towing HONDA ODYSSEY 1997 User Guide

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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Taking Care of the Unexpected

This section covers the more- common problems that motorists
experience with their cars. It gives
you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what to do
to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructions
on getting your car towed. Compact Spare Tire....................... 194
Changing a Flat Tire ..................... 195
If Your Engine Won't Start........... 201 Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor OperatesVery Slowly......................... 201
The Starter Operates Normally................................. 202
Jump Starting................................. 202 If Your Engine Overheats............. 204
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .......... 206
Charging System Indicator........... 207
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........ 208Closing the Sunroof....................... 209

Fuses...............................................210

Checking and Replacing........... 211

Towing............................................ 215

Taking Care of the UnexpectedProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

If Your Engine Won't Start

Diagnosing why your engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almostnothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, oroperates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run. Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all. Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park or Neutral or the starter will not

operate.

Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check their brightness. If the headlightsare very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See

Jump Starting on page 202.
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Towing on page 215.)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 164). You can
then try jump starting the car from a booster battery (see page 203).

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If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting
The Starter Operates Normally In this case, the starter motor'sspeed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper startingprocedure? Refer to Starting the
Engine on page 119.
Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you were
not reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 211).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Towing on page
215.
Jump Starting
If your car's battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start a Honda by pushing or pulling it. To jump start your car, follow these
directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 164). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.

If a battery sits in extreme cold, the electrolyte, inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen battery can cause it to rupture.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
A battery can explode if you do

not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
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If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the

hood.

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Towing on
page 215).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page113). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off.
10.Start the engine and set the
temperature control lever tomaximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water. Remember to have the coolingsystem drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you

can.

11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Towing on
page 215.)
12.If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

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.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Low Oil Pressure Indicator
This indicator should light when the ignition is ON (II), and go out after
the engine starts. It should never
come on when the engine is running.
If it starts flashing, it indicates that
the oil pressure dropped very low for
a moment, then recovered. If the indicator stays on with the engine
running, it shows that the engine has
lost oil pressure and serious engine
damage is possible. In either case,
you should take immediate action. Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn off
the engine as soon as you can safely get
the car stopped.
1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level(see page 112). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 148). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can
continue driving. (See Towing on page 215.)
Taking Care of the Unexpected
NOTICE

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Towing

If your car needs to be towed, call a
professional towing service or, if you
belong to one, an organization that
provides roadside assistance. Never
tow your car behind another car with
just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.

Emergency Towing
There are three popular methods of towing a car:
Flat-bed Equipment — The operator
loads your car on the back of a truck.
This is the best way of trans- porting your Honda.
Wheel Lift Equipment — The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the tires (front or rear) and lift
them off the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground.
Sling-type Equipment — The tow

truck uses metal cables with hooks on the ends. These hooks go around
parts of the frame or suspension and
the cables lift that end of the car off
the ground. Your car's suspension and body can be seriously damaged
if this method of towing is attempted.
If your Honda cannot be transported
by flat-bed, it should be towed with
the front wheels off the ground. If due to damage, your car must be
towed with the front wheels on the
ground, do the following:
Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
Shift to D4, then to N.
Turn off the engine.
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shift the transmission or start the
engine, your car must be transported

on a flat-bed.

It is best to tow the car no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep
the speed below 35 mph (55

km/h).

Trying to lift or tow your car by the
bumpers will cause serious damage. The bumpers are not designed to
support the car's weight.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE
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Index

DANGER, Explanation of................. ii
Dashboard........................................ 32
Dashboard Compartment............... 68
Daytime Running Lights................. 40
Dead Battery, What to Do............ 202
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 234
Defogger, Rear Window................. 43
Defrosting the Windows................. 79 DEXRON ®
III Automatic
Transmission Fluid.................... 157
Dimensions..................................... 220
Dimming the Headlights................ 40
Dipstick Automatic Transmission........... 157

Engine Oil................................... 112

Directional Signals........................... 41
Disabled, Towing Your Car If...... 215
Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 125
Disposal of Used Oil...................... 151 Doors Locking and Unlocking............... 50
Power Door Locks....................... 50
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 223
Drive Belts...................................... 170
Driving............................................ 117

Economy..................................... 114

In Bad Weather.......................... 126

In Foreign Countries................. 109

Economy, Fuel............................... 114

Emergencies on the Road............. 193
Battery, Jump Starting.............. 202

Changing a Flat Tire................. 195
Charging System Indicator ...... 207
Checking the Fuses................... 211
Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 206
Malfunction Indicator Lamp .... 208
Manually Closing Sunroof........ 209
Overheated Engine................... 204

Emergency Brake............................ 65

Emergency Flashers....................... 43
Emission Controls......................... 225
Engine

Belts............................................. 170

Coolant Temperature Gauge ..... 38
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp................................. 34, 208

Oil Pressure Indicator......... 34, 206 Oil, What Kind to Use............... 148

Overheating................................ 204

Specifications............................. 221

Ethanol in Gasoline ....................... 109

Evaporative Emission Controls.... 225

Exhaust Fumes................................ 29

Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat
Belts by......................................... 10

Exterior, Cleaning the................... 186

Fabric, Cleaning............................. 188
Fan, Interior...................................... 74
Features, Comfort and Convenience................................. 73
Filling the Fuel Tank..................... 110
Filter
Air................................................ 160

Oil................................................ 150

First Gear Position......................... 122 Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 43
Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 195
CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Index

Fluids Automatic Transmission........... 157

Brake........................................... 158

Power Steering........................... 159
Windshield Washer................... 156
FM Stereo Radio
Reception...................................... 97

Folding the Second Seats ............... 58
Folding the Third Seats.................. 60
Foreign Countries, Driving in...... 109

Four-way Flashers........................... 43

Front End, Towing by Emergency Wrecker...................................... 215

Fuel.................................................. 108
Fill Door and Cap....................... 110

Gauge............................................ 38

Octane Requirement................. 108

Oxygenated................................ 108

Tank, Filling the......................... 110

Fuses, Checking the...................... 211

Gas Mileage, Improving................ 114

Gasohol........................................... 108
Gasoline.......................................... 108

Gauge............................................ 38

Octane Requirement................. 108
Tank, Filling the......................... 110
Gas Station Procedures................. 110
Gauges Engine Coolant Temperature .... 38

Fuel................................................ 38

Gearshift Lever Positions............. 120

Glass Cleaning............................... 189

Glove Box......................................... 53
Halogen Headlight Bulbs.............. 179 Hazard Warning Flashers............... 43
Headlights......................................... 40 Aiming......................................... 177
Daytime Running Lights............. 40
High Beam Indicator................... 36
High Beams, Turning on............ 40Low Beams, Turning on............. 40
Reminder Chime.......................... 40
Replacing Halogen Bulbs ......... 179

Turning on....................................
40

Head Restraints...............................
56Heating and Cooling........................ 74
High Altitude, Starting at.............. 119
High-Low Beam Switch .................. 40
Hood, Opening the ........................ 111
Horn................................................... 39
Hot Coolant, Warning about........ 152
Hydroplaning.................................. 129

Identification Number, Vehicle.... 218

If Your Car Has to be Towed....... 215

Ignition
Keys............................................... 49
Switch............................................ 49
Timing Control System............. 226
Indicator Lights, Instrument
Panel..............................................33

Infant Restraint................................ 22

Inflation, Proper Tire .................... 171

Inside Mirror.................................... 64

Inspection, Tire.............................. 173
Instrument Panel............................. 33

Instrument Panel Brightness......... 41

Interior Cleaning............................ 188
Interior Lights.................................. 70ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t