2000 HONDA ODYSSEY wheel

Towing a Traile r
Spare Vehicle Tire
When towing a trailer, you should
carry a full-size wheel and tire as a
spare 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 299 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 Canadian 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-To
w Checklis t
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 218 and 219).
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 323),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 fuel
provides improved performance.
Drivin g

Towing a Traile r
Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking corrections.
Backing Up
Always drive slowly and have someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the bottom of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the left
to get the trailer to move to the left, and turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right.
Parking
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in Park and firmly setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer's
tires.
Drivin g

Maintenance
This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See page 337 for information on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 226
Important Safety Precautions.. 227
Maintenance Schedule.................. 228
Required Maintenance Record.... 235
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 237
Fluid Locations............................... 238
Engine Oil....................................... 239 Adding Oil................................... 239Recommended Oil..................... 239
Synthetic Oil............................... 240
Additives..................................... 241
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 241
Cooling System.............................. 243
Adding Engine Coolant............. 243
Replacing Engine Coolant........ 245
Windshield Washers..................... 248
Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 249
Brake Fluid..................................... 250
Brake System............................ . 250
Power Steering............................... 251
Air Cleaner Element...................... 252
Hood Latch.................................... . 254
Spark Plugs..................................... 254
Replacement............................... 254
Specifications............................. 256
Battery............................................ 257
Wiper Blades.................................. 259
Air Conditioning System............... 261 Air Conditioning Filter.................. 262Drive Belts...................................... 262
Timing Belt.................................... . 263
Tires................................................ 263 Inflation....................................... 263
Inspection.................................. . 265
Maintenance............................... 266
Tire Rotation.............................. 266 Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 267
Wheels and Tires....................... 268
Winter Driving........................... 268
Snow Tires.............................. 269
Tire Chains............................. 269
Lights............................................. . 270
Headlight Aiming...................... 272
Replacing Bulbs......................... 272
Storing Your Vehicle..................... 281
Maintenanc e

Power Steerin g
Check the level when the engine is
cold. Look at the side of the
reservoir. The fluid should be
between the UPPER LEVEL and LOWER LEVEL. If it is below theLOWER LEVEL, add power steering
fluid to the UPPER LEVEL. Always use Genuine Honda Power
Steering Fluid. If it is not available,
you may use another power steering
fluid as an emergency replacement. However, continued use can cause
increased wear and poor steering in
cold weather. Have the power steering system flushed and refilled
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
A low power steering fluid level can indicate a leak in the system. Check
the fluid level frequently and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.
Turning the steering wheel to full left
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.
Maintenanc e
UPPER LEVE L
LOWE R LEVE LNOTICE

Tires
Maintenanc e
In addition to proper inflation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you find a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer check the wheel alignment.
The tires were properly balanced by the factory. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time before theyare worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you feel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire should always be rebalanced if it is
removed from the wheel for repair. Make sure the installer balances the
wheels when you have new tires installed. This increases riding
comfort and tire life. Your vehicle's
original tires were dynamic or "spin"
balanced at the factory. For best results, have the installer perform adynamic balance.
On some models
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle's aluminum wheels. Use only Genuine Honda wheel weights for
balancing.
Tir e Rotatio n
(For Non-directiona l (Fo r Directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels ) Tire s an d Wheels )
To help increase tire life and
distribute wear more evenly, you
should have the tires rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the
chart each time they are rotated.
Maintenance
NOTIC E
Front
Fron t

Tires
When shopping for replacement
tires, you may find that some tires
are "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in one direction. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back. Replacin
g Tire s an d Wheel s
The tires that came with your
vehicle were selected to match the performance capabilities of the
vehicle while providing the best combination of handling, ride
comfort, and long life. You should
replace them with radial tires of thesame 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
Maintenanc e
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.

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 wheelspeed 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. Wheel
s an d Tire s
Wheel: 16 x 6 1/ 2 J J
Tire:
P215/65R1 6 96 T
See page 324 for information about
DOT Tire Quality Grading.
Winte r Drivin g
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.
Maintenanc e

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's
original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommenda-
tions.
Tire Chains
Because your Honda has limited tire
clearance, mount only SAE Class "S"
cable-type traction devices on the
front tires. Use traction devices only
when required by driving conditions or local laws. 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 cables, follow the manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.Drive slowly with them installed. If
you hear them coming in contact
with the body or chassis, stop and investigate. Make sure the cables are
installed tightly, and that they are
not contacting the brake lines or
suspension.
Remove them 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.
Maintenanc e
NOTICE