Driver and Passenger Safety
This section gives you important
information about occupant protec-
tion. It shows how to use seat belts
properly. It explains the Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it
gives useful information about how
to protect infants and children in
your car.
Your Occupant Protection System.. 4
The Seat Belt System
and How It Works...................... 5
Why Wear Seat Belts.................... 5
Important Safety Reminders........ 5
Seat Belt System Components..... 6
Lap/Shoulder Belt......................... 6
Lap Belt........................................... 7
Wearing Seat Belts Properly........ 7 Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt...... 7
Wearing the Lap Belt.................... 9
Advice for Pregnant Women...... 10
Seat Belt Maintenance............... 11
Supplemental Restraint System..... 12 SRS Components......................... 12
What Happens In a Crash........... 12
Important Facts About
Airbags...................................... 13
How the Driver's Airbag
Works........................................14
How the Passenger's Airbag
Works........................................ 15
How the SRS Indicator Light
Works........................................16
System Service............................. 16
System Service Precautions....... 17
Additional Safety Information........ 18
Seat-back Position........................ 18
Head Restraint Position.............. 18
Door Locks................................... 19 Storing Cargo Safely ................... 19
Driving with Pets......................... 19
Child Safety...................................... 20 Where Should Children Sit?....... 20Important Safety Reminders...... 21General Guidelines for Restraining Children Under 18 kg (40 lbs) ...............
22
Restraining
an Infan
t Who Weighs
Less Than 9 kg (20 lbs).......... 22
Restraining
a Child Who Weighs Between9 and 18 kg (20 and 40 lbs)..... 23
Restraining a Child Who Weighs Over 18 kg (40 Ibs).................. 24
Securing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Belt................... 25
Using Child Restraints
with Tethers............................. 26
Storing a Child Seat.....................
27
Alcohol and
Drugs........................... 28
Carbon Monoxide Hazard .............. 29
Reporting Safety Defects
(U.S. Cars).................................... 30
Safety Labels.................................... 31
Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t
Your Occupant Protection System
Your Honda is equipped with seat belts and other features that worktogether to protect you and your
passenger during a crash.
Seat belts are the most important
part of your occupant protection system. When worn properly, seat
belts can reduce the chance of serious injury or death in a crash.
For added protection during a severe
frontal collision, your Odyssey has a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) with airbags for the driver and
a front seat passenger. Two indicator lights are also part of
your safety system. One reminds youto make sure you and your passen-
gers wear seat belts. The otheralerts you to a possible problem with
your supplemental restraint system (see page 16).
The seats, head restraints, and door locks also play a role in occupantsafety. For example, reclining the
seat-back can decrease the effec-
tiveness of your seat belt. Head
restraints can help protect your neck and head, especially during rear-end
impacts. Door locks help keep your doors from being accidentally
opened during a crash. To get the maximum protection from
your occupant protection system, check the following before you drive
away:
Everyone in the car is wearing aseat belt properly (see page 7). Infants and small children are
properly secured in child safety seats (see page 20). All doors and the tailgate are
closed and locked (see page 19). Seat-backs are upright and head
restraints are properly adjusted
(see pages 18 and 56).
There are no loose items that could be thrown around and hurtsomeone during a crash or sudden
stop (see page 19).
By following these guidelines, you
can reduce injuries to yourself and
your passengers in many crash situations. Remember, however, that
no safety system can prevent all
injuries or deaths that can occur in severe crashes.
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The Seat Belt System and How It Works
Seat Belt System Components
Your Honda has seat belts in all seating positions. All the seat belts in
the six-passenger model are lap/ shoulder belts. In the seven-
passenger model, the center position of the bench-type second seat has a
lap belt.
Your seat belt system also includes a light on the instrument panel to
remind you to fasten your seat belt,
and to make sure your passengers
fasten theirs. This light conies on
when you turn on the ignition if you
have not fastened your seat belt. A
beeper also sounds for several seconds (see page 36).
