lights HONDA ODYSSEY 1999 Owner's Guide

The Braking System

Your Honda is equipped with front disc brakes. The brakes on the rear
wheels are drum. A power assist helps reduce the effort needed on
the brake pedal. The ABS helps you retain steering control when braking
very hard.
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 themto build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. Italso 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
The front disc brakes on all vehicles 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 begin screeching 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."

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

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 mayseem just barely damp. Applysmooth, 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 extra
cautious 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. Visibility — Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This ismore 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 defroster and air conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see
pages 135 and 144 ).

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Towing a Trailer

Trailer Brakes

Honda recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 Ibs (450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic system. No matter how successful it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle's hydraulic system
will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential hazard.

Your vehicle has a trailer lighting
connector located behind the left
side panel in the cargo area. Refer to
the drawing above for the wiring color code and purpose of each pin.
To use the trailer lighting connector, you will need a wiring harness and converter. This comes with the
Honda hitch (see page 214), or it
may be obtained separately from
your dealer. If you use a non-Honda trailer
lighting harness and converter, you can get the connector and pins that
mate with the connector in your
vehicle from your Honda dealer.
Since lighting and wiring vary with
trailer type and brand, you shouldalso have a qualified technician
install a suitable connector between
the vehicle and the trailer.

Driving
CONTINUED

Trailer Lights

GROUND
(BLACK)
BACK-UP LIGHT

(GREEN/BLACK)
LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)

TAILLIGHT
(RED/BLACK)

BRAKE LIGHT

(WHITE/BLACK)

RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Towing a Trailer

Spare Vehicle Tire
When towing a trailer, you should carry a full-size wheel and tire as aspare in case you have a flat. If you
use the compact spare tire that came
with the vehicle, it may adversely affect vehicle handling. See page 317 for information on proper tire
size, and page 293 for information on
how to store a full-size tire. When storing a full-size spare tire in the
trailer, follow the trailer maker's
instructions.

Additional Trailer equipment
Many states and provinces require
special outside mirrors when towing
a trailer. Even if they don't, you should install special mirrors if you
cannot clearly see behind you, or if
the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your
towing situation. Pre-Tow Checklist
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following:
The vehicle has been properlyserviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within limits (see pages 212 and 213).
The hitch, safety chain, and any other attachments are secure.
All items on and in the trailer are properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your vehicle and the trailer are workingproperly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 317),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
You may want to fill the fuel tank with premium fuel. Premium fuelprovides improved performance.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

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 333 for information on how toobtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.
Maintenance Safety.......................
220

Important Safet
y
Precautions ..

221

Maintenance Schedule.................
.
222

Required Maintenance Record.... 229
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 231

Fluid Locations............................... 232

Engine Oil....................................... 233
Adding Oil................................... 233
Recommended Oil..................... 233
Synthetic Oil............................... 234

Additives..................................... 235
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 235

Cooling System.............................. 237
Adding Engine Coolant............. 237Replacing Engine Coolant........ 239

Windshield Washers..................... 242
Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 243
Brake Fluid..................................... 244
Brake System............................. 244

Power Steering............................... 245

Air Cleaner Element...................... 246
Hood Latch..................................... 248

Spark Plugs..................................... 248
Replacement............................... 248
Specifications............................. 250

Battery............................................ 251
Wiper Blades.................................. 253
Air Conditioning System............... 255

Air Conditioning Filter.................. 256

Drive Belts...................................... 256

Timing Belt..................................... 257

Tires................................................ 257 Inflation....................................... 257
Inspection................................... 259Maintenance............................... 260
Tire Rotation.............................. 260
Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 261

Wheels and Tires....................... 262 Winter Driving........................... 262
Snow Tires.............................. 263

Tire Chains............................. 263

Lights..............................................264
Headlight Aiming...................... 266
Replacing Bulbs......................... 266

Storing Your Vehicle..................... 275

MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

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 186.
Engine coolant level — Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 187 .
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 242 .
Automatic transmission — Check the fluid level monthly. See page 243.
Brakes — Check the fluid level
monthly. See page 244. Tires — Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
257.

Lights — Check the operation of

the headlights, parking lights,

taillights, high-mount brake light,

turn signals, brake lights, and

license plate light monthly. See
page 264.

MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights

Check the operation of your vehicle's
exterior lights at least once a month.
A burned out bulb can create an unsafe condition by reducing your
vehicle's visibility and the ability to signal your intentions to other

drivers.
HEADLIGHT

TURN SIGNAL/

SIDE MARKER/
PARKING LIGHTS
MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights

STOP/TAILLIGHTS/
SIDE MARKER LIGHTS
TAILLIGHT


HIGH-MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT
TURN SIGNAL LIGHT

BACK-UP LIGHT
LICENSE PLATE LIGHT
Check the following: Headlights (low and high beam)
Parking lights
Taillights Brake lights High-mount brake light
Turn signals
Back-up lights
Hazard light function
License plate light
Side marker lights
Daytime running lights
(Canadian models)
If you find any bulbs are burned out,
replace them as soon as possible. Refer to the chart on page 317 to
determine what type of replacement
bulb is needed.
MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights

Headlight Aiming
The headlights were properly aimed when your vehicle was new. If youregularly carry heavy items in thecargo area or pull a trailer,

readjustment may be required.

Adjustment of the headlights should be performed by a Honda technicianor other qualified mechanic. Replacing a Headlight Bulb
Your vehicle has halogen headlight bulbs, one on each side. When
replacing a bulb, handle it by its steel
base and protect the glass fromcontact with your skin or hard
objects. If you touch the glass, clean
it with denatured alcohol and a clean cloth.
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to

overheat and shatter.

1. Open the hood. If you need to change the head-
light bulb on the driver's side, remove the air intake cover (see
page 246). HOLD-DOWN WIRE

WEATHER

SEAL

BULB
CONNECTOR
2. Remove the electrical connector from the bulb by pulling theconnector straight back.
3. Remove the rubber weather seal by pulling on the tab.
4. Unclip the end of the hold-down wire from its slot. Pivot it out ofthe way and remove the bulb.
Maintenance
NOTICEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights

5. Insert the new bulb into the hole, making sure the tabs are in theirslots. Pivot the hold-down wire
back in place and clip the end into
the slot.
6. Install the rubber seal over the back of the headlight assembly.
Make sure it is right side up; it is
marked "TOP."
7. Push the electrical connector onto the new bulb.
Turn on the headlights to test the new bulb.
8. (Driver's side) Reinstall the air intake cover. Replacing the Front Side Marker/
Turn Signal and Parking Light Bulb
HOLDING CLIP
1. If you are changing the bulb on the driver's side, start the engine,turn the steering wheel all the way
to the right, and turn off theengine. If you are changing the
bulb on the passenger's side, turn
the steering wheel to the left. 2. Use a flat-tipped screwdriver to
remove the two holding clips fromthe inner fender.
3. Pull the inner fender away from the fender and bumper.

CONTINUED

MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t