brake HONDA ODYSSEY 1997 User Guide

Service Station Procedures

1. Shift to Park or Neutral and set the parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower left corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly. 2. Standing in front of the car, put
your fingers under the front edgeof the hood to the right of center.
Slide your hand to the left until
you feel the hood latch handle. Push this handle up until it
releases the hood. Lift the hood. 3. Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert the end into the hole on
the left side of the hood.
To close the hood, lift it up slightly to remove the support rod from the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood toabout a foot above the fender, then
let it drop.

Before Driving
CONTINUED

Opening the Hood
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE

LATCH


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Accessories

Your Honda dealer has many Genuine Honda Accessories that
allow you to personalize your car.
These have all been approved for installation and use on your car, and
are covered by warranty.
Some non-Honda accessories you
can buy in the "aftermarket" are
designed for universal applications.
Although they may fit your Honda, they may not be within factoryspecifications. For example, after-
market wheels may not meet Honda's specifications for width and offset.
They could cause suspension problems that would not be covered
by your warranty. Improperly-designed accessories can adversely
affect your car's handling and stability. Your car has several computer-
controlled systems, including the
SRS system, the engine's fuel
injection, and the Anti-lock brake system. Strong electronic inter-
ference can affect their operation.

Electronic communications equip-

ment, such as cellular telephones
and two-way radios are regulated by
the FCC (DOC in Canada) and should not interfere with your car's
systems. Improper installation, or
using electrical equipment not in-
tended for mobile use may interfere
with your car's operation. If you want
to install a cellular telephone, other
mobile communications equipment
or even add-on stereo amplifiers,
please discuss it first with your Honda dealer. In many cases, improper installation
is the real cause of problems with
aftermarket accessories. Have these
accessories installed by qualified
technicians who are familiar with
your Honda. If possible, have your Honda dealer inspect the final

installation.

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Driving

This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important information on
parking your car, the braking system and facts you need if you are plan-
ning to tow a trailer. Preparing to Drive......................... 118
Starting the Engine........................ 119
Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 119
Automatic Transmission............... 120 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 120
Shift Lever Positions................. 120
Maximum Speeds...................... 123
Shift Lock Release..................... 123
Parking............................................ 124
The Braking System...................... 124 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 125
Brake System Design................ 125
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 126 Important Safety Reminders.... 127
ABS Indicator............................. 127
Driving in Bad Weather................ 128
Towing a Trailer............................ 130

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Starting the Engine

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off all electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
3. Make sure the shift lever is in Park. Press on the brake pedal.
4. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to theSTART (III) position. If the engine
does not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) for
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause for at least 10 seconds
before trying again.
5. If the engine does not start within 15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal so the engine does not race. 6. If the engine still does not start,
press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while starting in order to clear flooding.
As before, keep the ignition key in the START (III) position for no
more than 15 seconds. Return tostep 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal so the engine does not race.

Starting in Cold Weather at High
Altitude (Above 8,000 feet/ 2,400 meters)

An engine is harder to start in cold weather. The thinner air found athigh altitude above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters) adds to the problem.Use the following procedure:
1. Turn off all electrical accessories to reduce the drain on the battery. 2. Push the accelerator pedal half-
way to the floor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do not hold the ignition key in START (III) for more than 15 seconds.
When the engine starts, release the accelerator pedal gradually as
the engine speeds up and smooths
out.
3. If the engine fails to start in step 2, push the accelerator pedal to the
floor and hold it there while you try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the engine does not start, return to step 2.

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Automatic Transmission

Your Honda's transmission has fourforward speeds, and is electronically controlled for smoother shifting. It
also has a "lock-up" torque converter
for better fuel economy. You may
feel what seems like another shift
when the converter locks. Shift Lever Position Indicator
This indicator on the instrument panel shows which shift position theshift lever is in.
The "D4" indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn theignition switch ON (II). If it flashes
while driving (in any shift position), it indicates a possible problem in the
transmission. Avoid rapid acceler- ation and have the transmission
checked by an authorized Honda
dealer as soon as possible. Shift Lever Positions
The shift lever has seven positions. It must be in Park or Neutral to start
the engine. When you are stopped in D4, D3, 2,1, N or R, press firmly on
the brake pedal, and keep your footoff the accelerator pedal.
Driving
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Automatic Transmission

Park (P) — This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or
starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the
accelerator pedal. Pull the shift lever
towards you, then move it out of
Park.

