2012 HONDA ODYSSEY Owners Manual

120Controls
Opening and Closing the TailgatePrecautions for Opening/Closing the TailgateAlways make sure individuals and objects are clear of the tailgate before opening or
closing it.■
Opening the tailgate
•Open the tailgate all the way.
uIf it is not fully opened, the tailgate may begin to close under its own weight.
•Be careful when it is windy. The wind may cause the tailgate to close.
■
Closing the tailgate
Keep the tailgate closed while driving to:
uAvoid possible damage.
uPrevent exhaust gas from leaking into the vehicle.2Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 68
1Precautions for Opening/Closing the Tailgate
Be careful not to hit your head on the tailgate or to
put your hands between the tailgate and the cargo
area.
When operating the power tailgate, make sure there
is enough space around your vehicle. People near the
tailgate may be seriously hurt if the tailgate hits their
head or closes on their heads. Be especially cautious
if children are around.
When you are storing or picking up luggage from the
cargo area while the engine is idling, do not stand in
front of the exhaust pipe. You may get burned.
Do not allow any passenger in the cargo space. They
may get hurt during hard braking, a sudden
acceleration, or a crash.
3
WARNING
Closing a power tailgate while anyone is in
the path of the tailgate can cause serious
injury.
Make sure everyone is clear before closing
the tailgate.Models with power tailgate

121
uuOpening and Closing the TailgateuOpening/Closing the Tailgate Using the Tailgate Release Button
Controls
Opening/Closing the Tailgate Using the Tailgate Release Button
When all the doors are unlocked, the tailgate
is unlocked. Push the tailgate release button
and lift open the tailgate.
To manually close the tailgate, grab the inner
handle, pull the tailgate down, and push it
closed from outside.
Tailgate
Release
Button
Inner
Handle

122
uuOpening and Closing the TailgateuOpening/Closing the Power Tailgate
*
Controls
Opening/Closing the Power Tailgate
*
The power tailgate can be operated by pressing the power tailgate button on the
remote transmitter, pressing the power tailgate switch on the dashboard, or
pressing the button on the tailgate.■
The power tailgate can be opened when:
•The tailgate is fully closed.
•The shift lever is in
(P
.
•Press and hold the tailgate button on the remote transmitter for about one
second.
uIf you have changed the PTG keyless open mode setting to When
Unlocked, you need to unlock the tailgate before you press the tailgate button
to open it.
2Customized Features P. 101
■
The power tailgate can be closed when:
•The tailgate is fully open.
•The shift lever is in
(P
.
•Press and hold the tailgate button on the remote transmitter for about one
second.
1Opening/Closing the Power Tailgate
The power tailgate may not open or close under the
following conditions:•The vehicle is parked on a steep hill.•The vehicle is swayed in a strong wind.•The tailgate or the roof is covered with snow or ice.
If you close the power tailgate when all the doors are
locked, the power tailgate locks automatically.
If you replace the battery or the power tailgate fuse
while the tailgate is open, the power tailgate may be
disabled. The power tailgate resumes once you
manually close the tailgate.
Installing aftermarket components other than
genuine Honda accessories on the power tailgate
may prevent it from fully opening or closing.
Make sure the power tailgate is fully open before you
get your luggage in and out.
Make sure the power tailgate is fully closed before
you start the vehicle.
* Not available on all models

Continued
123
uuOpening and Closing the TailgateuOpening/Closing the Power Tailgate
*
Controls
Press the power tailgate button for more than
one second to operate.
To reverse direction while the power tailgate is
in operation, press the button again. The
beeper sounds three times and the tailgate
reverses direction.
■
Customizing when to open the tailgate
ANYTIME: The power tailgate unlocks and opens at the same time. This is the
default setting.
WHEN UNLOCKED: The tailgate opens unless the door is unlocked.2Customized Features P. 101
To change the setting, do the following:
1.Apply the parking brake.
2.Turn the ignition switch to ON
(w
.
3.Press and hold the power tailgate button on the dashboard until you hear a beep.
4.Turn the ignition switch to OFF
(0
.
uWhen Anytime is set, you hear one long beep.
uWhen When Unlocked is set, you hear three short beeps.
■
Remote Transmitter
1Opening/Closing the Power Tailgate
If the power tailgate meets resistance while opening
or closing, the auto reverse feature reverses the
direction. Three beeps sound.
The auto reverse function stops sensing when the
tailgate is almost closed to make sure that it fully
closes.
Do not touch the sensors located on both sides of the
tailgate. The power tailgate does not close if you
touch either sensor when you are trying to close the
tailgate.
Be careful not to scratch the sensors with a sharp
object. If scratched, they can be damaged, and the
power tailgate closing feature malfunctions.
Power
Tailgate
Button
Models with multi-information displayModels without multi-information display

