air conditioning HONDA ODYSSEY 1996 Owners Manual

Comfort and Convenience Features

The heating and air conditioning system in your car provides a com-
fortable driving environment in all
weather conditions.
The standard audio system has many features. This section de-scribes those features and how to
use them. (If you selected an
optional audio system, refer to the operating instructions that came
with it.)
Some models have an anti-theft
audio system that requires a code
number to enable it. Heating and Cooling........................ 74
What Each Control Does............ 74How to Use the System............... 76
To Turn Everything Off ............. 81 Rear A/C Unit.............................. 82
Audio System (U.S. LX and
Canadian EX)........................... 83

Operating the Radio.................... 84
Adjusting the Sound.................... 86 Radio Frequencies and Reception.................................. 86
Operating the Cassette Player... 87
Tape Search Functions............... 88
Caring for Cassettes.................... 89Operating the Optional CD Player/Changer....................... 90
Audio System (U.S. EX).................. 92 Operating the Radio.................... 93
Adjusting the Sound.................... 96 Radio Frequencies....................... 97
Radio Reception........................... 97
Operating the Cassette Player... 99
Tape Search Functions............. 100 Caring for the Cassette Player...................................... 101 Operating the Optional CD
Player/Changer..................... 102
Protecting Compact Discs........ 104 CD Error Indications................. 105
Theft Protection........................ 106

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Heating and Cooling

Proper use of the Heating and

Cooling system can make the

interior dry and comfortable, and

keep the windows clear for best

visibility.

What Each Control Does Fan Control Lever
Sliding this lever to the right
increases the fan's speed, which
increases air flow.
Temperature Control Lever
Sliding this lever to the right

increases the temperature of the air

flow.

Air Conditioning (A/C) Button This button turns the air condi- tioning ON and OFF. The indicatorin the button lights when the A/C is
on.
Fresh Air and Recirculation
Buttons
These two buttons control the source of air going into the system. In Fresh Air mode air
comes from outside the car. In
Recirculation mode the
interior air recycles through the
system.

Comfort and Convenience Features TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL
LEVER AIR CONDITIONING
BUTTON
MODE BUTTONS
RECIRCULATION
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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 heater
uses 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
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Heating and Cooling
It is best to leave the system in mode under almost all
conditions. Keeping the system in mode, particularly with the
A/C off, can cause the windows to fog up. Switch to mode when
you are driving through smoky or dusty conditions, then switch back to mode when the condition

clears.

The outside air intakes for the heating and cooling system are atthe base of the windshield. Keep
these clear of leaves and other
debris.
Ventilation

The flow-through ventilation system draws in outside air, circulates it
through the interior, then exhausts it
through vents near the rear side

panels.
1. Slide the temperature control lever
all the way to the left.
Make sure the A/C is off. 2. Select and
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
CONTINUED

Comfort and Convenience Features

MODE BUTTONS

RECIRCULATION
BUTTON
FRESH AIR BUTTON

AIR CONDITIONINGBUTTON

FAN CONTROL

LEVER

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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

4. 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 thecontrols as described for normal
cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 38) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turnoff the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.
Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUTTONS

RECIRCULATION
BUTTON
FRESH AIR BUTTON

AIR CONDITIONINGBUTTON

FAN CONTROL
LEVER
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Heating and Cooling

To Heat

To warm the interior:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control lever.
To Heat and Dehumidify with Air
Conditioning

Air conditioning, as it cools, removes moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, itmakes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and
4. Adjust the temperature control
lever so the mixture of heated and
cooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32°F (0°C).
To Defog and Defrost

To remove fog from the inside of the windows:
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and
4. Adjust the temperature control
lever so the airflow from the
defroster vents feels warm.
5. Turn on the rear window defogger to help clear the rear window.
CONTINUED

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Heating and Cooling

To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the car has been sitting out in
cold weather:
1. Start the engine.
2. Select
and
3. Switch the fan and temperature
controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield (on very cold days), first select Once the
windshield is clear, select to
avoid fogging the windows.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS

RECIRCULATION

BUTTON
FRESH AIR BUTTON
FAN CONTROL

LEVER
AIR CONDITIONING

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Heating and Cooling

These settings direct all the air flow to the defroster vents at the base of the windshield and the side windowdefroster 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 windshielddefroster 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.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER

You should shut the system com- pletely 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
FAN CONTROL

LEVER

AIR CONDITIONING

SWITCH

RECIRCULATION BUTTON
FRESH AIR

BUTTON

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Fuel Economy

The condition of your car and your driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.

Vehicle Condition

Always maintain your car according to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Periodic Checks (see
page 144). For example, an under- inflated tire causes more "rolling
resistance," which uses fuel. It also
wears out faster, so check the tire pressure at least monthly. In winter,the build-up of snow on your car'sunderside adds weight and rolling
resistance. Frequent cleaning helps
your fuel mileage and reduces the chance of corrosion. Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up, your car uses extra fuel. Use thecruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to"warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try to combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes it use more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.

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Driving in Bad Weather

Visibility — Being able to see clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This ismore difficult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defrosters and air conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see page 79 ). Traction — Check your tires
frequently for wear and properpressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss oftraction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four wheels for the best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully, they can change from moment tomoment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditionscan be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the drive wheels for a moment and cause
a skid. Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by, other vehicles. The
spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.
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