1996 HONDA ODYSSEY heating

Heating and Cooling

To Cool with A/C
1. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. The light in the button
should come on.
2. Make sure the temperature control lever is all the way to the

left.
3. Select and

4. Set the fan to the desired speed.

If the interior is very warm from

being parked in the sun, you can cool
it down more rapidly by setting up

the controls this way:

1. Start the engine.

2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the
button. Make sure the tempera-

ture control lever is all the way to

the left.

3. Set the fan to maximum speed.

4. Open the windows partially. Select
and
When the interior has cooled down
to a more comfortable temperature,
close the windows and set thecontrols as described for normal
cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 38) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turnoff the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.
Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUTTONS

RECIRCULATION
BUTTON
FRESH AIR BUTTON

AIR CONDITIONINGBUTTON

FAN CONTROL
LEVER
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVERProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Heating and Cooling

To Heat

To warm the interior:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control lever.
To Heat and Dehumidify with Air
Conditioning

Air conditioning, as it cools, removes moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, itmakes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and
4. Adjust the temperature control
lever so the mixture of heated and
cooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32°F (0°C).
To Defog and Defrost

To remove fog from the inside of the windows:
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and
4. Adjust the temperature control
lever so the airflow from the
defroster vents feels warm.
5. Turn on the rear window defogger to help clear the rear window.
CONTINUED

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Heating and Cooling

To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the car has been sitting out in
cold weather:
1. Start the engine.
2. Select
and
3. Switch the fan and temperature
controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield (on very cold days), first select Once the
windshield is clear, select to
avoid fogging the windows.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS

RECIRCULATION

BUTTON
FRESH AIR BUTTON
FAN CONTROL

LEVER
AIR CONDITIONING

SWITCHProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Heating and Cooling

These settings direct all the air flow to the defroster vents at the base of the windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the corner vents with the dial
beside each vent. This will send more warm air to the windshielddefroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a
clear view through all the windows
before driving away.
To Turn Everything Off To shut off the system temporarily, slide the fan speed and temperature
control levers all the way to the left.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER

You should shut the system com- pletely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,until the engine coolant warms up
enough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale air does not build up in the interior.
Comfort and Convenience Features
FAN CONTROL

LEVER

AIR CONDITIONING

SWITCH

RECIRCULATION BUTTON
FRESH AIR

BUTTON

MODE BUTTONSProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Heating and Cooling

Rear A/C Unit

(U.S. models only)

The rear A/C can be used when the
A/C switch on the front control panel is ON. Turn the rear A/C on
by moving the fan control lever out of the "OFF" position. The indicator
will come on. Adjust the fan speed by sliding the fan control lever. To
change the direction of air flow,
move the tab in the center of each
vent up-and-down and side-to-side.
Comfort and Convenience Features FAN CONTROL

LEVERProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Towing a Trailer

Towing Safety Your car will not stop as quickly with a trailer in tow. Leave extra distance
between your car and other vehicles.
Avoid braking or turning suddenly.
This could cause the trailer to
jackknife or possibly turn over.
Keep in mind that your total vehicle
is now much longer. Leave more
room when making turns. The trailer
tracks a smaller arc than the car and
can hit or run over something that
the car misses. When passing another vehicle, make sure the
trailer is clear before changing lanes. The car/trailer combination is more
affected by crosswinds and buffeting.
When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed and steer straight ahead. If there is too
much wind buffeting, slow down to
get out of the other vehicle's air

turbulence.

Towing a trailer puts an extra load on your car. You should have your
car serviced according to the
"Maintenance schedule under severe
driving conditions" on page 141. This extra load is magnified when
you are driving in hilly terrain.
Watch the temperature gauge closely when climbing hills. If it getsnear the hot area, turn off the airconditioning (if it is on). If this does
not reduce the heat, it may be
necessary to pull to the side of the
road and wait for the engine to cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th gears, put it in D3. This will help
prevent the transmission from overheating. Help keep the brakes
from overheating by shifting to a
lower gear when going downhill.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

If Your Engine Overheats

The pointer of your car's tempera-
ture gauge should stay in the mid-

range under most conditions. It may

go higher if you are driving up a long
steep hill on a very hot day. If it

climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine.
Your car can overheat for several

reasons, such as lack of coolant or a

mechanical problem. The only

indication may be the temperature

gauge climbing to or above the red

mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming from under the hood.

In either case, you should take

immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in neutral or
park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid
point then continue driving.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can

seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.ProCarManuals.coms t Main Menu Table of Contents

Index

DANGER, Explanation of................. ii

Dashboard........................................ 32 Dashboard Compartment............... 68
Daytime Running Lights................. 40Dead Battery, What to Do............ 200
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 232
Defogger, Rear Window................. 43 Defrosting the Windows................. 79
DEXRON® II Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 155

Dimensions.................................... 218

Dimming the Headlights................ 40
Dipstick Automatic Transmission........... 155

Engine Oil................................... 146

Directional Signals.......................... 43

Disabled, Towing Your Car If..... 213
Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 124
Disposal of Used Oil...................... 150Doors Locking and Unlocking............... 50
Power Door Locks....................... 50
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 222
Drive Belts...................................... 169
Driving............................................ 117

Economy..................................... 114

In Bad Weather.......................... 126

In Foreign Countries................. 109

Economy, Fuel............................... 114

Emergencies on the Road............. 191
Battery, Jump Starting.............. 200
Changing a Flat Tire................. 193
Charging System Indicator...... 205
Checking the Fuses................... 209
Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 204
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.... 206
Manually Closing Sunroof........ 207
Overheated Engine................... 202

Emergency Brake............................ 65
Emergency Flashers....................... 43

Emission Controls......................... 224

Engine
Belts............................................. 169

Coolant Temperature Gauge..... 38
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp................................ 34,
206

Oil Pressur e
Indicator......... 34, 204Oil, What Kind to Use............... 147
Overheating................................ 202
Specifications............................. 219
Ethanol in Gasoline ....................... 109
Evaporative Emission Controls.... 224
Exhaust Fumes................................ 29Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat Belts by......................................... 10
Exterior, Cleaning the................... 184

Fabric, Cleaning............................. 186
Fan, Interior...................................... 74

Features, Comfort and
Convenience............................... 73

Filling the Fuel Tank..................... 110
Filter
Air................................................ 158
Oil................................................ 148

First Gear Position......................... 122
Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 43

Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 193

CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t