tow HONDA ODYSSEY 1997 User Guide

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

If this happens, you will immediately
notice that the brake pedal goes
down much farther and you need to
press on it much harder. A much
longer distance will be needed to stop the car.
Slow the car by downshifting to a
lower gear and removing your foot
from the accelerator pedal. Pull to the side of the road as soon as it issafe. Because of the longer stopping
distance needed, brake system
failure is very hazardous. You should
have your car towed, but if you must drive the car in this condition, be
extremely cautious. Have your car
repaired as soon as possible.
Anti-lock Brakes

Your vehicle has an Anti-lock BrakeSystem (ABS).
ABS helps to prevent the wheels from locking up and skidding during
hard braking, allowing you to retainsteering control.
When the front tires skid, you lose steering control; the car continues
straight ahead even though you turn
the steering wheel. The ABS helps to
prevent lock-up and retain steering
control by pumping the brakes
rapidly; much faster than a person
can do it. You should never pump the
brake pedal, this defeats the purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work for you by always keeping firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes referred to as
"stomp and steer."

You will feel a pulsation in the brake pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is normal, it is the ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount of traction your tires have. On drypavement, you will need to press on
the brake pedal very hard before you
activate the ABS. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.

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Towing a Trailer

Your Honda is designed primarily tocarry passengers and their cargo.
You can use it to tow a trailer if you carefully observe some general rules.
The total weight of the trailer andeverything loaded in it must not
exceed the weights shown in the
table below.
* 1 : Including driver. Based on 150 Ibs (70 kg)
per passenger
* 2 : Seven-passenger model only The "tongue load" should never
exceed 160 Ibs (72 kg). This is the
amount of weight the trailer puts
on the hitch when it is fully-loaded.
As a rule of thumb, the tongue load should be 10 percent of the
total trailer package.For example, if the trailer and its
load weigh 1,000 Ibs (450 kg), the
tongue load should be 100 Ibs (45
kg). Adjust the trailer's cargo to change the tongue load. Start by
putting approximately 60 percent of the cargo toward the front and
40 percent toward the rear. Never
load the trailer so the back is
heavier than the front. The combined weight of the car,
all passengers and their luggage,
and tongue load must not exceed
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
The GVWR is printed on the Certification label attached to thedriver's doorjamb (see page 218).
The combined weight of the car, all passengers and their luggage,
and tongue load also must notexceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating. The GAWR is also shown on the Certification label. It tells
you the maximum load for the
front and rear axles. It is possible that your towing package does notexceed the GVWR but does
exceed the GAWR. Improper
trailer loading, and/or too much
luggage in the cargo area can overload the rear axle. Redis-
tribute the load and check the axle
weights again.
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Towing a Trailer
The best way to confirm that your total towing package is within these specifications is to get it weighed.
Load the car and trailer as you
normally would while towing, and
take them to a public scale. Have
them check the total weight and the
weight at each axle, then compare the weights to the specifications.
Trailer Hitches

Your Honda dealer, or the Honda Customer Relations Zone Office, can
give you advice on the proper hitch
for your car. Never use a hitch that mounts only to the rear bumper. The
bumper is not designed to handle
that type of load. The hitch should
bolt to the underbody of the car and distribute the load over a wide area.
Always have a trailer hitch installed by a qualified technician.

A trailer hitch that is not adequate for the size of the trailer, or a hitch that is
improperly installed, can cause damage
to the underside of your car.
Driving

NOTICE
Improperly loading your car and
trailer can seriously affect its
steering and braking performance, causing a crash
in which you can be seriously

injured.

Check the loading of your car
and trailer carefully before
starting to drive.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Towing a Trailer

Mirrors
Many states and provinces have laws
requiring special outside mirrors
when you are towing a trailer. Check the laws in your area. You may want
to install mirrors, even if they are not
required. Hook up the trailer and see
how much it obscures your ability to see behind you with the standard
mirrors. If you cannot see directly
behind you, or have a large blind spot next to the trailer or the car,
you should install mirrors intended for towing. Connecting the Trailer
Most trailers that have a gross
weight of 1,000 Ibs (450 kg) do not
have their own braking system. If
you are thinking of getting a trailer that does have brakes, make sure
they are electrically-operated. Thereare no provisions in your car to tap
into its hydraulic braking system.
Any attempt to attach the trailer's brakes to your car's hydraulicsystem, no matter how successful it
may seem, will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential

hazard.
Always use a safety chain when
towing a trailer. Connect the safetychain securely at both ends. Make
sure the chain crosses under the
tongue so it will catch the trailer if it becomes unhitched. Leave enoughslack in the chain so it can't bind in a
sharp turn. Do not let it drag on the

ground.

