Honda Odyssey Accessories & Modifications

otguy

cwalti,
Thanks for the response. What does installation require? Do you have to drill holes in your bumper? Do you have to run wires throughout the vehicle, or are they already there? Where does the beeping sound come from, a speaker inside the van? Did you have to pay full price for the package? Did they quote you a price for installation?

Thank you.
otguy

ekhome

Does anyone know if the middle PlusOne seat is suitable for either an infant car seat or booster seat for an older child? While not very wide relative to the captain chairs on either side, it looks wide enough to fit either and does have a functional shoulder/lap belt. However, it does not appear to have any LATCH hookups. Thanks in advance.

cwalti

I purchased all the accessories from http://www.handaaccessories.com/odyelec05.html there you will find downloadable instructions too. Google for other peddlers. I got better pricing on some Bernardi parts. If you read the installation instructions you will get a pretty good idea if you can do it or not.
P.S. If you cannot follow the instructions with ease, don't try it!!!

Chris.

vitaliy

I have my radar detector and Magellan RoadMate Navigator placed on my front glass by dash mounts. The problem is that they are falling down in summer time because of high temperature. I am sure people already have some experience how-to make that connection stronger. So, I'll appreciate if anybody share his solution.
Thank you

pangarkar

The seat is probably ok for a booster seat, and maybe a infant seat (depending on its size). I've sat in ours before taking it out, and it was very comfortable for an adult. You probably can't put a LATCH infant seat in it, but may be able to use the seat belts to secure it. We use the captains chairs on either side for 2 car seats. This way the kids are separated and have plenty of room.

cwalti

Here is Bernardi, who is usually a bit lower in price http://www.bernardiparts.com/category.aspx?categoryID=163
but if you are really an adventurer and want to save some bucks, you can get a more sophisticated cheaper generic system... http://www.backup-sensor.com/buy_now.htm 4 sensors and a camera for under $300.--, ....and some more http://www.mobilevideo4less.com/backup-sensors.html Google it and you will find a ton of options... I put a generic system into my '99 Ody, and it works fine, I think I payed ~$50.--

sebring95

A booster will go into the PlusOne ok, but it might be tight if you have carseats installed in the outside buckets. The Booster is a bit wider than the PlusOne.

hondaturtle

I had them installed at the dealer. They work o.k. except I cannot hear the the signal from the two "side" sensors. The frequency is too high for my hearing. I can hear the signal from the two sensors near the center of the rear bumper.

cwalti

...you must be at least 105 years old! :-) :-) :-)

mmodyssey

I just recently purchased a '06 EXL with the factory cross bars and am looking to purchase a hard shell roof box. How do the Honda boxes (small 13 cubic feet and mid size 16 cubic feet) stack up against other manufacturers like Thule, Sears, etc.

otguy

Anyone get the cargo tray for the rear trunk/storage area? Was it a good buy? MSRP is $109 per Honda website.

otguy

Anyone get the cargo board? If so, how do you like it?

otguy

stickguy

Yes, mine came with it (part of the "appearance package" the dealer added).

You might find one designed to fit cheaper from the aftermarket, but I highly recommend getting one from someplace. It really protects they well from damage.

One time, I had to bring home some potted plants, and one of them overflowed (might have tipped, or just leaked) and it left a considerable amount of water in the tray, which was easy to remove. WOuld have made a terrible mess on the carpet.

coreseller

I've been pulling a 3 person Jet-Ski with our '05 Odyssey, no problems. Well, now we want a small boat, I just ordered the ATF and Power Steering coolers along with the air duct to complete my towing package since the weight will be more (JetSki was only about 900 lbs. with trailer). Has anyone else towed a small boat with one of these? If so how well does it work, what is your boat / trailer weight? Thanks in advance.....Mark.

user777

an option: i've had good success with my '03 using a roof pouch from kanga. a 10ft^3 model fit nicely between the rails.

specifically i asked that cross bars be left off the vehicle as i could see little utility for them. :shades:

besides wind resistance and the hastle of installing and uninstalling a roof box hooked to your rails and/or cross-bars, how i wonder do you plan to get stuff in and out of them without a ladder? :surprise:

masterpaul1

besides wind resistance and the hastle of installing and uninstalling a roof box hooked to your rails and/or cross-bars, how i wonder do you plan to get stuff in and out of them without a ladder?

Easy, just stand in the side door and you should have no problem reaching the roof box.

user777

I have done this. I'm about 5'10" tall. Getting stuff in and out of a soft-pouch is no problem. Getting things in and out of a Hard-shell roof box with a fixed side height, mounted on top the rails... That's a stretch. YMMV.

masterpaul1

Ummm, I see your point. I guess when I get our hard-shell roof box, I'll have to hand upside down from the garage rafters to get stuff in and out of it.

user777

i have seen devices made for putting around a tire/wheel and stepping on that.

hangaralf1

if you are talking about the tray that fits into the well in the back that the rear seat drops into - get it!!! worth every penny. can't tell you how many times the milk carton leaked (in some cases, broke), or the extra bottle of antifreeze broke or mud or sand or whatever. its worth it.

if you are talking about the tray that fits in when the rear seat is down, i personally stayed away from it since the rear seat is up and down so often, that it would be more of a pain than a help

volvomom

did you add coolers?

Dealer wants $1339 for hitch and coolers installed on my '06! I am trying to find some options!

ramants

Has anyone heard of the dealers or any aftermarket places that could add the power lift gate option to an '06 Odyssey? They really should offer it as an option if you don't get the touring.

deliciousbass

There are a lot of choices out there, and I would like to get some input from you concerning which one is best for appearance and installation. Thanks!

davant

The cargo board is different from the cargo tray. The tray is for catching fluids, containing sand, whatever fills you Ody. The board is actually two composite felt covered boards, each supported by U-shaped tubing and a plastic edge that supports the boards. Each has a hinge on the front edge but still allows the tubing and board to be two parts (4 parts in the set). There are lanyards and hooks to catch on the headrests so the boards can stay up while loading. I bought it for the flexibility to make the larger board into a table. I mostly use it as a platform when the third row is up and it creates hidden storage beneath each section, split 60/40 like the seats. I have the clear mat set (can't remember the name) that fits four rows nicely and the rear most section covers the boards or the cubby bottom perfectly. The only drawback is the space they take up when you want a flat floor and they spend most of their lives in the garage since we do more cargo hauling than we have people in the third row. The grey nappy felt is durable enough but seems stain prone and wet soaking might warp or degrade the pressed board. The table is handy for impromptu picnics but the expanding legs aren't height adjustable so it's awkward but nearly perfect for kids. Overall worthwhile if you want flexibility but under used here.

Between this hiding spot and the lazy sue in our '06 Touring, there's more than enough space; we're fully loaded with boxes and an 8 ft table up the middle right now.

This darn Ody-MV has more usable space than our '03 Expie EB ever did and gets nearly twice the MPG!

drjcl

What is the best remote starter for this vehicle? I would like to be able to start the van (and the air conditioning) from hundreds of feet away. I heard that KARR makes one, but I do not see it on their website. Any ideas? email directly at azddd@cox.net

01intrigue

Wind resistance would seem to be diminished by having the hardshell roof carrier on the crossbars, because the air can flow both below and above/around the carrier. Our former 2000 Silo got 22 MPG with a full load in the van plus 100 lbs in the 20 Cubic Foot Sears carrier over 2500 miles. We traded the Silo (114K miles) for a 2006 Ody EXL this past Saturday, and I got the dealer to toss in the crossbars as part of the deal (28345 minus 3500 for Silo). Why carmakers now do not include the crossbars (even GM now) can only be to get more money. Just like the Honda cargo trays, which are standard on GM minivans.

sebring95

The bars themselves cause wind buffeting and can effect economy and noise. Slightly yes, but everything counts.

I never use a rooftop carrier so I could care less about the bars. I took them off my previous SUV's because they were ugly and in certain windy situations, quite buzzy. If you need the rooftop carriers...then by all means go for it.

But either way, as long as Honda is moving vehicles at a profit, they're not going to give you an inch more than they have to!

user777

look here under accessories for ML 05.
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/

looks like you saved $150 for getting the bars for free.

as i mentioned, on our LX, I had them leave them off.

i'm not sure i agree w.r.t. wind resistance of the hard shell carriers vs. a good roof sack with a low front profile like a Kanga.

i tend to agree with the other poster. for a seldom used feature (the cross bars, not the rails) the propensity to "sing" or vibrate when at speed is not worth it when they aren't needed. you can remove yours right?

when i need to really load the roof, i'll probably use 2x2s or 2x4s as cross members for the time it is necessary. so far in 3 years, i haven't had the need for cross members.

fibber2

Sorry, John.. not been on the boards in a while.

I purchased the Yakima Fullswing 4 for use on my Honda OEM hitch. The 2" stingers fits the 2" receiver - no interface or adaptors required. Expensive, but very happy with it.

Steve

buikje

Looking to buy our first Ody, and a dealer told me Running Boards were never an option on any year of an Odyssey...I find that hard to believe...aside from being attractive, they're very handy when using the roof rack as well as helping little ones in and out of the van...

