HONDA ODYSSEY 2005 RB1-RB2 / 3.G Owners Manual

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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 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.
When towing a trailer, we
recommend that you carry a f ull-size
spare wheel and tire for your vehicle
and trailer. If you use the compact
sparetirethatcamewithyour
vehicle, it could adversely af f ect
vehicle handling. See page f or
proper tire size, page f or how to
store a f ull size wheel and tire, andpage f or inf ormation on
changing a f lat tire.
Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation. Many states and provinces require
special outside mirrors when towing
a trailer. Even if they don’t, you
should install special mirrors if you
cannot clearly see behind you, or if
the trailer creates a blind spot. Because of the Michelin PAX system,
youmustnotchangeaflattireby
yourself , or use a compact spare tire
on your vehicle. Remember to unhitch the trailer
bef ore changing a f lat. Ask your
trailer sales or rental agency where
and how to store the trailer’s spare
tire.
Your vehicle has a trailer lighting
connector behind the right side
panel in the cargo area. Ref er to the
drawing above f or the purpose of
each pin. 308 349
364 360
U.S. Touring model
Spare Tires A ddit ional T owing Equipment
Towing a Trailer
310
GROUND
LEFT TURN SIGNAL
SMALL LIGHTS
B HAZARD B HAC
RIGHT TURN
SIGNAL
SMALL LIGHTS

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, cooling system, and
lights are in good operating
condition.
The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure. All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated, and the trailer
tires and spare are inf lated as
recommended by the trailer
maker.
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. Do not exceed
55 mph (88 km/h). At higher speeds,
the trailer may sway or affect vehicle
handling.
Towing a Trailer
Pre-T ow Checklist
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving
311

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 .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.
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.
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.
3
bottom
Towing a Trailer
Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills Backing Up
Parking
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
312

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .314
....................
Maintenance Minder . 315
....................
Maintenance Record .325
..............................
Fluid Locations .327
........................
Adding Engine Oil .328
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 329
..............................
Engine Coolant .331
....................
Windshield Washers .333
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 334
....................................
Brake Fluid .335
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 336
....................................
Timing Belt .336
.............................................
Lights .337
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts . 343
.....................................
Floor Mats .343
.................................
Wiper Blades .344
...............................................
Tires .346
...................
Checking the Battery . 352
.............................
Vehicle Storage .353
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance messages in the
odometer/trip meter display or
multi-Inf ormation display, a
maintenance record, and instructions
for simple maintenance tasks you
may want to take care of yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.
401
Maintenance
Maint enance
313

To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and f lames away f rom the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air.
Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
bef ore touching any parts.
All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Injury f rom moving parts.
Potential Vehicle Hazards Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
314
Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner’s
manual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection,
maintenance recommendations,
and schedules in this owner’s
manual.

Your vehicle displays engine oil lif e
and maintenance service items in the
odometer/trip meter display on the
LX and EX models, or in the multi-
inf ormation display on the Touring
model, to show you when you should
have your dealer perf orm engine oil
replacement and indicated
maintenance service.
Based on the engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil lif e and displays it as a
percentage.To see the current engine oil lif e,
turn the ignition switch to ON (II),
and push and release the SELECT/
RESET knob on the instrument
panel 3 times.If the oil lif e is 15 percent or less,
you will see the oil lif e indicator f or
several seconds every time you turn
the ignition switch to ON (II). The
maintenance minder indicator will
also come on, and the maintenance
item code(s) f or other scheduled
maintenance items needing service
will be displayed next to the engine
oil lif e indicator.
CONT INUED
On LX and EX models
Maintenance Minder
Engine Oil L if e Indicator
Maint enance
315
MAINTENANCE ITEM CODE
ENGINE OIL LIFE
INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE MINDER
INDICATOR

When the remaining engine oil lif e is
less than 5 percent, you will see a
‘‘CHANGE OIL’’ message in the
odometer/trip meter display, along
with the same maintenance item
code(s), every time you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II).When the remaining engine oil lif e is
0 percent, you will see the above
display. In this display, the remaining
oil lif e indicator will be blinking. This
display comes on and stays on every
time you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II). When you see this message,
have the indicated maintenance
perf ormed by your dealer as soon as
possible.You can change the display to the
odometer, the trip meter, or the
outside temperature by pushing the
SELECT/RESET knob on the
instrument panel.
Maintenance Minder
316

µ
CONT INUED
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
15 percent or less, the display shows
a ‘‘SERVICE DUE SOON’’ message
along with the maintenance item
code(s) f or other scheduled
maintenance items needing service.
To see the current engine oil lif e,
turn the ignition switch to ON (II),
then push and release the
SEL/RESET button on the steering
wheel three times.
If you still do not perf orm the
indicated maintenance, you will see a
negative mileage, f or example
‘‘ 543,’’ blinking in the display. This
negative mileage means that you
should have perf ormed the indicated
maintenance 543 miles ago.
Immediately have the indicated
maintenancedonebyyourdealer.
When you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II), the master warning
indicator will also come on.
On Touring model
Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
317
MASTER WARNING INDICATOR

These messages will come on every
time you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II).
Immediately have the service
perf ormed, and make sure to reset
the display as described on page .
You can change the display to the
odometer, the trip meter, or the
outside temperature by pushing the
SEL/RESET button on the steering
wheel.
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
less than 0 percent and you have not
done the required maintenance, you
will see the above display for several
seconds. In this display, ‘‘0’’ will be
blinking.
The display then changes to
‘‘SERVICE PAST DUE.’’
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
less than 5 percent, you will see the
above display. The display then
changes to ‘‘SERVICE DUE NOW.’’
Have the indicated maintenance
done as soon as possible. 320
Maintenance Minder
318

µAll the maintenance items displayed
in the odometer/trip meter or the
multi-inf ormation display are in code.
If you still do not get the indicated
maintenance done, you will see a
negative mileage, f or example ‘‘ 15’’
blinking. This negative mileage
display means you should have done
the indicated maintenance 15 miles
ago. Immediately have the indicated
maintenancedonebyyourdealer.
For an explanation of the
maintenance codes, see page .
324
Maintenance Minder
Maintenance Main Items and Sub
Items
Maint enance
319
MAINTENANCE SUB ITEM MAINTENANCE
MAIN ITEM
MAINTENANCE
MAIN ITEM MAINTENANCE
SUB ITEMS
MAINTENANCE
SUB ITEMS
MAINTENANCE MAIN ITEM
Touring model
LX and EX models