1999 HONDA ODYSSEY stop start

Traction Control System

TRACTION CONTROLSYSTEM INDICATOR
Driving with TCS requires no special skills or technique. The TCS does
not control your vehicle's whole
braking system and cannot prevent skidding if you enter a corner too
fast. It is still your responsibility to drive at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety. When starting out or driving at low
speeds on a loose or slippery roadsurface, you may notice that the
vehicle does not respond to the accelerator in the same way it does
at other times. This is a sign the TCS
is activating. You will see the TCS
indicator light flash.
You should still install winter tires on
your vehicle during the winter. Make sure to use the same size originally
supplied with vehicle. Exercise the
same caution in winter driving as you
would if your vehicle was not equipped with TCS.
Driving with the compact spare tire installed (see page 286) mayactivate the TCS. You should turn off
the system. If the brakes overheat while the TCS
is activating, the TCS indicator will
stop flashing and stay on temporarily.
This indicates that the TCS system has turned off. After the brakes havecooled down (usually about 10
minutes), the TCS will turn back on
and the indicator will turn off.

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Cooling System

9. Pour coolant into the radiator up to the base of the filler neck. 10.Fill the reserve tank to the MAX
mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
11.Install the radiator cap, and tighten it to the first stop.
12.Start the engine and let it run until the radiator cooling fan comes onat least twice. Then stop the

engine.

13. Remove the radiator cap. Fill the radiator with coolant up to the
base of the filler neck.
14. Install the radiator cap, and tighten it fully.
Maintenance

FILLER NECK

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If Your Engine Overheats

4. If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the

hood.

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 311).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page187). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes off. 10.Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial tomaximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the filler neck. If you do not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and refilled with the proper mixture assoon as you can.
11.Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engineneeds repair. (See Emergency
Towing on page 311.)
12.If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
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Low Oil Pressure Indicator

This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it indicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safely get
the vehicle stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the vehicle sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil
level (see page 186). Although oil
level and oil pressure are not directly connected, an engine that
is very low on oil can lose pressureduring cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 233). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving. (See Emergency
Towing on page 311.)

Taking Care of the Unexpected

LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

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Charging System Indicator

This indicator should come on when the ignition switch is ON (II), and goout after the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped
charging the battery. Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C,
climate control, rear defogger, cruise
control, etc. Try not to use other electrically-operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine running and take extra care not tostall it. Starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly. By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

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Brake System Indicator

BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR*

The Brake System Indicator light comes on when you turn the ignitionON (II). If the parking brake is not
set, it goes off after you start the
engine. If the parking brake is set, it
goes off when you fully release the
parking brake with the engine
running.
If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the vehicle's
brake system. In most cases, the
problem is a low fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it feels
normal. If it does, check the brake
fluid level the next time you stop at a service station (see page 244 ). If the
fluid level is low, take the vehicle to
your dealer and have the brake system inspected for leaks or worn
brake pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
feel normal, you should take immediate action. Because of the
brake system's dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will feel the brake pedal go down much farther before the
vehicle begins to slow down, and you
will have to press harder on the pedal. The distance needed to stop
will be much longer. Slow down by shifting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is safe. Because of the
longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You should have it towed, and repaired assoon as possible. (See Emergency
Towing on page 311 .)
If you must drive the vehicle a shortdistance in this condition, drive
slowly and cautiously.
If the ABS indicator and the TCS
indicator (on EX model) come on
with this indicator, have the vehicle inspected by your dealer
immediately.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

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