1996 HONDA ODYSSEY window

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 not
needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.
MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Appearance Care

Regular cleaning and polishing of
your Honda helps to keep it "new"
looking. This section gives you hints on how to clean and preserve your
car's appearance: the paint, bright-
work, wheels and interior. Also included are several things you can
do to help prevent corrosion. Exterior Care.................................. 184
Washing...................................... 184
Waxing........................................ 184
Aluminum Wheels..................... 185 Paint Touch-up........................... 185
Interior Care................................... 186
Carpeting.................................... 186
Fabric.......................................... 186
Vinyl............................................ 186
Seat Belts.................................... 187
Windows..................................... 187
Air Fresheners........................... 187
Corrosion Protection..................... 188
Body Repairs.................................. 189
Appearance CareProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Interior Care
Seat Belts
If your seat belts get dirty, you can
use a soft brush with a mixture ofmild soap and warm water to clean

them. Do not use bleach, dye, or
cleaning solvents. They can weaken
the belt material. Let the belts air- dry before you use the car. Dirt build-up in the metal loops of
the seat belt anchors can cause the
belts to retract slowly. Wipe the inside of the loops with a clean clothdampened in isopropyl alcohol or a
mixture of mild soap and warm

water.

Windows Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass cleaner. You can also use a mixture
of one part white vinegar to ten parts
water. This will remove the haze that builds up on the inside of the
windows. Use a soft cloth or paper towels to clean all glass and clear
plastic surfaces.
The rear window defogger wires are
bonded to the inside of the glass. Wiping vigorously up-and-down can
dislodge and break the defogger wires. When cleaning the rear window, use
gentle pressure and wipe side-to-side.

Air Fresheners If you want to use an air freshener/deodorizer in the interior of your car,
it is best to use a solid type. Some
liquid air fresheners contain chemi- cals that may cause parts of the
interior trim and fabric to crack or discolor.
If you use a liquid air freshener,
make sure you fasten it securely so itdoes not spill as you drive.

Appearance Care

NOTICE
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Charging System Indication

This indicator should come on when the ignition is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. If it comes on
brightly when the engine is running,it indicates that the charging system
has stopped charging the battery. Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C, rear defogger, cruise control, etc. Try not
to use other electrically-operated
controls such as the power windows. Keep the engine running and takeextra care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly. By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles before the
battery is too discharged to keep the engine running. Drive to a servicestation or garage where you can get
technical assistance.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATORProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Index
Break-in, New Car......................... 108
Brightness Control, Instruments... 41
Brights, Headlights......................... 40
Bulb Replacement Back-up Lights........................... 179
Brake Lights............................... 179
Ceiling Light............................... 181
Front Parking Lights................. 178
Front Side Marker Lights......... 178
Headlights.................................. 177
License Plate Lights.................. 180 Specifications............................. 219
Turn Signal Lights..................... 178
Bulbs, Halogen............................... 177
Cables, Jump Starting With.......... 200
Capacities Chart............................. 218
Carbon Monoxide Hazard............ 29

Cargo, Loading............................... 116

Cassette Player Care............................................. 101
Operation.............................. 87, 99
CAUTION, Explanation of............. ii
CD Player................................. 90, 102 Center Pocket.................................. 68
Certification Label......................... 216
Chains............................................. 174
Change Oil How to......................................... 148

When to....................................... 140

Changing a Flat Tire..................... 193
Changing Engine Coolant............. 152 Charging System Indicator.... 34, 205
Checking Automatic Transmission
Fluid........................................ 155
Battery Condition...................... 162
Brake Fluid................................. 156
Drive Belts.................................. 169
Engine Coolant........................... 150
Engine Oil................................... 146
Fuses........................................... 209
Power Steering Fluid................. 157
Checklist, Before Driving............. 118
Child Safety...................................... 20 Childproof Door Locks................... 52
Cigarette Lighter............................. 69

Cleaner, Air.................................... 158

Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels..................... 185
Carpeting................................... 186

Exterior...................................... 184

Fabric......................................... 186

Interior....................................... 186

Seat Belts................................... 187

Vinyl........................................... 186
Window...................................... 187

CLEAN Light................................ 101

Clock, Setting the .........................
66

CO in the Exhaust........................
224

Cold Weather, Starting in............ 119

Compact Spare............................... 192

Consumer Information*................ 227

Controls, Instruments and.............. 33

Coolant
Adding........................................

