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

Additional Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s
The seat belts in all positions except
the driver's and the center positionof the third seat have an additional
locking mechanism that must be activated to secure a child seat. (See
pages 31 and 36 for instructions on
how to secure child seats with this
type of seat belt.)
If the shoulder part of the belt is
pulled all the way out, the locking
mechanism will activate. The belt
will retract, but it will not allow thepassenger to move freely.
To deactivate the locking
mechanism, unlatch the buckle and
let the seat belt fully retract. To
refasten the belt, pull it out only as
far as needed.
See page 15 for instructions on how
to wear the lap/shoulder belt
properly.
The combination lap belt and shoulder belt in the center position
of the third seat goes over your
shoulder, across your chest and over
your hips. The shoulder belt has an emergency locking retractor that
works in combination with the lap
belt.
To fasten the seat belt, unlatch the metal plate of the shoulder belt from
the anchor on the ceiling and extend
the belt by pulling the metal plate. Attach the metal hook on the edge of
the shoulder belt to the metal loop
on the latch plate of the lap belt
marked CENTER, then tug on theshoulder belt to make sure it is
securely attached.
Insert the latch plate of the lap belt
into the buckle marked CENTER,
then tug on the lap belt to make sure
the buckle is latched.
To unlock the belt, push the red PRESS button on the buckle and
detach the shoulder belt from the lap
belt.
See page 17 for how to lengthen the
lap belt, and how to properly position the lap and shoulder belts.
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

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