warning HONDA ODYSSEY 1999 User Guide

Seats
Head Restraints

See page 14 for important safety
information and a warning about how to

properly position the head restraints.

Your vehicle is equipped with head restraints in all seating positions.
The head restraints help protect you and your passengers from whiplash
and other injuries. They are most
effective when you adjust them so
the back of the occupant's head rests against the center of the restraint. A
taller person should adjust the restraint as high as possible. The head restraints adjust for height.
You need both hands to adjust therestraint. Do not attempt to adjust it
while driving. To raise it, pull upward.
To lower the restraint, push the release button sideways and push
the restraint down. To remove a head restraint for
cleaning or repair, pull it up as far as
it will go. Push the release button
and pull the restraint out of the seat-
back.

Instruments and Controls
RELEASE
BUTTON
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Driving in Bad Weather

Traction — Check your tires frequently for wear and properpressure. 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 tomoment. 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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Changing a Flat Tire
If you have a flat tire while driving, stop in a safe place to change it.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder
of a busy road is dangerous. Drive slowly along the shoulder until you
get to an exit or an area to stop that
is far away from the traffic lanes. JACK

VINYL BAG
TOOLS

1. Park the vehicle on firm, level and non-slippery ground away from
traffic. Put the transmission in
Park. Apply the parking brake. SPARE TIRE
2. Turn on the hazard warning lights and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.

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Taking Care of the Unexpected

The vehicle can easily roll off

the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the

jack.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting
Your vehicle has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 77).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. 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 305).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency
Towing on page 311. Jump Starting
If your vehicle'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 vehicle, follow
these directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 251). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushyor 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, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.

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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

The pointer of your vehicle's
temperature gauge should stay in

the midrange under most conditions.
It may go higher if you are driving up
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you should

determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine.
Your vehicle can overheat for several

reasons, such as lack of coolant or a

mechanical problem. The only

indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming from under the hood.

In either case, you should take

immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling/ climate control system and all
other accessories. Turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coining from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately.
If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.

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Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can
seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

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Low Oil Pressure Indicator

This indicator should light when the ignition switch 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 offthe engine as soon as you can safely get
the vehicle stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the vehicle sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil
level (see page 186). Although oil
level and oil pressure are not directly connected, an engine that
is very low on oil can lose pressureduring cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 233). 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 Emergency
Towing on page 311.)

Taking Care of the Unexpected

LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

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Tire Information

DOT Tire Quality Grading
(U.S. Vehicles)

The tires on your vehicle meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements.
All tires are also graded for treadwear, traction, and temperature
performance according toDepartment of Transportation (DOT) standards. The following
explains these gradings.
Treadwear

The treadwear grade is a compara- tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlledconditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one half (1-1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,service practices, and differences in
road characteristics and climate. Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and C, and they
represent the tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade as- signed to this tire is based on brak-
ing (straight ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turning) traction.

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Tire Information

Temperature

The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlledconditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law. Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire thatis properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading either separately or in combination, can
cause heat build-up and possible tire
failure.

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Index

Emergencies on the Road Brake System Indicator............ 304
Changing a Flat Tire................. 287
Charging System Indicator...... 302
Checking the Fuses................... 305
Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 301
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.... 303 Overheated Engine................... 299
Emergency Brake.......................... 116
Emergency Flashers....................... 70
Emergency Towing....................... 311
Emissions Controls........................ 323

Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge ..... 63
Drive Belts.................................. 256
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp............................... 58, 303

Oil Pressure Indicator........58, 301
Oil, What Kind to Use...............
233

Overheating................................
299

Specifications.............................
317

Ethanol i n
Gasoline .......................

321

Evaporative Emission
s
Controls..

323

Exhaust Fumes...............................
.
53
Exhaust Gas Recirculation System......................................... 324 Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat

Belts by......................................... 20

Exterior, Cleaning the................... 278

Fabric, Cleaning............................. 280
Fan, Interior...........................130, 142 Features, Comfort and Convenience............................... 129
Filling the Fuel Tank..................... 183
Filters
Air................................................246

Air Conditioning........................ 256
Oil................................................ 235

First Gear Position......................... 201
Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 70
Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 287

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

243

Brake...........................................244
Powe r
Steering........................... 245
Windshield Washer................... 242
FM Stereo Radio Reception............................150, 162
Folding the Third Seat..................110
Foreign Countries, Driving in...... 322

Four-way Flashers........................... 70

Front End, Towing by Emergency
Wrecker...................................... 311

Fuel..................................................182
Fill Door and Cap....................... 183
Gauge............................................ 63

Octane Requirement................. 182

Oxygenated................................ 321

Reserve Indicator......................... 61

Tank, Filling the......................... 183

Fuses, Checking the...................... 306

Gas Mileage, Improving................ 188

Gasohol........................................... 321

Gasoline.......................................... 182
Fuel Reserve Indicator................ 61

Gauge............................................ 63

Octane Requirement................. 182

Tank, Filling the......................... 183

Gas Station Procedures................. 183

Gauges
Engine Coolant Temperature .... 63

Fuel................................................63ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Index

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating)........................................ 213

GCWR (Gross Combined Weight
Rating)........................................ 213

Gearshift Lever Positions............. 199

Glass Cleaning............................... 281
Glove Box......................................... 87

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) ........................................ 213

Halogen Headlight Bulbs.............. 266
Hazard Warning Flashers............... 70
Headlights......................................... 66 Aiming......................................... 266

Automatic Lighting Off............... 67
Daytime Running Lights............. 67
High Beam Indicator................... 61
High Beams, Turning on............ 66
Low Beams, Turning on............. 66
Reminder Chime.......................... 66
Replacing Halogen Bulbs ......... 266

Turning on.................................... 66

Head Restraints............................. 104
Heated Mirror................................ 116 Heating and Cooling...................... 130
High Altitude, Starting at.............. 197
High-Low Beam Switch .................. 66
HomeLink Universal
Transmitter.................................. 95

Hood Latch..................................... 248
Hood, Opening the ........................ 184

Horn................................................... 65

Hot Coolant, Warning about........ 237
Hydroplaning.................................. 211
Identification Number, Vehicle.... 314
If Your Vehicle Has to be
Towed......................................... 311

Ignition
Keys...............................................76

Switch............................................78

Timing Control System............. 324

Immobilizer System......................... 77

Important Safety Precautions .......... 6
Indicator Lights, Instrument
Panel.............................................. 57

Individual Map Lights................... 127

Infant Restraint................................ 30
Inflation, Proper Tire .................... 257
Inside Mirror.................................. 115
Inspection,Tire.............................. 259
Instrument Panel........................ 2, 56
Instrument Panel Brightness......... 67
Interior Cleaning............................ 280
Interior Lights................................ 125
Introduction......................................... i

Jacking up the Vehicle.................. 290

Jack, Tire........................................ 288

Jump Starting................................. 297

Keys...................................................76

Label, Certification........................ 314

Lane Change, Signaling.................. 68

Lap/Shoulder Belts.................. 15, 45
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