If you are not used to the Auto Idle Stop feature on the 5th Generation Honda Odyssey (model years 2018-2024), then you may find it annoying or disruptive to your everyday driving. Auto Idle Stop is a feature that automatically shuts off the engine when your car is stopped, and restarts the engine when you go again. The reason why this feature was employed is to maximize fuel efficiency due to idling when the car is at a standstill.
When your battery is working normally (i.e. fully charged) and you stop at a stop sign or stoplight, you’ll press down on the brake pedal to hold the car at a stop. If you hold the brake pedal down, the engine should shut off temporarily. It is not until you lift your foot off the brake pedal that the car will start up again and so that you can drive.
I’ve had some experience with this feature on other vehicles, so it wasn’t unexpected when I experienced this same thing on my 2019 Honda Odyssey. Personally, I find the feature more of an annoyance and I prefer not to have to turn this feature off everytime I start the vehicle. At this time, the only way you can permanently disable the Auto Idle Stop feature on the 2018-2024 Honda Odyssey is to use a device called the Idlestopper, which plugs in behind the dashboard.
Other Ways to Disable Auto Idle Stop?
Most of the time, you’ll find people in one of two camps. In one camp, there will be those who just can’t stand the Auto Idle Stop feature and will desperately try to find ways to disable it. For these people, this post will help you to install the Idlestopper in your Honda Odyssey. In the other camp, you’ll find people who are either okay with it, or simply just deal with it.
The purpose of this post is to show you a sure-fire and safe way to disable the Auto Idle Stop function in your Honda Odyssey by installing the Idlestopper. But before I go into that install process, I just want to note some of the other ways to get around the Auto Idle Stop, in case that you’d rather save money and don’t mind adjusting your driving behavior.
Pressing the Auto Idle Stop Button
Obviously, you can just press the Auto Idle Stop button every time prior to driving. This will disable the Auto Idle Stop feature for as long as your car is on. The feature will reset itself when you shut off the car, so if you want to disable the feature next time you drive, you will have to press it again the next time when you start the car. This is just an extra step that you need to do everytime before you drive, which is something that you might be okay doing.
Not Depressing the Brake Pedal Fully
Another adjustment you could do to your driving behavior, which can allow you to bypass the Auto Idle Stop feature is to not press down on the brake pedal fully when you come to a stop. Your vehicle will only activate Auto Idle Stop and shut down the engine when you come to a stop and press the brake pedal past a certain point.
If you are able to press your brake pedal down until the car comes to a stop, but not further to the point that the Auto Idle Stop activates, then you’ll be able to prevent the engine from shutting off. Personally, I don’t like this option because it involves a lot of thinking and adjustments to your driving, which takes your attention away from other aspects of driving. I only mention this option because it is a common suggestion that people give, but to me it feels like it’s more trouble than it’s worth.
Why Disable Auto Idle Stop?
Aside from being a minor annoyance, there is a more important reason for disabling this feature. Think of this example: you’re at a stoplight and you look up at your rear view mirror only to find that the car coming up behind you is not going to stop in time. You only have a split-second to react and avoid getting rear-ended.
Normally you’d quickly turn your steering wheel and accelerate to get out of the way, but if your engine is off due to Auto Idle Stop, you won’t be able to move so quickly. This is because if your engine is off, you have no power steering and the car would need another moment to restart in order for you to take off.
I believe that for this reason mainly, and for the fact that I notice very little difference in gas mileage with the Auto Idle Stop being activated, I chose to install the Idlestopper on my vehicle. If you are tired of Auto Idle Stop on your Honda Odyssey and want to learn how to install the Idlestopper to permanently disable it, read on.
Tools & Materials
You will need the Idlestopper device, which is made for our 5th generation Honda Odyssey (model years 2018-2024). To remove the interior trim to access the dashboard, you’ll need some trim tools (to prevent damage to the dash) and an 8mm socket and ratchet.
I just want to note a couple things that you might notice about the Idlestopper product on Amazon. There are two different listings for the Idlestopper, with some variation in the listings saying that they’re for the 2018-2023 or for the 2018-2024 Honda Odyssey. These two products are the same exact thing; there is no difference between the 2023 and 2024 Honda Odyssey in terms of the installation of this product.
The other thing you should know is that there used to be a V1 (version 1) of the Idlestopper, which required you to use a T-tap splice to tap into the existing wiring in the back of your dash. V2 (version 2) is an updated product that no longer requires you to splice off of the existing wiring, which is a much better and reliable product to use.
Idlestopper for 2018-2024 Honda Odyssey
Tresalto Trim Removal Tool Kit
EP Auto Socket/Ratchet Set (includes a variety of sockets including 8mm)
How to Install the Idlestopper on the 2018-2024 Honda Odyssey
The center dashboard is the main area are that we’ll be working with. There’s no need to disconnect the battery prior because we will only be disconnecting and reconnecting electrical connectors. There will be no need to splice any wiring because we are installing the Idlestopper V2 (Version 2).
As for what we’re going to be doing, we’re going to be removing a number of trim pieces along the sides and beneath the center dash. This will give us access to behind the Auto Idle Stop button and the lower left power outlet to install the Idlestopper unit.
If you have any driver side and passenger side floor mats that have raised sides (like the ones you’ll find on many aftermarket floor mats), you’ll need to remove these as they will keep you from removing the trim in the center dashboard/floorboard area.
Next, use a plastic trim tool and pry up at the passenger’s side hook from the bottom. This will pop the hook fascia off, which will expose an 8mm bolt underneath. Remove the 8mm bolt, preferably using an extension on the socket.
Now, we need to remove some of the outer trim pieces on the driver and passenger sides. This is because these trim pieces sit over the center trim piece, so it needs to be pulled off (but not removed) in order for the center trim to come off.
These trim pieces are held in with clips; to remove them you simply have to pull them off. From the driver’s side, pull off the trim at the corner with your hand, then work your way up and pull off the right side of this trim as shown.
Then from the passenger side, pull this black trim piece off with your hand.
You will then need to use your trim tool and pry off these side trim pieces flanking the center. Pry them off with the tool and then pull it off with your hands. Then pull off the center trim that is located below the power and AC outlets.
Now, you will need to pull up on the center dashboard, which basically pops up if you pull it directly up with your hands. The trim tool helps get it started so you can get your fingers in there. Then, this center U-shaped piece can pop off as shown.
With the center U-shaped trim piece out of the way, you now have access to the back of the lower left power outlet from above, and access to the back of the Auto Idle Stop button from below.
Disconnect the connector from the back of the power outlet by squeezing the connector and pulling it off.
At the Auto Idle Stop button, you will have to get down low and look up behind the dashboard where the button is. This connector is a single connector that connects to the three buttons from behind: Auto Idle Stop, Snow, and Econ. Disconnect this connector by again squeezing the release and pulling it off.
Now, take the Idlestopper and use the multi-colored connector to plug into the slot where you just removed the previous connector. Then take the grey Idlestopper connector and connect it to the connector you removed from the back of the Auto Idle Stop button which you disconnected earlier. You are now done working in this area; you can tuck the Idlestopper device and wiring up behind the center dash as shown.
Now, you are left with these two connectors. The male plug of the Idlestopper connects to the connector you removed earlier from the back of the power outlet button. The female connector of the Idlestopper connects to the back of the power outlet button.
The connection where the male connector of the Idlestopper and the female connector from the car has a small section of exposed contacts. Use the included foam tape to wrap around this connection to prevent future shorts.
That completes the install of the Idlestopper on your Honda Odyssey. You can test it out right away by turning on the vehicle, prior to installing your trim back. After you turn on your car, look at your instrument cluster screen at the top left corner and if you see the Auto Idle Stop disabled button (orange colored ‘A’ with arrow around it) show up shortly after startup, then your install was successful.
Reinstall everything back in reverse order of removal and be careful to press in all of your trim pieces so that nothing breaks and that they clip back into their original place. My experience is that it’s sometimes difficult to tell if certain trim pieces have properly clipped back into place. So, make sure to check the seams between the trim pieces and if there is a larger-than-normal gap after reinstallation, double-check that your trim was reinstalled properly.
After I installed the Idlestopper V2 on my Odyssey, I’ve never had to press the Auto Idle Stop enable/disable button ever again. I’m back to driving the vehicle normally without having the vehicle’s engine turn off at stops anymore. I’m very happy with the install and highly recommend the Idlestopper to anyone who doesn’t like the Auto Idle Stop feature on their car.
