tow HONDA ODYSSEY 1999 User Guide

Carrying Cargo

Load Limit
The maximum load for your vehicle

is
1,277 lbs
(580 kg).
This figure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are

towing a trailer.

To figure out how much cargo you can carry:
Add up the weight of all occupants.
If you are towing a trailer, add the

tongue weight to the number
above.

Subtract the total from 1,277 Ibs
(580kg).

The final number is the total weight
of cargo you can carry.
When you load luggage, the total
weight of the vehicle, all passengers,cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The load for the front and rear axles also must not exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). The GVWR and
GAWR are printed on the tire
information label attached to the driver's doorjamb (see page 316 ). Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt someone during a crash.
Be sure items placed on the floor
behind the front seats cannot roll
under the seats and interfere with
the driver's ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper operation of the seats.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If the lid is open, a
passenger could injure their knees during a crash or sudden stop.
Before Driving Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.ProCarManuals.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, the braking system, the Traction Control System,
and facts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer. Preparing to Drive......................... 196
Starting the Engine........................ 197
Starting in Cold Weather at High Altitude ..................... 197
Automatic Transmission............... 198 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 198
Shift Lever Positions................. 199
Maximum Allowable Speeds.... 201
Shift Lock Release..................... 202

Parking............................................ 203

The Braking System...................... 204 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 204
Brake System Design................ 205
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 205
Important SafetyReminders.......................... 206
ABS Indicator......................... 206
Traction Control System............... 207 TCS ON/OFF Switch................ 209
TCS Indicator............................. 209
Driving in Bad Weather................ 210
Towing a Trailer............................ 212

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Automatic Transmission

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 accelerato
r pedal. Park (P) — This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use Park whenever you are turning off or
starting the engine. To shift out ofPark, 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

201.

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.

CONTINUED

Driving

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Automatic Transmission

Reverse (R) — To shift to Reverse
from Park, see the explanation underPark. 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. 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 the engine warm up faster. Drive (D3) —This position is similar
to D4, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D 3
when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going down a steep hill. D 3
can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in stop-and-go driving.
For faster acceleration when in D 3
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.

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Automatic Transmission

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.
When driving down hill with a trailer, use the Second position.
First (1) — To shift from Second toFirst, 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. Engine Speed Limiter
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. If this occurs,
you may 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.
Shift Lock Release
This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brakepedal and pulling the shift lever doesnot work.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition
switch.

3. Place a cloth on the edge of the shift lock release slot cover on thesteering column. Remove the
cover by carefully prying on the
edge with a small flat-tipped screwdriver (not included in the

tool kit).

Driving
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Automatic Transmission
4. Insert the key in the shift lock release slot.
5. Push down on the key while you pull the shift lever towards youand move it out of Park to Neutral. 6. Remove the key from the Shift
Lock Release slot, then install anew cover. Depress the brake
pedal and restart the engine.
If you need to use the Shift Lock Release, it means your vehicle isdeveloping a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your Honda
dealer.

Driving
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE
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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. Parking Tips
Make sure 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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Towing a Trailer

Your Odyssey has been designed totow a trailer, as well as for carrying
passengers and their cargo.
To safely tow a trailer, you must observe the load limits, use the
proper equipment, and follow the
guidelines in this section.
Load Limits Total Trailer Weight: As shownin the load limits table, how much
weight you can tow is limited by the number of occupants in your
vehicle and whether or not you
have installed a transmission fluid cooler. (See page 214 for
information about transmission
fluid coolers.) Towing a load that is too heavy can seriously affect
your vehicle's handling and
performance. It can also damage
the engine and drivetrain.
*
Including driver. Based on 150 Ibs (70 kg) per occupant, and no cargo\
.
*
*
Weight limited to avoid exceeding rear GAWR (see page 213).

Tongue Load: The weight that
the tongue of a fully loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces front-tire
traction and steering control. To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer
and 40 percent toward the rear, then
readjust the load as needed.

Driving
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Towing a Trailer

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

(GVWR):

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: 5,565 Ibs (2,525 kg)

Gross Axle Weight Rating

(GAWR):

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
2,775 Ibs (1,260 kg)
on the front axle
2,840 Ibs (1,290 kg)
on the rear axle
Gross Combined Weight Rating

(GCWR):

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants and cargo, and the
trailer and everything in or on it,
must not exceed:
8,160 Ibs (3,700 kg)
with transmission fluid cooler
6,660 Ibs (3,025 kg) without transmission fluid cooler
Checking Loads

The best way to confirm that vehicle and trailer weights are within limitsis to have them checked at a public
scale.

Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the first time you set up a
towing combination (a fully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the tongue load whenever the conditions
change.

Driving

Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Towing a Trailer

Towing Equipment and

Accessories

Towing can require a variety of equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailersales or rental agency, and follow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is properly installed and that it meets
federal, state, province, and local
regulations.

Hitches

Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody, using the six threaded holes
provided. A hitch designed especially
for your Odyssey can be obtained
from your Honda dealer.
Weight Distributing Hitch

If the total trailer weight is more
than 2,000 Ibs (900 kg), you must also use a weight distributing hitch.
This device transfers weight from the vehicle's rear wheels to the front
wheels, and to the trailer's wheels. Carefully follow the hitch maker's
instructions for proper installation
and adjustment.
Safety Chain
Always use a safety chain. Make sure that it is secured to both the
trailer and hitch, and that it crosses under the tongue so it can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do not let the chain drag on the ground. Sway Control
If the total trailer weight exceeds 2,000 Ibs (900 kg), you should install
a sway control device to minimize
swaying that can occur in crosswinds
and in normal and emergency
driving maneuvers. Your trailer
maker can tell you what kind of sway
control you need and how to install it.
Transmission Fluid Cooler
If the total trailer weight is more
than 2,000 Ibs (900 kg), you must
also have a transmission fluid cooler
installed. This device will help
prevent transmission overheating,
which could cause serious damage.
A transmission fluid cooler designed for your Odyssey can be obtainedfrom your Honda dealer.

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