1997 HONDA ODYSSEY lights

Interior Lights
Tailgate Light
The tailgate light has a two position switch. In the OFF (down) position,
the light does not come on. In the ON (up) position, the light comes on
when you open the tailgate. Courtesy Lights
Each door has a courtesy light. This
light comes on when you open the
door.

Your car also has a courtesy light in the ignition switch. This light comes
on when you open the driver's door.
It remains on for several seconds
after the door is closed.

Instruments and ControlsProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

Proper use of the Heating and
Cooling system can make the

interior dry and comfortable, and

keep the windows clear for best

visibility.

What Each Control Does Fan Control Lever
Sliding this lever to the right
increases the fan's speed, which
increases air flow.
Temperature Control Lever
Sliding this lever to the right
increases the temperature of the air

flow.

Air Conditioning (A/C) Button This button turns the air condi- tioning ON and OFF. The indicator
in the button lights when the A/C is
on.
Fresh Air and Recirculation
Buttons
These two buttons control the source of air going into the system. In Fresh Air mode air
comes from outside the car. In
Recirculation mode the
interior air recycles through the

system.

Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS
RECIRCULATION
BUTTONFRESH AIR BUTTON
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER FAN CONTROL

LEVER
AIR CONDITIONING
BUTTONProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Audio System

Adjusting the Sound
Balance/Fader — These twocontrols adjust the strength of the
sound coming from each speaker.
The Balance control adjusts the side- to-side strength, while the Fadercontrol adjusts the front-to-back

strength.

To use these controls, push on the knob to get them to pop out. Adjust
the Fader to your liking by turning
the outside ring. Adjust the Balance
by turning the knob. Push thecontrols back in when you are done.
Treble/Bass — Use these controls to adjust the tone to your liking.Push on the controls to get them to
pop out. Adjust the Bass by turning
the outer ring. Adjust the Treble by
turning the knob. Push the controls
back in when you are finished so you
cannot change the settings by
accidentally bumping them.
Audio System Lighting

You can use the Balance control knob to turn off the illumination of
the audio system. Push the Balance/Fader controls so they pop out, then
pull the Balance control knob out slightly farther.
Check the Balance control knob if
the audio system does not illuminate
with the instrument panel lights. Radio Frequencies and Reception

For information, See page 97 .

Comfort and Convenience Features
BASS

CONTROL TREBLE
CONTROL
FADER

CONTROL
BALANCE

CONTROLProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Preparing to Drive

You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,or ice.
2. Check that the hood and tailgate are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down securely. 5. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page 54).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 64).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 44).
8. Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.

9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastenedtheir seat belts (see page 7). 10.Turn the ignition ON (II). Check
the indicator lights in the instru-
ment panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 119).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (seepage 33).

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Parking

Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. The indicator on the instrument panel shows that
the parking brake is not fully released; it does not indicate that the
parking brake is firmly set. Make sure the parking brake is set firmly
or your vehicle may roll if it is
parked on an incline.
Set the parking brake before you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the vehicle from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanism
in the transmission — making it easier to move the shift lever out of
Park when you want to drive away. If the vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the curb.
If the vehicle is facing downhill, turn
the front wheels toward the curb.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage the rear brakes, and will cause the
ABS indicator to light. Parking Tips
Make sure the sunroof and the
windows are closed.
Turn off the lights. Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the cargo area or take them
with you.
Lock the doors with the key or the
remote transmitter.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on

fire.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

The Braking System

Your Honda is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. Thebraking system is power-assisted to
reduce the effort needed on the
brake pedal.
Put your foot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your foot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, confusing drivers behind

you.

Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds up heat and reduces their effective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshifting to a lower
gear and taking your foot off the accelerator pedal. Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they feel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious and alert in your driving.

Brake Wear Indicators

All four brakes have audible brake wear indicators.
When the brake pads need replacing, you will hear a distinctive metallic "screeching" sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not confuse this with the
brake wear indicators. They make a
very audible "screeching". Brake System Design
The hydraulic system that operates the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the car (the left-front brake is connected with the right-rear brake,etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking at two wheels.

Driving

Front

CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Driving in Bad Weather

Visibility — Being able to see clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To be seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defrosters and air conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see
page 79).
Traction — Check your tires
frequently for wear and properpressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four wheels for the best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully, they can change from moment tomoment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the drive wheels for a moment and cause
a skid. Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by, other vehicles. The spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Towing a Trailer

Your car has a trailer lighting connector. To use the connector,
remove the left rear light cover.
Refer to the drawing above for the
wiring color code and purpose of
each connector pin.
Since the lighting and wiring can be
different for various brands of
trailers, have a technician who is
familiar with your trailer modify its lighting plug. A converter may be
required between the car and trailer
for the lights to work correctly. Before Starting Out
As you are preparing to tow your trailer, do the following:
Measure the trailer's tongue load.
You can do this with a bathroom
scale.

Verify that the hitch and safety chain are securely fastened.Check the condition and air
pressure of all tires on the trailer and your car. Low tire pressure
can seriously affect the handling.
Also check the spare tire.
With everything loaded and the trailer connected, check that the
rear of the car is not sagging. If so, redistribute the load in the car.Check that all lights on the car and
trailer are working properly.
Driving

GROUND
(BLACK)
BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK)
LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL

(GREEN/YELLOW)
BRAKE LIGHT

(GREEN/WHITE)
TAILLIGHT
(RED/BLACK)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t