The following pages cover more about the seat belt components and
how they work. Lap/Shoulder Belt
This style of seat belt has a single belt that goes over your shoulder,
across your chest, and across your
hips.
Each lap/shoulder belt has an
emergency locking retractor. In
normal driving, the retractor lets you
move freely in your seat while it
keeps some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop,
the retractor automatically locks the belt to help restrain your body. The lap/shoulder belt retractor in
each passenger seating position has
an additional locking mechanism
that is intended to secure a child seat (see page 25). If the shoulder part of
the belt is pulled all the way out, this mechanism will engage. The belt will
retract, but it will not allow the
passenger to move freely. If the belt
feels too tight, unlatch it, let it retract
fully, then pull it out as far as needed.
Driver and Passenger Safety
SHOULDER
PORTION
LATCH
PLATE
UPPER SEAT
BELT ANCHOR
LAP
PORTION
BUCKLE
To retractorProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Supplemental Restraint System
Your car is equipped with a Supple- mental Restraint System (SRS) to
help protect the head and chest of the driver and front seat passenger
during a severe frontal collision.
This system does not replace your seat
belts. It supplements, or adds to, the
protection offered by seat belts and
other occupant protection features.
SRS Components
Your supplemental restraint system
includes:
One airbag in the steering wheelfor the driver and another in thedashboard for the passenger.
Sensors that can detect a severe frontal collision.
A sophisticated electronic system that continually monitors thesensors, control unit, airbag
activators, and all related wiring
when the ignition is ON (II).
An indicator light on the instru- ment panel to alert you to a possi-
ble problem with the system.
Emergency backup power in case your car's electrical system isdisconnected in a crash. What Happens In a Crash
If you ever have a severe frontal
collision, the sensors will detect
rapid deceleration and signal the control unit to instantly inflate the
airbags.
During a crash, your seat belts will
help to restrain your lower body and
torso. The airbags will provide a cushion to absorb crash energy and
help keep the head and chest of thedriver and front passenger fromstriking the interior of the car.
After inflating, the airbags will immediately deflate. The entire
process, from detection to deflation,
takes a fraction of a second. This process occurs so quickly that you
may not hear the loud noise created
by the airbag inflators, or realize
what has happened.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Not wearing a seat belt
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
if you have airbags.
Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Supplemental Restraint System
The passenger's airbag is stored near the top of the dashboard, under
a lid marked SRS. Do not place any
objects on top of this lid. If the airbag
inflates, those objects can be
propelled inside the car and possibly
hurt someone.
How the SRS Indicator
Light Works
The purpose of the SRS light on your instrument panel is to alert you of a
potential problem with your supple- mental restraint system.
Have the system checked if: The light does not come on when
you turn the ignition ON (II).
The light stays on after the engine
starts.
The light comes on or flashes while you are driving.
System Service
Your supplemental restraint system is virtually maintenance-free. Thereare no parts you can safely service.
You must have the system serviced by an authorized Honda dealer:
If your airbags ever inflate, the
airbags and control unit must be
replaced. Do not try to remove or discard the airbags by yourself.
This must be done by a Honda
dealer.
If the SRS indicator light alerts
you of a problem. Have the supplemental restraint system
checked as soon as possible.Otherwise, your airbags might not
inflate when you need them.
When the car is ten years old. Have the dealer inspect thesystem. The production date is on
the driver's doorjamb for your
convenience.
Driver and Passenger Safety
SRS
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Instruments and Controls
This section gives information about the controls and displays thatcontribute to the daily operation of
your Honda. All the essential controls are within easy reach.
Control Locations............................ 34
Indicator Lights................................ 35
Gauges............................................. 39
Speedometer............................... 39
Trip Meter................................... 39
Odometer..................................... 39
Temperature Gauge................... 40
Fuel Gauge.................................. 40
Maintenance Required
Indicator................................... 40
Controls Near the Steering Wheel...................................... 41
Headlights...................................
