2001 Honda Odyssey Owner's Manual - Page 310

If Your Engine Won't Start Diagnosing why your engine won't start falls 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 faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run. Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates Very Slowly 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 81). A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer system indicator in the dash panel to blink rapidly. Check the transmission interlock. The transmission must be in Park or Neutral or the starter will not 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 Jump Starting on page 313 . Turn the ignition switch to START (III). If the headlights do not dim, check the condition of the fuses. If the fuses are OK, there is probably something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignition switch or starter motor. You will need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See Emergency Towing on page 329.) If the headlights dim noticeably or go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is discharged or the connections are corroded. Check the condition of the battery and terminal connections (see page 267). You can then try jump starting the vehicle from a booster battery (see page 313). Taking Care of the Unexpected