air conditioning HONDA ODYSSEY 2000 RA6-RA9 / 2.G Owners Manual

Comfort an d Convenienc e Feature s
The heating and air conditioning
systems in your Honda provide a
comfortable driving environment in
all weather conditions.
The standard audio system has
many features. This section de-
scribes those features and how to
use them. (If you selected an
optional audio system, refer to the
operating instructions that came
with it.)
On EX model
Your Honda has an anti-theft audio
system that requires a code number
to enable it.
Heating and Cooling...................... 130
What Each Control Does.......... 130How to Use the System............. 133
To Turn Everything Off........... 137
Climate Control System................ 138 (EX model without Navigation
System)
Fully-automatic Operation........ 140
Semi-automatic Operation........ 142
(EX model with Navigation
System)
Fully-automatic Operation........ 146
Semi-automatic Operation........ 147
Sunlight Sensor/ Temperature Sensor............. 151
Rear A/C Unit............................ 152
Audio System (LX)........................ 155 AM/FM/Cassette StereoAudio System......................... 155
Operating the Radio.................. 156
Adjusting the Sound.................. 159
Audio System Lighting............. 160
Operating the Cassette Player...................................... 160
Tape Search Functions............. 160 Operating the Optional CD
Player/Changer..................... 163
CD Changer Error Indications.............................. 166
Audio System (EX)........................ 167 AM/FM/CD Audio System..... 167Operating the Radio.................. 168
Adjusting the Sound.................. 172
Audio System Lighting............. 173 Radio Frequencies.................... . 173
Radio Reception......................... 173 Operating the CD Player.......... 175
Operating the CD Changer...... 177
Protecting Compact Discs........ 178 CD Player Error Indications..... 179
CD Changer Error Indications.............................. 180
Operating the Cassette Player..................................... . 181
Tape Search Functions............. 182
Caring for the Cassette Player...................................... 184
Remote Audio Controls ............ 185
Theft Protection........................ 186
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s

Heating an d Coolin g
How to Us e th e Syste m
This section covers how to set up the
system controls for ventilation,
heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and
defrosting.
The engine must be running for the heater and air conditioning to
generate hot and cold air. The heater
uses engine coolant to warm the air.If the engine is cold, it will be several
minutes before you feel warm air
coming from the system.
The air conditioning does not rely on engine temperature.
It is best to leave the system in Fresh
Air mode under almost all conditions. Keeping the system in Recirculation
mode, particularly with the A/C off,
can cause the windows to fog up.
Switch to Recirculation mode when
you are driving through smoky or dusty conditions, then switch back to
Fresh Air mode when the conditionFA N CONTRO LDIALMOD E BUTTON STEMPERATUR ECONTROL DIA L
RECIRCULATIO N
BUTTO N
clears.
The outside air intakes for the
heating and cooling system are atthe base of the windshield. Keep
these clear of leaves and other
debris.
Ventilation
The flow-through ventilation system draws in outside air, circulates it
through the interior, then exhausts it
through vents near the rear side
panels.
1. Turn the temperature control dial all the way to the left.
Make sure the A/C is off.
2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s
CONTINUED
AIR CONDITIONIN G
BUTTO N

Heating an d Coolin g
To Cool with A/C
1. Turn on the A/C by pressing the
button. The light above the button
should come on when a fan speed
is selected.
2. Make sure the temperature control dial is all the way to the left.
3. Select
4. If the outside air is humid, selectRecirculation mode. If the outside
air is dry, select Fresh Air mode.
5. Set the fan to the desired speed.
If the interior is very warm from
being parked in the sun, you can cool
it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way:
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. Make sure the tempera-
ture control dial is turned all the
way to the left.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select
and Fresh Air mode.
FA N CONTRO L
DIA L MOD
E BUTTON S TEMPERATUR ECONTROL DIA L
RECIRCULATIO N
BUTTO N AI
R CONDITIONIN G
BUTTO N
When the interior has cooled down
to a more comfortable temperature,close the windows and set the
controls as described for normal
cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 63 ) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turn
off the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s

Heating an d Coolin g
To Heat
To warm the interior:
1. Start the engine.
2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with the temperature control dial.
To Heat and Dehumidify with Air
Conditioning
Air conditioning, as it cools, removesmoisture from the air. When used incombination with the heater, it
makes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning.
3. Select and Fresh Air mode.
4. Adjust the temperature control dial so the mixture of heated and
cooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32°F (0°C).
To Defog and Defrost
To remove fog from the inside of the
windows:
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Select
When you select the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Adjust the temperature control dial so the air flow from the
defroster vents feels warm.
4. Turn on the rear window defogger to help clear the rear window.
When you switch to another mode
from the A/C stays on.
Press the A/C button to turn it off.
CONTINUED
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s

