service HONDA ELEMENT 2011 1.G Owners Manual

California Proposition 65 Warning
WARNING:This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.Event Data Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with one or more devices commonly referred to as event data recorders. These
devices record front seat belt use, front passenger seat occupancy, airbag deployment data, and the failure of
any airbag system component. This data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by anyone else
except as legally required or with the permission of the vehicle owner.Service Diagnostic Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record information about powertrain performance. The data
can be used to verify emissions law requirements and/or help technicians diagnose and solve service problems. It
may also be combined with data from other sources for research purposes, but it remains confidential.California Perchlorate Contamination Prevention Act
The airbags, seat belt tensioners, and CR type batteries in this vehicle may contain perchlorate materials - special
handling may apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate/Introductionii10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Your Vehicle at a Glance(main controls)
....................................................................................................................
3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection)
...........................................................................
5
Instruments and Controls (indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column)
....................................................
55
Features (heating and cooling, audio, steering wheel, cruise control, and other convenience items)
......................
103
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading)
.......................................................................................
141
Driving (engine and transmission operation)
...........................................................................................................
157
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)
...........................................................
183
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, jump starting, overheating, and fuses)
...................................................
221
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls)
........................................................
247
Warranty and Customer Relations (warranty and contact information)
................................................................
263
Index
..............................................................................................................................................................................
I
INDEX
Service Information Summary (fluid capacities and tire pressures)
...............................................................
last page
Contents
1
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Contents
A convenient reference to the
sections in this manual.
Your Vehicle at a Glance
A quick reference to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important information about the
proper use and care of your vehicle's
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable information on how to
protect children with child restraints.
Instruments and Controls
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and
gauge, and how to use the controls
on the dashboard and steering
column.
Features
How to operate the heating and air
conditioning system, the audio
system, and other convenience
features.Before Driving
What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
Driving
The proper way to start the engine,
shift the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you're
planning to tow a trailer.
Maintenance
The Maintenance Minder
™shows
you when you need to take your
vehicle to the dealer for maintenance
service. There is also a list of things
to check and instructions on how to
check them.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience, and
details how to handle them. Technical Information
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual for detailed
information.
Index
Service Information Summary
A summary of the information you
need when you pull up to the fuel
pump.Overview of Contents210/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

This section gives you important
information about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It shows
you how to use seat belts. It explains
how your airbags work. And it tells you
how to properly restrain infants and
children in your vehicle.
Important Safety Precautions
.............
6
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
..........
7
Seat Belts
.....................................
8
Airbags
........................................
9
Protecting Adults and Teens
...........
11
1. Close and Lock the Doors
........
11
2. Adjust the Front Seats
.............
11
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs
..............
12
4. Adjust the Head Restraints
......
13
5. Fasten and Position the Seat Belts
..................................
14
6. Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
..............................
15
Advice for Pregnant Women
........
16
Additional Safety Precautions
......
16
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
...............................
18
Seat Belt System Components
.....
18 Lap/Shoulder Belt
......................
19
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
.............................
20
Seat Belt Maintenance
................
20
Additional Information About Your Airbags
..................................
22
Airbag System Components
........
22
How Your Front Airbags Work
....
24
How Your Side Airbags Work
......
28
How Your Side Curtain Airbags Work
.....................................
29
How the SRS Indicator Works
.....
30
How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works
.....................
31
How the Passenger Airbag Off Indicator Works
.....................
32
Airbag Service
............................
33
Additional Safety Precautions
......
33
Protecting Children －General
Guidelines
..............................
35
All Children Must Be
Restrained
..............................
35
All Children Should Sit in a Back Seat
.......................................
36
The Passenger's Front Airbag Can Pose Serious Risks
...........
36 If You Must Drive with Several
Children
................................
38
If a Child Requires Close Attention
................................
38
Additional Safety Precautions
......
39
Protecting Infants and Small Children
.................................
40
Protecting Infants
.......................
40
Protecting Small Children
...........
41
Selecting a Child Seat
.....................
42
Installing a Child Seat
.....................
43
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH
..................................
44
Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Belt
..................
46
Installing a Child Seat with a Tether
...................................
48
Protecting Larger Children
.............
49
Checking Seat Belt Fit
................
49
Using a Booster Seat
...................
50
When Can a Larger Child Sit in
Front
.....................................
50
Additional Safety Precautions
......
51
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
...............
52
Safety Labels
..................................
53
Driver and Passenger Safety
5
Driver and Passenger Safety
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Airbag Service
Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance free, and there are no
parts you can safely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:●An airbag ever inflates.
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
any airbag by yourself. This must
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
●The SRS indicator alerts you to a
problem.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
●If your vehicle has a moderate to
severe impact.
Even if your airbags
do not inflate, your dealer should
inspect the driver's seat position
sensor, the front passenger's
weight sensors, the front seat belt
tensioners, and all seat belts and
their anchors worn during a crash
to make sure they are operating
properly. Additional Safety Precautions
●Do not attempt to deactivate your
airbags.
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
●Do not tamper with airbag components or wiring for any
reason.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
●Do not expose the front
passenger's seat-back to liquid.
If
water or another liquid soaks into
the seat-back, it can prevent the
side airbag cutoff system from
working properly.
CONTINUED
Additional Information About Your Airbags
33
Driver and Passenger Safety
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●Do not remove or modify a frontseat without consulting your
dealer.
This could make the
driver's seat position sensor or the
front passenger's weight sensors
ineffective. If it is necessary to
remove or modify a front seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, first contact Honda
Automobile Customer Service at
(800) 999-1009.
Additional Information About Your Airbags3410/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

