2001 HONDA ODYSSEY Owners Manual

Lights
Maint enance
290
SSUUNNVVIISSOORR

If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park. Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield.
Disconnect the battery.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals. Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Honda
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months/30,000 miles
(48,000 km) maintenance schedule
(Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page ).
The replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the vehicle has
actually reached that time or mileage.
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240
St oring Your Vehicle
Maint enance291

292

Regular cleaning and polishing of
your Honda helps to keep it ‘‘new’’
looking. This section gives you hints
on how to clean your vehicle and
preserve its appearance: the paint,
brightwork, wheels and interior. Also
included are several things you can
do to help prevent corrosion..................................
Exterior Care . 294
.....................................
Washing . 294
.......................................
Waxing . 295
....................
Aluminum Wheels . 295
..........................
Paint Touch-up . 295
..................................
Interior Care . 296
...................................
Carpeting . 296
..................................
Floor mats . 296
.........................................
Fabric . 297
...........................................
Vinyl . 297
...................................
Seat Belts . 297
....................................
Windows . 298
..........................
Air Fresheners . 298
....................
Corrosion Protection . 299
.................................
Body Repairs . 300
Appearance Care
Appearance Care 293

Frequent washing helps preserve
your vehicle’s beauty. Dirt and grit
can scratch the paint, while tree sap
and bird droppings can permanently
ruin the f inish.
Wash your vehicle in a shady area,
not in direct sunlight. If the vehicle is
parked in the sun, move it into the
shade and let the exterior cool down
bef ore you start.When you have washed and rinsed
the whole exterior, dry it with a
chamois or sof t towel. Letting it
air-dry will cause dulling and water
spots.
As you dry the vehicle, inspect it f or
chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page ).
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with
cool water to remove loose dirt.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommendedinthisOwner’s
Manual. Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix
in a mild detergent, such as
dishwashing liquid or a product
made especially f or car washing.
Wash the vehicle using the water
and detergent solution and a sof t-
bristle brush, sponge, or sof t cloth.
Start at the top and work your way
down. Rinse f requently.
Check the body f or road tar, tree
sap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it
of f immediately so it does not
harm the f inish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of
the vehicle does not need waxing.
295
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Washing 294
Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your vehicle.
The radio antenna on your vehicle does
not need to be removed when you use a
‘‘drive-through’’ car wash. However, if
you remove the antenna, make sure to
reinstall it and tighten it securely using
an appropriate tool.

µ
µ Your dealer has touch-up paint to
match your vehicle’s color. The color
code is printed on a sticker on the
driver’s doorjamb. Take this code to
your dealer so you are sure to get
the correct color.
Inspect your vehicle f requently f or
chips or scratches in the paint.
Repair them right away to prevent
corrosion of the metal underneath.
Use the touch-up paint only on small
chips and scratches. More extensive
paint damage should be repaired by
a prof essional.
Always wash and dry the whole
vehiclebeforewaxingit.Youshould
wax your vehicle, including the metal
trim, whenever water sits on the
surf ace in large patches. It should
formintobeadsordropletsafter
waxing.
The wheels have a protective clear-
coat that keeps the aluminum from
corroding and tarnishing. Using
harsh chemicals, including some
commercial wheel cleaners, or stif f
brushes can damage this clear-coat.
Only use a mild detergent and sof t
brush or sponge to clean the wheels.
Clean your Honda’s aluminum alloy
wheels as you do the rest of the
exterior.Washthemwiththesame
solution, and rinse them thoroughly.
Cleaning tar, insects, etc. with
removers also takes off the wax.
Remember to re-wax those areas,
even if the rest of the vehicle does
not need waxing.
Polishes Polishes and cleaner/
waxes can restore the shine to paint
that has oxidized and lost some of its
shine. They normally contain mild
abrasives and solvents that remove the top layer of the f inish. You
should use a polish on your Honda if
the f inish does not have its original
shine af ter using a wax.
Waxes A wax coats the finish and
protects it f rom damage by exposure
to sunlight, air pollution, etc. You
should use a wax on your Honda
when it is new.
You should use a quality liquid or
paste wax. Apply it according to the
instructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of
products:
On some models
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Paint T ouch-up
Waxing
A luminum Wheels
295

Vacuum the carpeting f requently to
remove dirt. Ground-in dirt will make
the carpet wear out f aster.
Periodically shampoo the carpet to
keep it looking new. Use one of the
foam-type carpet cleaners on the
market. Follow the instructions that
come with the cleaner, applying it
with a sponge or sof t brush. Keep
the carpeting as dry as possible by
not adding water to the f oam.The genuine Honda driver’s f loor
mat was designed to hook over the
f loor mat anchor. This keeps the
f loor mat f rom sliding f orward and
possibly interf ering with the pedals.
If you remove the f loor mat, make
sure to re-anchor it when you put it
back in your vehicle.If you replace it, use a genuine
Honda f loor mat that is designed to
be used with the f loor mat anchor in
your vehicle.
If you use a non-Honda f loor mat in
the driver’s f ootwell, make sure it
f its properly and that it can be used
with the floor mat anchor.
Do not put additional f loor mats on
top of the anchored mat, otherwise
the additional mats may slide
f orward and interf ere with the pedals.
Carpeting Floor Mats
Interior Care
Appearance Care
296

Remove dirt and dust with a vacuum
cleaner. Wipe the vinyl with a sof t
cloth dampened in a solution of mild
soap and water. Use the same
solution with a soft-bristle brush on
more dif f icult spots. You can also use
commercially-available spray or
f oam-type vinyl cleaners.
Vacuum dirt and dust out of the
material f requently. For general
cleaning, use a solution of mild soap
and lukewarm water, letting it air dry.
To clean of f stubborn spots, use a
commercially-available f abric cleaner.
Test it on a hidden area of the f abric
first, to make sure it does not bleach
or stain the f abric. Follow the
instructions that come with the
cleaner.
If your seat belts get dirty, you can
use a sof t brush with a mixture of
mild soap and warm water to clean
them. Do not use bleach, dye, or
cleaning solvents. They can weaken
the belt material. Let the belts air-
drybeforeyouusethevehicle.Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth
dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.
Interior Care
Appearance Care
Fabric Seat Belts
Vinyl
297
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