battery HONDA ODYSSEY 2001 RA6-RA9 / 2.G User Guide

Bef ore you begin any maintenance,
make sure your vehicle is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also, be sure the engine
is of f . This will help to eliminate
several potential hazards:Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the engine.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
bef ore touching any parts. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the
tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, be caref ul when working
around gasoline or batteries. Use a
commercially available degreaser or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and all
f uel-related parts.
Do
not run the engine unless in-
structed to do so. You should wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
near the battery or when using
compressed air.
Maintenance Saf ety
Maint enance
Important Saf ety Precautions
Carbon monoxide poisoning
f rom engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
Injury f rom moving parts.
237

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Check the condition of your vehicle’s
battery monthly. You should check
the color of the test indicator window,
and f or corrosion on the terminals.
Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish
powder). To remove it, cover the
terminals with a solution of baking
soda and water. It will bubble up and
turn brown. When this stops, wash it
of f with plain water. Dry of f the
battery with a cloth or paper towel.
Coat the terminals with grease to
help prevent f uture corrosion.
If the terminals are severely cor-
roded, clean them with baking soda
and water. Then use a wrench to
loosen and remove the cables f rom
the terminals. Always disconnect the
negative ( ) cable f irst and recon-
nect it last. Clean the battery termi-
nals with a terminal cleaning tool or
wire brush. Reconnect and tighten
the cables, then coat the terminals
with grease.
Check the battery condition by
looking at the test indicator window
on the battery.
The label on the battery explains the
test indicator’s colors. Battery posts,
terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
CONT INUED
Battery
Maint enance
WARNING:
Wash hands af ter handling.
267
TTEESSTTIINNDDIICCAATTOORRWWIINNDDOOWW

If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damage to the vehicle’s
electrical system.If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead while the
sliding doors are open, the power
sliding door system needs to be
resynchronized (see page ).
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the audio
system will disable itself . The next
timeyouturnontheradioyouwill
see ‘‘ ’’ in the f requency
display. Use the Preset buttons to
enter the f ive-digit code (see page
).
192 97On EX model On EX model
Battery
Maint enance
268 The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normaloperation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the batterymaintenance.
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
vehicle’s electronic controls. Detach
the battery cables bef ore connecting
the battery to a charger.

If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park. Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield.
Disconnect the battery.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals. Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Honda
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months/30,000 miles
(48,000 km) maintenance schedule
(Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page ).
The replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the vehicle has
actually reached that time or mileage.
251
240
St oring Your Vehicle
Maint enance291

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. If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
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 .
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: Your vehicle has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly 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 .)
81
313 313267329
Jump Starting
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Won’t Start
312

To jump start your vehicle, f ollow
these directions closely:
If your vehicle’s battery has run
down, you may be able to start the
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
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.
Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). 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.
You cannot start a Honda by pushing
or pulling it.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to
on page .
Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ). Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . 1. 2.
211
323 329 267
CONT INUED
T he Starter Operates Normally Jump Starting
Starting the
Engine
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed 313
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyonenearby.
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.

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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
the jumper cable connections to
make sure they have good metal-
to-metal contact.
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.
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.
5.
3.
4.6.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting
314
BBOOOOSSTTEERRBBAATTTTEERRYY

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,
then the booster battery.The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
Itmaygohigherif youaredrivingup
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason. Your vehicle can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. 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.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until all are
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
7.
CONT INUED
Jump Starting, If Your Engine Overheats
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed315
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.

This indicator should come on when
the ignition switch is ON (II), and go
out af ter the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped
charging the battery.By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to
a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories:radio,heater,A/C,
climate control, rear def ogger, cruise
control, etc. Try not to use other
electrically-operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running and take extra care not to
stall it. Starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
319
CCHHAARRGGIINNGGSSYYSSTTEEMMIINNDDIICCAATTOORR

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 vehicele’s battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes several
days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.If possible, do not take your car f or a
state emissions test until the
readiness codes are set. To check if
they are set, turn the ignition ON (II),
but do not start 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. See State
Emissions Testing on pages and
. 343
344
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness Codes
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed321