2000 HONDA ODYSSEY climate control

If You r Engin e Overheat s
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 allother accessories. Turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming 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
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTICE
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.

If You r Engin e Overheat s
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 Emergenc y
Towin g on page 317).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page 193). 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 toadd 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 to
maximum (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 engine needs repair. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 317.)
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.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
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
removing the radiator cap.

Charging Syste m Indicato r
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 to
stall 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.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
CHARGIN
G SYSTE M INDICATO R

DOT Tir e Qualit y Gradin g (U.S . Vehicles )
The tires on your vehicle meet all
U.S. Federal Safety Requirements.
All tires are also graded for
treadwear, traction, and temperature
performance according to
Department of Transportation (DOT) standards. The following
explains these gradings.
Unifor m Tir e Qualit y Gradin g
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and the maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwea r 20 0
Tractio n A A
Temperatur e ATreadwea r
The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one
half (1-1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and differences in
road characteristics and climate. Tractio
n
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability tostop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does notinclude acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Technica l Informatio n

Emissions Control s
The burning of gasoline in your
vehicle's engine produces several by-products. Some of these are carbon
monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO
x) and hydrocarbons (HC).
Gasoline evaporating from the tank
also produces hydrocarbons. Con-
trolling the production of NOx, CO, and HC is important to the environ-
ment. Under certain conditions ofsunlight and climate, NOx and HC
react to form photochemical "smog." Carbon monoxide does not contri-
bute to smog creation, but it is a
poisonous gas.
Th e Clea n Ai r Ac t
The United States Clean Air Act*
sets standards for automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
work and what to do to maintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page
230.
* In Canada, Honda vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards (CMVSS) for
Emissions valid at the time they are
manufactured.
Crankcas e Emission s Contro l
System
Your vehicle has a Positive
Crankcase Ventilation System. This
keeps gasses that build up in the engine's crankcase from going into
the atmosphere. The Positive Crank- case Ventilation valve routes them
from the crankcase back to the
intake manifold. They are then drawn into the engine and burned.
Evaporativ e Emission s Contro l
Syste m
As gasoline evaporates in the fuel tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister filled with charcoaladsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is off. After
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine and burned during driving.
Technica l Informatio n

Index
Checklist, Before Driving............. 202
Childproof Door Locks.................. . 85
Child Safety..................................... . 22
Cleaner Element, Air..................... 252
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels.................... 285
Carpeting................................... . 286
Exterior....................................... 284
Fabric.......................................... 286
Interior........................................ 286
Seat Belts.................................... 286
Vinyl........................................... . 286
Windows.................................... . 287
Climate Control System................ 138
Clock, Setting the.......................... 117 Coat Hook....................................... 123
Code, Audio System ..................... 186
CO in the Exhaust ........................ 328
Coin Holder................................... . 122
Cold Weather, Starting in............. 203
Compact Spare............................... 292
Consumer Information*................ 332
Controls, Instruments and.............. 55
Coolant
Adding ........................................ 243
Checking ....................................
193
Proper Solution.......................... 243
Replacing.................................... 245
Temperature Gauge.................... 63
Corrosion Protection..................... 288
Crankcase Emissions Control
System......................................... 328
Cruise Control Operation .............. 73
Customer Relations Office........... 332
DANGER, Explanation of................. ii
Dashboard.................................... 2, 56
Daytime Running Lights................. 67
Dead Battery, What to Do............ 303
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 336
Defogger, Rear Window................. 71 Defrosting the Windows...... 135, 145
DEXRON
® III Automatic
Transmission Fluid.................... 249
Dimensions..................................... 322
Dimming the Headlights................ 66
Dipstick Automatic Transmission........... 249
Engine Oil................................... 192
Directional Signals........................... 68
Disabled, Towing Your
Vehicle If..................................... 317
Disc Brake Wear Indicators ........ 210
Disposal of Used Oil ................... 242
Doors
Locking and Unlocking ............. 79
Lockout Prevention ................... 80
Manual Sliding Doors.................. 88
Monitor Light .............................. 60
Power Door Locks....................... 79
Power Sliding Doors .................. 90
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 324
Drive Belts..................................... 262
Driver and Passenger Safety .......... 5
Driving............................................ 201
Economy.................................... 194
In Bad Weather ....................... 216
In Foreign Countries ............... 327
Economy, Fuel............................... 194
Emergencies on the Road............. 291
Battery, Jump Starting.............. 303
CONTINUED