1996 HONDA ODYSSEY weight
[x] Cancel search: weightPage 23 of 240
Child Safety
General Guidelines for
Restraining Children Under
18 kg (40 Ibs)
Use an approved child seat. The seat
must meet Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS-213) or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. Look for the manufac-
turer's statement of compliance on
the box and seat.
Use a seat of the right size. Make sure
the seat fits your child. Check the seat manufacturer's instructions and
labels for height and weight limits.
Secure the child seat to the car. All
approved child seats are designed to
be secured to the car seat by the lap
belt or the lap belt portion of a lap/ shoulder belt. A child whose seat is
not properly secured to the car can
be endangered in a crash. To properly route a seat belt through
a child seat, follow the seat maker's
instructions. If you use a lap/ shoulder belt, follow the instructions
on page 25.
Secure the child in the child seat. Make
sure the infant or child is firmly
secured to the child seat. Use the
straps provided, and carefully follow
the manufacturer's instructions.
Restraining an Infant Who
Weighs Less Than 9 kg
(20 Ibs)
An infant up to about 9 kg (20 Ibs) must be restrained in an infant seator a convertible seat designed for a
baby. Because infants must ride in a
reclining position, be sure the infant seat always faces the REAR of the
car as shown.
Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents
Page 114 of 240
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
Page 116 of 240
Loading Cargo
The maximum load you can carry in your Honda is 535 kg (1,150 Ibs). It includes the total weight of all
passengers and their belongings, anyaccessories, and the tongue weight
figure is shown as the Vehicle Capacity Weight on the tire infor-
mation label attached to the driver's doorjamb. To figure out how much cargo you
can carry:
Figure the total "occupant weight"
you will be transporting. To. do this. (driver and all passengers) by 70
kg
(150 Ibs).
Subtract this number from the
Vehicle Capacity Weight (535 kg/ 1,150 Ibs).
If you are towing a trailer, subtract
the tongue weight. See Towing a
Trailer on page 128.
This final number is the total weight of cargo you can load in or on the car.
With seven occupants (driver and six passengers), the maximum recom-
mended weight for cargo is 45 kg (100 Ibs).
Where you store this cargo, and how
well you secure it, are just as important as how much it weighs.Make sure you load cargo so it will not shift while driving. Items stored
in the cargo area behind the third
seat should be placed as far forward
as possible. You could store addi-
tional items on the floor behind the
roll under the front seat and
interfere with the pedals.
For greater cargo capacity, the third seat can be folded into the floor and
the second row seats can either be
removed or folded up (depending on
model). Passengers should never sit in the open cargo area while the car
is moving. They should sit in one of
the seats and wear their seat belts.
If you must carry large objects that
prevent you from closing the tailgate
be aware that exhaust gas can enter
the interior. See Carbon Monoxide
Hazard on page 29 .
Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents
Page 128 of 240
Towing a Trailer
Your Honda is designed primarily to
carry passengers and their cargo.
You can use it to tow a trailer if you
carefully observe some general rules.
The total weight of the trailer andeverything loaded in it must not
exceed the weights shown in the
table below.
* 1 : Including- driver. Based on 70 kg (150 Ibs)
passenger
* 2 : Seven-passenger model only
The "tongue load" should never
exceed 72 kg (160 Ibs). This is the
amount of weight the trailer puts
on the hitch when it is fully-loaded.
As a rule of thumb, the tongue load should be 10% of the totaltrailer package.
For example, if the trailer and its
load weigh 450 kg (1,000 Ibs), thetongue load should be 45 kg (100
Ibs). Adjust the trailer's cargo to change the tongue load. Start by
putting approximately 60% of thecargo toward the front and 40%
toward the rear. Never load the
trailer so the back is heavier than
the front. The combined weight of the car,
all passengers and their luggage,and tongue load must not exceed
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
The GVWR is printed on the Certification label attached to thedriver's doorjamb (see page 216 ).
The combined weight of the car, all passengers and their luggage,
and tongue load also must not
exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating. The GAWR is also shownon the Certification label. It tells
you the maximum load for the front and rear axles. It is possible
that your towing package does no exceed the GVWR but does
exceed the GAWR. Improper
trailer loading, and/or too much
luggage in the cargo area can
overload the rear axle. Redis-
tribute the load and check the ax]
weights again.
DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents
Page 129 of 240
Towing a Trailer
The best way to confirm that your total towing package is within thesespecifications is to get it weighed.
Load the car and trailer as you
normally would while towing, and
take them to a public scale. Have them check the total weight and the
weight at each axle, then compare the weights to the specifications. Trailer Hitches
Your Honda dealer, or the HondaCustomer Relations Zone Office, can
give you advice on the proper hitch
for your car. Never use a hitch that mounts only to the rear bumper. The
bumper is not designed to handle that type of load. The hitch should
bolt to the underbody of the car and distribute the load over a wide area.
Always have a trailer hitch installed by a qualified technician.
A trailer hitch that is not adequate for the size of the trailer, or a hitch that isimproperly installed, can cause damage
to the underside of your car.
Driving
NOTICE
Improperly loading your car and
trailer can seriously affect its
steering and braking performance, causing a crashin which you can be seriously
injured.
Check the loading of your car
and trailer carefully before
starting to drive.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents
Page 130 of 240
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.
DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents
Page 147 of 240
Engine Oil
The SAE numbers tell you the oil'sviscosity or weight. Select the oil for
your car according to this chart.
Ambient Temperature
An oil with a viscosity of 5W-30 is preferred for improved fuel economy
and year-round protection in your
Honda. You may use a 10W-30 oil if
the temperature in your area never
goes below 20°F ( — 7°C).
Synthetic Oil
You may use a synthetic motor oil if it meets the same requirements
given for conventional motor oil;
energy conserving, a service
classification of SH, and the proper
weight as shown on the chart. When
using synthetic oil, you must follow
the oil and filter change intervals given in the maintenance schedule.
Additives Your Honda does not need any oil additives. Purchasing additives for
the engine or transmission will not increase your car's performance or
longevity. It only increases the cost of operating your car. Oil and Filter Changes
Always change the oil and filter according to the time and distance
recommendations in the mainte-
nance schedule. The oil and filter collect contaminants that can dam-age your engine if they are not
removed regularly.
Changing the oil and filter requires
special tools and access from
underneath the car. The car should
be raised on a service station-type
hydraulic lift for this service. Unless
you have the knowledge and proper equipment, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.
1. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature,
then shut it off.
MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents
Page 171 of 240
Tires
The tires were properly balanced by the factory. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time before theyare worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you feel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire should always be rebalanced if it is
removed from the wheel for repair.
Make sure the installer balances the
wheels when you have new tires installed. This increases riding
comfort and tire life. Your car's
original tires were dynamic or "spin"
balanced at the factory. For best
results, have the installer perform a dynamic balance.
(U.S.
EX)
Improper wheel weights can damage
your car's aluminum wheels. Use only
genuine Honda wheel weights forbalancing.
Tire Rotation
To help increase tire life and distribute wear more evenly, you
should have the tires rotated every12,000 km (7,500 miles). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the chart each time they are rotated. When shopping for replacement
tires, you may find that some tiresare "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in one
direction. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back.
Replacing Tires and Wheels
The tires that came with your car were selected to match the perform- ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comfort, and long life.
You should replace them with radial tires of the same size, load range,speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and bias-ply tires on your car can reduceits braking ability, traction, andsteering accuracy.
Maintenance
(For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels)
Front
Front
NOTICEProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents