Honda Odyssey 2005+

remax

The Japanese version of the 05 ody has lots of safety features available in including IHCC (Intelligent Highway Cruise Control), brake assist, adaptive headlights (which follow steering angle) and a sophisticated collision mitigation brake system to help avoid crash. I would love to get all these features in the US version especially the cruise control which is like the sienna's lazer cruise control. Does anyone know if this is comming or can be added on? Why does the Japanese version have more features?

bbug1

Hi, I live in So. Cal, near San Diego and Orange County. Can you believe we woke up to snow in Temecula? Now we're thinking of taking a drive up to our local mountains tomorrow and just thought I'd ask here for any advice. We traded our Pilot that did great in the snow and wet weather, so this van is really new to me and I'm not sure what to expect.

bamapt

Thanks Diggin!
Really makes you feel good about yourself when you spend time searching and there is something right there in front of your face

serkis

I would like to know if anybody has any experience/opinion regarding compatible car seats or booster seats with the 2005 Odyssey. I need to use two car seats. Can I use the middle second row seat for car seat? What can I use under the car seats in order to protect the leather? Any help/comments will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

robr2

I really have to slam the hatchback.

Try adjusting the rubber bumpers on the hatch - you should be able to twist them in a bit and make it easier for the latch to catch.

robr2

Try Prince Lionheart rubber mats available at toys r us. They've worked well in my Ody and Accord.

buddybrad

sjh,
You're a detailed person - I like that. It's a drag you've noticed so many little things. I can't believe the '05 is that much different than the '04 aside from looks, but a little change to the computer, etc. can make a difference it sounds like. You should definitely have a book dedicated to the Nav. system. We did with our '00. You should have something for the RES as well. Sounds like they short changed you. The books are probably sitting in someone's desk.

I was interested in the sub-woofer and you've convinced me that it is a good thing. It appears that everything is there to install it yourself if I decided to save a few bucks and buy it on the Internet (bracket, wiring). The photo chromatic mirror also sounds nice, but my wife isn't interested. Headlights from behind are pretty dimmed in our '00 even without dimming the mirror.

One question for you, how many wireless headset(s) did you receive with the DES? How much for additional?

Thanks!

luo

I am going to buy new odyssey. I don't know which model I should to go. Actually, I am very interested in the model with VCM engine. However, this engine is too new. I don't know how reliable it will be. Can anyone can give me some suggustions?

Thanks

rochurch

I have looked everywhere on the official honda.com site and here and can't seem to find out how many sets of wireless headphones come standard with the EX-L RES. Anybody willing to tell?

blue2

Ours came with 2.

sgarabedian

Hello Serkis,
We just bought a Touring 2005 and our one year old is sitting in her carseat in the second row on the right. Both the second row seats (right and left) are latch compatible and are easy to place a carseat in. I think the third row also has a latch hookup, but only in the middle.
As far as protecting the leather is concerned, I guess it depends on the bottom of your carseat. Ours is smooth and flat, so it will not damage anything; but we do have a sponge type of material we were given at a state safety check station a few months ago to stop the car seat from sliding on the leather. I'm sure you can find something like it; a towel may work too.
I hope this helps.
SHANT

serkis

Parev Shant,
Thanks for your answer. I am glad that second row has the latch on both the right and the left seats. However, if I am not mistaken, the Touring does not have a middle seat on the second row (the PlusOne seat). I was wondering if I could remove the passenger side seat on the second row, and put a car seat on the PlusOne seat and the driver side seat in the second row. If that is possible, it would free up more room, allowing easier access to the third row, especially for elders who may have more difficulty.
I hope you enjoy your Touring in many happy years.

serkis

Thanks robr2. Prince Lionheart rubber mats look very good. We were able to find some at Babies R Us. Nice suggestion...

diggin

I don't think you could or SHOULD (for safety reasons) attach a car seat to the Plus One seat. Your best bet would be to remove the Plus One seat, either stow it underneath or in your garage, and then slide the second row passenger-side seat to the middle position and put your car seat there. That will allow easy access to your child from the driver's seat and allow easy access to the third row through the passenger-side sliding door.

