HONDA ODYSSEY 2000 RA6-RA9 / 2.G Owners Manual

Battery
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damage to the vehicle's electrical system.On EX model
If your vehicle's battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the audio
system will disable itself. The next
time you turn on the radio you will
see in the frequency
display. Use the Preset buttons to
enter the five-digit code (see page
186).
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
vehicle's electronic controls. Detach the battery cables before connecting
the battery to a charger.
On EX model
If your vehicle's battery is
disconnected or goes dead while thesliding doors are open, the power
sliding door system needs to be
resynchronized (see page 93).
Maintenanc e
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled mechanic do the battery
maintenance.
NOTIC E

Wiper Blade s
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months. Look for signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you find
these signs, or they leave streaks and unwiped areas when used.
To replace a wiper blade:
1. Raise the wiper arm off the windshield.
Front windshield: Raise the driver's
side first, then the passenger's
side.
2. Disconnect the blade assembly from the wiper arm by pushing in
the lock tab. Hold it in while you
push the blade assembly toward
the base of the arm.
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
WIPER ARM S
LOCK TA B

Wiper Blade s
3. Remove the blade from its holder
by grasping the tabbed end of the
blade. Pull firmly until the tabscome out of the holder. 4. Examine the new wiper blades. If
they have no plastic or metal rein-
forcement along the back edge,remove the metal reinforcementstrips from the old wiper blade and
install them in the slots along the
edge of the new blade. 5. Slide the new wiper blade into the
holder until the tabs lock.
6. Slide the wiper blade assembly onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
7. Lower the wiper arm down against the windshield.Front windshield: Lower the
passenger's side first, then thedriver's side.
Maintenanc e
BLADE
REINFORCEMEN TBLAD
E

Air Conditionin g Syste m
Your vehicle's air conditioning is a
sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be done by a qualified mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to make sure the air conditioning works
efficiently.
Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Refrigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specifications on page 322.)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenanc e
NOTICE
AIR CONDITIONIN GCONDENSER
NOTICE

Air Conditionin g Filter , Driv e Belt s
Air Conditionin g Filte r
The air conditioning filter removes pollen and dust that is brought in
from the outside through the heatingand cooling system/climate control
system.
This filter should be replaced every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) under
normal conditions. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air from industry and
diesel-powered vehicles. Replace it
more often if air flow from the
heating and cooling system/climate control system becomes less than
usual. Have the air conditioning filter
replaced by your Honda dealer. Driv
e Belt s
Check the condition of the two drive belts (power steering belt andalternator belt). Examine the edgesof each belt for cracks or fraying.
Check the tension of the power
steering belt by pushing on it with
your thumb midway between the
pulleys.
The belt should have the following "play" or deflection.
Power steering belt: 0.51 — 0.65 in (13.0
—16.5 mm)
If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace
the belts.
Maintenanc e
ALTERNATO R BEL T
POWE
R STEERIN G BEL T

Timing Belt , Tire s
Timin g Bel t
The timing belt should normally be replaced at the intervals shown in
the maintenance schedule.
Replace the belt at 60,000 miles (U.S.)
or 100,000 km (Canada) if you regu-
larly drive your vehicle in one or more of these conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F,43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under — 20°F, — 29°C).
Tire s
To safely operate your vehicle, your tires must be the proper type andsize, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inflated. The
following pages give more detailed information on how and when tocheck air pressure, how to inspect
your tires for damage and wear, and
what to do when your tires need to be replaced.Inflatio n
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life and riding comfort. Underinflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handlingand fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires can make your
vehicle ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards,and wear unevenly.
We recommend that you visually check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it immediately with a tire gauge.
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire inflation and maintenance.

Tires
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf/cm
2) per month.
Remember to check the spare tire at
the same time you check all the other tires.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the vehicle has been parked for at least three
hours. If you have to drive the
vehicle before checking the tire pressure, the tires can still be
considered "cold" if you drive less
than 1 mile (1.6 km). If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the vehicle has been
driven several miles), you will see
readings 4 to 6 psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3
to 0.4 kgf/cm2) higher than the cold
reading. This is normal. Do not let air out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be
underinflated.
You should get your own tire pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier for you to tell if a pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.
Recommended Tire Pressures for
Normal Driving
The following chart shows the recommended cold tire pressures for
most normal driving conditions andspeeds. Tire pressures for highspeed driving are the same as for
normal driving.
The compact spare tire pressure is: 60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm2)
Maintenanc e

Tires
These pressures are also given on
the tire information label on thedriver's doorjamb.
Tubeless tires have some ability to self-seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is often
very slow, you should look closely for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.
Inspectio n
Every time you check inflation, you should also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for:
Bumps or bulges in the tread orside of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see fabric or cord.
Excessive tread wear. Your vehicle's tires have wear indica-
tors molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide
band running across the tread. This shows there is less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire.
Maintenanc e
INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MARK S
TREA D WEA R INDICATOR S

Tires
Maintenanc e
In addition to proper inflation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you find a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer check the wheel alignment.
The tires were properly balanced by the factory. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time before theyare worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you feel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire should always be rebalanced if it is
removed from the wheel for repair. Make sure the installer balances the
wheels when you have new tires installed. This increases riding
comfort and tire life. Your vehicle's
original tires were dynamic or "spin"
balanced at the factory. For best results, have the installer perform adynamic balance.
On some models
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle's aluminum wheels. Use only Genuine Honda wheel weights for
balancing.
Tir e Rotatio n
(For Non-directiona l (Fo r Directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels ) Tire s an d Wheels )
To help increase tire life and
distribute wear more evenly, you
should have the tires rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the
chart each time they are rotated.
Maintenance
NOTIC E
Front
Fron t

Tires
When shopping for replacement
tires, you may find that some tires
are "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in one direction. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back. Replacin
g Tire s an d Wheel s
The tires that came with your
vehicle were selected to match the performance capabilities of the
vehicle while providing the best combination of handling, ride
comfort, and long life. You should
replace them with radial tires of thesame size, load range, speed rating,
and maximum cold tire pressure
rating (as shown on the tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and bias-ply
tires on your vehicle can reduce its
braking ability, traction, and steering
accuracy.It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible or necessary, then replace the two
front tires or the two rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously affect your vehicle's han-
dling.
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and stability. This can cause a crashin which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner's manual.