1995 HONDA ODYSSEY battery

Maintenance Safety

Important Safety Precautions Before you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is on. Also, be sure the engine is off. This will help to eliminateseveral potential hazards:

Carbon monoxide poisoning

from engine exhaust. Be sure there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the engine.
Burns from hot parts. Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
before touching any parts.
Injury from moving parts. Do
not run the engine unless in- structed to do so. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the
tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of fire or explosion, be careful when workingaround gasoline or batteries. Use a
nonflammable solvent, not gasoline,
to clean parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and flames away from the
battery and all fuel-related parts.
You should wear eye protection and protective clothing when working
near the battery or when usingcompressed air.

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Periodic Checks

You should check the following items at the specified intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perform any check, turn to the page given. Engine oil level — Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page 112.
Engine coolant level — Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 113.
Windshield washer fluid — Check the level in the reservoir monthly.If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers frequently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
for fuel. See page 154. Automatic transmission — Check
the fluid level monthly. See page
155.
Brakes and power steering —
Check the fluid level monthly. See
page 156.
Tires — Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
169.
Battery — Check its condition and
the terminals for corrosion monthly. See page 162. Air conditioning — Check its
operation weekly. See page 168. Lights — Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See

page 175.

Maintenance
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Engine Oil, Cooling System

If you change Your own oil, please

dispose of the used oil properly. Put it
in a sealed container and take it to a

recycling center. Do not discard it in a

trash bin or dump it on the ground.

The oil and filter should be changed every 6 months or 12,000 km (7,500
miles), whichever comes first. Under severe driving conditions, they
should be changed every 3 months
or 6,000 km (3,750 miles). See page 137 for a description of severe
driving conditions. Checking the Engine Coolant
Level
Check the level of the engine coolant
by looking at the radiator reserve
tank next to the battery. If the level
is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
This coolant should always be a mixture of 50% antifreeze and 50%
water. Never add straight antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda Anti-
freeze/Coolant. The cooling systemcontains many aluminum compo-
nents which can corrode if animproper antifreeze is used. Someantifreeze, even though labeled as
safe for aluminum parts, may not
provide adequate protection.

Maintenance

NOTICE

RESERVE TANK
MIN

MAX
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Battery

Check the condition of your car's
battery monthly. You should check
for proper electrolyte level and
corrosion on the terminals.
Emergency Procedures

Eyes — Flush with water from a cup
or other container for at least fifteen
minutes. (Water under pressure candamage the eye.) Immediately call a
physician or 911.
Skin — Remove contaminated
clothing. Flush the skin with largequantities of water. Call a physician
immediately.
Swallowing — Drink water or milk. Call your local Poison Control Center
or a physician immediately.
Maintenance The battery contains sulfuric
acid (electrolyte) which is highly

corrosive and poisonous.

Getting electrolyte in your eyes

or on your skin can cause

serious burns.

Wear protective clothing and eye protection when working
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Battery

TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
Check the battery condition by
looking at the test indicator window on the battery: Blue — Good condition
Red — Add distilled water
White — Charging necessary Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish
powder). To remove it, cover the
terminals with a solution of baking soda and water. It will bubble up and
turn brown. When this stops, wash it off with plain water. Dry off the
battery with a cloth or paper towel. Coat the terminals with grease to
help prevent future corrosion.
If the terminals are severely cor-
roded, clean them with baking soda and water. Then use a wrench to
loosen and remove the cables from
the terminals. Always disconnect the
negative (
—
) cable firs
t and recon-
nect it last. Clean the battery termi-
nals with a terminal cleaning tool or
wire brush. Reconnect and tighten the cables, then coat the terminals
with grease.
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Battery

If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damage to the car's electri-
cal system.
On the U.S. EX model

If your car's battery is disconnected
or goes dead, the audio system will
disable itself. The next time you turn
on the radio you will see "Code" in
the frequency display. Use the
Preset buttons to enter the five-digit
code (see page 106).
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car's electronic controls. Detach the

battery cables before connecting the

battery to a charger.

Maintenance

The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled mechanic do the battery
maintenance.
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Storing Your Car
If you need to park your car for an
extended period (more than 1
month), there are several things you should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. It is best to store your car indoors if at all

possible.

Fill the fuel tank. Change the engine oil and filter
(see page 148 ). Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry. Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park. Block the rear wheels.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground. Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).
Disconnect the battery. Support the front and rear wiper
blade arms with a folded towel or
rag so they do not touch the
windshield. Apply a silicone spray lubricant to
all door and tailgate seals. Also,
apply wax to the painted surfaces
that mate with the door and
tailgate seals. Cover the car with a "breathable"
car cover, one made from a porous
material such as cotton.
Nonporous materials, such as plastic sheeting, trap moisture
which can damage the paint. If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month).
If you store your car for 12 months
or longer, have your Honda dealer
perform the inspections called for in
the 24 months/48,000 km (30,000
miles) maintenance schedule (Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page 140 ).
The replacements called for in the maintenance schedule are notneeded unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.
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If Your Engine Won't Start

Diagnosing why your engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almostnothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor operating normally, but the engine
does not start up and run. Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park or Neutral or the starter will not

operate.

Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See

Jump Starting on page 200 .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Towing on page 213 .)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 162 ). You can
then try jump starting the car from a booster battery (see page 200 ).

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