check engine HONDA ODYSSEY 2000 RA6-RA9 / 2.G Owners Manual

Additional Informatio n Abou t You r SR S
How th e Automati c Sea t Bel t
Tensioner s Wor k
Your Honda has automatic seat belt tensioners for added protection during a moderate to severe frontal
collision.
If your airbags inflate, the tensioners
immediately tighten the front seat
belts to help hold the occupants in
place. The belts will remain tight
until you unbuckle them in the
normal way.
Ho w th e SR S Indicato r Ligh t
Work s
The purpose of the SRSlight is to alert you to a
potential problem with your Supplemental Restraint System.
This light will also alert you to a potential problem with yourautomatic seat belt tensioners.
When you turn the ignition ON (II), this indicator will light up briefly
then go out. This tells you that thesystem is working properly.
However, if the light comes on at any other time, you should have the
system checked by your dealer. For
example:
If the SRS indicator light does not
come on after you turn the ignitionON (II).
If the light stays on after the
engine starts.
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
S R S

Indicator Light s
Malfunctio n Indicato r
Lam p
See page 309.
Low Oi l Pressur e
Indicato r
The engine can be severely damaged
if this light flashes or stays on when
the engine is running. For complete
information, see page 307.
Charging Syste m
Indicato r
If this light comes on when the
engine is running, the battery is not
being charged. For complete
information, see page 308.
Supplementa l Restrain t
System Indicato r
This indicator lights when you turn the ignition switch ON (II). If itcomes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem in the
supplemental restraint system. For
complete information, see page 50. Parkin
g Brak e
an d Brak e
System
Indicato r
This light has two functions:
1. It comes on when you turn the ignition switch ON (II) as a
reminder to check the parking
brake. If the parking brake is notset, it goes off after the engine
starts. If the parking brake is set,
it goes off when you release the
parking brake with the engine
running. Driving with the parking
brake applied can damage the
brakes and tires.
2. If it remains lit after you release the parking brake while the engine
is running, or comes on whiledriving, it can indicate a problem
in the brake system. For complete
information, see page 310 .
Instrument s an d Control s
S R SBRAKE
U.S.Canad a

Indicator Light s
U.S.
Anti-loc k Brak e Syste m
(ABS ) Indicato r
This light normally comes on for a few seconds when you turn theignition switch ON (II), and when
the ignition switch is turned toSTART (III). If this light comes on at
any other time, there is a problem in
the ABS. If this happens, take the
vehicle to your dealer to have it checked. With the light on, your
vehicle still has normal braking ability but no anti-lock. For complete
information, see page 211. Tractio
n Contro l Syste m
(TCS ) Indicato r
On EX model
This indicator has three functions:
1. It comes on as a reminder that you have turned off the Traction
Control System.
2. It flashes when the TCS is
regulating wheelspin.
3. If it comes on and stays on whenthe Traction Control System is on,it indicates that there is a problem
in the TCS.
This light also comes on when youturn the ignition ON (II) and goes offafter the engine starts. See page 213 for more information on the
TCS.
Immobilize r Syste m
Indicato r
This indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). It will then go off if
you have inserted a properly-coded ignition key. If it is not a properly-
coded key, the indicator will blinkand the engine will not start (see
page 77 ).
This indicator also blinks several times when you turn the ignition switch from ON (II) to ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0).
Instrument s an d Control s
Canad
a
T C SA B S

