1998 HONDA ODYSSEY Owners Manual

Carrying Cargo

Load Limit

The maximum load for your vehicle is
1,150
lbs
(535 kg).
This figure includes the total weight of all occupants, cargo, accessories,

and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer.
To figure out how much cargo you can carry:
Add up the weight of all occupants. If you are towing a trailer, add the
tongue weight to the number

above.

Subtract the total from 1,150 Ibs
(535
kg).

The final number is the total weight
of cargo you can carry.
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurtsomeone during a crash. Be sure items placed on the floor
behind the front seats cannot roll under the seats and interfere with
the driver's ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper operation of the seats. Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If the lid is open, a
passenger could injure their knees during a crash or sudden stop.
Before Driving
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this

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Carrying Cargo

Carrying Cargo in the Cargo Area
or on a Roof Rack Distribute cargo evenly on the
floor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop. If you carry large items that
prevent you from closing the
tailgate, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning, follow the instructionson page 47. If you can carry any items on a
roof rack, be sure the total weight
of the rack and the items does not
exceed the maximum allowable
weight. Please contact your Honda
dealer.

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Driving

This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important information on
parking your vehicle and the braking system, and facts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer. Preparing to Drive......................... 140
Starting the Engine........................ 141
Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 141
Automatic Transmission............... 142 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 142
Shift Lever Positions................. 142
Maximum Allowable Speeds.... 145
Shift Lock Release..................... 145
Parking............................................ 146
The Braking System...................... 147 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 147
Brake System Design................ 147
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 148 Important SafetyReminders.......................... 149
ABS Indicator......................... 149
Driving in Bad Weather................ 150
Towing a Trailer............................ 152

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Preparing to Drive

You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your vehicle.
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 74).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (seepage 84).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 63).
8. Make sure the doors and tailgate are securely closed and locked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastenedtheir seat belts (see page 13). 10. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 141).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (see
page 51).

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Starting the Engine

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off all electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
3. Make sure the shift lever is in Park. Press on the brake pedal.
4. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to theSTART (III) position. If the enginedoes not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) for
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause for at least 10 seconds
before trying again.
5. If the engine does not start within 15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal so the engine does not race. 6. If the engine still does not start,
press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while starting in order to clear flooding.
As before, keep the ignition key in the START (III) position for no
more than 15 seconds. Return tostep 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal so the engine
does not race.

Starting in Cold Weather at High
Altitude (Above 8,000 feet/ 2,400 meters)

An engine is harder to start in cold weather. The thinner air found at
high altitude above 8,000 feet (2,400meters) adds to the problem.
Use the following procedure:
1. Turn off all electrical accessories to reduce the drain on the battery. 2. Push the accelerator pedal half-
way to the floor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do nothold the ignition key in START (III) for more than 15 seconds.
When the engine starts, release the accelerator pedal gradually as
the engine speeds up and smooths out.
3. If the engine fails to start in step 2, push the accelerator pedal to the
floor and hold it there while you
try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the enginedoes not start, return to step 2.
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Automatic Transmission

Your Honda's transmission has four forward speeds, and is electronicallycontrolled 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 position the shift
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 Hondadealer 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 foot
off the accelerator pedal.

Driving
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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.
CONTINUED
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Automatic Transmission

Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if you
need 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 vehicle
for any reason. Press on the brake pe- dal 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 theengine 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. 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.

Driving
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