42
Daytime Running
Lights............ 42
Instrument Panel Brightness.... 43
Turn Signals................................. 43
Windshield Wipers...................... 44
Windshield Washers................... 44 Rear Window Wiper and Washer...................................... 45
Hazard Warning.......................... 45
Rear Window Defogger.............. 45
Steering Wheel Adjustment....... 46
Steering Wheel Controls ................ 48 Cruise Control.............................. 48
Horn............................................. 51
Keys and Locks................................ 51
Keys............................................... 51
Ignition Switch............................. 52
Power Door Locks....................... 53Remote Transmitter.................... 54
Childproof Door Locks............... 54
Tailgate......................................... 55 Glove Box..................................... 55
Seats................................................. 56
Passenger Seating...................... 56
Seat Adjustments........................ 56
Driver's Seat Power HeightAdjustment.............................. 57
Head Restraints.......................... 58
Third Seat Access....................... 58 Removing the Second Seats
in the Six-Passenger Model.... 59
Folding the Second Seats in the Seven-Passenger
Model................................... 60
Reclining the Second Seat.......... 61
Folding the Third Seat in All Models...........................
62
Power Windows.............................. .
64
Sunroof............................................. 65
Mirrors............................................. 66
Adjusting the Power Mirrors.....
67
Parking Brake.................................
68
Digital Clock..................................... 68
Beverage Holder.............................. 69 Dashboard Compartment............... 70
Center Poket.................................... 71
Coin Box........................................... 71
Vanity Mirror................................... 71
Cigarette Lighter............................. 72
Ashtrays........................................... 72
Interior Lights.................................. 73
Ceiling Lights.............................. 73
Spotlights..................................... 73
Tailgate Light............................... 74 Courtesy Lights........................... 74
Instruments and ControlsProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t
Indicator Lights
The instrument panel has many indicators to give you important
information about your car.
Lamp Check
Many of the indicator lights come on
when you turn the ignition switch ON (II), allowing you to see that they
are working. The instrument panel should look like the illustration. If an
indicator does not light during this
test, it cannot alert you if that system develops a problem. Have the dealer
check your car for burned-out bulbs
or other problems.
* The U.S. instrument panel is
shown. Differences for the Canadian
model are noted in the text.
Instruments and Controls
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP/
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT* PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR*
CRUISE CONTROLINDICATOR
DOOR AND BRAKE
LAMP MONITOR
HIGH BEAM
INDICATOR
LOW FUEL
INDICATOR
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR LOW OIL PRESSURE
INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE
SYSTEM INDICATOR* CHARGING
SYSTEM
INDICATOR SEAT BELT
REMINDER
LIGHTProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Indicator Lights
Seat Belt Reminder Light
This indicator lights when you turn the ignition ON (II). It is a reminder
to you and your passengers to
protect yourselves by fastening theseat belts. A beeper also sounds if
you have not fastened your seat belt.
If you do not fasten your seat belt,
the beeper will stop after a few seconds but the light stays on until
you do. Both the light and the beeper stay off if you fasten your seat belt
before turning on the ignition. Low Oil Pressure
Indicator
This indicator lights when the oil pressure in the engine drops lowenough to cause damage. It should
light when the ignition is ON (II) and
go out after the engine starts. If this
light flashes or stays on when the engine is running, there is a possi-
bility of serious engine damage. Safely pull to the side of the road andshut off the engine as soon as you
can. Turn to page 204 for in- structions and precautions on
checking the engine.
Charging System
Indicator
This light indicates the battery is not being charged. It should come on
when the ignition is ON (II), and goout after the engine starts. If this
light comes on while driving, the
battery is not being charged. Turn to
page 205 for information about what
to do. Parking Brake
and Brake
System
Indicator
This light has two functions:
1. It lights as a reminder that you have set the parking brake.Driving with the parking brake set
can damage the brakes and tires,
and cause the Anti-lock brakesystem to turn off (see page 125).
2. It can indicate the brake fluid level is low if it remains lit after you
release the parking brake orcomes on while driving. This is
normally due to worn brake pads.
Have your dealer check the
braking system for worn pads or
fluid leaks.
Instruments and Controls
BRAKE
US
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