1998 HONDA ODYSSEY service

1998 Odyssey Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.

Contents

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................... i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
....................................... ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
.................................... 3
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ 49
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
...................... 93
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................127
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
......................................................................139
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................159
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .213
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................221
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................245
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................259
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................265
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
.............................................................................. I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

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Driver and Passenger Safety

This section gives you important information about how to protect

yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts

properly. It explains your Supple-

mental Restraint System. And it tells

you how to properly restrain infants
and children in your vehicle.

Important Safety Precautions .......... 4

Your Vehicle's Safety Features........ 5
Seat Belts........................................ 6
Airbags............................................ 7

Seats & Seat-Backs........................ 8
Head Restraints............................. 8
Door Locks..................................... 9
Pre-Drive Safety Checklist........... 9
Protecting Adults............................. 10 1. Close and Lock the Doors...... 10
2. Adjust the Front Seats............ 10
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs............. 11
4. Adjust the Head Restraints.... 12
5. Fasten and Position the Seat
Belts...................................... 13

6. Adjust the Steering Wheel..... 16

7. Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position................................. 16
Advice for Pregnant Women...... 17
Additional Safety Precautions.... 17
Protecting Children......................... 19
All Children Must Be Restrained................................ 19
Children Should Sit in the Back
Seat............................................ 20

The Passenger's Airbag Poses Serious Risks to Children....... 20
If You Must Drive with Several Children.................................... 21 If a Child Requires Close

Attention................................... 22

Additional Safety Precautions.... 22
General Guidelines for Using
Child Seats................................ 23

Protecting Infants........................ 27
Protecting Small Children.......... 31
Protecting Larger Children........ 35 Using Child Seats with Tethers...................................... 38
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts.................................. 41
Seat Belt System Components... 41
Lap/Shoulder Belt....................... 41
Lap Belt......................................... 42
Seat Belt Maintenance................ 42
Additional Information About Your

SRS........................................... 44

SRS Components......................... 44

How Your Airbags Work............ 44
How Your SRS Indicator Light

Works........................................ 45

SRS Service................................... 46

Additional Safety Precautions.... 46

Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 47

Safety Labels.................................... 48

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Additional Information About Your SRS
If the light comes on or flashes on
and off while you drive.
If you see any of these indications,
your airbags may not deploy when
you need them. See your Honda dealer as soon as possible. SRS Service
Your Supplemental Restraint System is virtually maintenance-free, and
there are no parts you can safely service. However, you must have
your vehicle serviced if:
Your airbags ever inflate. The

airbags and the control unit must
be replaced. Do not try to remove or replace the airbags yourself.
This must be done by a Honda dealer or a knowledgeable body

shop.
The SRS indicator light alerts you

to a problem. Take your vehicle to
an authorized Honda dealer as
soon as possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inflate when you need them. Additional Safety Precautions Do not attempt to deactivate your
airbags. Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection in a severe frontal collision. Do not tamper with SRS
components or wiring for any
reason. Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly causing very serious injury.
See page 115 for further information
and precautions relating to your SRS.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Ignoring the SRS indicator light
can result in serious injury or
death if the airbags do not inflate when needed.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS light alerts you to a potential problem.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Before Driving
Before you begin driving your Honda,
you should know what gasoline to use, and how to check the levels of
important fluids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggageor packages. The information in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the information in this section first. Break-in Period.............................. 128
Gasoline.......................................... 128
Service Station Procedures .......... 129 Filling the Fuel Tank................. 129
Opening the Hood..................... 130 Oil Check................................ 131
Engine Coolant Check.......... 132
Fuel Economy................................ 133 Vehicle Condition...................... 133
Driving Habits............................ 133
Accessories and Modifications.... 134 Carrying Cargo.............................. 136
Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Break-in Period, Gasoline

Break-in Period

Help assure your vehicle's future
reliability and performance by paying extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:
Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoid hard braking. New brakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use for the first 200 miles (300
km).
You should follow these same re- commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined.
Gasoline

Your Honda is designed to operate on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise in the engine that can lead to
mechanical damage.
We recommend gasolines containing detergent additives that help prevent
fuel system and engine deposits.
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your vehicle's emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution. In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emission control system performance may deteriorate and
the Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on. If this happens, contact your
authorized Honda dealer for service.
Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Service Station Procedures

Filling the Fuel Tank

1. Because the fuel fill cap is on the driver's side of the vehicle, park
with that side closest to the service station pumps.
2. Open the fuel fill door by pulling on the handle to the left of thedriver's seat.
FUEL FILL CAP
3. Remove the fuel fill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel pump automatically clicks off. Do
not try to "top off" the tank, leavesome room for the fuel to expand
with temperature changes.
5. Screw the fuel fill cap back on, tighten it until it clicks. If you do
not properly tighten the cap, the
Malfunction Indicator Lamp may

come on (see page 236).
6. Push the fuel fill door closed until it latches.

Before Driving

Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine and keep

heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
PullProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Service Station Procedures

Opening the Hood
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
1. Shift to Park or Neutral and set the parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower left corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly. 2. Standing in front of the vehicle,
put your fingers under the frontedge of the hood to the right of
center. Slide your hand to the left
until you feel the hood latch
handle. Push this handle up until it
releases the hood. Lift the hood. 3. Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert the end into the hole on
the left side of the hood.
To close the hood, lift it up slightly to remove the support rod from the
hole. Put the support rod back intoits holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a foot (30 cm) above the
fender, then let it drop. After closing the hood, make sure it is securely
latched.
Before Driving
LATCH

SUPPORT RODProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Service Station Procedures

Check the engine oil level every time you fill the vehicle with fuel. Wait a
few minutes after turning the engineoff before you check the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel. 3. Insert it all the way back in its tube.

CONTINUED

Before Driving

Oil Check

DIPSTICKProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t