If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see Shift Lock Release on page
123.

You must also pull the shift lever towards you to shift into Park. Toavoid transmission damage, come to
a complete stop before shifting into
Park. The shift lever must be in Park
before you can remove the key from
the ignition switch. Reverse (R) — To shift to Reverse
from Park, see the explanation under
Park. To shift to Reverse from
Neutral, come to a complete stop and
then shift. Pull the shift lever
towards you before shifting into
Reverse from Neutral.

Driving
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Automatic Transmission

Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if youneed to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for
any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shift lever
from Neutral to another gear.
Drive (D4) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmis- sion automatically selects a suitable
gear for your speed and acceleration.
You may notice the transmission shifting up at higher speeds when
the engine is cold. This helps the
engine warm up faster.
Drive (D3) — This position is similar
to D4, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D3 when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going down a steep hill. D3 can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in stop-and-go driving.
For faster acceleration when in D3 or
D4, you can get the transmission to
automatically downshift by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shift down one or two gears, depending on your

speed.

Second (2) — To shift to Second,
pull the shift lever towards you, then shift to the lower gear. This position
locks the transmission in second
gear. It does not downshift to first gear when you come to a stop.Second gives you more power when
climbing, and increased engine
braking when going down steep hills.
Use second gear when starting out
on a slippery surface or in deep snow.
It will help reduce wheelspin.
Whenever you move the shift lever to a lower gear, the transmissiondownshifts only if the engine's redline will not be exceeded in the
lower gear.
First (1) — To shift from Second to
First, pull the shift lever towards you,
then shift to the lower gear. With the lever in this position, the transmis-sion locks in First gear. By upshift-
ing and downshifting through 1, 2,
D3 and D4, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal.

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Automatic Transmission

Maximum Speeds

The speeds in this table are the maximums for the given position. If
you exceed these speeds, you will
feel the engine cut in and out. This is caused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce speed or shift. Shift Lock Release
This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal and pulling the shift lever does
not work.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition
switch.

3. Insert the key in the Shift Lock Release slot on the steering

column.

4. Push down on the key while you pull the shift lever towards youand move the shift lever out of
Park to Neutral. 5. Remove the key from the Shift
Lock Release slot. Depress the
brake pedal and restart the engine.
If you need to use the Shift Lock
Release, it means your car is
developing a problem. Have the car

checked by your Honda dealer.

Driving

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Parking

Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. The indicator on the instrument panel shows that
the parking brake is not fully released; it does not indicate that the
parking brake is firmly set. Make sure the parking brake is set firmly
or your vehicle may roll if it is
parked on an incline.
Set the parking brake before you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the vehicle from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanism
in the transmission — making it easier to move the shift lever out of
Park when you want to drive away. If the vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the curb.
If the vehicle is facing downhill, turn
the front wheels toward the curb.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage the rear brakes, and will cause the
ABS indicator to light. Parking Tips
Make sure the sunroof and the
windows are closed.
Turn off the lights. Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the cargo area or take them
with you.
Lock the doors with the key or the
remote transmitter.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on

fire.

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The Braking System

Your Honda is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. Thebraking system is power-assisted to
reduce the effort needed on the
brake pedal.
Put your foot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your foot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, confusing drivers behind

you.

Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds up heat and reduces their effective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshifting to a lower
gear and taking your foot off the accelerator pedal. Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they feel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious and alert in your driving.

Brake Wear Indicators

All four brakes have audible brake wear indicators.
When the brake pads need replacing, you will hear a distinctive metallic "screeching" sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not confuse this with the
brake wear indicators. They make a
very audible "screeching". Brake System Design
The hydraulic system that operates the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the car (the left-front brake is connected with the right-rear brake,etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking at two wheels.

Driving

Front

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