This is what we're planning to do come January.

stickguy

the engine isn't new. Actually, both engines are essentially the same. The VCM is really justy an advanced version of the VETC technology Honda has used for years. They just figured out how to make it deactivate 3 cylinders, instead of just changing valve timing.

robr2

You're welcome.

onlysurfer

First of all, I don’t think any car seats can be as uncomfortable to average size person as to seek medical help, unless the seats are intentionally designed to be a torture chamber.

Having said that, I compared usable portion of 2004 Odyssey EX cloth seat cushion with my other car, a 2002 VW Passat. The usable seat cushions on Odyssey comes to about 17 inches while 19 on Passat. This may be the primary reason why Odyssey seats are uncomfortable and lacks thigh support. (Caution - people who sell Hondas may tell you that size doesn’t matter).

Other reasons why Honda seats are uncomfortable are,

One, because of the higher ankle angle at which legs are (forced to be) rested. I understand Odyssey isn’t a road hugging sport car but at the same time the overall design remains flawed. May be Honda likes to put smaller seats to project more leg room space or may be Honda cuts corner in doing a better research on seat comforts.

Two, Honda seats are not as firm as they should be. People who say Honda seats are firm probably haven’t seen VW seats, for those, VW seats would be made out of concrete.

PS:
1. Usable portion is defined as the portion of the seat that can be used because of contour of the back support. For comparison, the usable portion on typical couch is 20+ inches.
2. I don’t know how good seat comfort is in the new 2005 Odyssey but that certainly will be one of the major criteria when I’m ready to shop for a new Vehicle in about 18 months.
3. Among different vehicles that I have owned over last 10 years (Nissan, Toyota, Lexus, VW and Honda), VW seats are the most comfortable for daily commute while Lexus were more comfortable for long drives.

mikeo1

Just my two cents....
I've put over 60,000 miles on my
'01 Odyssey w/ cloth seats and have
never experienced any form of back
discomfort from the driver's seat.

Some of my trips have been over 3,000 miles
at a time. Do not agree with your assesment
of a design flaw.

luo

Thanks to your info.

You said that Honda just fiqured out how to make it deactive 3 cylinders. It means that this VCM is a very new techology. I hope that this technology wouldn't negatively impact on the relability of the engine and make the engine work in too complicated way.

So I am wendering how many years Honda has applied this tech on their engines and which models are using VCM.

Thanks!!!

ody

I have an EXL with DVD. The manual seems to suggest that the windows can be rolled down with the remote. Can somebody confirm that this is true?

Thanks.

Ody.

stickguy

I know that VCM was introduced in Japan first. VETC has evolved over time, so I don't know whether you should consider this new technology or just an incremental change?

My take on it is, I'm not worried, as long as the default is normal mode. That is, since the VCM functions by pulling out a pin of some kind, if the system fails, and the pin stays in, you pretty much have the non-VCM engine.

bamapt

True. I just got mine so I am not sure if this is a 100% correct sequence, but...
Hit the unlock button once. Hit it again and hold it down. All four windows will roll down. No auto up feature though.

ody

Thanks for confirming.

Now I really need to go back to my dealer to get this issue straightened out, together with the no-flash-light issue when remotely locking the car. I have to say that my joy and happiness got diluted quite a bit because of those minor issues ;(

luo

Good sugguestion. I will take one with VCM.

Thanks

ody

Thanks for confirming.

Now I really need to go back to my dealer to get this issue straightened out, together with the no-flash-light issue when remotely locking the car. I have to say that my joy and happiness got diluted quite a bit because of those minor issues ;(

yjfu

I have the same problems on my 05 EXL. I brought the car in twice and finally the dealer got the parts to fix wind noise (took 12 days). I will bring it in tomorrow. I start noticing the noise of ABS cycling. Have your dealer fixed the problem yet? I want to have more information before I go. I have another concern. I usually park the car on the driveway with a slope. Every time I switch from PARK to REVERSE the transmission engages with heavy metal sound which is not shown on my another car on the slope. It does not have the sound when the car is parked on the flat road. Any experience about this problem?

ezucker

mybuy said: "I'll report back in on how dropping the seats into the well on top of them works."

