1998 HONDA ODYSSEY steering wheel

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 is on. If you do not turn it off, thedefogger 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 vehicle. 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
See page 16 for important safety
information about how to properly
position the steering wheel
Make any steering wheel
adjustments before you start driving.

Instruments and Controls
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured in a crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Controls Near the Steering Wheel
To adjust the steering wheel upward or downward:
1. Push the lever under the steering column all the way down.
2. Move the steering wheel to the desired position, making sure the
wheel points toward your chest, not toward your face. Make sure
you can see the instrument panel gauges and the indicator lights. 3. Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in that position.
4. Make sure you have securely locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.

Instruments and ControlsProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Steering Wheel Controls

Cruise Control
Cruise control allows you to maintain
a set speed above 25 mph (40 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator pedal. It should be used
for cruising on straight, open
highways. It is not recommended for conditions such as city driving,
winding roads, slippery roads, heavy rain, or bad weather. You should
have full control of the vehicle under
those conditions. Using the Cruise Control
1. Push in the Cruise Control Master Switch to the left of the steering
column. The indicator in theswitch will light.
2. Accelerate to the desired cruising speed above 25 mph (40 km/h).
Instruments and Controls Improper use of the cruise
control can lead to a crash.
Use the cruise control only
when traveling on open highways in good weather. CRUISE CONTROL MASTER SWITCHProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Steering Wheel Controls

3. Press and hold the SET/decel button on the steering wheel until
the CRUISE CONTROL light on
the instrument panel comes on.
This shows the system is now
activated.

The cruise control may not hold the set speed when you are going
up or down hills. Changing the Set Speed
You can increase the set cruising speed in either of two ways:
Press and hold the RESUME/
accel button. The vehicle willaccelerate slowly. When you reach
the desired cruising speed, release
the button.
Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-
celerate to the desired cruisingspeed and press the SET/decel
button. You can decrease the set cruising
speed in either of two ways: Press and hold the SET/decel
button. The vehicle will decelerate. Release the button when you
reach the desired speed. Tap the brake pedal lightly with
your foot. The CRUISE CONTROL light on the instru-
ment panel will go out. When the
vehicle slows to the desired speed, press the SET/decel button. The
vehicle will then maintain the desired speed.
CONTINUED
Instruments and Controls
RESUME/

accel

SET/decelProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Steering Wheel Controls

Even with the cruise control turned
on, you can still use the accelerator

pedal to speed up for passing. After

completing the pass, take your foot
off the accelerator pedal. The vehicle

will return to the set cruising speed.

Resting your foot on the brake pedal
will cause the cruise control to
cancel.
Cancelling the Cruise Control
You can cancel the cruise control in any of these ways: Tap the brake pedal.
Press the SET/decel and RE-
SUME/accel buttons at the same

time.

Press the Cruise Control Master

Switch.

When you tap the brake or clutch
pedal, or press the SET and RE- SUME buttons at the same time, the
CRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel will go out and the
vehicle will begin to slow down. You can use the accelerator pedal in the
normal way.
If you use the brake pedal to cancel
cruise control, the system
remembers the previously-set
cruising speed. To return to thatspeed, accelerate to above 25 mph (40 km/h) and press the RESUME/
accel button until the CRUISE CON-
TROL light comes on. The vehicle will accelerate to the same cruisingspeed as before.
If you cancel cruise control by
pressing the SET and RESUME
buttons at the same time, the
previously-set cruising speed is erased. To use the cruise control,accelerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the SET/decel

button.

Pressing the Cruise Control Master
Switch turns the system completelyoff and erases the previous cruising
speed from memory. To use the
system again, refer to Using the
Cruise Control

Instruments and ControlsProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Keys and Locks

Ignition Switch
The ignition switch is on the right side of the steering column. It has
four positions: LOCK (0)
ACCESSORY (I) ON (II) START (III) LOCK (0) — You can insert or
remove the key only in this position.
To switch from ACCESSORY to LOCK, you must push the key in
slightly as you turn it. The shift lever
must also be in Park. The anti-theft
lock will lock the steering column
when you remove the key. If the front wheels are turned, the
anti-theft lock may sometimes make
it difficult to turn the key from
LOCK to ACCESSORY. Firmly turn
the steering wheel to the left or to
the right as you turn the key.

CONTINUED

Instruments and Controls
Removing the key from the

ignition switch while driving

locks the steering. This can
cause you to lose control.
Remove the key from the
ignition switch only when

parked.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Accessories and Modifications

Modifications
Do not remove any original
equipment or modify your vehicle in
any way that would alter its design or
operation. This could make your
vehicle unsafe and illegal to drive.
For example, do not make any
modifications that would change the
ride height of your vehicle, or install
wheels and tires with a different overall diameter.
Such modifications can adversely
affect handling, and interfere with
the operation of the vehicle's anti-
lock brakes and other systems. In addition, any modifications that
decrease ground clearance increase
the chance of undercarriage parts striking a curb, speed bump, or other
raised object, which could cause
your airbags to deploy.
Do not modify your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System. Modifications could make the
system ineffective. Additional Safety Precaution
Do not attach or place objects on theairbag covers. Any object attached to
or placed on the covers marked "SRS,"
in the center of the steering wheel and on top of the dashboard, could
interfere with the proper operation of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inflate, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and hurt
someone.

Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

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).

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t