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Big Horn, WY Car Consumer Discussions

Honda Odyssey Radio Fuses

by skindog73 on Mon Nov 10 07:58:48 PST 2008

Battery recently died on 2002 Honda Odyssey so went to Auto Zone to get a replacement since there was still a little time left on the battery warranty. Installed the battery they pulled off the shelves, and went to connect it, and found out when I went to put the negative terminal on that they gave me the wrong battery (someone had put the wrong battery on the shelf where the correct battery was). As soon as I went to connect the negative terminal, the horn went off and ended up blowing a couple of fuses. After finding a blown battery 120 amp fuse in the engine compartment, the radio still did not work, even after I had checked the fuse box inside the van for the raido. #1 - In hindsight, I should have double checked that the terminals were right, but I trusted that they gave me the correct battery. Won't EVER happen again :-) #2 - Reversing the cables resulted in 2 blown fuses, the 120 AMP Battery fuse in the engine compartment passenger side (which I had to order and wait 4 days for becuase no local parts store or dealer had a fuse that big), and, after searching for other blown fuses, I located another 20 AMP fusible link blown in the engine compartment driver side that's mounted near the battery. It's easy to overlook the other fusebox mounted near the battery, hence why I spent many hours looking for any other blown fuses. #3 - I had removed the console and radio looking for a fuse on the radio/CD/DVD player and found none, so do not waste your time thinking there may be one there, there isn't. #4 - Two other fuses inside the van affect the radio/DVD/CD player. Fuses #9 (labled ACC) and #11 (Radio/Dome) on the passenger side should be checked if your radio is not working. What puzzled me and kept me searching was that they were fine, and #11 also controlled the dome lights, which were still working. #5 - Basically there are 4 places that have fuses in a 2002 Honda Odyssey; Passenger side of the engine compartment, Driver side of the engine compartment, Driver side kick panel, and Passenger side kick panel. #6 - Wish I hadn't wastes so much time removing the radio (wasn't really that hard, but still a pain), but lesson learned. 4(!) fuse boxes didn't help make troubleshooting easy. Don't make the mistake of hooking up the battery wrong to begin with, double and triple check before you connect the terminals :-)

Re: And the BIG question is... [brian76]

by texases on Sat Oct 18 11:34:34 PDT 2008

I use the "if it works others would do it" argument because it's true. There's a very real possibility that one of the 'Big 3' will disappear in the next few years. If HHO worked, wouldn't that be an unbelievable advantage? And I'm not implying the previous lengthy poster is lying, I'm stating outright that the post contains numerous lies. Here are just some of the biggest: Lie #1: “Vehicle engines are equipped with alternators or generators producing DC electricity to run the electrical devices on the car and charge the battery. Newer vehicles have alternators rated at a higher capacity than the vehicle needs. With the AC on high, headlights on bright, radio blaring and the horn blowing, most cars use less than half their available amperage.” Fact: There is no extra “available amperage” available to use for free in the engine. Any electrical load (AC, headlights, radio, etc.) places a load on the engine, and requires the use of extra gasoline. To claim otherwise is evidence of complete ignorance of how engines and alternators work. Lie #2: “The HHO gas is introduced into the intake manifold and mixed with the base fuel, gasoline or diesel. Engines run cooler with HHO and even more so with the timing retarded toward TDC (TOP Dead Center). Hydrogen has the effect of making the explosion happen much faster and more completely, therefore more efficiently resulting in less heat build up because of the speed. In other words, heat from the explosion doesn't have time to stick around accumulating more heat. Heat is enemy #1 to mechanical devices. For the internal combustion engine, less heat translates into longer intervals between oil changes (because the engine oil is not being cooked), bearings last longer and other components experience less heat fatigue. That translates to longer engine life. Fact: Any release of heat, by burning gas or hydrogen, cannot sneak out of the combustion chamber. The speed of heat conduction to the engine depends in no way on the source of the heat. Also, the claim of less heat by retarding timing is exactly opposite of what happens in an engine, and is the opposite of what every car engine designer tries to do to maximize efficiency. Utter nonsense. Lie #3: As fuel explodes, the hydrogen actually implodes capturing the otherwise waste or unburnt gasoline (or diesel fuel) and forcing it to burn (more) complete, nearly eliminating all toxic emissions. This action-reaction creates more torque and power from the engine with less base fuel. Because of the more powerful explosion from adding hydrogen and pure oxygen to the mix, better gas mileage is realized. How much better is determined by several factors including driving habits, vehicle size, weight and condition. But most certainly savings are realized by extending the distance between fill-ups, tune-ups and regular maintenance, such as oil changes and filter replacements. Fact: A number of whoppers here. No such thing as hydrogen ‘imploding’. Next, and common to many HHO scam explanations, is the claim that much gasoline remains unburned during combustion. Back in the 1940s airplane engines burned their fuel to over 95% completion, and modern computer-controlled engines are even better. Here are the actual facts for airplane engines And here they are for carsOften, the HHO scammers use numbers like ‘70% of the fuel is wasted’. Another lie, what is true is that about 70% of the fuel’s energy is lost as heat, rather than mechanical energy to move the car. This is, of course, another reason HHO CANNOT WORK. Even if hydrogen was generated with no loss in energy, 70% of that energy is then lost as heat when the hydrogen is burned. That’s enough for now.

