1996 HONDA ODYSSEY flat tire

Supplemental Restraint System

Your car is equipped with a Supple- mental Restraint System (SRS) to
help protect the head and chest ofthe 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 wheel
for the driver and another in the dashboard for the passenger.
Sensors that can detect a severe frontal collision.
A sophisticated electronic systemthat continually monitors thesensors, control unit, airbag
activators, and all related wiringwhen 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 is disconnected 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 andtorso. The airbags will provide a
cushion to absorb crash energy and
help keep the head and chest of thedriver and front passenger from
striking 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 youmay not hear the loud noise created
by the airbag inflators, or realize
what has happened.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Not wearing seat belts
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, evenif you have airbags.

Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Supplemental Restraint System

System Service Precautions
Do not modify your steering wheel
or any other part of the supplementalrestraint system. Modifications could
make the system ineffective.
Do not tamper with the system's
components or wiring. This could cause the airbags to inflate inadver-
tently, possibly injuring someone
very seriously.
Tell anyone who works on your car that you have a supplementalrestraint system. Failure to follow
the procedures and precautions in
the official Honda service manualcould result in personal injury ordamage to the system. Scrapping an entire car that has an
uninflated airbag can be dangerous.
Get assistance from a Honda dealer
if your car must be scrapped.
If you sell your car, please be sure to
tell the new owner that the car has asupplemental restraint system. Alert
them to the information and precau- tions in this part of the owner's
manual.

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Fuel Economy

The condition of your car and your driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.

Vehicle Condition

Always maintain your car according to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Periodic Checks (see
page 144). For example, an under- inflated tire causes more "rolling
resistance," which uses fuel. It also
wears out faster, so check the tire pressure at least monthly. In winter,the build-up of snow on your car'sunderside adds weight and rolling
resistance. Frequent cleaning helps
your fuel mileage and reduces the chance of corrosion. Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up, your car uses extra fuel. Use thecruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to"warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try to combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes it use more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.

Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools
required to perform more complex
maintenance tasks on your Honda,
you may want to purchase the Service Manual. See page 233 for
information on how to obtain a copy,or see your Honda dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 136

Important Safety Precautions.. 137

Maintenance Schedule.................. 138

Maintenance Record..................... 142
Periodic Checks............................. 144

Fluid Locations............................... 145
Engine Oil....................................... 146
Checking Engine Oil................. 146

Adding Oil................................... 146 Recommended Oil..................... 147
Synthetic Oil............................... 148

Additives..................................... 148
Oil and Filter Changes.............. 148

Cooling System.............................. 150

Checking the Engine Coolant
Level........................................ 150

Adding Engine Coolant............. 151 Replacing Engine Coolant........ 152

Windshield Washers..................... 154

Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 155
Brake Fluid..................................... 156
Brake System............................. 156

Anti-lock Brake System............ 157

Power Steering............................... 157

Air Cleaner..................................... 158 Spark Plugs..................................... 160
Replacement............................... 160
Specifications............................. 161
Battery............................................ 162
Windshield Wipers........................ 165
Air Conditioning............................. 168 Drive Belts...................................... 169
Tires................................................ 169 Inflation....................................... 170
Inspection................................... 171
Maintenance............................... 171
Tire Rotation.............................. 172 Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 172
Wheels and Tires....................... 173
Winter Driving........................... 173 Snow Tires.............................. 174
Tire Chains............................. 174
Lights.............................................. 175 Headlight Aiming...................... 175Replacing Bulbs......................... 177
Storing Your Car............................ 182
MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Drive Belts, Tires

Drive Belts
Check the condition of the two drive
belts. Examine the edges of each
belt for cracks or fraying. Check the tension of each belt by
pushing on it with your thumb
midway between the pulleys.
The belts should have the following "play" or deflection.
Alternator belt:

8.0 —10.5 mm (0.31 — 0.41 in)

Power steering belt:
13.0 — 16.0 mm (0.51 — 0.63 in)

If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace
the belts.
Tires

To safely operate your car, your tires must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread,and correctly inflated. The following
pages give more detailed information on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Maintenance
POWER STEERING BELT
ALTERNATOR BELT Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire inflation and maintenance.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Tires
InflationKeeping the tires properly inflatedprovides the best combination of
handling, tread life and riding
comfort. Under-inflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards, and wear
unevenly.
We recommend that you visually check your tires every day and use a
gauge to measure the air pressure at least once a month. If you think a tire
might be low, check it immediately. Remember to check the spare tire at
the same time you check all the other tires.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car has been parked for at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
before checking the tire pressure,

the tires can still be considered
"cold" if you drive less than 1.6 km
(1 mile).

If you check the pressure when the

tires are hot (the car has been driven

several miles), you will see readings

30 to 40 kPa (0.3 to 0.4 kg/cm2,4 to
6 psi) higher than the cold reading.

This is normal. Do not let air out to
match the specified cold pressure.

The tire will be underinflated.

Recommended Tire Pressures for

Normal Driving

The following chart shows the recommended cold tire pressures for
most normal driving conditions and
speeds. Tire pressures for high
speed driving are shown on page 222. The compact spare tire pressure is:
420 kPa (4.2 kgf/cm2 , 60 psi)
The pressures are also given on the tire information label on the driver's
doorjamb.

MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Tires
You should get your own tire pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier for you to tell if a pressure loss is due to a tire problem and not due to a variation between

gauges.

Tubeless tires have some ability to self-seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is often
very slow, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing

pressure.

Inspection
Every time you check inflation, you should also examine the tires fordamage, foreign objects, and wear. You should look for: Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions. Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see fabric or tread.
Excessive tread wear. Your car's tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When thetread wears down to that point, you
will see a 12.7 mm (1/2 inch) wide
band running across the tread. This shows there is less than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) of tread left on the tire.
A tire that is this worn gives very little traction on wet roads. Youshould replace the tire if you can see
the tread wear indicator in three or
more places around the tire.
Maintenance
In addition to proper inflation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you find a tireis worn unevenly, have your dealercheck the wheel alignment.
CONTINUED
Maintenance

INDICATOR

LOCATION

MARKS

TREAD WEAR
INDICATORSProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Taking Care of the Unexpected

This section covers the more- common problems that motorists
experience with their cars. It gives
you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what to do
to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructionson getting your car towed. Compact Spare Tire....................... 192
Changing a Flat Tire..................... 193
If Your Engine Won't Start........... 199
Nothing Happens....................... 199
The Starter Operates Normally................................. 200
Jump Starting................................. 200
If Your Engine Overheats............. 202
Low Oil Pressure........................... 204
Charging System Indication......... 205
Malfunction Indicator Lamp........ 206
Closing the Sunroof....................... 207
Fuses............................................... 208
Checking and Replacing........... 209

Towing............................................ 213

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