151

Checking................................ 150

Proper Solution......................
150

Temperature Gauge.................. 38

Corrosion Protection.................... 188

Crankcase Emission Control
System........................................ 224

Cruise Control Operation............. 46
Customer Relations Office.......... 229ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

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

Index

Outside Mirrors............................... 64
Overheating, Engine..................... 202
Panel Brightness Control............... 41

Park Gear Position......................... 121

Parking Brake.................................. 65

Parking Lights.................................. 40

Parking Over Things that Burn... 226

PGM-FI System.............................. 225

Polishing and Waxing................... 184

Power
Door Locks................................... 50

Mirrors.......................................... 64

Steering....................................... 157

Windows....................................... 62

Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts.......... 10
Proper Seat Belt Usage..................... 7

Radiator Overheating.................... 202
Radio/Cassette Sound System....... 83
Rear A/C Unit.................................. 82
Rear End Towing........................... 213 Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement... 179
Rear View Mirror............................. 64
Rear Window Defogger.................. 43
Rear Window Wiper and Washer.. 43
Reclining the Seat Backs................ 55
Reclining the Second Seats............ 59
Reminder Lights.............................. 33
Remote Transmitter........................ 51
Removing the Second Seats........... 57
Replacement Information Air Cleaner................................. 158Coolant........................................ 152
Engine Oil and Filter................. 148
Fuses........................................... 209

Light Bulbs................................. 177

Schedule..................................... 138

Spark Plugs................................. 160

Tires............................................ 172

Wiper Blades.............................. 165
Replacing Seat Belts After a
Crash............................................. 11

Reserve Tank, Coolant.................. 150

Restraint, Child................................ 20

Reverse Gear Position................... 121

Rotation, Tire................................. 172
Safety Belts....................................... 5

Safety Defects, Reporting*.......... 232

Safety Labels, Location of............. 30

Safely Messages .............................. ii
Seat Belts ......................................... 5

Advice for Pregnant Women...... 10Cleaning...................................... 187
Frayed or Torn............................ 11

Maintenance............................... 11

Reminder Light and Beeper....... 34
Replacement................................ 11

System Components.................... 6
Tether Attachment Points........ 26 Use During Pregnancy................ 10
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt..... 7
Wearing the Lap Belt................... 9

Seats................................................. 54
Adjustments ................................ 54
Driver's Seat Power
Height Adjustment................
55

Folding th e
Second Seats..........

58

Folding th
e
Third Seats............ 60

Head Restraints .......................... 56
Passenger Seating......................

54
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Index

Transmission
Checking Fluid Level................ 155
Fluid Selection............................ 155
Identification Number............... 216
Shifting the Automatic.............. 120

Treadwear...................................... 222

Trip Meter........................................ 37 Turn Signals..................................... 41
Tires Inspection................................... 171
Replacing.................................... 172Rotating....................................... 172
Snow............................................ 174

Specifications............................. 219

Tools, Tire Changing.................... 193 Torn Seat Belts................................ 11
Towing A Trailer...................................... 128
Emergency Wrecker................. 213

Underside, Cleaning...................... 188

Unexpected, Taking Care
of the........................................... 191

Uniform Tire Quality Grading..... 222
Unleaded Gasoline......................... 108

Upholstery Cleaning...................... 186

Used Oil, How to Dispose of........ 150
Warning Beepers Key in Ignition..............................
50

Seat Belts..................................... .
34

WARNING, Explanation of.............. ii Warning Labels, Location of.......... 30
Warranty Coverages*................... 228
Washer, Windshield Checking the Fluid Level......... 154
Operation...................................... 42

Washing.......................................... 184
Waxing and Polishing................... 184

Wheels
Adjusting the Steering............. 44
Alignment and Balance............ 171Compact Spare.......................... 192
Wrench...................................... 195
Windows Cleaning..................................... 187
Operating the Power................. 62
Rear, Defogger........................... 43
Windshield Cleaning...................................... 42
Defroster..................................... 79
Wipers, Windshield
Changing Blades....................... 165

Operation.................................... 42

Rear Windshield Wiper and
Washer................................... 43

Worn Tires.................................. 171

Wrecker, Emergency Towing.... 213
* : U. S. and Canada only

Vanity Mirror................................... 68

Vehicle Capacity Load .................. 116

Vehicle Dimensions....................... 218

Vehicle Identification Number..... 216

Vehicle Storage.............................. 182
Ventilation......................................... 76

VIN.................................................. 216
Vinyl Cleaning................................ 186

Viscosity, Oil................................... 148ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t