Saying goodbye to my 06 Spectra5

by kentuckyranger on Tue Sep 30 17:34:01 PDT 2008

Well, after about 2.5 Years I'm saying goodbye to little Blakie. It's not that it hasn't been a great Car, on the contrary. What happened is that back in Dec of 06 I was injured on the job and I'm now disabled. With the settlement I'm getting I wanted to pay the Spec5 off and get a new Car that has an excellent long term Track record. As much as I love my Kia, I just hear too many stories of what happens down the Road and seeing as how this will be the last time I'll most likely be able to afford any kind of Car, I want something with a proven long term record of reliability. I know, I know. I'm bailing out on Kia, sorry... It's just something I have to do to prepare for the future and I can't bet my future transportation on a Car with such a shaky history, not to mention the re-sale value of the 06 Spec5 is in the toilet. I checked the other Day on the Kelly re-sale - trade in price of the 06 Spec5 in perfect condition with low Miles and it made me sick to my Stomach. As much as I love this Car and I'm sure most owners do, the general consensus is not good for Kia owners. After putting 40k Miles on this Car I have had no troubles whatsoever, other than the Clock intermittently turning off, the one Horn that wasn't hooked up at the Factory and the Weather Striping on the front windshield needing to be Siliconed into place because it kept coming lose and flopping around. It's these little things that have had me a little on edge as to what's going to happen way down the Road that caused me to get rid of it. I never had the Paint issues but from all I've read, I'm glad I went with Black because every other Color seems to have serious issues. Mechanically the Car has performed flawlessly, but who knows what will happen in another 30k Miles. If they forget to hook up the Horn at the Factory, what else could they have forgotten to "hook up". Kia has come along way from when I first saw them back in the mid 90's. Far enough to get me to buy one, just not far enough to get me to keep one. I can hear the big question out there, "What did you replace it with"? After allot of research as to what I'm looking for in a reliable Car there was only one obvious choice. I hate big SUV's like Tahoe's, I hate little tiny Cars like Cooper's and forget those "Crossover" Cars like the Flex, way too rich for my Blood. I wanted all Wheel drive, something that gets good Gas Millage, is comfortable to drive, is reliable, has an excellent track record from ownership history and gets a good insurance rate. What else could it be, the 2009 Subaru Outback of course... :shades:

Re: Labor Day in the USA [dallasdude1]

by gagrice on Tue Sep 02 17:59:23 PDT 2008

Under Clinton the deficit was actually in the BLACK and thus the national debt was being paid off. Where do you get this crap. The National debt went up $1.5 trillion during the Clinton administration. He did not pay down the debt ONE PENNY. Yes if Ted Stevens gets convicted fine and dandy. He is a good example of why we should have term limits, along with Teddy Kennedy. You might look at the record and you will find that Sarah Palin has crossed horns with Stevens on wasteful spending. Now Byrd is in the appropriations handing out pork. What is the difference in our corrupt Congress. And electing someone like Biden that has been a big part of the corruption. Check out where Obama put in for an Earmark of $4 million for Biden's lobbyist son. No wonder the UAW is going to the dogs with such uneducated membership.

Re: TIRES cupped after 6000 mi. [bigtsr]

by dodgeman6 on Mon Aug 25 18:32:38 PDT 2008

Well, I am not proud to admit that I started this subject about the Dodge Caliber with cupping tires and more. But, it seems to me that what I have been reading from time to time as the other owners of this vehicle keeps coming in to report similar problems as I have, should NOT have to even deal with this in a new car purchase in the first place. I got sick to death of the car dealer for pushing me off to the tire manufacturer more than once. It gets to the point to where you are out of a car while they try to figure out the problem over and over again, money out of your pocket no matter what happens every time you change tires or have to totally or partially pay for another alignment. It gets old. Same on Dodge for putting customers through this until a certain number of them gather together to file a legal suit against them. We have enough stress with the gas prices right now, people losing their jobs that have to have big bucks for the car payment for a new or used car, the list goes on. for a customer to have to keep pointing fingers and waiting for the tire manufacturer/dealer or car dealership who sold you the car to duke it out is a joke. I dumped this Dodge Caliber 2006 R/T and have not regretted it or looked back. Good luck to all who can't get rid of the thing because it has lost it's value and you will be stuck with it. Just as soon as they put new tires on mine, I turned right around and went back on the same lot before I left, and bought a used 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT. The Car dealership was so happy that I was going to actually be out of their hair with me giving this car up for good for them to re-sell to some other poor fool. I tracked the sale of the car and it was re-sold to a person just about 40 miles from me in Traverse City, Mi. I went on line to the CarFax site and reported that this car had a problem with cupping tires and alignment problems. When I see the Calibers going down the road, I actually want to hold up a sign as I pass them to say "toot your horn if you have experienced cupping tires." It is not funny to say the least even, but it has humor in it for me as I am now stress free from this sorta ugly car anyways. :surprise: I give those customers on this site to never give up if you have to or just walk away from the whole mess if you can like I did.

Dying for Some Fresh Tomatoes

by oldfarmer50 on Mon Aug 18 04:47:20 PDT 2008

Yesterday I'm traveling north on a 4 lane (two in each direction) state highway which has a median in the middle used for making left turns in to driveways and such. I'm in the right lane, a woman is passing me in a little Toyota. Several SUVs are passing also in the left lane behind her. Speed limit is 55 and we're all doing every bit of it. Suddenly, all the cars in the left lane slam on their brakes, the big SUV swerves into my lane almost hitting me. I brake hard and go onto the shoulder just missing getting sideswiped. Tires are screeching, horns are blowing and a good time was had by all. I'm dumbfounded at what would cause all this crazy driving. Then I looked back in my mirror. I see the woman in the Toyota sitting stopped across both lanes of the south bound side (remember she had been going north). Cars south bound were now hitting their brakes because she was blocking the entire road. As near as I can figure, she had slammed on her brakes when she saw a farm stand on the other side of the road. She didn't use the median to attempt her U-turn but just stopped in the left driving lane. To make matters worse, as she tried to turn she found another car blocking her from pulling up to the farm stand. So SHE PARKED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD while she decided what to do next. Those must of been the best darn tomatoes in the whole world! :mad: