brake HONDA ODYSSEY 1998 User Guide

Service Station Procedures

Opening the Hood
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
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 vehicle,
put your fingers under the frontedge of 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 intoits holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a foot (30 cm) above the
fender, then let it drop. After closing the hood, make sure it is securely
latched.
Before Driving
LATCH

SUPPORT RODProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Accessories and Modifications

Modifying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make your vehicle unsafe. Before
you make any modifications or add any accessories, be sure to read the
following information.

Accessories
Your dealer has Genuine Hondaaccessories that allow you to
personalize your vehicle. These accessories have been designed and
approved for your vehicle, and are
covered by warranty.
Non-Honda accessories are usually
designed for universal applications.
Although aftermarket accessories may fit on your vehicle, they may not
meet factory specifications, and
could adversely affect your vehicle's
handling and stability. (See "Modifications" on the page 135 for
additional information.) When properly installed, car phones,
alarms, two-way radios, and low-
powered audio systems should not interfere with your vehicle's
computer-controlled systems, such
as the SRS and anti-lock brake
system.

However, if electronic accessories are improperly installed, or exceed
your vehicle's electrical system capacity, they can interfere with the operation of your vehicle, or even
cause the airbags to deploy.
Before installing any accessory:
Make sure the accessory does notobscure any lights, or interfere
with proper vehicle operation or
performance. Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page 242).
Have the installer contact your Honda dealer for assistance before
installing any electronic accessory.
If possible, have your dealer inspect
the final installation.

Before Driving
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle's handling, stability and performance, and cause a

crash in which you can be hurt

or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding accessories and modifications.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Accessories and Modifications

Modifications
Do not remove any original
equipment or modify your vehicle in
any way that would alter its design or
operation. This could make your
vehicle unsafe and illegal to drive.
For example, do not make any
modifications that would change the
ride height of your vehicle, or install
wheels and tires with a different overall diameter.
Such modifications can adversely
affect handling, and interfere with
the operation of the vehicle's anti-
lock brakes and other systems. In addition, any modifications that
decrease ground clearance increase
the chance of undercarriage parts striking a curb, speed bump, or other
raised object, which could cause
your airbags to deploy.
Do not modify your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System. Modifications could make the
system ineffective. Additional Safety Precaution
Do not attach or place objects on theairbag covers. Any object attached to
or placed on the covers marked "SRS,"
in the center of the steering wheel and on top of the dashboard, could
interfere with the proper operation of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inflate, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and hurt
someone.

Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

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 vehicle and the braking system, and facts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer. Preparing to Drive......................... 140
Starting the Engine........................ 141
Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 141
Automatic Transmission............... 142 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 142
Shift Lever Positions................. 142
Maximum Allowable Speeds.... 145
Shift Lock Release..................... 145
Parking............................................ 146
The Braking System...................... 147 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 147
Brake System Design................ 147
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 148 Important SafetyReminders.......................... 149
ABS Indicator......................... 149
Driving in Bad Weather................ 150
Towing a Trailer............................ 152

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

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 enginedoes 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 at
high altitude above 8,000 feet (2,400meters) 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 nothold 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 enginedoes not start, return to step 2.
DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Automatic Transmission

Your Honda's transmission has four forward speeds, and is electronicallycontrolled 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 position the shift
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 Hondadealer 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 foot
off the accelerator pedal.

Driving
SHIFT LEVERProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

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.
CONTINUED
DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Automatic Transmission

Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if you
need 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 vehicle
for any reason. Press on the brake pe- dal 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 theengine 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. 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.

Driving
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Automatic Transmission

Maximum Allowable Speeds
The speeds in this table are the maximum allowable speeds in each
position. If you exceed these speeds, the engine speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. If this occurs,
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 the RPM below the red zone.
Before downshifting, make sure the
vehicle will not exceed the maximum allowable speed in the chart in the
lower gear to avoid engine damage. 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 doesnot 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 vehicle is developing a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your Honda dealer.

Driving

SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOTProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

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. 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.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t