open hood HONDA ODYSSEY 2002 RA6-RA9 / 2.G Owners Manual

Once the security system is set,
opening any door (without using the
key or the remote transmitter), or
the hood, will cause it to alarm. It
also alarms if the radio is removed
f rom the dashboard or the wiring is
cut.Do not attempt to alter this system
or add other devices to it.
The security system helps to protect
your vehicle and valuables f rom thef t.
The horn sounds and a combination
of headlights, parking lights, side
marker lights and taillights f lashes if
someone attempts to break into your
vehicleorremovetheradio.This
alarm continues f or two minutes,
then the alarm stops. To reset an
alarming system before the two
minutes have elapsed, unlock either
f ront door with the key or the
remote transmitter.
The security system sets auto-
matically fifteen seconds after you
lock the doors, hood, and tailgate.
For the system to activate, you must
lock the doors f rom the outside with
the key, or remote transmitter. The
security system light next to the low
oil pressure indicator starts blinking
immediately to show you the system
is setting itself . With the system set, you can still
open the tailgate with the master key
or the remote transmitter without
triggering the alarm. The alarm will
sound if the tailgate lock is f orced, or
the tailgate is opened with the
tailgate release handle.
The security system will not set if
the hood, tailgate, or any door is not
f ully closed. If the system will not set,
check the Door Lamp Monitor on
the instrument panel (see page ),
to see if the doors and tailgate are
f ully closed. Since it is not part of the
monitor display, manually check the
hood.
66
On EX and EX-L models
Security System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures221
S SE
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Bef ore you begin driving your Honda,
youshouldknowwhatgasolineto
use, and how to check the levels of
important f luids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage
or packages. The inf ormation in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the inf ormation in this
section f irst..............................
Break-in Period .232
.........................................
Gasoline .232
.........
Service Station Procedures . 233
................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 233
....................
Opening the Hood .234
...............................
Oil Check .236
.........
Engine Coolant Check . 237
...............................
Fuel Economy .238
.....................
Vehicle Condition .238
...........................
Driving Habits .238
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 239
.............................
Carrying Cargo .241
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving231

Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank, leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.Shift to Park or Neutral and set
the parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Screw the f uel f ill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks several
times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may come on (see
page ).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Your vehicle has an on-board
ref ueling vapor recovery system to
help keep f uel vapors f rom going
into the atmosphere. If the fuel
pump keeps clicking of f even though
the tank is not full, there may be a
problem with this system. Consult
your dealer. 1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
356
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
Opening the Hood
234
H H
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CONT INUED
Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert the end into the hole on
the driver’s side of the hood.
If you can open the hood without
lifting the hood latch handle, or the
hood latch handle moves stif f ly or
does not spring back as bef ore, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated (see page ).
Standing in f ront of the vehicle,
put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood. The hood latch
handle is above the ‘‘H’’ logo. Pull
up on this handle until it releases
the hood. Lif t the hood. 3.
2. 300
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving235
S SU
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Always change the oil and f ilter
accordingtothetimeanddistance
(miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and f ilter collect contami-
nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly.
Changing the oil and f ilter requires
special tools and access f rom
underneath the vehicle. The vehicle
should be raised on a service station-
type hydraulic lif t f or this service.
Unless you have the knowledge and
proper equipment, you should have
this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.Run the engine until it reaches
normal operating temperature,
then shut it off. Open the hood and remove the
engine oil f ill cap. Remove the oil
drain bolt and washer f rom the
bottom of the engine. Drain the oil
into an appropriate container.
Your Honda does not require any oil
additives. Additives may adversely
af f ect your engine’s or transmission’s
perf ormance and durability.
1.2.
CONT INUED
Additives
Changing the Oil and Filter
Engine Oil
Maint enance287
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CONT INUED
Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the
splash guard. Loosen the drain
bolt.
Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn
the heater temperature control
dial f ully clockwise. Turn the
ignition of f .
Openthehood.Makesurethe
engine and radiator are cool to the
touch.
Remove the radiator cap.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the vehicle.
Unless you have the tools and
knowledge, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic. Thecoolingsystemshouldbe
completely drained and ref illed with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
Honda All Season Antif reeze/
Coolant Type 2. Use of any non-
Honda coolant or plain water can
result in corrosion and deposits in
the cooling system.
1.3.
2.
Replacing Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance291
D D
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LUUG G

Unclip the end of the hold-down
wire f rom its slot. Pivot it out of
the way and remove the bulb. Remove the rubber weather seal
by pulling on the tab. Remove the electrical connector
f rom the bulb by pulling the
connector straight back.
Your vehicle has halogen headlight
bulbs, one on each side. When
replacing a bulb, handle it by its steel
base and protect the glass from
contactwithyourskinorhard
objects. If you touch the glass, clean
it with denatured alcohol and a clean
cloth.
Open the hood.
If you need to change the head-
light bulb on the driver’s side,
remove the air intake cover (see
page ).
Theheadlightswereproperlyaimed
when your vehicle was new. If you
regularly carry heavy items in the
cargo area or pull a trailer,
readjustment may be required.
Adjustment of the headlights should
be perf ormed by a Honda technician
or other qualif ied mechanic.
1.2.
3.
4.
298
Lights
Maint enance
Replacing a Headlight Bulb
Headlight A iming
318
H H O
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OR R
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UL LBB
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot
when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to
overheat and shatter.

To jump start your vehicle, f ollow
these directions closely:
If your vehicle’s battery has run
down,youmaybeabletostartthe
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. 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. Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
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.
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 ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . 1.
2.
365 303
80
360
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed349
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.

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 ed351
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.

Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn of f the heating and cooling/
climate control system and all
otheraccessories.Turnonthe
hazard warning indicators.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine.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
(climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, f or
example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately.
If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Wait until you see no more signs
of steam or spray, then open the
hood.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 (see
on page ).
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page ). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
1.
2.
3.
7. 6.
5. 4. 237365
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
352