high HONDA ODYSSEY 2004 RB1-RB2 / 3.G Owners Manual

You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inf late only in a
moderate to severe frontal or side
collision. So even though your
vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your passengers
always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly (see page ).
Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. Infants and small children
should be restrained in a child seat.
Larger children should use a booster
and a lap/shoulder belt until theycanusethebeltproperlywithouta
booster (see page ).
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
14 35
205
Important Saf ety Precautions
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Restrain All ChildrenBe Aware of Airbag Hazards
Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Don’t Drink and Drive
6

If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that drivers
allow at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the center of the steering
wheel and the chest.
If you cannot get f ar enough away
f rom the steering wheel and still
reach the controls, we recommend
that you investigate whether some
type of adaptive equipment may help.
Once your seat is adjusted correctly,
rock it back and f orth to make sure
the seat is locked into position. See
page f or how to adjust the f ront
seats.Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a
comf ortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel.
Passengers with adjustable seat-
backs should also adjust their seat-
back to a comf ortable, upright
position.
89
Protecting A dults and Teens
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Adjust the Seat-Backs
3.
12
Sitting too close to a front
airbag can result in serious
injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
front airbags as possible.

See page f or how to adjust the
head restraints. Properly adjusted head restraints
will help protect occupants f rom
whiplash and other crash injuries.
Adjust the driver’s head restraint so
the back of your head rests against
the center of the restraint.
Have passengers with adjustable
restraints adjust their restraints
properly as well. Taller persons
should adjust their restraint as high
as possible.
Reclining a seat-back so that the
shoulder part of the belt no longer
rests against the occupant’s chest
reduces the protective capability of
the belt. It also increases the chance
of sliding under the belt in a crash
and being seriously injured. The
farther a seat-back is reclined, the
greater the risk of injury.
See page f or how to adjust seat-
backs.
92
90
Protecting A dults and Teens
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
A djust the Head Restraints
4.
13
Improperly positioning head
restraints reduces their
effectiveness and you can be
seriously injured in a crash.
Make sure head restraints are
in place and positioned properly
before driving.
Reclining the seat-back too far
can result in serious injury or
death in a crash.
Adjust the seat-back to an
upright position, and sit well
back in the seat.

CONT INUED
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, and driver and
frontpassengerseatbeltusewhen
the ignition is in the ON (II)
position.
Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the f ront passenger’s
seat. These prevent the passenger’s
f ront airbag f rom inf lating if the
weight is less than about 65 lbs
(30 kg) (see page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags (see
page ).An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the f ront
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ).
An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
f ront airbag has been turned of f
(see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the seat position. If the
seat is too far forward, the airbag
will inf late with less f orce (see
page ).
If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, sensors will
detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration. If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the
control unit will instantly inf late the
driver’s and f ront passenger’s f ront
airbags, at the appropriate time and
with the f orce needed.
28
30 31
32
28
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
How Your Front Airbags Work
25

CONT INUED
Your f ront airbags are dual-stage
airbags. This means they have two
inf lation stages that can be ignited
sequentially or simultaneously,
depending on crash severity.
In acrash, both stages
will ignite simultaneously to provide
the quickest and greatest protection.
In a crash, one stage will
ignite first, then the second stage
will ignite a split second later. This
provides longer airbag inf lation time
with a little less force. Your f ront airbags are also dual-
threshold airbags. Airbags with this
f eature have two deployment
thresholds that depend on whether
or not the occupant is wearing a seat
belt.
If the occupant’s belt is
,
the airbag will deploy at the same
threshold as a conventional airbag,
because the occupant would need
extra protection.
It the occupant’s belt is , the
airbag will inf late at a slightly higher
threshold, when the airbag would be
needed to supplement the protection
provided by the seat belt. Your f ront airbags are also advanced
airbags. The main purpose of this
feature is to prevent airbag-caused
injuries to short drivers and children
who ride in f ront.
In addition, do not spill any liquids,
cover the sensors, or put any cargo
or metal objects under the f ront
seats. Ask second row passengers to
not put their f eet under the f ront
seats. Any of these actions could
damage the sensors or prevent them
f rom working properly. For the advanced airbags to work
properly, occupants must sit upright
and wear their seat belts properly. If
a child seat is installed in the f ront, it
must be properly secured.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Dual-Stage A irbags
more severeless severe Dual-T hreshold A irbags
not lat chedlatchedAdvanced Airbags
27

