If you are a Honda Odyssey user, you must have noticed the battery light. It’s a tiny box with the symbols plus and minus on it. It lights up every time you start your engine and then turns off.
If the red light does not turn off on its own, it can be solved by resetting it. But, how to reset the battery light on Honda Odyssey?
The battery light indicates a problem with your car battery. Fixing that problem would reset the battery light on your Honda Odyssey. The battery is most likely the problem. If not, it could be the alternator, the ground connector, or the serpentine belt. In rare cases, it might be rodent damage.
So, how would you know which problems your car has and how to fix them? Let’s check out what our experts have gathered here for you.
Why Do You Need to Reset the Battery on Honda Odyssey?
The function of the battery light is to indicate certain problems with your car battery. The light turns on when the battery has low voltage. The battery voltage might not be sufficient for the car to start at the appropriate RPM.
Several factors could contribute to this. Fixing that problem will reset the battery light on your Honda Odyssey.
| Cause | Symptoms | Possible Solution |
| Problem with the Alternator | Dim or overly bright lights,Features malfunctioning,Engine trouble starting or stalling, Whining noise or burning smell | Replace the alternator |
| Problem with the Ground Connector | Sensor failures, ECU malfunction, Rough starting | Replace/reconnect the ground wires |
| Problem with the Battery Terminals | Loss of power and problem starting your car | Clean the terminals |
| Problem with the Serpentine Belt | The belt will make a squeaky sound | Replace the belt |
| Problem with the Battery | Voltage drops below 12v | Replace battery |
These problems we just listed are what trigger the battery light. Most of these indicate serious problems with your car battery. So, whenever the battery light turns on, find out what’s wrong and get it fixed ASAP.
But, is it OK to drive with battery light on?
No, driving while the battery light is on is not acceptable. The “battery light” indicates serious problems with your car’s battery. These problems require your immediate attention. So, even if you wanted to drive around, you couldn’t.
That’s because you’ll face many issues like your car won’t start properly.
For that reason, we recommend getting your car fixed and resetting the light first. Your engine will become irreparably damaged if you neglect the issue for a prolonged period of time.
Six Problems to Fix to Reset Battery Light On Honda Odyssey
You’ve already been told what the problems are. Now, we’ll dig deep to let you know more about those problems and their solutions.
Problem with the Alternator
When you see the battery light turning on, you should immediately check your alternator. The alternator helps charge your battery and provides power to your vehicle.
The alternator is typically the problem in these situations. So, we will be going ahead with how to diagnose that first.
Symptoms
There are some specific symptoms of a bad alternator besides the battery light turning on. These symptoms are-
- The car lights will be either dim or over-bright. That’s because the alternator is responsible for charging the battery. If the alternator is malfunctioning, it will serve the battery with inconsistent voltage.
Besides this, your lights also may flicker. In some cases, the lights might go from being dim to bright or vice versa.
- Bad alternators can drain the battery. As a result, you might find your battery dead. There are countless reasons behind a dead battery, a bad alternator is among them.
This happens when the battery isn’t being charged by the alternator, so it gets depleted completely.
- Some of your common car features will not work properly. Such as, you might find your seat warmers aren’t working. Or, you may notice that the window is taking quite a time to roll up or down.
- You’ll find yourself struggling to start your car. Instead of the sound of starting your engine, you’ll only hear a clicking noise.
Solution
The solution to a bad alternator is a simple one. Just get it to your mechanic and have him replace it. But before that, you must make sure that the alternator is faulty. Here’s how you can test it.
For testing the alternator, you’ll need a multimeter first. With the engine off, connect the black cable to the negative side of the battery. After that, connect the red cable to the positive side of the car battery.
You’re supposed to get a voltage reading of 12–12.5 volts.
Now, start the engine but keep all the other electronic components off, even the lights. Utilize the multimeter in the same manner as you did before. The voltage should be higher than 14.
Turn on the lights, the AC, and every electronic component, and check the voltage again. The voltage should not drop back to 12 or less.
If the voltage is not in the mentioned range in any step, there is an issue with it. You can then go ahead and have it replaced.
Problem with the Serpentine Belt
The alternator is equipped with a serpentine belt that allows it to charge the battery. If there is something wrong with this belt, the alternator will spin slower than usual.
It will cause the current flow in the battery charging system to be disrupted. As a result, your battery light will be turned on.
Symptoms
If your serpentine belt is slipping or wearing out, you’ll hear it making squealing noises. Besides that, your AC will not work, and you’ll find your engine overheating.
When you examine the belt, you’ll see visible cracks in the belt with a burning odor.
Here’s what a cracked serpentine belt will look like:
Source: Mechanic Base
Solution
There is no way you can mend a serpentine belt. So, if you find yours damaged, it’s better to just get a new one.
Problem with the Ground Connector
If your alternator is fine, let’s talk about the next problem. The ground connector may be an issue for you. The cables for the ground connection may be damaged, or they could have come loose. When that happens, your battery light will turn on.
Source: The Dashcam Store
Symptoms
You can look for these symptoms to know for sure if you have a ground problem.
- Your car’s ignition coil might fail. The ignition coil converts low voltage-high current to high voltage-low current. A bad ground connection cannot provide the ignition coil the current it needs: causing it to fail.
- Your fuel pump might fail. A rusty or corrosive ground connection prevents the engine from utilizing the fuel. So, your car might not start as well.
- Your car AC will malfunction. Or to be exact, the AC compressor will not engage.
