traction control HONDA ODYSSEY 2001 RA6-RA9 / 2.G Owners Manual

This light normally comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch ON (II), and when
the ignition switch is turned to
START (III). If this light comes on at
any other time, there is a problem in
theABS.If thishappens,takethe
vehicle to your dealer to have it
checked. With the light on, your
vehicle still has normal braking
ability but no anti-lock. For complete
inf ormation, see page .This indicator comes on f or a f ew
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). It will then go of f if
you have inserted a properly-coded
ignition key. If it is not a properly-
coded key, the indicator will blink
and the engine will not start (see
page ).
This indicator also blinks several
times when you turn the ignition
switch f rom ON (II) to ACCESSORY
(I) or LOCK (0).
This indicator has three f unctions:
Itcomesonasareminderthatyou
have turned off the Traction
Control System.
It f lashes when the TCS is
regulating wheelspin.
If itcomesonandstaysonwhen
the Traction Control System is on,
it indicates that there is a problem
in the TCS.
This light also comes on when you
turn the ignition ON (II) and goes off
af ter the engine starts. See page f or more inf ormation on the
TCS.
1. 2. 3.
219 81
221
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Traction Control System
(T CS) Indicator
Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator Immobilizer System
Indicator
63
U.S. Canada

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the Traction Control System,
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive . 210
.......................
Starting the Engine . 211
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude . 211
..............
Automatic Transmission . 212
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 212
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 213
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 215
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 215
...........................................
Parking . 217
.....................
The Braking System . 218
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 218
...............
Brake System Design . 219
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes . 219
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders . 220
........................
ABS Indicator . 220
..............
Traction Control System . 221
...............
TCS ON/OFF Switch . 222
............................
TCS Indicator . 223
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 224
...........................
Towing a Trailer . 226
Driving
Driving 209

You will f eel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is
normal, it is the ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work f or you by always keeping f irm,
steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes ref erred to as
Activation varies with the amount of
traction your tires have. On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
thebrakepedalveryhardbeforeyou
activate the ABS. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
Your vehicle has an Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS) as standard
equipment. ABS helps to prevent the
wheels f rom locking up and skidding
during hard braking, allowing you to
retain steering control.
When the f ront tires skid, you lose
steering control; the vehicle
continues straight ahead even
though you turn the steering wheel.
The ABS helps to prevent lock-up
and helps you retain steering control
by pumping the brakes rapidly; much
f aster than a person can do it.
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
The ABS also balances the f ront-to
rear braking distribution according
to vehicle loading.
‘‘stomp and steer.’’
CONT INUED
The Braking System
Driving
You should never pump the
brake pedal,
Anti-lock Brakes
Brake System Design
219
FFrroonntt

CONT INUED
If the ABS indicator and the brake
system indicator come on together,
and the parking brake is f ully
released, the front-to-rear braking
distribution system may also shut
down.
Test your brakes as instructed on
page . If the brakes f eel normal,
drive slowly and have your vehicle
repaired by your dealer as soon as
possible. Avoid sudden hard braking
which could cause the rear wheels to
lock up and possibly lead to a loss of
control.Driving with TCS requires no special
skills or technique. The TCS does
not control your vehicle’s whole
braking system and cannot prevent
skidding if you enter a corner too
f ast. It is still your responsibility to
drive at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
The TCS indicator will come on
alongwiththeABSindicatorif there
is a problem with the anti-lock brake
system. Your Honda is equipped with a
Traction Control System (TCS) to
assist you in maintaining traction
while driving slowly on loose or
slippery surf aces. The TCS assists
only in low-speed, low-traction
conditions; up to approximately 18
mph (30 km/h).
The TCS monitors the speed of all
f our wheels. When it senses a f ront
wheel losing traction, it applies
braking to that wheel. The TCS
indicator f lashes when this occurs.
322
The Braking System, Traction Control System
Driving
Traction Control System
221
TTRRAACCTTIIOONNCCOONNTTRROOLLSSYYSSTTEEMMIINNDDIICCAATTOORR

