wheel HONDA ODYSSEY 1997 User Guide

Controls Near the Steering Wheel

Windshield Washers
To clean the windshield, pull back on the wiper control lever. The washers spray until you release the lever. The
wipers run at low speed while you're
pulling the lever, then complete one
more sweep of the windshield after
you release it. Rear Window Wiper and Washer
The rear window wiper switch is located next to the windshield wiper
switch.

To activate the rear windshield wiper, turn the switch "ON". If you wish touse the wiper and washer, turn and
hold the switch one position up from "ON". To use the washer only, turn
and hold the switch one position down from "OFF". Hazard Warning
Push the red button to the left of the
clock to turn on the hazard warning
lights (four-way flashers). This causes all four outside turn signalsand both indicators in the instrument
panel to flash. Use the hazard
warning lights if you need to park in a dangerous area near heavy traffic,
or if your car is disabled.

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Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger will clear fog, frost, and thin ice from the
window. Push the defogger button to turn it on and off. The light in the
button lights to show the defogger ison. If you do not turn it off, the
defogger will shut itself off after
about 25 minutes. It also shuts off
when you turn off the ignition. You have to turn it on again when you
restart the car. Make sure the rear window is clear
and you have good visibility before
starting to drive.
The defogger wires on the inside of the rear window can be accidentallydamaged. When cleaning the glass,
always wipe side to side. Steering Wheel Adjustment
You can adjust the steering wheel height to suit your preference. Do
this before you begin driving.
Instruments and Controls Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
car and be seriously injured in a
crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the car is stopped.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Controls Near the Steering Wheel

1. Adjust the seat so you are a comfortable distance from the
pedals and can operate them safely.
2. The lever to tilt the steering wheel is under the steering column to
the left. Push this lever all the way
down.
3. Move the steering wheel up or
down to the desired position.
Position the wheel so you can see
all the instrument panel gauges
and warning lights. Push the lever
up to lock the steering wheel in
that position.
4. Make sure you have securely locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.

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Steering Wheel Controls

Cruise Control
Cruise control allows you to maintain
a set speed above 25 mph (40 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator pedal. It should be used
for cruising on straight, open
highways. It is not recommended for conditions such as city driving,
winding roads, slippery roads, heavy rain, or bad weather. You should
have full control of the car under
those conditions. Using the Cruise Control

1. Push in the Cruise Control Master
Switch to the left of the steering

column. The indicator in the
switch will light.

2. Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed above 25 mph (40 km/h).
Instruments and Controls CRUISE CONTROL MASTER SWITCH
Improper use of the cruise
control can lead to a crash.
Use the cruise control only
when traveling on open highways in good weather.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Steering Wheel Controls

RESUME/

accel

SET/decel
3. Press and hold the SET/decel button on the steering wheel untilthe CRUISE CONTROL light on
the instrument panel comes on.
This shows the system is now
activated.

The set speed may vary slightly, particularly on hills. Changing the Set Speed
You can increase the set cruising speed in either of two ways: Press and hold the RESUME/
accel button. The car will acceler-
ate slowly. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button. Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-
celerate to the desired cruising speed and press the SET/decel
button. You can decrease the set cruising
speed in either of two ways: Press and hold the SET/decel
button. The car will decelerate. Release the button when you
reach the desired speed. Tap the brake pedal lightly with
your foot. The CRUISE CONTROL light on the instru-
ment panel will go out. When the car slows to the desired speed,
press the SET/decel button. The car will then maintain the desired

speed.

CONTINUED
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Steering Wheel Controls

Even with the cruise control turned
on, you can still use the accelerator

pedal to speed up for passing. After
completing the pass, take your foot

off the accelerator pedal. The car

will return to the set cruising speed.

Resting your foot on the brake pedal
will cause the cruise control to
cancel.
Cancelling the Cruise Control

You can cancel the cruise control in any of these ways: Tap the brake pedal.
Press the SET/decel and RE-
SUME/accel buttons at the same

time.
Press the Cruise Control Master

Switch.

When you tap the brake pedal, or press the SET and RESUME buttons at the same time, the CRUISECONTROL light on the instrument
panel will go out and the car will
begin to slow down. You can use the accelerator pedal in the normal way. If you use the brake pedal to cancel
cruise control, the system
remembers the previously-set
cruising speed. To return to that
speed, accelerate to above 25 mph (40 km/h) and press the RESUME/
accel button until the CRUISE CON-
TROL light comes on. The car will accelerate to the same cruisingspeed as before.
If you cancel cruise control by
pressing the SET and RESUME
buttons at the same time, the
previously-set cruising speed is erased. To use the cruise control,
accelerate to the desired cruisingspeed and press the SET/decel

button.

Pressing the Cruise Control Master
Switch turns the system completely
off and erases the previous cruising
speed from memory. To use the
system again, refer to Using the
Cruise Control.

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Keys and Locks

LOCK (0) — You can insert or
remove the key only in this position.
When you turn the key from LOCK to ACCESSORY, you may have to
turn the steering wheel to release
the anti-theft lock. To switch from
ACCESSORY to LOCK, you must push the key in slightly as you turn it.
The shift lever must also be in Park.
The anti-theft lock will lock the steering column when you remove
the key.
ACCESSORY (I) — In this position, you can operate the audio systemand the cigarette lighter.
ON (II) — This is the normal key
position when driving. All features and accessories on the car are usable.
Several of the lights on the instru-
ment panel come on as a test when
you turn the ignition switch from
ACCESSORY to ON (see page 33). START (III) — Use this position
only to start the engine. The switch
returns to ON (II) when you let go of
the key.
You will hear a reminder beeper if you leave the key in the ignition switch in the LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I) position and open the driver's door. Remove the key to
turn off the beeper. Power Door Locks
Each front door has a master door
lock switch. Either switch locks and unlocks all doors. Push the switchdown to lock all doors, and up to
unlock them. The lock tab on the
tailgate also locks and unlocks when
you use the master door lock switch.
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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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Preparing to Drive

You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,or ice.
2. Check that the hood and tailgate are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down securely. 5. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page 54).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 64).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 44).
8. Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.

9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastenedtheir seat belts (see page 7). 10.Turn the ignition ON (II). Check
the indicator lights in the instru-
ment panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 119).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (seepage 33).

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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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