HONDA ODYSSEY 1996 Owners Manual

Audio System

Caring for the Cassette Player
The cassette player picks up dirt and oxides from the tape. This
contamination builds up over time
and causes the sound quality todegrade. To prevent this, you should
clean the player after every 30 hours
of use.
As a reminder, after every 30 hours of use, the system will flash CLEAN
in the display for 5 seconds every
time you insert a cassette in the player. After you clean the player,
reset the CLEAN indicator by
pressing the Preset 6 button while
playing a tape. Hold the button until
you hear a beep and the indicator goes out.
If you do not clean the cassette
player regularly, it may eventually
become impossible to remove the contamination with a normal
cleaning kit.
Use 100-minute or shorter cassettes.

Cassettes longer than that use
thinner tape that may break or jam

the drive.

Look at the cassette before you

insert it. If the tape is loose, tighten

it by turning a hub with a pencil or

your finger.

If the label is peeling off, remove it
from the cassette or it could cause
the cassette to jam in the player.

Never try to insert a warped or
damaged cassette in the player.
The player automatically ejects cassettes that do not play properly. Ifit ejects a cassette before it begins to
play, it is probably defective and should not be inserted again. You
may have a cassette suddenly stop
playing, reverse directions once or
twice and then eject. This is normally an indication the tape is wound
unevenly. It should play after the
tape is manually rewound.
When they are not in use, store cassettes in their cases to protect
them from dust and moisture. Never
place cassettes where they will beexposed to direct sunlight, high heat,
or high humidity. If a cassette is
exposed to extreme heat or cold, let
it reach a moderate temperature
before inserting it in the player.
Never try to insert foreign objects
into the cassette player.
Comfort and Convenience Features

CLEAN INDICATORProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Audio System

Operating the Optional CD
Player/Changer

A Compact Disc changer is available through your dealer. It holds up tosix discs, providing several hours of
continuous entertainment. You
operate the CD changer with the same controls used for the radio.
Your dealer also has an accessory in- dash single CD player available that
is operated by the radio controls. To
operate this unit, use the instructions (except for those relating to multiple
discs) in this section. Using the instructions that came
with the changer, load the desired CDs in the magazine, and load the
magazine in the changer.
To operate the CD changer, the ignition must be in ACCESSORY (I)or ON (II) and the audio system
must be on. If you are listening to a
cassette, eject it.
Comfort and Convenience Features PWR/VOL KNOB
RPT INDICATOR
TUNE/SEEK SWITCH CD BUTTON A. SELECT INDICATOR
A. SELECT/RPT BUTTONProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Audio System

Press the CD button until "CD"
appears in the display. The system
will start to play the first track of the first disc in the magazine.
When that disc ends, the next disc inthe magazine is loaded and played.
After the last disc finishes, the system returns to disc 1.
To select a different disc than the one that is playing, press theappropriate preset button (1 — 6).
The system will load that disc and begin playing it from the first track.
You can use the TUNE/SEEK switch to select tracks within a disc.
If you push and release the TUNE/
SEEK switch, the system will move
to the beginning of a track. Push the switch up to move to the beginning
of the next track, and push theswitch down to move to the begin-
ning of the current track.
If you push and hold the TUNE/
SEEK switch, you will hear a beep
and the system will continue to move across tracks. Release the switch
when you think it has reached the desired place on the disc.
RPT — When you activate the Repeat feature by pressing the A.SEL/RPT button, the system continu-
ously replays the current track. You
will see RPT in the display as a reminder. Press the button again to
turn it off.
RANDOM PLAY — This feature,
when activated, plays the tracks on a CD in random order, rather than in
the order they are recorded on the CD. To activate Random Play, press
the A. SEL/RPT button until you see
A. SEL in the display. The system will then select and play tracksrandomly on the current disc. When
all tracks on that disc have been
played, the next disc is loaded and
played randomly. This continues
until you deactivate Random Play by
pressing A. SEL/RPT again.
If the system is in Repeat mode, you
must turn it off by pressing A. SEL/
RPT before you can select Random
Play. Then press the button again
until you see A. SEL displayed.
To take the system out of CD mode, press the AM or FM button, or inserta cassette in the player. When you
return to CD mode, play will contin-
ue at the same disc and track.
If you turn the system off while a CD
is playing, either with the PWR/VOL
knob or the ignition switch, play will
continue at the same disc and track
when you turn it back on.
Comfort and Convenience FeaturesProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Audio System

Protecting Compact DiscsHandle a CD by its edges; never
touch either surface. Contamination
from fingerprints, liquids, felt-tip pens, and labels can cause the CD to
not play properly, or possibly jam inthe drive.
When a CD is not being played, store it in its case to protect it from dustand other contamination. To prevent
warpage, keep CDs out of direct sunlight and extreme heat. To clean a disc, use a clean soft cloth.Wipe across the disc from the center to the outside edge. A new CD may be rough on the
inner and outer edges. The small
plastic pieces causing this roughness
can flake off and fall on the re-cording surface of the disc, causingskipping or other problems. Remove
these pieces by rubbing the inner
and outer edges with the side of a
pencil or pen.
Never try to insert foreign objects in
the CD player or the magazine.
Comfort and Convenience FeaturesProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Audio System

CD Error Indications

If you see an error indication in the display while in CD mode, find the
cause in the chart to the right. If you cannot clear the error indication,
take the car to your Honda dealer.
Comfort and Convenience FeaturesProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Audio System