Indicator Light s
Power Slidin g Doo r
Indicato r
EX model only
This indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at anyother time, there is a problem in the
power sliding door system. With this
light on, move the main switch on
the dashboard to the OFF position, and have the system checked by
your Honda dealer as soon as possible. You can still open or closeeach sliding door manually. For
more information on the power
sliding doors, see page 90.
Tur n Signa l an d
Hazar d Warnin g
Indicator s
The left or right turn signal light blinks when you signal a lane change or turn. If the light does not blink or
blinks rapidly, it usually means one of the turn signal bulbs is burned out (see page 273). Replace the bulb as
soon as possible, since other drivers
cannot see that you are signalling.
When you turn on the Hazard
Warning switch, both turn signal lights blink. All turn signals on theoutside of the vehicle should flash. Doo
r an d Brak e Lam p Monito r
The appropriate light comes on in this display if the tailgate or any dooris not closed tightly. If a brake light
does not work, the BRAK E LAM P
indicator comes on when you push
the brake pedal with the ignition switch ON (II).
A burned out brake light is a hazard
when drivers behind you cannot tell
you are braking. Have your brake lights repaired right away.
All the lights in the monitor display come on when you turn the ignitionswitch ON (II). The lights go off
after the engine starts and the
tailgate and all doors are closed
tightly.
Instrument s an d Control s
SLIDINGDOOR
BRAKE LAMP

Gauges
Trip Mete r
This meter shows the number of
miles (U.S.) or kilometers (Canada)driven since you last reset it.
There are two trip meters: Trip A and Trip B. Switch between these
displays by pressing the Select/
Reset button repeatedly. Each trip
meter works independently, so you can keep track of two different
distances.
To reset a trip meter, display it and then press and hold the Select/Reset
button until the number resets to
"0.0".
Temperatur e Gaug e
This shows the temperature of the engine's coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise
from the bottom white mark to about the middle of the gauge. In severedriving conditions, such as very hot
weather or a long period of uphill driving, the pointer may rise to near
the upper white mark. If it reaches
the red (Hot) mark, pull safely to the side of the road. Turn to page 305 for
instructions and precautions on checking the engine's cooling
system.
Fue l Gaug e
This shows how much fuel you have. It is most accurate when the vehicle
is on level ground. It may showslightly more or less than the actual
amount when you are driving on
curvy or hilly roads.
The needle returns to the bottom after you turn off the ignition. The
gauge shows the fuel level reading
immediately after you turn the
ignition switch back ON (II).
Instrument s an d Control s

Befor
e Drivin g

Before you begin driving your Honda,
you should know what gasoline to use, and how to check the levels of
important fluids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage or packages. The information in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the information in this section first. Break-in Period.............................. 188
Gasoline.......................................... 188
Service Station Procedures .......... 189 Filling the Fuel Tank................. 189Opening the Hood..................... 190 Oil Check................................ 192
Engine Coolant Check.......... 193
Fuel Economy................................ 194 Vehicle Condition...................... 194
Driving Habits............................ 194
Accessories and Modifications.... 195 Carrying Cargo.............................. 197

Before Drivin g

Service Statio n Procedure s
Oil Check
Check the engine oil level every time
you fill the vehicle with fuel. Wait a few minutes after turning the engine off before you check the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean cloth or paper towel. 3. Insert it all the way back in its tube.
Befor
e Drivin g
DIPSTIC K

Service Statio n Procedure s
4. Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark, see Addin g Oi l on page 239 .
Engine Coolant Check
MA X RESERV E TAN K
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see Addin g
Engin e Coolan t on page 243 for
information on adding the proper
coolant. Refer to Owne
r Maintenanc e
Check s on page 237 for information
on checking other items in your
Honda.
Befor e Drivin g
MIN
UPPE R MAR K
LOWE R MAR K

Fuel Econom y
The condition of your vehicle and
your driving habits are the two most important things that affect the fuelmileage you get.
Vehicl e Conditio n
Always maintain your vehicle accord- ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (see page 237 ). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out faster, so check the tire pressure atleast monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your fuel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion. Drivin
g Habit s
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, toincrease fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to"warm-up" a cold engine by letting itidle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try to
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes ituse more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use. Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Befor e Drivin g

Preparing to Driv e
You should do the following checks
and adjustments every day before
you drive your vehicle.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,or ice.
2. Check that the hood and tailgate are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down
securely.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page 100).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 115).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 72).
8. Make sure the doors and tailgate are securely closed and locked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastenedtheir seat belts (see page 15). 10. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 203).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (see
page 57).
Drivin g