1999 HONDA ODYSSEY hood open

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 thissection will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the information in this section first. Break-in Period.............................. 182
Gasoline.......................................... 182
Service Station Procedures .......... 183 Filling the Fuel Tank................. 183Opening the Hood..................... 184 Oil Check................................ 186
Engine Coolant Check.......... 187
Fuel Economy................................ 188
Vehicle Condition...................... 188Driving Habits............................ 188
Accessories and Modifications.... 189 Carrying Cargo.............................. 191

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Service Station Procedures

3. Remove the fuel fill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound aspressure 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. Donot 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 at least
three times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the MalfunctionIndicator Lamp may come on (see
page 303 ).
6. Push the fuel fill door closed until it latches.
Opening the Hood

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 front
edge of the hood. The hood latch
handle is above the "H" logo. Pullup on this handle until it releases
the hood. Lift the hood.
Before Driving
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE

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Service Station Procedures

If you can open the hood without
lifting the hood latch handle, or the
hood latch handle moves stiffly or does not spring back as before, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated (see page 248 ).
3. Pull the support rod out of its clipand insert the end into the hole on
the driver's 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 into its 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.

CONTINUED

Before Driving

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Engine Oil

Additives Your Honda does not need any oil
additives. Purchasing additives for

the engine or transmission will not
increase your vehicle's performance
or longevity. It only increases the
cost of operating your vehicle. Changing the Oil and Filter
Always change the oil and filter according to the time and distance (miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and filter collect contami- nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly.
Changing the oil and filter requiresspecial tools and access from
underneath the vehicle. The vehicle should be raised on a service station-
type hydraulic lift for this service. Unless you have the knowledge and
proper equipment, you should have
this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.
1. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature,
then shut it off. WASHER
2. Open the hood and remove the engine oil fill cap. Remove the oildrain bolt and washer from the
bottom of the engine. Drain the oil into an appropriate container.

CONTINUED

Maintenance
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Cooling System

Replacing Engine Coolant
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the timeand distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use Genuine Honda Antifreeze/Coolant.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the vehicle. Unless you have the tools and
knowledge, you should have this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.
1. Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn
the heater temperature controldial fully clockwise. Turn the
ignition off.
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. Thecoolant will drain through thesplash guard. Loosen the drain
bolt.
CONTINUED
Maintenance
DRAIN BOLT
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Lights

Headlight Aiming
The headlights were properly aimed when your vehicle was new. If youregularly carry heavy items in thecargo area or pull a trailer,

readjustment may be required.

Adjustment of the headlights should be performed by a Honda technicianor other qualified mechanic. Replacing a Headlight Bulb
Your vehicle has halogen headlight bulbs, one on each side. When
replacing a bulb, handle it by its steel
base and protect the glass fromcontact with your skin or hard
objects. If you touch the glass, clean
it with denatured alcohol and a clean cloth.
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to

overheat and shatter.

1. Open the hood. If you need to change the head-
light bulb on the driver's side, remove the air intake cover (see
page 246). HOLD-DOWN WIRE

WEATHER

SEAL

BULB
CONNECTOR
2. Remove the electrical connector from the bulb by pulling theconnector straight back.
3. Remove the rubber weather seal by pulling on the tab.
4. Unclip the end of the hold-down wire from its slot. Pivot it out ofthe way and remove the bulb.
Maintenance
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If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting
Your vehicle has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 77).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you were
not reminded to fill the tank. There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 305).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency
Towing on page 311. Jump Starting
If your vehicle's battery has run
down, you may be able to start the
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple procedure, you should take several

precautions.

You cannot start a Honda by pushing or pulling it. To jump start your vehicle, follow
these directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 251). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushyor like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.

If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.

Attempting to jump start with a frozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.

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Taking Care of the Unexpected

A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
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If Your Engine Overheats

The pointer of your vehicle's
temperature gauge should stay in

the midrange 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 vehicle 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/ climate control system and all
other accessories. Turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coining 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.

CONTINUED

Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can
seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

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