Have you had a chance to try this yet? I'm interested in getting the cargo board, but its utility would be limited if you can't fold the seats down with the cargo board in place.

diggin

You should engage the parking brake when parking on a slope. This prevents the car from rolling slightly once it's shifted in to park and making it more difficult to shift out of park the next time you go to drive the vehicle. So, there's no problem with your van...only with parking on a slope and not using your parking brake.

Also, this van weighs over 4500 lbs., probably a lot more than your car so this issue will be much more noticeable with the van.

bsend

We took delivery of touring model last week and have the “whistling noise” curse. Dealer says has never heard of the problem (we live in Toronto). If you have had the windshield cowling replaced by your dealer, could you please email me the name and phone number of the dealer? I think it would help me get my guy to do the work if he could talk to another dealer that already did. bsend@hotmail.com

thanks

kengaroo

Can someone who owns the 2005 Odyssey with NAV help me answer this question? When you set the gear into reverse, the back up camera turns on, I want to know if you can see your bumper from the screen. It would be great if the camera points to the bumper so you know how much space you have behind you when you are parallel parking in tight spots.

fredf3

Yes. But beware, objects in camera are closer than they appear!

yjfu

I brought my car in today. The dealer (South Bay Honda) changed front cowl clip and seal A and said the whistling noise was fixed. But as soon as my wife drove the car back on the road over 35 mph she heard the noise again. I doubt whether the dealer actually did anything. About the first-second gear clicking sound the dealer asked us to continue monitoring it. But as soon as she drove out of dealer's parking lot she heard the clicking sound right away. I will call the dealer and the independent surveyor tomorrow. I wish Honda had quick and clear resolution on these issues.

sgarabedian

Just wanted to let folks know that my Touring wheels needed Balancing. All four were apparently off; which explained the vibrations in the steering wheel around 55-65 MPH. So if you have this problem, get it service. The weights are the stick on type on the Touring wheels, so I guess they can fall off. Anyways, FYI.

bamapt

I have a EX-L and I am trying to decide what I need to get for the rear area (Cargo mat or tray). I found one web site (cheapeshondaparts.com) that states that the cargo mat can be used with the 3rd row seat up(says it folds back)or down. Does anyone have any further knowledge about these. I like the mat since it will cover the seats when hauling cargo with the seats down. However, I need it to be a good fit in the cargo area when the seats are up as well. I have a feeling Honda has them made where you will pretty much have to buy both, but here's hoping not.

peanuthead

I have the cargo mat and it fits nicely. When you have the 3rd row seats up, you would simply roll the mat like you would a small rug - it can then be placed at the feet of the 3rd row passengers or in the rear "trunk" area. It cannot be stowed out the way, and it will take up some room when rolled up...

jeffinrtp

I have an EXL-RES with an "XM-ready" radio and was looking into activating the XM service. Everyone should be aware that it is very costly to "activate" the XM service so that it runs through your factory installed radio. Here's what I have learned and would be interested to hear other's experiences.

1. To receive XM service in your new Odyssey with an "XM-ready" radio you need a underdash tuner installed, an adaptor to connect to your radio and an antenna installed.
2. The local electronic stores that sell XM equipment and installation do not carry the necessary parts for installation on a factory-installed Honda XM-ready radio.
3. You must go to the Honda dealer to purchase this equipment and have it installed. I have checked with 2 local Honda dealers in NC and was quoted a total price of either $850 or $618 to bring this XM-ready radio to life.

Does anyone know a way to avoid this outrageous cost and still have XM piped through the factory radio (without an XM tuner stuck to the dash)?

bamapt

Thanks Peanut. So with the seats up, does the mat not roll out to provide a cover to the rear trunk area? I know I will need the mat when hauling cargo with the seats down, but I also would like some protection for the trunk area. Sorry if I am making this a confusing issue. It's just that I am needing these next week and need to order online today if possible.

buddybrad

Man- that is a ton of money to bring your XM-ready radio to life. I guess they figure they have you by the short-waves :-)

Best I can think of is check with the Honda parts suppliers on the Internet. You will probably save a few bucks on parts, but then have to install yourself or pay someone else. With aftermarket XM, you can conceal the head under dash (or other place) and use a wireless remote control, but that's not a pretty solution either. I think the remote is IR and needs line of site. It also doesn't have a display to tell you where you're at. It looks like you are going to end up paying for what you get.