uuOpening and Closing the TailgateuOpening/Closing the Power Tailgate
*
124Controls
To open or close the power tailgate, press the
tailgate button on the dashboard for about
one second. The beeper sounds and some
exterior lights flash.
To reverse direction while the power tailgate is
in operation, press the button again. The
beeper sounds three times and the tailgate
reverses direction.
Press the button on the tailgate to close the
power tailgate.
If you press the button again while the power
tailgate is closing, it stops and reverses
direction.
■
Power Tailgate Button
Power
Tailgate
Button
■
Power Tailgate Close Button
1Power Tailgate Close Button
If you push the power tailgate close button while the
tailgate is automatically opening or closing, the
power tailgate operation stops. Use caution if the
tailgate stops in the middle of either operation. It may
suddenly swing up or down.
Power Tailgate
Close Button

125
uuOpening and Closing the TailgateuOpening/Closing the Power Tailgate
*
Controls
If you manually close the power tailgate, it latches automatically.
The power tailgate fail-safe mode detects if there is an extra load on the tailgate (for
example, it is covered with snow). If an extra load is detected, the tailgate opens
completely then lowers to the close position.■
Auto-Closer
■
Power Tailgate Fail-safe Mode
1Auto-Closer
The auto-closer feature does not activate if you push
the tailgate release button while the power tailgate is
closing.
Do not put any force on the tailgate while the power
tailgate is latching.
Keep your hands away from the tailgate when you
manually close the tailgate and let it latch
automatically. It is dangerous to put your hands
around the tailgate as it starts to latch itself.1Power Tailgate Fail-safe Mode
If you try to manually close the power tailgate
immediately after it fully opens, the power tailgate
fail-safe mode may activate.
Once the power tailgate fail-safe mode activates,
wait until the power tailgate fully closes. Keep away
from the power tailgate when it is in motion.
If the power tailgate fail-safe mode constantly
activates, consult at a dealer.

126Controls
Opening and Closing the Sliding DoorsPrecautions for Opening/Closing the Sliding DoorsAlways make sure individuals and objects are clear of the sliding doors.■
Opening the sliding doors
Open the door all the way until it stops.
uIf it is not fully opened, the door may close again by its own weight.
1Precautions for Opening/Closing the Sliding Doors
Do not leave the sliding door open while parking on
a slope. The door may slide close by its weight.
When opening or closing the sliding doors, do not
grab the door or place your hand on the vehicle body.
Use the handle.
Do not put your foot and hand on the sliding door rail
and on the rollers.
If a small child is in the vehicle, use the childproof
door locks to prevent the child in the rear seat from
accidentally opening the sliding doors.
2Childproof Door Locks P. 115
Do not put any items that stick out from the pocket
in the door pockets. It may prevent the doors from
properly opening or closing, and damage the vehicle.
3
WARNING
Closing a sliding door while any part of a
passenger is in the door’s path can cause
serious injury.
Make sure all passengers are clear of the
doorway before closing a sliding door.

127
uuOpening and Closing the Sliding DoorsuOpening/Closing a Sliding Door
Controls
Opening/Closing a Sliding Door
■
From outside
To open: Pull the door handle rearward and
slide the door.
To close: Pull the door handle forward and
slide the door.
■
From inside
To open: Grab the inner handle and pull it
rearward. Slide the door.
To close: Grab the inner handle and pull it
forward. Slide the door.
1Opening/Closing a Sliding Door
Once a door is fully opened, the door position is
locked.
Do not step on the cover that stores the wiring for
the sliding door. The wiring is likely to get damaged,
causing the sliding door operation to malfunction.
If you try to open the sliding door with the window
open more than 3 inch (8 cm), the door stops
halfway. Close the door, close the window, and then
open the door again.
While the fuel fill door is open, you cannot open the
driver side sliding door. Operate the door after the
fuel fill door is closed.
If you try to open the driver side power sliding door
while the fuel fill door is open, the beeper sounds and
the door stops.
Cover
Models with power sliding doors
Door HandleInner Handle
Close
Open