1999 HONDA ODYSSEY wheel size

Towing a Trailer

Towing Equipment and

Accessories

Towing can require a variety of equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailersales or rental agency, and follow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is properly installed and that it meets
federal, state, province, and local
regulations.

Hitches

Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody, using the six threaded holes
provided. A hitch designed especially
for your Odyssey can be obtained
from your Honda dealer.
Weight Distributing Hitch

If the total trailer weight is more
than 2,000 Ibs (900 kg), you must also use a weight distributing hitch.
This device transfers weight from the vehicle's rear wheels to the front
wheels, and to the trailer's wheels. Carefully follow the hitch maker's
instructions for proper installation
and adjustment.
Safety Chain
Always use a safety chain. Make sure that it is secured to both the
trailer and hitch, and that it crosses under the tongue so it can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do not let the chain drag on the ground. Sway Control
If the total trailer weight exceeds 2,000 Ibs (900 kg), you should install
a sway control device to minimize
swaying that can occur in crosswinds
and in normal and emergency
driving maneuvers. Your trailer
maker can tell you what kind of sway
control you need and how to install it.
Transmission Fluid Cooler
If the total trailer weight is more
than 2,000 Ibs (900 kg), you must
also have a transmission fluid cooler
installed. This device will help
prevent transmission overheating,
which could cause serious damage.
A transmission fluid cooler designed for your Odyssey can be obtainedfrom your Honda dealer.

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Towing a Trailer

Spare Vehicle Tire
When towing a trailer, you should carry a full-size wheel and tire as aspare in case you have a flat. If you
use the compact spare tire that came
with the vehicle, it may adversely affect vehicle handling. See page 317 for information on proper tire
size, and page 293 for information on
how to store a full-size tire. When storing a full-size spare tire in the
trailer, follow the trailer maker's
instructions.

Additional Trailer equipment
Many states and provinces require
special outside mirrors when towing
a trailer. Even if they don't, you should install special mirrors if you
cannot clearly see behind you, or if
the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your
towing situation. Pre-Tow Checklist
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following:
The vehicle has been properlyserviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within limits (see pages 212 and 213).
The hitch, safety chain, and any other attachments are secure.
All items on and in the trailer are properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your vehicle and the trailer are workingproperly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 317),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
You may want to fill the fuel tank with premium fuel. Premium fuelprovides improved performance.

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Tires
When shopping for replacement tires, you may find that some tiresare "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in onedirection. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back. Replacing Tires and Wheels
The tires that came with your vehicle were selected to match theperformance capabilities of the
vehicle while providing the best combination of handling, ride
comfort, and long life. You should
replace them with radial tires of the same size, load range, speed rating,
and maximum cold tire pressure
rating (as shown on the tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and bias-ply
tires on your vehicle can reduce its
braking ability, traction, and steering
accuracy.
It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible or necessary, then replace the two
front tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can seriously affect your vehicle's han-
dling.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and stability. This can cause a crashin which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this owner's manual.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Tires

The ABS works by comparing the speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally supplied with the vehicle. Tire size
and construction can affect wheel speed and may cause the system to
work inconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,make sure the wheel's specifications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your vehicle. Re-
placement wheels are available at
your Honda dealer. Wheels and Tires
Wheel:16 x 6 1/2 JJ

Tire:

P215/65R16 96T
See Tire Information
on page 318 for
additional information about tire and
wheel size designations. See page 319 for information about DOT Tire
Quality Grading.
Winter Driving

Tires that are marked "M + S" or
"All Season" on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They
should be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate performance in winter driving.For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions.
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Tires

Snow Tires

If you mount snow tires on your
Honda, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels to balance
your vehicle's handling in all weather conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle'soriginal equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommenda-

tions.
Tire Chains

Mount snow chains on your vehicle
when warranted by driving condi- tions or required by local laws. Youshould use only SAE class "S" cable-
type traction devices on your vehicle, mounted on the front wheels. Make
sure they are the correct size for
your tires.
Metal link-type "chains" should not
be used. No matter how tight they seem to be installed, they can come
into contact with the body and suspension, causing serious damage.
When installing chains, follow the manufacturer's instructions andmount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If
you hear the chains contacting the
body or chassis, stop and investigate. Make sure the chains are installed
tightly, and that they are not contacting the brake lines or
suspension. Remove the chains as
soon as you begin driving on cleared

roads.

Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle's brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of the vehicle.
Maintenance

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Compact Spare Tire

Your vehicle has a compact spare tire that takes up less space. Use thisspare tire as a temporary replace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put back on
your vehicle as soon as you can.
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to: 60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm2)
Follow these precautions whenever
you are using the compact spare tire: Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances. This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
faces than the regular tire. Use
greater caution while driving on this tire. Do not mount snow chains on the

compact spare.

Do not use the compact spare tire
if you are towing a trailer. The wheel of the compact spare
tire is designed especially to fit
your vehicle. Do not use your spare tire on another vehicle
unless it is the same make and

model.

On EX model
Turn off the Traction Control
System (see page 207 ). Driving
with the compact spare tire may activate the TCS.
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK

TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR

The compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular tire. Replace

it when you can see the tread wear

indicator bars. The replacement
should be the same size and design

tire, mounted on the same wheel.

The compact spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular

wheel, and the compact wheel is not
designed for mounting a regular tire.

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Technical Information

The diagrams in this section give you the dimensions and capacities of
your Honda, and the locations of the identification numbers. The expla-
nations of several electronic and
mechanical systems on your Honda
are for the more technically-orientedowner. Identification Numbers................. 314
Specifications................................. 316
Tire Information............................ 318 Tire Size Designation................ 318
Wheel Size Designation............ 318
Tire Speed Ratings.................... 318DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 319 Treadwear.............................. 319
Traction.................................. 319
Temperature.......................... 320 Oxygenated Fuels.......................... 321
Driving in Foreign Countries....... 322
Emissions Controls........................ 323 The Clean Air Act...................... 323Crankcase Emissions Control
System.....................................323

Evaporative Emissions Control System..................................... 323
Exhaust Emissions Controls.... 324 PGM-FI System..................... 324
Ignition Timing Control
System.................................324

Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System.................... 324
Three Way Catalytic Converter............................ 324
Replacement Parts................ 324
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 325

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Tire Information

Tire Size Designation

A tire's sidewall is marked with a tire
size designation. You will need this
information when selecting replace-
ment tires for your vehicle. The
following explains what the letters and numbers in the tire size
designation mean.

(Example tire size designation)
P215/65R16 96T
P — Applicable vehicle type (tires
marked with the prefix "P" are
intended for use on passenger
vehicles; however, not all tires have this marking).
215 — Tire width in millimeters.
65 — Aspect ratio. The tire's section
height as a percentage of its width.
R — Tire construction code (Radial).
16 — Rim diameter in inches. 96 — Load Index, a numerical code

associated with the maximum load

the tire can carry.
T — Speed Symbol. See the speed rating chart in this section for
additional information.

Wheel Size Designation

Wheels are also marked with important information that you need
if you ever have to replace one. The
following explains what the letters and numbers in the wheel sizedesignation mean.
(Example wheel size designation)

16
x 6-1/2 JJ
16 — Rim diameter in inches.
6-1/2 — Rim width in inches.
JJ — Rim contour designation.
Tire Speed Ratings
The chart below shows many of the
different speed ratings currently

being used for passenger vehicle

tires. The speed symbol is part of the

tire size designation on the sidewall
of the tire. This symbol corresponds

to that tire's designed maximum safe

operating speed.

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