If you get Sirius, you can listen to Howard Stern in a few years!

bsend

Thanks i'm on my way to dealer. wish me luck

diggin

I bought both. They serve different purposes. I also bought the all season floor mats. I think all three items are no-brainers if you want to preserve the carpet in your van over many years.

Also, I bought my accessories from HandAaccessories.com, but after checking out www.cheapesthondaparts.com I wish I would have ordered from them. It would have saved me around $40, mostly because of their lower shipping charges.

Let us know how it works out with www.cheapesthondaparts.com.

vanpadre

A possible issue regarding the floor space between the captain chairs in the second row: When the "Plus One" seat is removed, obviously all of the metal latches, etc in the floor are exposed.

From my visits to the dealership, it appears that these metal rods are raised above the level of the floor. I understand that there is a floor mat that covers this space, but don't you still "feel" the metal rods everytime you walk between the second row seats if the rods are protruding from the floor?

I believe that the 2004 model had removable plastic plates that covered the exposed metal rods in the second row (although there was a lot less metal since there is no 8th seat). Are there similar plastic plates for the 2005? Seems to me that with the mat down in the middle, you should neither have to see nor feel the metal rods in the floor. When I ask the salespeople about this, I just get the "deer in the headlights" look back.... any insight from people with 2005's in their garage would be helpful.

heywood1

I don't know if there's a difference between 'XM-ready' and 'XM-equipped.' My in-laws' DeVille came with factory installed XM Radio, replete with odd-looking antenna on the roof. All they had to do was subscribe for $9.99 per month. And Cadillac included the first year's subscription at no charge.

yatesd

I just have a trivial question for you. I stumbled across a Odyssey review that complained about the hard armrests.

I have the Touring model and it is covered with soft leather on the door armrest. Is this also like this on the EX/L? What about the EX/LX?

--
Doug

bamapt

I know this should probably be in the Accessories forum, but that doesn't seem to get hit very much. Anyway, my question is does anyone have any ordering experience with ultimatehonda.com? They currently have 25% off with a $125 or greater order and have free shipping on orders over $100. Problem is, their web site doesn't show 2005 products. And, I can't find a phone number anywhere on the site. That may be a good indication I probably shouldn't expect much out of them, but sure seems like a good deal right now if they do have the '05 accessories.

yatesd

Hi everybody, I just purchased my Touring model last week and really like it. My wife and I have two large dogs and we are expecting a girl in March. It was very easy to justify our purchase since the gas mileage is similar to many cars.

Anyway, I also have the whistling noise at 40 MPH and noticed what I think is erratic shifting, especially when going down hills. Our transmission is supposed to have grade logic control, but this isn't quite right. We have a service appointment scheduled on Monday.

One other thing, there is one other advantage to the PAX system. The wheels really make the Odyssey stand out! They fill in the wheel wells very nicely.

samnoe

I don't like the wheels of the Limited at all... Just my taste...

cccompson

Does a PAX tire/wheel fit in the spare tire compartment of a Touring model?

yatesd

cccompson,

I don't think the spare tire compartment is very large at all. From what I can tell, the compartment is converted into a small storage are on the Touring model since it really is no longer needed.

I guess if somebody felt that strongly about a spare, they could remove the lazy susan and fit a temp. However, a spare probably can't be driven safely for the same distance as a PAX system out of air.

mingder

Hi,

Just got our EX-L with NAV/DVD. Love the drive but notice a rattling noise when the car go through small road bumps. It sounds like some plastic are not tight enough and are bouncing each other. Have anyone notice anything like this?

cccompson

Thanks for your thoughts, yatesd. Are the spares on non-Touring Odysseys space-savers or full size? If space-savers, my question is moot.

My problem with PAX is that it is not at all reassuring that if I have a flat, a replacement is "promised" within 24 hours.

A delay of 24 hours on a week long vacation is, at least to me, equal to one ruined vacation.