2003 HONDA ODYSSEY air conditioning

µµAlways drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your vehicle longer
to react, even in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Rain, f og, and snow conditions re-
quire a dif f erent driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your vehicle well-
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control
should not be used in these condi-
tions. Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more dif f icult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers f requently. Keep the
windshield washer reservoir f ull of
the proper f luid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the def roster and air
conditioning to keep the windows
f rom f ogging up on the inside (see
pages and ). 149 159/ 164
Driving
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving T echnique Visibility
272

Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Use the D position when towing a
trailer on level roads. See ‘‘
’’ in the next column f or
additional gear inf ormation. Do not
exceed 55 mph (88 km/h). At higher
speeds, the trailer may sway or
af f ect vehicle handling.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
You may want to fill the fuel tank
with premium f uel. Premium f uel
provides improved perf ormance.
323
3
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving on
HillsDriving Saf ely With a T railer
280

This section explains the importance
of keeping your vehicle well
maintained and why you should
f ollow basic maintenance saf ety
precautions.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer. This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions f or simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself .......................
Maintenance Saf ety .284
.
Important Safety Precautions . 285
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 286
...
Required Maintenance Record . 293
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 295
..............................
Fluid Locations .296
......................................
Engine Oil .297
..................................
Adding Oil .297
....................
Recommended Oil .297
..............................
Synthetic Oil .298
....................................
Additives .299
.....
Changing the Oil and Filter . 299
.............................
Cooling System .301
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 301
.......
Replacing Engine Coolant . 303
....................
Windshield Washers .306
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 307
....................................
Brake Fluid .309
............................
Brake System .309
..............................
Power Steering .310
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .311
....................................
Hood Latch .313
....................................
Spark Plugs .313
..............................
Replacement .313
............................
Specif ications .316
...........................................
Battery .317 .................................
Wiper Blades .319
..............
Air Conditioning System . 321
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 322
.....................................
Drive Belts .322
....................................
Timing Belt .323
...............................................
Tires .323
......................................
Inf lation .323
..................................
Inspection .325
..............................
Maintenance .326
.............................
Tire Rotation .326
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 327
......................
Wheels and Tires .328
..........................
Winter Driving .328
.............................
Snow Tires .329
............................
Tire Chains .329
.............................................
Lights .330
.....................
Headlight Aiming .332
........................
Replacing Bulbs .332
....................
Storing Your Vehicle .341
401
Maintenance
Maint enance283

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Your vehicle’s air conditioning is a
sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be
done by a qualif ied mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to make
sure the air conditioning works
ef f iciently.
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them. 386
Maint enance
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
321
AIR CONDITIONING
CONDENSER
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.

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Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation386
Dimensions
Weights
Air Conditioning Capacities
201.2 in (5,110 mm)
75.6 in (1,920 mm)
5.3 US qt (5.0
, 4.4 Imp qt)
2.6 US qt (2.5
, 2.2 Imp qt)
Including the coolant in the reserve tank and that remaining in the
engine.
Reserve tank capacity:
0.16 US gal (0.6
, 0.13 Imp gal)
Excluding the oil remaining in the engine. 4.6 US qt (4.4
, 3.9 Imp qt)
4.2 US qt (4.0
, 3.5 Imp qt)
2.48 US gal (9.4
, 2.07 Imp gal)
3.5 US qt (3.3
, 2.9 Imp qt)
8.3 US qt (7.9, 7.0 Imp qt)
4.8 US qt (4.5
, 4.0 Imp qt)
HFC-134a (R-134a)
66.1 in (1,680 mm) 66.1 in (1,680 mm)
118.1 in (3,000 mm) 68.5 in (1,740 mm)
32 34 oz (850 900 g) ND-OIL8 20.00 US gal (75.7
, 16.65 Imp gal)
1.98 US gal (7.5, 1.65 Imp gal)
69.7 in (1,770 mm)
Length
Width
Height
Wheelbase
Track
Gross vehicle weight rating
Gross combined weight
rating (GCWR) See the tire information label atta-
ched to the driver’s doorjamb.
Refrigerant type
Charge quantity
Lubricant type Fuel tank
Engine
coolant
Engine oil
Automatic
transmission
fluid
Windshield
washer
reservoir
8,265 lbs (3,750 kg) Approx.
Front
Rear
1:
2:Change
Total
Change
Including
filter
Without
filter
Total
Change
Total
U.S. Vehicles
Canada Vehicles
1: LX
2: EX,EX-L1
2
1
2

CONT INUED
BatteryCharging System ...........................
Indicator .72, 370
............................
Jump Starting .364
..............................
Maintenance .317
............................
Specif ications .387
..............................
Bef ore Driving .243
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,50 .........................
Beverage Holders .132
.................................
Body Repairs .350
Brakes ...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 267
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 244
....................
Bulb Replacement .334
...........................................
Fluid .309
.......................................
Parking .129
.................
System Indicator . 72,373
........................
Wear Indicators .266
.............................
Braking System .266
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle . 244
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 83
........................
Brights, Headlights .82
Bulb Replacement ..........................
Back-up Lights .335
..............................
Brake Lights .334
......................
Cargo Area Light .338
................
Front Parking Lights . 333
........
Front Side Marker Lights . 333
.................................
Headlights .332
.........
High-mount Brake Light . 336
..............
Individual Map Lights . 338
...................
License Plate Light . 337
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 251
................................
Accessories .251
.
Additional Safety Precautions . 252
............................
Modif ications .252
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) .92
............
Accessory Power Sockets . 138
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 299
........
Advanced Airbag System . 10,54
.............................
Airbag (SRS) .10, 54
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .311
......
Air Conditioning System . 144,152
..............................
Maintenance .321
.....................
Rear A/C Control .166
.........................
Usage .147, 154,160
...............
Air Outlets (Vents) . 146,152
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .323
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline .390
.......
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning . 345
......................................
Antif reeze .301
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ...............................
Indicator .74, 268
...................................
Operation .267
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 200 .
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock . 91
..........................
Appearance Care .343
........................................
Armrests .115
...............
Audio Controls, Remote . 199
................
Audio System . 169,181,201
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 52
...
Automatic Lighting Off Feature . 83
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 235
..............
Automatic Transmission . 260
..........................
Capacity, Fluid .386
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 307
.......................................
Shif ting .261
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 260
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 261
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 263
Index
A
B
I