Theft Protection
On U.S. EX model

Your car's audio system will disable itself if it is disconnected fromelectrical power for any reason. To
make it work again, the user must enter a specific five-digit code in the
Preset buttons. Because there are
hundreds of number combinations possible from five digits, making the system work without knowing the
exact code is nearly impossible.
You should have received a card that lists your audio system's code number and serial number. It is best
to store this card in a safe place at
home, or to keep it in your wallet or
purse. In addition, you should write the audio system's serial number in
this Owner's Manual. If you should
happen to lose the card, you must
obtain the code number from yourHonda dealer. To do this, you will
need the system's serial number. If your car's battery is disconnected
or goes dead, the audio system will
disable itself. If this happens, you
will see "Code" in the frequency display the next time you turn on the
system. Use the Preset buttons toenter the five-digit code. If it is
entered correctly, the radio will start

playing.

If you make a mistake entering thecode, do not start over or try to
correct your mistake. Complete the
five-digit sequence, then enter the correct code. You have three tries toenter the correct code. If you are
unsuccessful in three attempts, you
must then leave the system on for one hour before trying again. You will have to store your favorite
stations in the Preset buttons after
the system begins working. Your original settings were lost when
power was disconnected.
Comfort and Convenience FeaturesProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Before Driving

Before you begin driving your Honda,
you should know what gasoline to use, and how to check the levels ofimportant fluids. You also need to
know how to properly stow luggage
or packages. This section will help
you. If you plan to add any accesso- ries to your car, please read theinformation in this section first. Break-in Period.............................. 108
Gasoline.......................................... 108
Oxygenated Fuels...................... 108
Driving in Foreign Countries... 109
Service Station Procedures .......... 110 Filling the Fuel Tank................. 110Opening the Hood..................... 111
Fuel Economy................................ 114
Vehicle Condition...................... 114Driving Habits............................ 114
Accessories..................................... 115
Loading Cargo................................ 116

Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Break-in Period, Gasoline

Break-in Period
Help assure your car's future
reliability and performance by payingextra attention to how you drive
during the first 1,000 km (600 miles).
During this period:
Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.

If you need to add oil, use the
engine oil recommended in this
owner's manual.
Avoid hard braking. New brakes need to be broken-in by moderate
use for the first 300 km (200

miles).

You should follow these same re- commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined.
Gasoline

Your Honda operates most effec- tively on unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 86 or higher.
Use of a lower octane gasoline can
cause a persistent, heavy metallicrapping noise in the engine that can
lead to mechanical damage.
We recommend gasolines containing detergent additives that help prevent
fuel system and engine deposits.
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your car's emission controls.
This contributes to air pollution and can void certain parts of your
warranty. Oxygenated Fuels

Some conventional gasolines are

being blended with alcohol or an
ether compound. These gasolines

are collectively referred to as
oxygenated fuels. To meet clean air standards, some areas of the United

States and Canada use oxygenated

fuels to help reduce emissions.
If you use an oxygenated fuel, besure it is unleaded and meets the

minimum octane rating requiremen

Before using an oxygenated fuel,

to confirm the fuel's contents. Some states/provinces require this
information to be posted on the

pump.

Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Gasoline

The following are the EPA-approved percentages of oxygenates:
ETHANOL (ethyl or grain alcohol)
You may use gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol by volume. Gasoline containing ethanol may be marketed
under the name "Gasohol."
MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl

Ether)

You may use gasoline containing up to 15% MTBE by volume. METHANOL (methyl or wood

alcohol)

You may use gasoline containing up to 5% methanol by volume as long asit also contains cosolvents andcorrosion inhibitors to protect the
fuel system. Gasoline containing more than 5% methanol by volume
may cause starting and/or perform-ance problems. It may also damage
metal, rubber and plastic parts of
your fuel system.
If you notice any undesirableoperating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
Fuel system damage or performance
problems resulting from the use of an oxygenated fuel containing morethan the percentages of oxygenates
given above are not covered under
warranty.
Driving in Foreign Countries

If you are planning to take your
Honda outside the U.S. or Canada,
contact the tourist bureaus in the areas you will be traveling in to find
out about the availability of unleaded
gasoline with the proper octane
rating.

If unleaded gasoline is not available,
be aware that using leaded gasoline in your Honda will affect perfor-
mance and fuel mileage, and damage its emissions controls. It will nolonger comply with U.S. andCanadian emissions regulations, and
will be illegal to operate in North
America. To bring your car back into compliance will require the replace-
ment of several components, such as
the oxygen sensor and the three way catalytic converter. These replace-
ments are not covered under
warranty.
Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Service Station Procedures

Filling the Fuel Tank
1. The fuel fill is on the driver's side of the car. Park with that side
closest to the service station

pumps.

2. Open the fuel fill door by pulling on the handle to the left of the

driver's seat.
3. Remove the fuel fill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.

Place the fuel fill cap on the inside

of the door as shown.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel pump automatically clicks off. Do
not try to "top off the tank, leave
some room for the fuel to expand
with temperature changes.
5. Screw the fuel till cap back on, tighten it until it clicks more than

twice.

6. Push the fuel fill door until it
latches.
Befor
e
Drivin
g
Gasoline i
s highly flammable

and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured

when handling fuel.

Stop the engine and keep

heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.

Wipe up spills immediately.

Pull

FUEL FILL CAPProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents