light HONDA ODYSSEY 1998 Workshop Manual

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.

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The Braking System

Your Honda is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. A powerassist helps 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 beginscreeching 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 vehicle (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

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The Braking System
Important Safety Reminders

ABS does not reduce the time or distance it takes to stop the
vehicle, it only helps with steering control during braking. You should
always maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles.
ABS will not prevent a skid that results from changing direction
abruptly, such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed for the road and
weather conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of stability. Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your vehicle to veer
into oncoming traffic or off the road. A vehicle with ABS may require a
longer distance to stop on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel orsnow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under

those conditions.
ABS Indicator

The ABS is self-checking. You may feel a slight movement of the brake
pedal just after you start the engine.
This is the ABS performing a check. It also checks itself whenever you
use the brakes.

Driving
CONTINUED

* U.S. indicator shown

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The Braking System, Driving in Bad Weather

If anything goes wrong, the ABS
indicator on the instrument panel
comes on (see page 53). This means
the anti-lock function of the braking system has shut down. The brakes
still work like a conventional system
without anti-lock, providing normal stopping ability. You should have the
dealer inspect your vehicle as soon
as possible if this light stays on after
you start the engine, or comes on
while driving. Driving in Bad Weather
Rain, fog, and snow conditions re-
quire a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your vehicle well- maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control should not be used in these condi-

tions.
Driving Technique — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your vehicle longer to react, even in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extracautious for the first few miles (kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.
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Driving in Bad Weather

Visibility — Being able to see clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To beseen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defrosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see

page 99).
Traction — Check your tires
frequently for wear and proper
pressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four
wheels for the best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully, they can change from moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditionscan be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the drive wheels for a moment and cause
a skid. Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other vehicles. The spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.
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Towing a Trailer

Your vehicle 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 vehicle 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 vehicle. Low tire
pressure can seriously affect the
handling. Also check the spare tire. With everything loaded and the
trailer connected, check that therear of the vehicle is not sagging.
If so, redistribute the load in the
vehicle. Check that all lights on the vehicle
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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Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of

yourself.

If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 235 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Honda

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 160
Important Safety Precautions.. 161
Maintenance Schedule.................. 162
Required Maintenance Record.... 169 Owner Maintenance Checks........ 171
Fluid Locations............................... 172

Engine Oil....................................... 173 Adding Oil................................... 173Recommended Oil..................... 173
Synthetic Oil............................... 174

Additives..................................... 175
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 175

Cooling System.............................. 177
Adding Engine Coolant............. 177Replacing Engine Coolant........ 179
Windshield Washers..................... 181
Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 182
Brake Fluid..................................... 183
Brake System............................. 183

Power Steering............................... 184
Air Cleaner Element...................... 185 Spark Plugs..................................... 187
Replacement............................... 187
Specifications............................. 188
Battery............................................ 189
Wiper Blades.................................. 191 Air Conditioning System............... 194
Drive Belts...................................... 195
Timing Belt..................................... 195
Tires................................................ 196 Inflation....................................... 196
Inspection................................... 198
Maintenance............................... 198
Tire Rotation.............................. 199
Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 199
Wheels and Tires....................... 200
Winter Driving........................... 200
Snow Tires.............................. 201
Tire Chains............................. 201
Lights.............................................. 202 Headlight Aiming...................... 204
Replacing Bulbs......................... 206
Storing Your Vehicle..................... 211
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Owner Maintenance Checks

You should check the following items at the specified intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perform any check, turn to the page given. Engine oil level — Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See

page 131.
Engine coolant level — Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 132.
Windshield washer fluid — Check the level in the reservoir monthly.If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers frequently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
for fuel. See page 181.
Automatic transmission — Check the fluid level monthly. See page
182.
Brakes — Check the fluid level
monthly. See page 183. Tires — Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page 196. Lights — Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page 202.
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Engine Oil

3. Remove the oil filter and let the remaining oil drain. A special
wrench (available from your Honda dealer) is required to
remove the filter.
4. Install a new oil filter according to instructions that come with it.
5. Put a new washer on the drain bolt, then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:32 lbf.ft (43 N .
m , 4.4 kgf.m)
6. Refill
the engine with the recom-

mended oil.
Engine oil change capacity (including filter): 4.5 US qt (4.3 , 3.8 Imp qt)
7. Replace the engine oil fill cap. Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
five seconds. If it does not, turn off the engine and reinspect your
work.
8. Let the engine run for several minutes and check the drain boltand oil filter for leaks.
9. Turn off the engine, let it sit for several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.
Improper disposal of engine oil can he
harmful to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose ofthe used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling
center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.

Maintenance

OIL FILTER
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Cooling System, Windshield Washers

10. Turn off the engine. Check the level in the radiator, add coolant ifneeded. Install the radiator cap,
and tighten it fully.
11. Fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the reserve tank cap. Windshield Washers

Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers often, check the level every time you stop

for fuel.

The windshield washer reservoir is located behind the driver's side
headlight. Check the reservoir's fluid
level by removing the cap and
looking at the level gauge attached
to the cap.
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer fluid. This increases the cleaning capability and
prevents freezing in cold weather.
Do not use engine antifreeze or a vinegar/water solution in thewindshield washer reservoir.
LEVEL GAUGE

Antifreeze can damage your vehicle's

paint, while a vinegar/water solution
can damage the windshield washer

pump.

Use only commercially-available

windshieId washer fluid.

Maintenance

RESERVE TANK

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