ABS HONDA ODYSSEY 2003 RB1-RB2 / 3.G Owners Manual

Your vehicle is equipped with many
features that work together to
protect you and your passengers
during a crash.
Some saf ety f eatures do not require
anyactiononyourpart.These
include a strong steel f ramework
that forms a safety cage around the
passenger compartment; f ront and
rear crush zones that are designed to
crumple and absorb energy during a
crash; a collapsible steering column;
and seat belt tensioners that
automatically tighten the front seat
belts in the event of a crash.
CONT INUED
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
7
(1)(2)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5) (6)
(7) (8)
(8)
(7) (9)
(10)
(1) Safety Cage
(2) Crush Zones
(3) Seats & Seat-Backs
(4) Head Restraints
(5) Collapsible Steering Column
(6) Seat Belts
(7) Front Airbags
(8) Side Airbags
(9) Front Seat Belt Tensioners
(10) Door Locks

Head restraints can help protect you
f rom whiplash and other injuries. For
maximum protection, the back of
your head should rest against the
center of the head restraint.
Reclining a seat-back too f ar reduces
the seat belt’s ef f ectiveness and
increases the chance that the seat’s
occupant will slide under the seat
belt in a crash and be seriously
injured. Move the f ront
seats as far back as possible, and
keep adjustable seat-backs in an
upright position whenever the
vehicle is moving.
Your vehicle’s seats are designed to
keep you in a comf ortable, upright
position so you can take f ull
advantage of the protection offered
by seat belts and the energy
absorbing materials in the seats.
How you adjust your seats and seat-
backs can also affect your safety. For
example, sitting too close to the
steering wheel or dashboard
increases the risk of you or your
passenger being injured by striking
theinsideof thevehicle,orbyan
inf lating airbag. Keeping your doors locked reduces
thechanceof beingthrownoutof
the vehicle during a crash. It also
helps prevent occupants f rom
accidentally opening a door and
f alling out, and outsiders f rom
unexpectedly opening your doors.
Seats & Seat-Backs
Head RestraintsDoor L ocks
What you should do:
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
Driver and Passenger Saf ety11

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 has three f unctions:
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. If itcomesonandstaysonwhen
the Traction Control System is on,
it indicates that there is a problem
in the TCS. It f lashes when the TCS is
regulating wheelspin. Itcomesonasareminderthatyou
have turned off the Traction
Control System.
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).
1.
2.
3.
90
268 269
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator Traction Control System
(T CS) Indicator
Immobilizer System
Indicator
74
U.S. Canada

Each f ront door has a lock tab on the
top. When you push down the lock
tab on the driver’s door, all the doors
and the tailgate lock. Pulling up the
lock tab on the driver’s door unlocks
only that door. The lock tab on the
f ront passenger’s door locks and
unlocks only that door.
To lock the f ront passenger’s door
when getting out of the vehicle, push
the lock tab down and close the door.To lock the driver’s door, along with
the remaining doors and the tailgate,
push the lock tab down or push the
master switch down, then close the
door.
All doors and the tailgate can be
locked f rom the outside by using the
key in either f ront door. To unlock
only the driver’s door f rom the
outside, turn the key and release it.
If you turn the key and hold it, all
doors and the tailgate will unlock. All
f our doors and the tailgate will
unlock when you unlock the
passenger’s door with the key.
If you f orget and leave the key in the
ignition switch, Lockout Prevention
will not allow you to lock the driver’s
door. With the driver’s door open
andthekeyintheignition,both
master door lock switches are
disabled. However, if the driver’s
door is not open, the master door
lock switches are not disabled.
Pushing the switch down on the
open passenger’s door will lock all
doors and the tailgate. If you try to
lock an open driver’s door by
pushinginthelocktab,thetabson
both f ront doors pop out and the lock
knobs on the rear sliding doors slide
out.Pushinginthelocktabonthe
passenger’s door only locks that door.
L ockout Prevent ion
Keys and Locks
Inst rument s and Cont rols93
LOCK TAB

Remove the head restraints by
pushing the release buttons and
pulling the restraints out.
To create more cargo space, you can
f old the third row ‘‘Magic Seat’’ into
the f loor recess.
To fold the seat:
Make sure the head restraint legs
areinsidethecargonetsotheydo
not damage the seat as you fold it. Store the head restraints in the
sidecargonet.Toinstalltheside
cargo net, hook the f our loops on
the net to the tabs on the left side
panel.Unlock the seat-back by pulling
the handle. Push the seat-back
forward.
1. 2.
3.
Folding the T hird Row ‘‘Magic
Seat’’
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols120
RELEASE BUTTON
HANDLE

Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.
If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
tailgate, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of, f ollow the instructions
on page . The side cargo net can be installed
on the driver’s side panel in the
cargo area to secure small items. To
install the side cargo net, hook each
loop on the f our corners of the net to
the tabs on the lef t side panel. When
youfolddownthethirdseat,store
the head restraints in the side cargo
net.
If you carry any items on a roof
top carrier, be sure the total
weight of the rack and the items
on it does not exceed 150 lb
(68 kg).
If you use an accessory roof top
carrier, the roof top carrier weight
limit may be lower. Ref er to the
inf ormation that came with your roof
top carrier.
66 carbon monoxide
poisoning Side Cargo Net
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
or on a Roof T op Carrier
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving255

You can use the cargo net to secure
items in the cargo area, and store
small items between the two halves
of the net. To install the cargo net,
hook the loops on the f our corners of
the net to the tabs at both sides of
the tailgate sill.There are cargo hooks f or plastic
grocery bags on the back of the third
row seat. They are designed to hold
light items. Heavy objects may
damage the hooks.
On EX and EX-L models
Carrying Cargo
Cargo Net
Cargo Hooks
Bef ore Driving256
CARGO HOOKS

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 .258
.......................
Starting the Engine .259
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .259
..............
Automatic Transmission . 260
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 260
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 261
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 263
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 263
...........................................
Parking .265
.....................
The Braking System .266
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 266
...............
Brake System Design . 267
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .267
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .268
........................
ABS Indicator .268
..............
Traction Control System . 269
...............
TCS ON/OFF Switch . 270
............................
TCS Indicator .271
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 272
...........................
Towing a Trailer .274
Driving
Driving257

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.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshif ting to a lower
gear and taking your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
Check your brakes af ter driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious
and alert in your driving.
Your Honda is equipped with disc
brakes at all f our wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
Put your f oot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your f oot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It
also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you.
All f our brakes have audible brake
wear indicators.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal
or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not conf use this with the
brake wear indicators. The
indicators make a very audible
‘‘screeching.’’ Brake Wear Indicators
Driving
The Braking System
266

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
267
Front