Do any of you Ody owners have aftermarket ones? Thanks in advance!

sebring95

The definitely are not a factory option, and I've never seen dealer-installed or aftermarkets for the new bodystyle. IMHO the current Ody sits too close to the ground as is.

fx35awd

I understand your concern as I have a daughter of my own. She has a difficult time getting in and out of an SUV, but that is why we sold our FX to buy this van. This van sits low enough that if you install any running board it would only scrape the curb when you parallel park. I have seen them installed on the Toyota Sienna and it appears like it is only four inches off the ground. Our typical curb is in California ranges from six to some time ten inches. Normally, I would I agree with you on appearance enhancement with the running board installed on a vehicle, but for some reason it looks out of place on a van because the van is low enough that when you install side steps or running board, they just protrude out of the van. However, I would agree with you on the accessing of the roof rack or washing the top of the van, but then you can always use a chair to wash the roof and how often do you travel to access your luggage and bags on top of the roof.

buikje

thanks a bunch....not having to get them saves me about $600 from what I allotted to buy the vehicle....

cwalti

I too have an Ody and never felt the need for running boards. The floor pan is so low that any kid will hit his/her shin while getting in. You would be scraping over speed bumps as well. As far as roof access goes, I open the sliding door and stand on the floor for front access, and for rear roof access I close the door and stand on the rear tire, (while it is mounted on the rear axle, of course :-) )

iamzzyzx

I noticed in the '05 Odyssey Owners Manual on page 379, the chart related to the diagram shows that fuse #3 is for the daytime running lights...but only for the Canadian models.
I noticed that I don't have a fuse in the #3 spot.
If I was to put a fuse in w/the correct amperage, would that give me daytime running lights?

cwalti

NO!

Daytime running lights are just 'markers' with less output than your low beams and they do not engage the rear lights. Simply, turn on your low beams and -- voila!!! -- you got yourself some day time running lights...

iamzzyzx

I've been up and down "google" and the net lookin' for any aftermarket LED tail lights for my '05 Oddy.
Anyone heard if there are any in the works.
BTW...I'm not talkin' about the LED bulbs, they don't illuminate the majority of the tail light assembly itself.
Drives me nuts 'cuz I see the aftermarket ones on Scion Xb's and yes, I realize the Xb's are highly customizable, unlike a family van in the 30+ K range.

cableguy06

www.mats.com

Have used them on all of my vehicles since 1996. Great fit aand easy, no drill installation.

You will be very happy

fx35awd

Yup, I have to agree with you on this because I have purchased two from them, one for the Pilot and the recent one was for the Odyssey. Personally, I think the design from www.mats.com looks much much better than the one from the Honda Manufacturer or the OEM(I think). Also, the price is cheaper at www.mats.com of course.

svaughan

I just got the Honda cross bars for my 2005 Odyssey and want to be able to mount my Yakima ski rack to the bars. The mighty mounts that I used for my Toyota 4 Runner are not large enough for the Honda bars. Has anyone tried to mount a Yakima ski rack onto the Honda cross bars? What did you use to do this?

mtbhead

I'm a bike nut, and have owned many racks over the years (from crappy strap-on ones, to roof racks, to several different hitch racks). I currently own a Thule 916 T2: http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=8&sku=916

Yakima's Hookup 2" is almost identical, but with one very important (in my opinion) difference: while it can fold UP when not in use, it can't be tilted DOWN to allow for access to the rear hatch. The Thule does both. Both of these are modified versions of a rack no longer made by Sportworks (who apparently sold the rights to both Yak and Thule?). Anyhow - these are pricey racks, but they're the best in my opinion. Loading bikes on/off takes seconds - literally. And, they'll work with any bike/frame; doesn't matter what the frame looks like, or the size of the wheels.

jt8

Anybody know how to change them ? I looked at the manual & did not find any information on how to pry open the light housing.

Would be nice if anybody can point me to a document which details this out.

I want to change the lights from OEM yellowish to something a little bit brighter.

thanks in advance.

robr2

Lots of folks have done LED conversions using parts from Radio Shack. Do a google search and you should find something.

jt8

thanks for the reply, I was looking for more specific documents that would instruct me on how to pry open the housing.

cableguy06

Don't use parts from Radio Shack when you can go to www.superbrightleds.com

I have purchased many bulbs from them and they are great to work with.

user777

in my '03, it appears that on the side of the lamp lenses closest to the windshield / rear view mirror, there are indents for placing a small flat-blade screwdriver. i presume you pry them open from that location.

if i'm wrong, don't blame me.

rsht

For the front set of lights, use a small flat/thin screw driver to pry the clear lens (from where your press to turn-ON/OFF the light) off (EX & LX are about the same method). Pretty much the same for the rear Map/Reading lights. For the Cargo area, try to pry from the side of the lens. Good luck!

rarefruit

I have a 2007 LX Honda Odyssey. I want to add a back-up camera and display.

Where and how do I connect the camera wires to the back-up lights system?

jt8

http://www.allwired.com/vizualogic/a2000-new.htm - check this out

trmc

Has anyone installed an aftermarket (what brand) towing itch on a 07? Is it worth getting a Honda one versus aftermarket? What is the max towing weight without ATF & PS cooler without damage to the two systems?
Thanks for any input.