1996 HONDA ODYSSEY brake

Automatic Transmission

Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with the engine idling. Shift to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for
any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shift lever
from Neutral to another gear.
Drive (D4) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmis- sion automatically selects a suitable
gear for your speed and acceleration.
You may notice the transmission shifting up at higher speeds when
the engine is cold. This helps the engine warm up faster.
Drive (D3) — This position is similar
to D4, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D3 when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to provide engine braking when goingdown a steep hill. D3 can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in
stop-and-go driving.

For faster acceleration when in D3 or
D4, you can get the transmission to

automatically downshift by pushing

the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shift down one or two gears, depending on your

speed.

Second (2) — To shift to Second,
pull the shift lever towards you, then shift to the lower gear. This position

locks the transmission in second

gear. It does not downshift to first
gear when you come to a stop.
Second gives you more power when
climbing, and increased engine

braking when going down steep hills.

Use second gear when starting out on a slippery surface or in deep snow.
It will help reduce wheelspin.
Whenever you move the shift lever to a lower gear, the transmissiondownshifts only if the engine's redline will not be exceeded in the
lower gear.
First (1) — To shift from Second toFirst, pull the shift lever towards you
then shift to the lower gear. With the lever in this position, the transmis-sion locks in First gear. By upshift-
ing and downshifting through 1,2,
D3 and D4, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal.
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Automatic Transmission

Maximum Speeds

The speeds in this table are the maximums for the given position. If
you exceed these speeds, you will feel the engine cut in and out. This iscaused by a limiter in the engine'scomputer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce speed
or shift.
Shift Lock Release

This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normalmethod of pushing on the brake
pedal and pulling the shift lever does
not work.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition
switch.

3. Insert the key in the Shift Lock Release slot on the steering

column.

4. Push down on the key while you pull the shift lever towards you
and move the shift lever out of
Park to Neutral.
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
5. Remove the key from the Shift Lock Release slot. Depress the
brake pedal and restart the engine.
If you need to use the Shift Lock
Release, it could mean your car is
developing a problem. Have the car
checked by your Honda dealer.

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The Braking System
Your Honda is equipped with discbrakes at all four wheels. The
braking system is power-assisted to
reduce the effort needed on the
brake pedal.
Put your foot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your foot 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, confusing drivers behind
you.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds up heat and reduces their effective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshifting to a lower
gear and taking your foot off the accelerator pedal. Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they feel normal. If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop with wet brakes, be extra cautious and alert in your driving.
Brake Wear Indicators
All four brakes have audible brake wear indicators.
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.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not confuse this with the
brake wear indicators. They make a
very audible "screeching". Brake System Design
The hydraulic system that operates the brakes has two separate circuits.Each circuit works diagonally across
the car (the left-front brake isconnected with the right-rear brake, etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking at two wheels.

Driving
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The Braking System

If this happens, you will immediately notice that the brake pedal goes
down much farther and you need to
press on it much harder. A much
longer distance will be needed to stop the car.
Slow the car by downshifting to a
lower gear and removing your foot from the accelerator pedal. Pull to
the side of the road as soon as it issafe. Because of the longer stopping
distance needed, brake system
failure is very hazardous. It is best to have your car towed, but if you mustdrive the car in this condition, be
extremely cautious. Have your carrepaired as soon as possible.

Anti-lock Brakes
All U.S. models and the Canadian six- passenger model have an Anti-lock
Brake System (ABS) as standard
equipment. It is optional on the
Canadian seven-passenger model.
ABS helps you maintain steering control during braking. It does this
by helping you to prevent the wheels
from locking up and skidding.
The ABS is always "On". It requires no special effort or driving technique.
You will feel a pulsation in the brake pedal when the ABS activates.
Activation varies with the amount of traction your tires have. On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
the brake pedal very hard before you
feel the pedal pulsation that means the ABS has activated. However, you
may feel the ABS activate immedi- ately if you are trying to stop onsnow or ice. Under all conditions, the
ABS is helping to prevent the wheels from locking so you can retain steering control. You should con-
tinue to press on the brake pedal
with the same force.
You may feel a slight movement of
the brake pedal just after you start
the engine. This is the ABS working. ABS INDICATOR*
U.S. indicator shown
The ABS is self-checking. If anything goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (seepage 35). This means the Anti-lock
function of the braking system has shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system, providing
normal stopping ability. You should
have the dealer inspect your car as soon as possible.

Driving
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The Braking System, Driving in Bad Weather

A car with ABS may require a longer distance to stop on loose or uneven
surfaces than an equivalent car with-
out Anti-lock. The ABS cannot make
up for road conditions or bad judg-
ment. It is still your responsibility to
drive at reasonable speeds for
weather and traffic conditions, and
to leave a margin of safety.
For a technical description of the
ABS hardware, refer to page 220 . Driving in Bad Weather
Rain, fog, and snow conditions re-
quire a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well- maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control should not be used in these condi-
tions. Driving Technique — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to react, even in conditions that may seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious for the first few miles ofdriving while you adjust to the
change in driving conditions. This is
especially true in snow. A person car
forget some snow-driving technique during the summer months. Practice
is needed to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.

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Towing a Trailer

Mirrors
Many states and provinces have laws
requiring special outside mirrors
when you are towing a trailer. Check the laws in your area. You may want
to install mirrors, even if they are notrequired. Hook up the trailer and see
how much it obscures your ability to see behind you with the standard
mirrors. If you cannot see directly
behind you, or have a large blind spot next to the trailer or the car,
you should install mirrors intended
if or towing.
Connecting the Trailer
Most trailers that have a gross
weight of 450 kg (1,000 Ibs) do not have their own braking system. If
you are thinking of getting a trailer that does have brakes, make sure
they are electrically-operated. There are no provisions in your car to tap
into its hydraulic braking system.
Any attempt to attach the trailer's brakes to your car's hydraulicsystem, no matter how successful it
may seem, will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential

hazard.
Always use a safety chain when
towing a trailer. Connect the safetychain securely at both ends. Makesure the chain crosses under the
tongue so it will catch the trailer if it
becomes unhitched. Leave enough slack in the chain so it can't bind in a
sharp turn. Do not let it drag on the
ground.

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Towing a Trailer

Your car has a trailer lighting
connector. To use the connector,

remove the left rear light cover. Refer to the drawing above for the

wiring color code and purpose of
each connector pin.
Since the lighting and wiring can be
different for various brands of
trailers, have a technician who is
familiar with your trailer modify its lighting plug. A converter may berequired between the car and trailer
for the lights to work correctly. Before Starting Out
As you are preparing to tow your trailer, do the following:
Measure the trailer's tongue load.
You can do this with a bathroom
scale.

Verify that the hitch and safety chain are securely fastened.Check the condition and air
pressure of all tires on the trailer
and your car. Low tire pressure
can seriously affect the handling.
Also check the spare tire. With everything loaded and thetrailer connected, check that the
rear of the car is not sagging. If so,
redistribute the load in the car.Check that all lights on the car and
trailer are working properly.

Driving

GROUND
(BLACK) BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK) LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW)
BRAKE LIGHT

(GREEN/WHITE)
TAILLIGHT
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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.

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