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Thank you,
Steve
Thanks for any help.
Anyway, no mud flaps and we're interested in getting them, but not interested in paying dealer retail for them at our local dealer's parts department. Does anyone know an online source for this option, which I figure I can install myself, that might be less expensive than my local dealer?
Thanks!
Thanks, thanks, thanks!
All Honda accessories are dealer installed - Honda does not offer factory options.
According the installation instructions for the hitch at that same site, you will note on page 3 that you do have to cut a notch in the bumper.
in fact, while my husband was inside talking with the salesman about it, about 4 or 5 other salesmen came outside to look at our rear bumper--they were laughing and two of them took photos with their cell phones...I was sitting in another car with the children watching the commotion and thought it strange that they found the hitch so humorous.
Or perhaps they didn't use the OEM hitch and the aftermarket one requires a bigger cutout?? :confuse:
The advantage is that the bumper, other than the receiver, is completely hidden, and sits as high as possible. You can get a (cheaper) aftermarket unit, requiring no cut, but the hitch frame will hang below the bumper.
I actually had them hold up one in place, and it looked so bad I went and bought the Honda unit, even though it probably cost ~$150 more installed.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2. replace the bumper cover without the hitch and refund the hitch fees...the hole might have been less messy looking but would have still been there--they didn't offer to replace the bumper cover AND re-do the hitch properly, so we opted for the new bumper without the hitch...
Anyway, just to clarify, aside from what really has been a small snafu, we are REALLY digging the new car :-) Still playing with all the buttons and figuring out controls, and yes, loving the minivan...
Thanks again for the advice!
I see that the pdf file of installation of Honda sensors is overwhelming. I haven't found a video clip showing how to do that.
I think it's the matter if I can pluck the car panels out easily. There are lot of clips and tabs. Do you know there is any tricks or tools to do that, not damaging the car parts?
I am not feeling comfortable with tons of generic and cheap back-up sensors (not the back-up camera which I don't need) on the market. Their installation instruction is very generic (for any car) and short. When go to particular car, I think we have to do the same tasks as if installing the manufacturer parts - where to place the components, where to plug in and route the cables, where the power source is, etc.
Thanks in advance
The front trim involves the trim piece only and the rear includes the trim plus a rubber strip called an "inner protector".
The service tech warned that water can collect in the "inner protector" and cause rust. He suggested removing it once a year and making sure the area is clean and dry to avoid rust.
This got me thinking - should I just remove this "inner protector"? Or remove it now and wax that area thoroughly before putting it on again to fight rust?
I just recall how early 90s Accords all seemed to rust in that area.
Thoughts and advice are appreciated!
Note - You can see how the fenderwell trims are installed here:
http://www.collegehillshonda.com/instructions/gen3_odyssey/fenderwelltrim.pdf
personally, w.r.t. additional trim like this or even bras, etc, i'd be weary of unnecessary dirt and water accumulation. i don't think appearence-wise or protection-wise they are necessary on the vehicle. and, i think they'd interfere with proper wax. also, i think these things are likely to cause paint color differences (what is protected / what isn't). which is another way of saying what is protected, long-term has to remain that way, or there's likely to be a paint coloration difference.
that's just one reader's opinion though.
if you really want to seek out an answer for this question, you might want to try posting in another ODY forum on another site that deals with appearence issues. another option is to speak to someone knowlegeable at a detailing or paint shop. this must be a common question, not specific to hondas.
I guess the same arguments could be made against the splash guards / mudguards which I also put on my cars to protect the rocker panel.
Now that they are on, I need to enjoy the protection and keep on eye on them for water accumulation.
i think one thing i would have done (i have an LX with cloth) would be to apply more scotch-guard on the flooring to prevent stuff from staining. specially between the middle seats.
watch out for and immediately remove crayons. they melt!
four years into ownership, we don't have mud-flaps, no problems. just the typical dings and scratches from other stuff. :surprise:
wife asking now for a backup sensor or camera. hmmm.
