1997 HONDA ODYSSEY stop start

Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger will clear fog, frost, and thin ice from the
window. Push the defogger button to turn it on and off. The light in the
button lights to show the defogger ison. If you do not turn it off, the
defogger will shut itself off after
about 25 minutes. It also shuts off
when you turn off the ignition. You have to turn it on again when you
restart the car. Make sure the rear window is clear
and you have good visibility before
starting to drive.
The defogger wires on the inside of the rear window can be accidentallydamaged. When cleaning the glass,
always wipe side to side. Steering Wheel Adjustment
You can adjust the steering wheel height to suit your preference. Do
this before you begin driving.
Instruments and Controls Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
car and be seriously injured in a
crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the car is stopped.ProCarManuals.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

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Audio System

You can use any of three methods to find radio stations on the selected
band: TUNE, SEEK, or the Preset

buttons.

TUNE — Use the TUNE/SEEK buttons to tune the radio to a desired frequency. Press ( ) to change
to a higher frequency, and press ( ) to tune to a lower frequency.
The frequency numbers will start to change rapidly. Release the switch
when the display reaches the desired
frequency. To change the frequency in small increments, press and
release the appropriate TUNE/SEEK button. SEEK — The SEEK function
searches the band for a station with
a strong signal. To activate it, push
the TUNE/SEEK button until you
hear a beep, then release it. Depending on which TUNE/SEEK
button you pushed, the system scans upward or downward from the
current frequency. It stops when it
finds a station with a strong signal.
Preset — You can store the fre-
quencies of your favorite radiostations in the six preset buttons.
Each button will store one frequency on the AM band, and two on the FM

band.
To store a frequency:
1. Select the desired band, AM or FM. FM1 and FM2 let you store
two frequencies with each Preset

button.

2. Use the TUNE or SEEK function to tune the radio to a desired
station.

3. Pick the Preset button you want for that station. Press the buttonand hold it until you hear a beep.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 to store a total of six stations on AM and twelve
on FM.
Once a station's frequency is stored,
simply press and release the proper
Preset button to tune to it.
The preset frequencies will be lost if your vehicle's battery goes dead, is
disconnected or the radio fuse is

removed.

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Audio System

Operating the Radio

The ignition switch must be in
ACCESSORY (I) or ON (II). Turn the system on by pushing the PWR/
VOL knob.
Adjust the volume by turning the PWR/VOL knob.
The band and frequency that the radio was last tuned to is displayed.
To change bands, press the AM/FM 1-2 button. On the FM band, ST will
be displayed if the station is broad- casting in stereo. Stereo reproduc-
tion on AM is not available.
You can use any of three methods to find radio stations on the selectedband: TUNE, SEEK, or the Preset
buttons. TUNE — Use the TUNE/SEEK
switch to tune the radio to a desired
frequency. Push the switch up to
tune to a higher frequency, and push
the switch down to tune to a lower
frequency. The frequency numbers
will start to change rapidly. Release
the switch when the display reaches
the desired frequency. To change
the frequency in small increments, push and release the TUNE/SEEKswitch quickly. SEEK — The SEEK function
searches the band for a station with
a strong signal. To activate it, push
the TUNE/SEEK switch until you
hear a beep, then release it. Depending on which way you pushed
the switch, the system scans upward
or downward from the current
frequency. It stops when it finds a station with a strong signal.
Preset — You can store the fre- quencies of your favorite radio
stations in the six preset buttons.
Each button will store one frequency
on the AM band, and two on the FM

band.

CONTINUED

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Automatic Transmission

Your Honda's transmission has fourforward speeds, and is electronically controlled for smoother shifting. It
also has a "lock-up" torque converter
for better fuel economy. You may
feel what seems like another shift
when the converter locks. Shift Lever Position Indicator
This indicator on the instrument panel shows which shift position theshift lever is in.
The "D4" indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn theignition switch ON (II). If it flashes
while driving (in any shift position), it indicates a possible problem in the
transmission. Avoid rapid acceler- ation and have the transmission
checked by an authorized Honda
dealer as soon as possible. Shift Lever Positions
The shift lever has seven positions. It must be in Park or Neutral to start
the engine. When you are stopped in D4, D3, 2,1, N or R, press firmly on
the brake pedal, and keep your footoff the accelerator pedal.
Driving
SHIFT LEVERProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Automatic Transmission

Park (P) — This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or
starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the
accelerator pedal. Pull the shift lever
towards you, then move it out of
Park.

If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see Shift Lock Release on page
123.

You must also pull the shift lever towards you to shift into Park. Toavoid transmission damage, come to
a complete stop before shifting into
Park. The shift lever must be in Park
before you can remove the key from
the ignition switch. Reverse (R) — To shift to Reverse
from Park, see the explanation under
Park. To shift to Reverse from
Neutral, come to a complete stop and
then shift. Pull the shift lever
towards you before shifting into
Reverse from Neutral.

Driving
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Automatic Transmission

Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if youneed to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for
any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shift lever
from Neutral to another gear.
Drive (D4) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmis- sion automatically selects a suitable
gear for your speed and acceleration.
You may notice the transmission shifting up at higher speeds when
the engine is cold. This helps the
engine warm up faster.
Drive (D3) — This position is similar
to D4, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D3 when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going down a steep hill. D3 can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in stop-and-go driving.
For faster acceleration when in D3 or
D4, you can get the transmission to
automatically downshift by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shift down one or two gears, depending on your

speed.

Second (2) — To shift to Second,
pull the shift lever towards you, then shift to the lower gear. This position
locks the transmission in second
gear. It does not downshift to first gear when you come to a stop.Second gives you more power when
climbing, and increased engine
braking when going down steep hills.
Use second gear when starting out
on a slippery surface or in deep snow.
It will help reduce wheelspin.
Whenever you move the shift lever to a lower gear, the transmissiondownshifts only if the engine's redline will not be exceeded in the
lower gear.
First (1) — To shift from Second to
First, pull the shift lever towards you,
then shift to the lower gear. With the lever in this position, the transmis-sion locks in First gear. By upshift-
ing and downshifting through 1, 2,
D3 and D4, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

The Braking System

Important Safety Reminders

ABS does not reduce the time or distance it takes to stop the car, it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a safe following distance
from other vehicles.
ABS will not prevent a skid that results from changing direction
abruptly, such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed for the road and
weather conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of stability. Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your vehicle to veer
into oncoming traffic or off the road. A vehicle with ABS may require a
longer distance to stop on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel orsnow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
ABS Indicator

The ABS is self-checking. You may
feel a slight movement of the brakepedal just after you start the engine.
This is the ABS performing a check. It also checks itself whenever you
use the brakes.
Driving

ABS INDICATOR*

* U.S. indicator shown

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