1997 HONDA ODYSSEY Owners Manual

Supplemental Restraint System

The passenger's airbag is stored near the top of the dashboard, under
a lid marked SRS. Do not place any
objects on top of this lid. If the airbag
inflates, those objects can be
propelled inside the car and possibly
hurt someone. How the SRS Indicator
Light Works
The purpose of the SRS light on your instrument panel is to alert you to a
potential problem with your supple- mental restraint system.
Have the system checked if: The light does not come on when
you turn the ignition ON (II). The light stays on after the engine
starts. The light comes on or flashes
while you are driving.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbag may not work when needed in an accident. Take the car
to your dealer promptly for diagnosis and service.
System Service

Your supplemental restraint system is virtually maintenance-free. Theonly scheduled maintenance is an
inspection of the system by the
dealer when the car is ten years old.
For your convenience, the car's
production date is on a label on thedriver's doorjamb.
If either of the following happens,
you must have an authorized Honda dealer service the system. There are
no parts you can safely service. If your airbags ever inflate, the
airbags and control unit must be
replaced. Do not try to remove or discard the airbags yourself. This
must be done by a Honda dealer.

Driver and Passenger Safety
S R S
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Supplemental Restraint System

If the SRS indicator light alerts
you to a problem, have the supplemental restraint system
inspected as soon as possible. If
you ignore this indication, the airbags might not inflate when you
need them. System Service Precautions
Do not modify your steering wheel
or any other part of the supplemental
restraint 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 supplemental
restraint 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
uninflated airbags 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 a supplemental restraint system. Alert
them to the information and precau- tions in this part of the owner's

manual.

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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 thatsitting 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 thetops 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
front 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 thrownaround 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's
seat 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
Children depend on adults to protect
them. To help make sure we do, every state and Canadian province
has laws requiring infants and young children to be properly restrained
whenever they ride in a car. Where Should Children Sit?
According to accident statistics, children of all sizes and ages aresafer when they are properly
restrained in a rear seat rather than
the front seat.
We recommend that you place your child's infant or toddler seat in thesecond seat and secure it with the
vehicle's lap/shoulder belt or lap belt (seven-passenger model). If you use
the lap/shoulder belt, be sure to
follow the instructions for securing a child seat with a lap/shoulder belt on
page 25.
We strongly recommend that you do not put an infant seat in the front
passenger's seat. If the airbag
inflates, it can hit the infant seat with
great force. The infant seat can be dislodged or struck with enough
force to cause very serious injury to
the infant.

Driver and Passenger Safety
An infant or child who is not
properly restrained can be killed
or seriously injured in a crash.
Be sure any child too small for
seat belts is properly secured in
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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 or
toddler 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 the
childproof door locks to prevent
them from opening the rear doors (see page 52).
For their safety, do not leave
children alone in your car without adult supervision.

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Child Safety

General Guidelines for
Restraining Children Under 40 Ibs (18 kg)
Use an approved child seat. The seat

must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS-213) orCanadian 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, be sure to follow the
instructions for securing a child seat
with a lap/shoulder belt 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 20 Ibs (9 kg)
An infant up to about 20 Ibs (9 kg) 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 infantseat always faces the REAR of the
car as shown.
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Child Safety

We recommend that you place your child's infant seat in the second seat
and secure it with the vehicle's lap/shoulder belt or lap belt (seven-
passenger model). If you use the
lap/shoulder belt, be sure to follow the instructions for securing a childseat with a lap/shoulder belt on page
25 .

We strongly recommend that you do not put an infant seat in the front
passenger's seat. If the airbag inflates, it can hit the infant seat with
great force. The infant seat can be dislodged or struck with enough
force to cause very serious injury to
the infant. Restraining a Child Who Weighs
Between 20 and 40 Ibs
(9 and 18 kg)

Toddler seats are designed for
children who weigh between 20 and

40 Ibs (9 and 18 kg). We recommend that you place your
child's toddler seat in the secondseat and secure it with the vehicle's
lap/shoulder belt or lap belt (seven-
passenger model). If you use the
lap/shoulder belt, be sure to follow the instructions for securing a childseat with a lap/shoulder belt on page
25.

CONTINUED

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