engine coolant HONDA ODYSSEY 1998 Owners Manual

Gauges

TACHOMETER

Speedometer
U.S. Models

This shows your speed in miles per
hour (mph). The smaller inner
numbers are the speed in kilometers

per hour (km/h).

Canadian Models
This shows your speed in kilometers per hour (km/h). The smaller inner
numbers are the speed in miles per
hour (mph). Odometer
The odometer shows the total dis- tance your vehicle has been driven.
It measures miles in U.S. models and
kilometers in Canadian models. It is illegal under federal law (in the
U.S.) and provincial regulations (inCanada) to disconnect, reset, or alter
the odometer with the intent to change the number of miles or
kilometers indicated. Temperature Gauge
This shows the temperature of the engine's coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise
from the bottom white mark to about the middle white mark. In severedriving conditions, such as very hot
weather or a long period of uphill driving, the pointer may rise to the
upper white mark. If it reaches the
red (Hot) mark, pull safely to the side of the road. Turn to page 204 for
instructions and precautions on
checking the engine's cooling
system.

Fuel Gauge
This shows how much fuel you have. It is most accurate when the vehicle
is on level ground. It may show slightly more or less than the actual
amount when you are driving on
curvy or hilly roads.

CONTINUED

Instruments and Controls

SPEEDOMETER

TRIP METER MAINTENANCE
REQUIRED
INDICATOR

ODOMETER
SELECT AND RESET BUTTON

FUEL

GAUGE
TEMPERATURE

GAUGEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

Vent Controls
You can adjust the direction of the air coming from the dashboard vents
by moving the tab in the center of
each vent up-and-down and side-to-

side.
CORNER VENT
The vents in the corners of the dashboard can be opened and closed
with the dials next to them. How to Use the System
This section covers how to set up the system controls for ventilation,
heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and defrosting.
The engine must be running for the heater and air conditioning to
generate hot and cold air. The heateruses engine coolant to warm the air.
If the engine is cold, it will be several
minutes before you feel warm air
coming from the system.
The air conditioning does not rely on engine temperature.
Comfort and Convenience Features
CENTER VENTProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

To Cool with A/C
1. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. The light in the button
should come on.
2. Make sure the temperature control lever is all the way to the
left.
3. Select and Fresh Air mode.

4. If the outside air is humid, select

Recirculation mode. If the outside

air is dry, select Fresh Air mode.

5. Set the fan to the desired speed.
If the interior is very warm from
being parked in the sun, you can cool it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way:
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. Make sure the tempera-
ture control lever is all the way to
the left.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select
and
When the interior has cooled down
to a more comfortable temperature,close the windows and set the
controls as described for normal

cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 56) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turn
off the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS


RECIRCULATION
BUTTONFRESH AIR BUTTON
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER

FAN CONTROL

LEVER
AIR CONDITIONING
BUTTONProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

These settings direct all the air flow
to the defroster vents at the base of
the windshield and the side window defroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the corner vents with the dial
beside each vent. This will send
more warm air to the windshield defroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a
clear view through all the windows
before driving away.

To Turn Everything Off

To shut off the system temporarily, slide the fan speed and temperature
control levers all the way to the left. You should shut the system
completely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,
until the engine coolant warms up
enough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale air does not build up in the interior.
Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUATTONS

RECIRCULATION BUTTON

FRESH AIR
BUTTON

TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL

LEVER
AIR CONDITIONING
SWITCHProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Before Driving
Before you begin driving your Honda,
you should know what gasoline to use, and how to check the levels of
important fluids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggageor packages. The information in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the information in this section first. Break-in Period.............................. 128
Gasoline.......................................... 128
Service Station Procedures .......... 129 Filling the Fuel Tank................. 129
Opening the Hood..................... 130 Oil Check................................ 131
Engine Coolant Check.......... 132
Fuel Economy................................ 133 Vehicle Condition...................... 133
Driving Habits............................ 133
Accessories and Modifications.... 134 Carrying Cargo.............................. 136
Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Service Station Procedures

4. Remove the dipstick again and check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see Adding Oil on page 173. Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see Adding
Engine Coolant on page 177 for
information on adding the proper
coolant. Refer to Owner Maintenance
Checks on page 171 for information
on checking other items in your
Honda.

Before Driving
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK Engine Coolant Check

MAX MIN

RESERVE TANKProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of

yourself.

If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 235 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Honda

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 160
Important Safety Precautions.. 161
Maintenance Schedule.................. 162
Required Maintenance Record.... 169 Owner Maintenance Checks........ 171
Fluid Locations............................... 172

Engine Oil....................................... 173 Adding Oil................................... 173Recommended Oil..................... 173
Synthetic Oil............................... 174

Additives..................................... 175
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 175

Cooling System.............................. 177
Adding Engine Coolant............. 177Replacing Engine Coolant........ 179
Windshield Washers..................... 181
Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 182
Brake Fluid..................................... 183
Brake System............................. 183

Power Steering............................... 184
Air Cleaner Element...................... 185 Spark Plugs..................................... 187
Replacement............................... 187
Specifications............................. 188
Battery............................................ 189
Wiper Blades.................................. 191 Air Conditioning System............... 194
Drive Belts...................................... 195
Timing Belt..................................... 195
Tires................................................ 196 Inflation....................................... 196
Inspection................................... 198
Maintenance............................... 198
Tire Rotation.............................. 199
Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 199
Wheels and Tires....................... 200
Winter Driving........................... 200
Snow Tires.............................. 201
Tire Chains............................. 201
Lights.............................................. 202 Headlight Aiming...................... 204
Replacing Bulbs......................... 206
Storing Your Vehicle..................... 211
MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Owner Maintenance Checks

You should check the following items at the specified intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perform any check, turn to the page given. Engine oil level — Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See

page 131.
Engine coolant level — Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 132.
Windshield washer fluid — Check the level in the reservoir monthly.If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers frequently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
for fuel. See page 181.
Automatic transmission — Check the fluid level monthly. See page
182.
Brakes — Check the fluid level
monthly. See page 183. Tires — Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page 196. Lights — Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page 202.
MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Fluid Locations

Maintenance

BRAKE FLUID
(Gray cap)
ENGINE OIL

FILL CAP

COOLANT
RESERVOIR

POWER STEERING
FLUID (Red cap)

AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION

FLUID DIPSTICK

(Yellow loop)
WASHER FLUID
(Blue cap)
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
(Orange loop)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

Adding Engine Coolant
If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
This coolant should always be a mixture of 50 percent antifreeze and50 percent water. Never add straight
antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda
antifreeze/coolant. If it is not
available, you may use another
major-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporary replacement. Make sure it
is a high-quality coolant
recommended for aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result in
corrosion, causing the cooling
system to malfunction or fail. Have
the cooling system flushed and
refilled with Honda antifreeze/
coolant as soon as possible. If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

RESERVE TANKProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t