied technician install a
suitable connector between the
vehicle and the trailer. Improper
equipment or installation can cause
damage to your vehicle’s electrical
system and af f ect your vehicle
warranty.
Seeyourtrailerdealerformore
inf ormation on installing electric
brakes. If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electrically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle’s hydraulic system. No
matter how successf ul it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle’s hydraulic system
will lower braking ef f ectiveness and
create a potential hazard. Honda recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs
(450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes. You must also have a transmission
f luid cooler and a power steering
f luid cooler installed. These coolers
are available only f rom your Honda
dealer. 196
CONT INUED
Towing a Trailer
Driving
T railer L ights
T ransmission Fluid Cooler and
Power St eering Fluid Cooler
Trailer Brakes
197
BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK) LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)
GROUND
(BLACK)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW) TAILLIGHT
(RED/BLACK)
BRAKE LIGHT
(WHITE/BLACK)

CONT INUED
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.
Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in Park and f irmly
setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer’s
tires.The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Use the D position when towing a
trailer on level roads. See ‘‘
’’ in the next column f or
additional gear inf ormation. Do not
exceed 55 mph (88 km/h). At higher
speeds, the trailer may sway or
af f ect vehicle handling. Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .
bottom
3
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Backing UpParking T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving on
Hills Making T urns and Braking
Driving on HillsDriving Saf ely With a T railer
199

If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to 2nd
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
Towing a Trailer
Driving200

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how 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 .202
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 203
....................
Maintenance Record .207
..............................
Fluid Locations .210
........................
Adding Engine Oil .211
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 212
..............................
Engine Coolant .214
....................
Windshield Washers .216
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 216
....................................
Brake Fluid .218
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 219
....................................
Timing Belt .219
....................................
Hood Latch .220
.............................................
Lights .220
.......................................
Seat Belts .226
.....................................
Floor Mats .226
..............................
Audio Antenna .227
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 227
.................................
Wiper Blades .228
...............................................
Tires .230
........................
Check the Battery .235
.............................
Vehicle Storage .236
281
Maintenance
Maint enance201

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Your authorized Honda dealer
knows your vehicle best and can
provide competent, ef f icient service.
However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties
in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualif ied service f acility or
skilled person to keep your
warranties in ef f ect. Keep all the
receipts as proof of completion, and
have the person who does the work
f ill out the Maintenance Record.
Check your warranty booklet f or
more inf ormation.
We recommend the use of Honda
parts and f luids whenever you have
maintenance done. Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the appropriate
page listed.
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you f ill the f uel tank. See page .
Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See page .
Brakes Check the f luid level
monthly. See page .
Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page .
Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
and license plate lights monthly.
See page .
According to state and federal
regulations, f ailure to perf orm
maintenance on the items marked
with will not void your emissions
warranties. However, Honda
recommends that all maintenance
services be perf ormed at the
recommended time or mileage
period to ensure long-term reliability. U.S. Vehicles:
171172
216 218
230
220
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance
Servicing Your Vehicle Owner’s Maintenance Checks
Maintenance,
replacement, or repair of
emissions control devices and
systems may be done by any
automotive repair establishment
or individual using parts that are
‘‘certif ied’’ to EPA standards.
204

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Maint enance205
Service the items listed at the indicated distance (or time, if given).
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000 15
2430
48 60
9690
144 150
240
Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop
Check inflation and condition once a month
Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or every 1 year, whichever comes first Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
Every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) or every 1 year, whichever comes first
Every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or every 2 years, whichever comes first
Inspect every 105,000 miles (168,000 km), otherwise adjust only if noisy
Every 105,000 miles (168,000 km) or every 7 years, whichever comes first
At 120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 5 years Every 3 years (independent of mileage)
Check engine oil and coolant
Check tires
Replace engine oil
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page
232)
Replace engine oil filter
Check front and rear brake wear
Check parking brake adjustment
Inspect the following items: Tie-rod ends, steering gearbox, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system
Fuel lines and connections
Inspect drive belts
Replace dust and pollen filter
Replace air cleaner element
Replace spark plugs
Inspect valve clearance
Replace automatic transmission fluid
Inspect idle speed
Replace timing belt and inspect water pump
Replace engine coolant
Replace brake fluid 45
72
75
120 135
216
120
192
105
168
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page .
Replace at 45,000 miles (72,000 km) or 3 years, then every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or 2 years.
:
: 204
Maintenance Schedule for Normal Conditions

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Maint enance206
Service the items listed at the indicated distance (or time, if given).
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000 15
2430
4845
72 75
120 135
216
Check engine oil and coolant
Check tires
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page 232)
Check front and rear brake wear
Inspect the following items: Tie-rod ends, steering gearbox, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Check parking brake adjustment
Lubricate all hinges, locks and latches
Inspect the following items: Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system
Fuel lines and connections
Lights and controls/vehicle underbody
Inspect drive belts
Replace dust and pollen filter
Replace air cleaner element
Replace spark plugs
Inspect valve clearance
Replace automatic transmission fluid
Inspect idle speed
Replace timing belt , and inspect water pump
Replace engine coolant
Replace brake fluid Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop
Check inflation and condition once a month
Every 3,750 miles (6,000 km) or every 6 months, whichever comes first Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or every 6 months, whichever comes first
Every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) or every 1 year, whichever comes first
Every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or every 2 years, whichever comes first
Every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) (Use normal schedule except in dusty condition) Inspect every 105,000 miles (168,000 km), otherwise adjust only if noisy 60
96
90
144 120
192
Every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or every 2 years, whichever comes first
Every 105,000 miles (168,000 km) or every 7 years, whichever comes first
At 120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 5 years Every 3 years (independent of mileage) 105
168
150
240
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page .
See dust and pollen filter on page for replacement information under special driving conditions.
See timing belt on page for replacement information under special driving conditions.
:
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2: 204
227
219
1
2
Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions

Fluid Locations
Maint enance210
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
(Orange loop)
WASHER FLUID
(Blue cap)
POWER STEERING
FLUID (Red cap)RADIATOR CAP ENGINE OIL FILL CAPAUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK
(Yellow loop)
BRAKE FLUID
(Gray cap)
ENGINE COOLANT
RESERVOIR