- Your car’s sensors will fail. Having a damaged ground connection in your Honda will cause sensors (temperature/oxygen) to shut down. This might be hard to detect unless you are keeping an eye out for this.
- The engine control unit or the ECU is likely to malfunction. Due to a faulty ground connection, the electrical flow will be disrupted. Ultimately, causing the ECU to malfunction.
- The transmission cables might get ruined. The transmission cables depend on the ground connection to work properly. Any damage to the ground wires will also damage the transmission cables.
Solution
First, inspect the ground wires and the connection. Look for any visual damage or corrosion where it is mounted. Make sure the connection is secure by checking.
If there is damage, replace the wires. In the case of rust or corrosion, simply clean it.
If everything looks fine, you can test to see if the ground connection is faulty. A multimeter is required for checking the ground connection.
Firstly, set the multimeter to read ohms. Then disconnect the negative end of the ground and connect the multimeter’s black cable there. Touch a metal part with the red cable.
Now, your meter should give you a result. If the value is around 12.5 ohms, your ground connection is fine; otherwise, it’s not.
Additionally, there should be a continuous beep when calculating the resistance. If there is none, that also indicates damage.
Problem with the Battery Terminals
If the alternator and the ground are in good condition, then check the battery terminals. The terminals might have corrosion, especially when they are old.
The acid in the battery reacts with the terminals, which are metal, causing corrosion.
Symptoms
Other than the Honda Odyssey battery light flashing, there are more symptoms of battery corrosion.
If you have corroded battery terminals, your car won’t start. Your vehicle will also lose its electrical power.
The alternator sends the voltage to the battery via a wire. The battery terminals are attached to that wire. Corroded battery terminals will prevent the battery from sending and receiving voltage.
Solution
You must first determine whether your battery has corrosion. This is a simple visual examination. Check the battery terminals for any corrosion by removing the covers. If your battery has corrosion, it will look like this.
Source:700r4transmissionhq
If the amount of corrosion isn’t much, then throw some hot water on top of the terminals. Make sure the water is boiling, and do one terminal at a time. This will just melt the corrosion away.
If you want to properly clean things, you will need a battery post cleaner or a wire brush.
Take out your battery terminals, the negative one first, with a wrench. Once the terminals are removed, clean them.
Once you’re done, reconnect them in reverse order, with the positive one first.
Problem with the Battery
If the battery terminals are cleaned but the problem persists, check the battery thoroughly. You might have a dead or malfunctioning battery.
Symptoms
Your vehicle won’t start at all or may have trouble starting if your battery is dead. Besides that, your car’s engine will crank and make weird noises. And if you try to jumpstart your car, that won’t work either.
Solution
You need to have your car battery replaced. It might be troublesome for you to do it by yourself, so just get a mechanic. But if you insist on doing this by yourself, you can watch this video.
HOW TO Replace Battery on Honda Odyssey – STEP BY STEP
The Low Voltage Problem
Your Honda Odyssey’s battery light may also turn on if your battery voltage is low. But since it can be readily fixed, that is not a serious problem.
Solution
Taking out the battery and recharging it should fix the problem.
What If Fixing the Problem Did Not Reset the Battery Light?
There is a slight chance that even after fixing the problem, the light might still be on. In that scenario, go for a drive in your car. Don’t worry if the light is still there. We have two solutions that you can try.
The Classic Method
What’s the classic method, you ask? Well, it’s the ancient art of turning something on and off, hoping to fix it, and guess what? It works!
If the light doesn’t reset after driving your car for a few miles, disconnect the battery. You must follow some specific steps for that.
First, take out the negative terminal, then the positive one. After you’ve done that, use the horn, the lights, or something else to use up all the residual electricity. When you’re done, wait for 10-15 minutes, then reconnect the battery.
When you reconnect the battery, make sure you connect the positive terminal first.
Use OBDII Scanner
You can use a diagnostic device like the OBDII scanner to reset the battery light on your Honda Odyssey. Your ECU still thinks a problem with the battery exists, even when there’s none. So, you need to use the scanner to manually reset the light.
Precautionary Measures To Take
It’s best to take your car to a workshop to reset the light. The problems are sensitive and affect overall health and performance. If you do decide to perform it yourself, you should use caution. That’s why we have some safety tips for you to utilize.
- Always use gloves and goggles.
- When disconnecting the battery, first remove the negative terminal. Do the opposite when you reconnect it.
- Do not touch any component of the car with (-) & (+) cables
- Try to take out the battery slowly. Don’t apply force. If it seems stuck then you’re probably not doing it correctly.
- Don’t lose the nuts and bolts that you’ve taken out.
FAQs
Does the battery light go away on its own?
No, the battery light indicates certain problems with the battery. So, unless you fix that, it won’t go away. If the light stays on after fixing the problem, disconnecting and reconnecting the battery will fix the problem.
How long does a battery light take to reset?
When you find and fix the problem with the battery, the light should reset within seconds. If it doesn’t, then take your car out for a drive, after which the light should turn off.
Is it worth it to fix an alternator?
Yes, it is worth it if you fix the alternator as soon as you detect problems. Problems with the alternator won’t go away on their own. You’ll eventually need to fix them, and the sooner the better.
Conclusion
It’s better to check the battery voltage first when you notice the battery light. If that fails, try recharging the battery. If that doesn’t do the trick, start with the alternator and work your way down.
That’s everything we had to offer you regarding how to reset battery light on Honda Odyssey. If you struggle to do it by yourself, we advise you to seek professional assistance.