µ
Even if the passenger’s f ront airbag
is turned of f , we strongly
recommend that children age 12 and
under ride properly restrained in a
back seat where they will be saf er.
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large and it can inf late with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.
To help prevent airbag-caused
injuries to children, this vehicle has
an advanced airbag system.
With this system, the front
passenger’s airbag is turned of f if
sensors detect a total weight of less
thanabout65lbs(30kg)intheseat.
(See page f or additional
inf ormation about how the f ront
passenger’s advanced airbag works.)
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration and
Transport Canada recommend that
all children age 12 and under be
properly restrained in a back seat.
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inf lating airbag when they ride in the
back.
27
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat
36

When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in a back seat on a
booster and wear a lap/shoulder belt.
The f ollowing pages give
instructions on how to check proper
seat belt f it, what kind of booster
seat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions f or a child
who must sit in f ront.To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly f its a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself :Does the child sit all the way back
against the seat?
Do the child’s knees bend
comf ortably over the edge of the
seat? Does the shoulder belt cross
between the child’s neck and arm?
Is the lap part of the belt as low as
possible, touching the child’s
thighs?
Will the child be able to stay
seated like this f or the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these
questions, the child is ready to wear
the lap/shoulder belt correctly. If
you answer no to any question, the
child needs to ride on a booster seat.
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Checking Seat Belt Fit
50
Allowing a large child age 12 or
under to sit in front can result in
injury or death if the passenger’s
front airbag inflates.
If a large child must ride in front,
move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, use a booster
seat if needed, have the child
sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly.

A child who has outgrown a forward-
f acing child seat should ride in a
back seat and use a booster seat
until the lap/shoulder belt f its them
properly without the booster.
Some states also require children to
use a booster until they reach a
given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or
60lbs).Besuretocheckcurrent
laws in the state or states where you
intend to drive.Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster meets f ederal
saf ety standards (see page ) and
that you f ollow the booster seat
maker’s instructions.
If a child who uses a booster must
ride in f ront, move the vehicle seat
as far to the rear as possible, and be
sure the child is wearing the seat
belt properly.
A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle’s or
booster’s seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster.
We strongly recommend that a child
whousedaboosterrideinaback
seat,notthefront.Evenif the
passenger’s f ront airbag is of f , a
back seat is the safest place for the
child.
Even then, the child may still need to
use a booster seat. Note that some
states now require children to use
boosters until they reach a certain
ageand/orweight.Besuretocheck
current laws in the state or states
where you intend to drive.
35
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Using a Booster Seat
51

The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
Even with advanced front airbag, the
back seat is the safest place for a
child of any age or size.
If the passenger’s f ront airbag is on,
and it inflates in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, the airbag
can cause serious injuries to a child
who is unrestrained, improperly
restrained, sitting too close to the
airbag, or out of position.
The side airbag also poses risks. If
any part of a larger child’s body is in
the path of a deploying side airbag,
the child could receive possibly
serious injuries.Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in the
f ront. There are other important
f actors you should consider.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.
Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster, the child should not sit in
the front.
If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:
Caref ully read the owner’s manual
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly.
5014
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
Maturity
Physical Size
52

Your vehicle’s exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. You should
have no problem with carbon
monoxide entering the vehicle in
normal driving if you maintain your
vehicle properly.
Have the exhaust system inspected
f or leaks whenever:The vehicle is raised f or an oil
change.
You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.
The vehicle was in an accident
that may have damaged the under-
side. High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage. With the tailgate open, air flow can
pull exhaust gas into your vehicle’s
interior and create a hazardous
condition. If you must drive with the
tailgate open, open all the windows
and set the heating and cooling
system/climate control system as
shown below.
If you must sit in your parked vehicle,
even in an unconf ined area, with the
engine running, adjust the heating
and cooling system/climate control
system as f ollows:
Select the Fresh Air mode.
Select the mode.
Turn the f an on high speed.
Set the temperature control to a
comfortable setting.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
Driver and Passenger Saf ety54
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.