1996 HONDA ODYSSEY door lock

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 Ibs) ............... 22

Restraining
an Infant Who WeighsLess Than 9 kg (20 Ibs).......... 22

Restraining
a Child Who Weighs Between9 and 18 kg (20 and 40 Ibs)..... 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
Safety Labels.................................... 30
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Your Occupant Protection System

Your Honda is equipped with seatbelts and other features that work
together 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 you
to 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 accidentallyopened 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 headrestraints are properly adjusted (see pages 18 and 55 ).
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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Additional Safety Information

The seat belts and airbags are obvi- ously important parts of your occu-
pant protection system.
In addition, you should know that
sitting upright, adjusting the head
restraints properly, locking the doors,
and stowing things properly can also
increase your safety and possibly
even save your life. Seat-back Position
The seat-backs should be in an upright position for you and your
passengers to get the most protec-
tion from the seat belts.
If you recline a seat-back, you reduce
the protective capability of your seat
belt. The farther a seat-back is
reclined, the greater the risk that
you will slide under the belt in a severe crash and be very seriously

injured.

For information on how to adjust the
seat-back, see page 55. Head Restraint Position
Head restraints can help protect you
from whiplash and other injuries. For the best protection, adjust the top of
the restraint so it is even with the
tops of your ears, or as high as possi-
ble. For instructions on adjusting the
head restraints, see page 56.

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Additional Safety Information

Door Locks
It is not safe to leave your car doors
unlocked. A passenger, especially a
child, could open a door and acci- dentally fall out. Also, there is a
greater chance of being thrown out of the car during a crash when the
doors are not locked.
Storing Cargo Safely
Before you drive, make sure you
first securely store or tie down any items that could be thrown around
the car and hurt someone, or interfere with your ability to operate
the controls.
Be sure to keep compartment doors
closed when the car is moving. If a
passenger hits the door of an open
glove box, for example, he could injure his knees.
For information on loading cargo,

see page 116.
Driving with Pets
Loose pets can be a hazard while you
are driving. An unrestrained pet can
interfere with your ability to drive
the car. In a crash or sudden stop,
loose pets or cages can be thrown around inside the car and hurt you or
your passengers. It is also for their safety that pets should be properly
restrained in your car.
The recommended way to restrain a medium-sized or larger dog is with aspecial traveling harness. This har-
ness can be secured to the rear seat
with a seat belt. Travel harnesses are available at pet stores.
A small dog, cat, or other small animal will be safest in a pet carrier
with rigid sides. Choose a style that allows you to secure it to the car'sseat by routing a seat belt through
the carrier's handle. For further information, contact your
veterinarian or local animal protec-
tion society.

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Child Safety

If a toddler seat is used in the front
passenger's seat, the vehicle seat should be moved as far back as
possible. If the passenger's bag
inflates, it could seriously hurt a
toddler who is not in the proper position or properly restrained.
We also recommend that any child who is too large to use an infant ortoddler seat ride in the second or
third seat and wear a lap/shoulder
belt properly for protection. If thechild is not large enough to wear the
lap/shoulder belt properly, you should use a booster seat.
Important Safety Reminders

Never hold a baby or child on your
lap when riding in a car. If you are
wearing your seat belt, the violent
forces created during a crash will tear the child from your arms. The child could be seriously hurt or killed.
If you are holding a child and not
wearing a seat belt in a crash, you could crush the child against the car's
interior.
Never put your seat belt over
yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt could press deep into thechild, causing serious internal

injuries.
Two children should never use the
same seat belt. If they do, they could
be very seriously injured in a crash.
If you are driving with small children
in the car, you should use thechildproof door locks to prevent
them from opening the rear doors (see page 54).
For their safety, do not leave
children alone in your car without
adult supervision.
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Child Safety

Securing a Child Seat with a Lap/
Shoulder Belt
The lap/shoulder belt retractors in the passenger seating positions havea built-in locking mechanism
intended to secure a child seat. If
you are placing a child seat in one of the outside seating positions, do the

following:
1. Place the child restraint in the
desired seating position. Route the
lap/shoulder belt through the seat
according to the seat manufac-
turer's instructions.
2. Insert the latch plate into the buckle. Make sure it is fully

latched.

3. Slowly pull the shoulder portion of the belt out of the retractor until it

stops.

4. Allow the belt to slowly feed back into the retractor. You should hear
a clicking noise that indicates the
locking mechanism has engaged.
5. After the belt has retracted fully, pull up on the shoulder portion to
remove any slack. 6. Push and pull on the child seat to
verify that it is held firmly in place.
If not, unlatch the seat belt, allow
it to retract fully, and repeat these

steps.

To unlatch the seat belt, push the red PRESS button on the buckle.Guide the belt across to the door
pillar. If the belt doesn't retract easily, pull it out and check for twists

or kinks.

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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............................ 32
Indicator Lights................................ 33
Gauges.............................................. 37
Speedometer................................ 37

Trip Meter.................................... 37
Odometer......................................
37

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

Fuel Gauge.................................. 38

Maintenanc
e Required

Indicator...................................

38

Controls Nea r
the Steering

Wheel........................................ 39

Headlights.................................... 40
Daytime Running Lights............. 40
Instrument Panel Brightness..... 41
Turn Signals................................. 41
Windshield Wipers...................... 42
Windshield Washers................... 42 Rear Window Wiper and Washer...................................... 43

Hazard Warning........................... 43

Rear Window Defogger.............. 43
Steering Wheel Adjustment....... 44
Steering Wheel Controls................ 46 Cruise Control.............................. 46
Keys and Locks................................ 49
Keys............................................... 49
Ignition Switch............................. 49
Power Door Locks....................... 50
Remote Transmitter.................... 51Childproof Door Locks............... 52
Tailgate......................................... 52
Glove Box..................................... 53

Seats.................................................. 54
Passenger Seating....................... 54

Seat Adjustments......................... 54
Driver's Seat Power Height Adjustment............................... 55
Head Restraints........................... 56 Third Seat Access........................ 56
Removing the Second Seats in the Six-Passenger Model.... 57
Folding the Second Seats in the Seven-Passenger
Model....................................

58

Reclining th e
Second Seat.......... 59

Folding the Third Seat
in All Models............................ 60

Power Windows............................... 62

Sunroof.............................................. 63

Mirrors.............................................. 64
Adjusting the Power Mirrors..... 64

Parking Brake..................................

65

Digital Clock.................................... .
66
Beverage Holder.............................. 66
Dashboard Compartment............... 68 Center Pocket.................................. 68
Vanity Mirror................................... 68 Cigarette Lighter............................. 69
Ashtrays............................................ 69 Interior Lights.................................. 70

Ceiling Lights............................... 70

Spotlights...................................... 70
Tailgate Light............................... 71 Courtesy Lights........................... 71

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Control Locations
MIRROR
CONTROLS DIGITAL CLOCK
(P.66)

DOOR LOCK
SWITCH
(P.50)

POWER WINDO
W
SWITCH

(P.62)

FUEL FILL
DOOR RELEASE

(P.110)
HEATING/COOLIN

G

CONTROLS (P.74)

AUDIO SYSTEM

(P.83)

HOOD

RELEASE

HANDLE
(P.111)

Instruments and Controls
(P.64)
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