1997 HONDA ODYSSEY coolant temperature

Gauges

Temperature Gauge
This shows the temperature of the engine's coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise
from the bottom white mark to about the middle white mark. In severedriving conditions, such as very hot
weather or a long period of uphill driving, the pointer may rise to the
upper white mark. If it reaches the
red (Hot) mark, pull safely to the side of the road. Turn to page 204 for
instructions and precautions on checking the engine's cooling

system.

Fuel Gauge
This shows how much fuel you have. It is most accurate when the car is on
level ground. It may show slightly
more or less than the actual amount
when you are driving on curvy or hilly roads. The gauge stays at the same fuel
level reading after you turn off the
ignition. When you add fuel, the
gauge slowly changes to the new
reading after you turn the ignition
back ON (II).
Maintenance Required Indicator
This indicator reminds you that it is
nearing 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
since the last scheduled maintenance.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules
for Normal and Severe Driving Conditions on pages 142 —143.
When the distance driven since the last scheduled maintenance nears
7,500 miles (12,000 km), the

indicator will turn yellow. If you

exceed 7,500 miles (12,000 km), the

indicator will turn red.
SLOT

Your dealer will reset the indicator when he performs the scheduled maintenance. If someone else
performs the maintenance, reset the indicator by inserting your key in theslot beside the indicator.
Instruments and Controls INDICATORProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

Vent Controls
You can adjust the direction of the
air coming from the dashboard vents

by moving the tab in the center of

each vent up-and-down and side-to-
side.
The vents in the corners of the
dashboard can be opened and closed
with the dials next to them. How to Use the System
This section covers how to set up the system controls for ventilation,
heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and defrosting.
The engine must be running for the heater and air conditioning to
generate hot and cold air. The heater
uses engine coolant to warm the air. If the engine is cold, it will be several
minutes before you feel warm air
coming from the system.
The air conditioning does not rely on engine temperature.
Comfort and Convenience Features
CENTER VENT
CORNER VENTProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

To Cool with A/C
1. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. The light in the button
should come on.

2. Make sure the temperature control lever is all the way to the

left.
3. Select and
4. Set the fan to the desired speed.
If the interior is very warm from
being parked in the sun, you can cool
it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way: 1. Start the engine.
2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. Make sure the tempera-
ture control lever is all the way to
the left.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select
and
When the interior has cooled down

to a more comfortable temperature,
close the windows and set the

controls as described for normal

cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 38) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turn
off the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS
RECIRCULATION
BUTTONFRESH AIR BUTTON
AIR CONDITIONINGBUTTON
FAN CONTROL

LEVER

TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVERProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

These settings direct all the air flow to the defroster vents at the base of
the windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the corner vents with the dial
beside each vent. This will send
more warm air to the windshield defroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a
clear view through all the windows
before driving away.

To Turn Everything Off
To shut off the system temporarily, slide the fan speed and temperature
control levers all the way to the left. You should shut the system com-
pletely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,
until the engine coolant warms up
enough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale air does not build up in the interior.
Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUTTONS

RECIRCULATIOIM BUTTON

FRESH AIR
BUTTON
AIR CONDITIONINGSWITCH

FAN CONTROL
LEVER
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVERProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

Replacing Engine Coolant
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the time and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use Genuine Honda antifreeze/coolant.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge, you should have this maintenance done by a skilled mechanic.
1. Slide the heater temperaturecontrol lever to maximum heat.Open the hood. Make sure the
engine and radiator are cool to the
touch.
2. Remove the radiator cap.
3. Loosen the drain plug on the

bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the
splash guard. Remove the drain

bolt and washer from the engine

block.

Maintenance DRAIN BOLT
DRAIN PLUGProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Overheats
The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a long steep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should

determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine. Your car can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a

mechanical problem. The only

indication may be the temperature

gauge climbing to or above the red mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming from under the hood.

In either case, you should take

immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can

seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the

hood.

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Towing on
page 215).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page113). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off.
10.Start the engine and set the
temperature control lever tomaximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water. Remember to have the coolingsystem drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you

can.

11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Towing on
page 215.)
12.If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can cause the coolant to spray out,seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Index

Break-in, New Car......................... 108
Brightness Control, Instruments... 41
Brights, Headlights......................... 40
Bulb Replacement Back-up Lights........................... 181
Brake Lights............................... 181
Ceiling Light............................... 183
Front Parking Lights................. 180
Front Side Marker Lights......... 180
Headlights.................................. 179
License Plate Lights.................. 182
Specifications............................. 221
Turn Signal Lights..................... 180
Bulbs, Halogen............................... 179

Cables, Jump Starting With.......... 203

Capacities Chart............................. 220

Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 29

Cargo, Loading............................... 116

Cassette Player
Care............................................. 101

Operation................................ 87, 99
CAUTION, Explanation of............... ii
CD Player ................................. 90, 102 Center Pocket.................................. 68
Certification Label......................... 218
Chains............................................. 176
Change Oil

How to......................................... 150

When to....................................... 142

Changing a Flat Tire..................... 195
Changing Engine Coolant............. 154
Charging System Indicator.... 34, 207
Checking Automatic Transmission

Fluid........................................ 157

Battery Condition...................... 164
Brake Fluid................................. 158
Drive Belts.................................. 170
Engine Coolant........................... 113

Engine Oil................................... 112

Fuses........................................... 211
Power Steering Fluid................. 159
Checklist, Before Driving............. 118
Child Safety...................................... 20
Childproof Door Locks................... 52
Cigarette Lighter............................. 69
Cleaner, Air.................................... 160

Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels..................... 187 Carpeting.................................... 188

Exterior....................................... 186

Fabric.......................................... 188

Interior........................................ 188

Seat Belts.................................... 189
Vinyl............................................ 188

Window....................................... 189

CLEAN Light................................. 101

Clock, Setting the ............................ 66

CO in the Exhaust......................... 225

Cold Weather, Starting in............. 119
Compact Spare............................... 194
Consumer Information*................ 230
Controls, Instruments and.............. 33

Coolant
Adding.........................................152

Checking..................................... 113
Proper Solution.......................... 152
Temperature Gauge.................... 38
Corrosion Protection..................... 190

Crankcase Emission Control
System......................................... 225
Cruise Control Operation............... 46
Customer Relations Office........... 231ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t