I just bought a 2007 Odyssey EXL-RES using Edmunds services. After purchase, thinking that NAV system would have been great. Is there any way I can get the RearView Camera with Navigation system (original Honda) installed or similar ones from other manufacturer installed on this vehicle?
Thanks
I will make a long story short(er) by leaving out my experiments and mistakes.
First, I removed the liftgate passenger side access panel for the taillights, and the access panel for the latch. A butterknife levered them loose.
I found that an old plastic driveway marker stake could be pushed from one to the other with a little bending.
The licence plate area proved difficult, and, finally, I drilled a hole for the wires. I suggest you drill about 2 inches directly bellow the driver side licence plate mount screw hole.
I fished a speaker wire through to pull the camera wire. From the drilled hole to the latch pannel, then to the taillight area.
The hole has to be large enough for the thicker base section of the camera power wire (I think that's where the antenna is) Check the supplied grommet, I think it requires a 3/8ths inch drill; and you can easly drill into the very soft steel.
The back-up light socket(top) power wires have a thick protective plastic surround; I cut it away and spliced the camera cord into the wires to the socket.
The outer pin on the plug is for the hot, positive wire and THE POSITIVE WIRE IS colored GREEN. The Ground wire is Blue.
Comments:
1. The electrical taps supplied are too big to work. So I spliced.
2. The camera is tilted down with 2 sets of plastic wedges; they don't tilt it enough. There should be additional wedges.
The view angle shows the ground about 4 feet behind the bumper. An object a foot high could be seen about 2 feet behind the bumper. The top of the view angle is about 20 degrees above horizontal. Width is just pass the width of my garage door opening- I can see the door frame when the car's rear is 4 feet from the door.
3. When the car enters reverse, the camera requires about 10-15 seconds to compensate for bright sun, and the picture to be clear. In reduced light, its instantly working.
4. This camera runs on the same frequency as wi-fi computers and Radio Shack's television senders, and X-10 cameras. There may be some momentary interference.
5. The monitor power cord is kinda short; I placed the monitor just above the dashboard air vent by the drivers' door, routing the cord from the power outlet over the steering collum.
6. It works!
questions:
1). where did you purchase it?
2). how much?
3). does the VR3 you purchased have the contrast control buttons?
4). did you drill from the inside of the vehicle out or from the outside in?
5). could you have gone through the license plate light lense? (i kind of hate to drill through the body).
6). is your intent to lessen the likelyhood of hitting an object (parking / tilt down) or a person (tilt up)?
ultimately, do you think the device is worth it?
comment: it may interfere with bluetooth.
7). any mention of interference with bluetooth phone accessories in the instructions?
2. About $120; if it was in stock at Wall-Mart, it would have been $70. Someone on E-Bay is selling them for less, but requires Paypal which I have problems with.
3. No. Picture is perfect after it stabilizes.
The Monitor can reverse and invert the picture, so I experimented on where to place the camera first...considered the spoiler and under the bumper.
4. Outside in, just next to the licence plate screw hole- after trying to find a way not to drill in. Adding the supplied grommit made me feel better, like the hole was well finished. I hated to drill too! Top layer of steel.
5. The interior of the hatch is more complex than you can believe! There are 2 licence plate lights, and you can probe past them all the way to the taillights, but that path is one layer removed from the taillight access.
6. In the Mc Donnald's parking lot I can see their roof! That's unnecessary, and I would prefer seeing lower, like the ground closser to the car. Its not bad, even a small child could be seen. Not hiting a car is also good, and it works for that.
Yes, less than $150 to save a life or even a dent is worth it.
7. No, its opperating on the 2.4 gigahertz band, but remember, its only on when your car is in reverse.
I took some photos, and can send them or post them if you like.
Shopped the local Walmart but they were out of stock.
Got mine at Pepboys. $119.00USD with $20 mail in rebate through May 5th, making effective cost $99.00USD.
This was the 4 button version (which is what I wanted) over a 2 button version I saw in Target recently. The extra buttons provide Contrast and Brightness controls. They are worth searching for the 4 button version!
First I removed passenger access panel in the hatch using a putty knife. Anything thin will work.
I decided not to go the fishing of wires route. I decided to remove the screws holding the handle on the rear hatch (remove the rubberized screw concealers using the putty knife or a thin screwdriver). Unscrew and remove. Also removed the two plasic screws and pressure fittings on either side of the lock assembly mounted on the hatch. With the screws out, use the putty knife to get the pressure fittings out.
Then I carefully pulled the plastic hatch covering from the hatch at 4 points: 2 lower-most corners, and 2 points not far from the right and left lamp access panels.
Doing this allowed me to stick my whole arm up into the hatch and fish the wire over to the passenger side bulb access panel.
Removing one of the plastic license plate fixture/holders allowed enough light so I could visually see where the wire would be entering the vehicle once I drilled a hole.
I drilled a hole in the hatch just to the right and just below the square hole that the license plate fixture/holder is placed into that I had temporarily removed.
When wiring the camera to the backup light (black was GND, and green was +12VDC on the '03..I verified this with a voltmeter), I then used a cheap $4.95 wire stipper/cutter. I just made a small circular cut essentially around the backup bulb wires and pulled the insulation back to reveal the wires. No cutting of the wires was necessary!!!
Any sharp knife, razor blade would do the same for someone else. This left the wiring to the backup bulb intact and a place for me to loop and mechanically/electrically make a good connection with the camera power leads.
I could have soldered it but didn't. I can always do this in the future if I like.
Anyway, on the camera leads, I stripped more insulation so I had a good 1.5inches. I made a good mechanical connection of the camera leads to the backup bulb leads where the insulation was exposed, and taped it off with electrical tape. The splicers supplied with the kit are inferior to the connections which I made. I am certain of this.
On the '03 dash, there is plenty of dash area to mount the supplied velcro pieces above the mirror adjustment and to the left of the TCS On/Off control buttons. This is to the driver's left side. The color monitor mounts to one piece of the velcro, and the other piece of mating material to the dash. When pressed together, the monitor is flush with the dash. Results of monitor placement and wire hiding are rather decent looking if I say so myself.
In addition, I purchased a 4-5 dollar Cigarette Lighter Power Splitter made by Bell (also at PepBoys). Wife can still use her cell phone adapter, or we can use a power invertor we have (we use a laptop to play DVDs for the kids on long trips) without unpugging the camera.
I routed the power wire from the plug inserted into one of the female recepticles of the Bell Cig Lighter Slitter to the left side of the center storage bin, up into the wiring behind the dash, over the steering column, down near the left side of the dash, then up towards the driver's vent in the general area where I mounted the monitor. I did not use the little monitor holder.
Works pretty darn well. Wife says it's "awesome".
There is a little interference in our driveway (we have a Linksys Router) and the instructions do say there could be interference with other 2.4GHz devices. In the nearby cul-de-sac, I had no interference at all.
I think if someone is interested in one of these devices, they should search out the 4 button version. I think the 2 button version was the predicessor product, and I personally feel less valuable.
Hope this helps someone.
Thanks library1 for being the first to report your results and encourage me to jump into the project. I'm glad I did. Not much effort. Results worth it.
Yakima vs Thule? Vanilla vs Chocoalte - you can't go wrong with either.
what year odyssey?
most likely, your back hatch has two access panels. you can pry one out with a butter, steak, putty knife, or anything else that is thin.
you can do that right?
now then, on my O3, with the hatch open and up, I pulled down on the panelling of the hatch at the points closest to the bottom corners of the hatch (right and left side). the panel is attached in such a way that it can be pulled away from the hatch, and popped back into place. *but* you have to take the hatch handle off, and also two platic screws on either side of the hatch latch mechanism (very bottom of hatch.
can you get that far?
if you can, it is a relative cake walk.
not that i want to encourage you to do something you feel is truly beyond your capability, but like i said, it's not bad.
i haven't tried taking the panel off.