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Towing a Trailer

Your car has a trailer lighting connector. To use the connector,
remove the left rear light cover.
Refer to the drawing above for the
wiring color code and purpose of
each connector pin.
Since the lighting and wiring can be
different for various brands of
trailers, have a technician who is
familiar with your trailer modify its lighting plug. A converter may be
required between the car and trailer
for the lights to work correctly. Before Starting Out
As you are preparing to tow your trailer, do the following:
Measure the trailer's tongue load.
You can do this with a bathroom
scale.

Verify that the hitch and safety chain are securely fastened.Check the condition and air
pressure of all tires on the trailer and your car. Low tire pressure
can seriously affect the handling.
Also check the spare tire.
With everything loaded and the trailer connected, check that the
rear of the car is not sagging. If so, redistribute the load in the car.Check that all lights on the car and
trailer are working properly.
Driving

GROUND
(BLACK)
BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK)
LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL

(GREEN/YELLOW)
BRAKE LIGHT

(GREEN/WHITE)
TAILLIGHT
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Towing a Trailer

Towing Safety

Your car will not stop as quickly with a trailer in tow. Leave extra distance
between your car and other vehicles.
Avoid braking or turning suddenly.
This could cause the trailer to
jackknife or possibly turn over.
Keep in mind that your total vehicle
is now much longer. Leave more
room when making turns. The trailer
tracks a smaller arc than the car and
can hit or run over something that
the car misses. When passing another vehicle, make sure the
trailer is clear before changing lanes. The car/trailer combination is more
affected by crosswinds and buffeting.
When being passed by a large vehicle, keep a constant speed and steer straight ahead. If there is too
much wind buffeting, slow down to
get out of the other vehicle's air

turbulence.

Towing a trailer puts an extra load on your car. You should have your
car serviced according to the
"Maintenance Schedule under
severe driving conditions" on page 143. This extra load is magnified when
you are driving in hilly terrain.
Watch the temperature gauge closely when climbing hills. If it gets
near the hot area, turn off the air
conditioning (if it is on). If this does
not reduce the heat, it may be
necessary to pull to the side of the
road and wait for the engine to cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th gears, put it in D3. This will help
prevent the transmission fromoverheating. Help keep the brakes
from overheating by shifting to a lower gear when going downhill.

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Towing a Trailer

If you have to stop while going uphill,
do not hold the car in place by
pressing on the accelerator. This can cause the automatic transmission to
overheat. Use the parking brake or
footbrake.
When parking your car and trailer, especially on a hill, be sure to follow
all the normal precautions. Turn
your front wheels into the curb, set the parking brake firmly, and put the
transmission in Park. In addition,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer's tires. Backing up with a trailer is difficult
and takes practice. Drive slowly,
make small movements with the
steering wheel, and have someone
stand outside to guide you. Grip the
steering wheel on the bottom (rather
than the usual position near the top).
Move your hand to the left to get the
trailer to move to the left, and right
to move the trailer right.
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Maintenance Schedule (Severe Conditions)

Follow the Severe Maintenance
Schedule if you drive your
vehicle MAINLY under one or more of the following condi-

tions:

Driving less than 5 miles (8
km) per trip or, in freezing
temperatures, driving less
than 10 miles (16 km) per trip. Driving in hot [over 90°F (32°C)] conditions.
Extensive idling or long
periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a car-top carrier, or driving in
mountainous conditions.Driving on muddy, dusty, or
de-iced roads.

For Canadian Owners

Follow the Maintenance

Schedule for Severe Conditions.

* 1 : Refer to page 170 for replacement
information under special driving

conditions.

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