When starting out or driving at low
speeds on a loose or slippery road
surface, you may notice that the
vehicle does not respond to the
accelerator in the same way it does
at other times. This is a sign the TCS
is activating. You will see the TCS
indicator light f lash.
You should still install winter tires on
your vehicle during the winter. Make
sure to use the same size originally
supplied with vehicle. Exercise the
samecautioninwinterdrivingasyou
would if your vehicle was not
equipped with TCS.
Driving with the compact spare tire
installed (see page ) may
activate the TCS. You should turn of f
the system.If the brakes overheat while the TCS
is activating, the TCS indicator will
stop flashing and stay on temporarily.
This indicates that the TCS system
has turned of f . Af ter the brakes have
cooled down (usually f or about 10
minutes), the TCS will turn back on
and the indicator will turn of f .
This switch is under the side vent. It
letsyouturntheTractionControl
System on and of f . You cannot turn
of f the TCS while the TCS indicator
light is f lashing.
Deactivate the system by pressing
the TCS On/Off switch. The TCS
indicator light comes on as a
reminder. Pressing the switch again
turns the system back on.
302
Traction Control System
Driving
TCS ON/OFF Switch
222
TTCCSSOONN//OOFFFFSSWWIITTCCHH

If the TCS indicator comes on and
stays on for more than 10 minutes
while driving, pull to the side of the
road when it is safe and turn off the
engine. Reset the system by
restarting the engine, and watch the
TCS indicator. If the indicator
remains on, or comes back on while
driving, have the system inspected
by your Honda dealer. You can still
drive the vehicle without TCS.
This indicator will come on along
with the ABS indicator if there is a
problem in the anti-lock brake
system (see on page).
The TCS indicator may occasionally
come on f or one or two seconds and
then go out. This is normal.
The Traction Control System turns
on every time you start the engine,
even if you turned it of f the last time
you drove the vehicle.
The TCS indicator comes on or
f lashes under the f ollowing condi-
tions:
When you turn the ignition switch
to ON (II).
When you manually turn of f the
TCS.
It f lashes when the TCS is
regulating wheelspin.
If the system’s diagnostics senses
a problem in the TCS, the indica-
tor will come on and stay on.
If the brakes overheat, the
indicator will come on. 220
Traction Control System
Driving
ABS Indicator
T CS Indicat or
223

µµAlways drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your vehicle longer
to react, even in conditions that may
seem 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 f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Rain, f og, and snow conditions re-
quire a dif f erent 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. Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers f requently. Keep the
windshield washer reservoir f ull of
the proper f luid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the def roster and air
conditioning to keep the windows
f rom f ogging up on the inside (see
pages and ). 141 151/156
Driving
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving T echnique Visibility
224

µCheck your tires
f requently f or wear and proper
pressure. Both are important in
preventing ‘‘hydroplaning’’ (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all f our
wheels f or the best handling.
Watch road conditions caref ully,
they can change f rom moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. ‘‘Clear’’ roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near f reezing.
The road surf ace can become
covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be caref ul when downshif ting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the
drive wheels f or a moment and cause
askid. Be very cautious when passing, or
beingpassedbyothervehicles.The
spray f rom large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buf f eting
can cause you to lose control.
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving
Traction
225

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CONT INUED
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
re-adjust the load as needed.
The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-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 f ront-tire
traction and steering control. Including driver. Based on 150 lbs (70 kg) per occupant.
Weight limited to avoid exceeding rear GAWR (see page ).Maximum Total Trailer Weight
Without TransmissionFluid Cooler
2,000 lbs (900 kg)
1,850 lbs (830 kg)
1,700 lbs (770 kg)
1,550 lbs (700 kg)
1,400 lbs (630 kg) 850 lbs (385 kg)
Number of Occupants
234567 With T ransmission
Fluid Cooler
3,500 lbs (1,580 kg)
3,350 lbs (1,520 kg)
3,200 lbs (1,450 kg)
3,050 lbs (1,380 kg)
2,900 lbs (1,310 kg) 850 lbs (385 kg)
:: 228
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Tongue Load:
227

Your vehicle has a compact spare
tire that takes up less space. Use this
sparetireasatemporaryreplace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put it back
on your vehicle as soon as you can.Thecompactsparetirehasashorter
tread lif e than a regular tire. Replace
it when you can see the tread wear
indicator bars. The replacement
shouldbethesamesizeanddesign
tire, mounted on the same wheel.
Thecompactsparetireisnot
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the compact wheel is not
designed f or mounting a regular tire.
Check the inf lation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
f aces than the regular tire. Use
greater caution while driving on
this tire.
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances.
Follow these precautions whenever
you are using the compact spare tire: Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare.
Do not use the compact spare tire
if you are towing a trailer.
The wheel of the compact spare
tire is designed especially to f it
your vehicle. Do not use your
sparetireonanothervehicle
unlessitisthesamemakeand
model.
Turn off the Traction Control
System (see page ). Driving
withthecompactsparetiremay
activate the TCS.
221
Compact Spare Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
302
IINNDDIICCAATTOORRLLOOCCAATTIIOONNMMAARRKK
TTRREEAADDWWEEAARRIINNDDIICCAATTOORRBBAARR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)