Climate Contro l Syste m
Semi-automati c Operatio n
You can manually select various
functions of the Climate Control system when it is in FULL AUTO.
All other features remain auto- matically controlled. Making any
manual selection causes the word
FULL to go out.
Air Conditioning (A/C) Button
Press the A/C button to turn the air
conditioning on and off. You will see
A/C ON or A/C OFF in the display.
When you turn the A/C off, the sys- tem cannot regulate the inside tem-
perature if you set the dial below theoutside temperature. With the A/C
on, use the temperature control dial
to adjust the temperature of the air
flow to a comfortable setting.
TEMPERATUR ECONTROL DIA L
AI R CONDITIONIN G
BUTTO N
RECIRCULATIO N BUTTO N
Recirculation Button
This button controls the source of
the air going into the system. When
the indicator above this button is lit,air from the vehicle's interior is sent
through the system again (Recircula-
tion mode). When the indicator is off, air is brought in from outside the
vehicle (Fresh Air mode). You can, for example, manually put
the system in recirculation mode
when driving through an area of
smoke or fumes.
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s

Climate Contro l Syste m
Semi-automati c Operatio n
You can manually select various functions of the Climate Controlsystem when it is in FULL AUTO.
All other features remain auto- matically controlled. Some of these
functions appear in the NavigationSystem display. Press the A/C
button next to the display to show
these functions.
Air Conditioning (A/C) Buttons
Pressing "ON" or "OFF" in the display turns the air conditioning on
and off. You will see A/C ON or A/C OFF activated in the display.
When you turn the A/C off, the system cannot regulate the inside
temperature if you set it below the outside temperature. With the A/C
on, use the temperature buttons to
adjust the temperature of the air
flow to a comfortable setting.
TEMPERATUR E BUTTON S
AI R CONDITIONIN G (A/C ) BUTTON S
CONTINUED
Comfort an d Convenienc e Feature s
RECIRCULATIO N BUTTO N

Fuel Econom y
The condition of your vehicle and
your driving habits are the two most important things that affect the fuelmileage you get.
Vehicl e Conditio n
Always maintain your vehicle accord- ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (see page 237 ). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out faster, so check the tire pressure atleast monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your fuel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion. Drivin
g Habit s
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, toincrease fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to"warm-up" a cold engine by letting itidle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try to
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes ituse more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use. Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Befor e Drivin g

Driving in Ba d Weathe r
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.
Drivin g Techniqu e — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your vehicle longer to react, even in conditions that mayseem 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 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. Visibilit
y — 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 be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the
windshield 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 145/150).
Drivin g

Towing a Traile r
Drivin g Safel y Wit h a Traile r
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
For your safety and the safety of
others, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the
open road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.
Towing Speeds and Gears
Driving slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey postedspeed limits for vehicles with trailers.
Use the D
4 position when towing a
trailer on level roads. D3 is the
proper shift lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See "Driving on Hills" in the next
column for additional gear
information.)
Making Turns and Braking
Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.
Driving on Hills
When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nearsthe red mark, turn the air
conditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, shift to D
3. If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd
gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, and
remember it will take longer to slowdown and stop when towing a trailer.
Drivin g
CONTINUED

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 normal
driving 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 337 for information on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 226
Important Safety Precautions.. 227
Maintenance Schedule.................. 228
Required Maintenance Record.... 235
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 237
Fluid Locations............................... 238
Engine Oil....................................... 239 Adding Oil................................... 239Recommended Oil..................... 239
Synthetic Oil............................... 240
Additives..................................... 241
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 241
Cooling System.............................. 243
Adding Engine Coolant............. 243
Replacing Engine Coolant........ 245
Windshield Washers..................... 248
Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 249
Brake Fluid..................................... 250
Brake System............................ . 250
Power Steering............................... 251
Air Cleaner Element...................... 252
Hood Latch.................................... . 254
Spark Plugs..................................... 254
Replacement............................... 254
Specifications............................. 256
Battery............................................ 257
Wiper Blades.................................. 259
Air Conditioning System............... 261 Air Conditioning Filter.................. 262Drive Belts...................................... 262
Timing Belt.................................... . 263
Tires................................................ 263 Inflation....................................... 263
Inspection.................................. . 265
Maintenance............................... 266
Tire Rotation.............................. 266 Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 267
Wheels and Tires....................... 268
Winter Driving........................... 268
Snow Tires.............................. 269
Tire Chains............................. 269
Lights............................................. . 270
Headlight Aiming...................... 272
Replacing Bulbs......................... 272
Storing Your Vehicle..................... 281
Maintenanc e