2004 HONDA ODYSSEY Owners Manual

Place the flat tire face down on the
attachment point. Put the tire
mountingwingboltinthe
attachment point through one of
the f ive wheel nut holes as shown.
Poke holes in the vinyl bag. Secure
the f lat tire by tightening the wing
bolt.Store the jack in its holder. Turn
the jack’s end bracket clockwise to
lock it in place. Store the tools.
Replace the cover.
Close the tailgate.
Store the plastic screw in the spare
tire well.
Store the wheel cover in the spare
tire well. Make sure it will not get
scratched or damaged.
Storethesparetirebasketinthe
spare tire well.
Unclip the hook f rom the seat
back handle on the driver’s seat,
and lower the f loor lid and the
carpet.
Make sure to adjust the f ront
seats properly bef ore you start
driving (see page ).
24.
25.
26.
27.
89
On LX modelOn EX and EX-L models
Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed246
TIRE MOUNTING WING BOLT
ATTACHMENT POINT
Loose items can fly around the
interiorinacrashandcould
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.

CONT INUED
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.
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: 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 .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereis
probably 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 ). If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ).
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
255 248
235
248
183
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Jump Starting
Emergency T owing T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
247

´´
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start a Honda by pushing
or pulling it.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
Honda’s battery. Connect the
other end to the positive ( )
terminal on the booster battery. Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake. Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, audio system, lights, etc. Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or like ice, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
1.
2.
3.
76
257 255Emergency
Towing Jump Starting
If the Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
248
NOTICE:
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme
cold, the electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

µ
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.The numbers in the illustration
show you the order to connect the
jumper cables.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
and then from the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
4.
6.7.
5.
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed249
BOOSTER
BATTERY

The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f all accessories, and turn
on the hazard warning indicators.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
1.
2. 3.
4.
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed250
NOTICE:
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature
gauge pointer at the red mark can
cause serious damage to your engine.

Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (seeon page ).
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator. Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise without pushing
down to the first stop. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off.
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly. Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (seeon page ).
Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the f iller neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and
ref illed with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.
5.
6.
7.
8.9.
255
10.
11.255
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed251
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible and you should
take immediate action. Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn of f the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving.
(See
on page
). Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a Honda dealer or a service
station where you can get technical
assistance.
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
1.
2.
3.
4.
211
171
255
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed252
NOTICE:
Running the engine with low
oil pressure can cause serious
mechanical damage almost immediately.
Turn of f the engine as soon as you can
saf ely get the vehicle stopped.

If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance,
continued operation may cause
serious damage.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator could come on
because of a loose or missing f uel f ill
cap. Tighten the cap until it clicks at
least three times. Tightening the cap
will not turn the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving.
If the indicator remains on, or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have your vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible. This indicator may also come on
along with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.
If your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to ON (II), without
starting the engine. The Malf unction
Indicator Lamp will come on f or 20
seconds. If it then goes of f , the
readiness codes are set. If it blinks 5
times, the readiness codes are not
set. If possible, do not take your
vehicle f or a state emissions test
until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to State Emissions Testing for
more information (see page ).
274
Malf unction Indicator L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Readiness Codes
253
NOTICE:If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and the engine. Those repairs
may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.