If either of you do not fasten your
seat belt while driving, the beeper
will sound and the indicator will flash
again at regular intervals. For more
information, see page 18.
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates a potential
problem with your front airbags. This
indicator will also alert you to a
potential problem with your airbag
system components. For more
information, see page 30.
Side Airbag Off Indicator
This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates that the
passenger's side airbag has
automatically shut off. For more
information, see page 31.Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS) Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for a
few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. If it
comes on at any other time, there is a
problem with the ABS. If this happens,
have your vehicle checked at a dealer.
With this indicator on, your vehicle still
has normal braking ability but no anti-
lock function. For more information,
see page 168.
Maintenance Minder
Indicator
This indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. It
reminds you that it is time to take
your vehicle in for scheduled
maintenance. The maintenance main
items and sub items will be displayed
in the information display. See page
185 for more information on the
Maintenance Minder ™.
This indicator goes off when your
dealer resets it after completing the
required maintenance service.
CONTINUED
Instrument Panel Indicators
59
Instruments and Controls
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Vehicle Stability Assist
(VSA) System Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
It flashes when VSA is active (see
page 172).
If it comes on and stays on at any
other time, there is a problem with
the VSA system. Take your vehicle to
a dealer to have it checked. Without
VSA, your vehicle still has normal
driving ability, but will not have VSA
traction and stability enhancement.
See page 172 for more information
on the VSA system.
VSA OFF Indicator
It comes on as a reminder that you
have turned off the vehicle stability
assist (VSA) system.
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. See page 172 for more
information on the VSA system.
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle's tires are significantly low on
pressure.
If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is safe, check which tire
has lost pressure, and determine the
cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page 222), and have the
flat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinflated,
call a professional towing service
(see page 244). For more
information, see page 169.
Instrument Panel Indicators6210/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

If the system still detects a leak in
your vehicle's evaporative emissions
system, the malfunction indicator
lamp (MIL) comes on. If the fuel fill
cap was not already tightened, turn
the engine off, and check or
retighten the fuel fill cap until it
clicks at least once. The MIL should
go off after several days of normal
driving once the cap is tightened or
replaced. If the MIL does not go off,
have your vehicle inspected by a
dealer. For more information, see
page 236.Temperature Gauge
This shows the temperature of the
engine's coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise to
about the middle of the gauge. In
severe driving conditions, the pointer
may rise to the upper zone. If it
reaches the red (hot) mark, pull
safely to the side of the road. Turn to
page 233 for instructions and
precautions on checking the engine's
cooling system.
Maintenance Minder
™
The information display in the
instrument panel shows you the
engine oil life and maintenance
service items when the ignition
switch is in the ON (II) position. This
information helps to keep you aware
of the periodic maintenance your
vehicle needs for continued trouble-
free driving. Refer to page 185 for
more information.
Gauges
67
Instruments and Controls
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Depending on where you drive, you
may experience reception problems.
Interference can be caused by any of
these conditions:●Driving on the north side of an
east/west mountain road.●Driving on the north side of a large
commercial truck on an east/west
road.●Driving in tunnels.●Driving on a road beside a vertical
wall, steep cliff, or hill to the south
of you.●Driving on the lower level of a
multi-tiered road.●Driving on a single lane road
alongside dense trees taller than
50 ft. (15 m) to the south of you.●Large items carried on a roof rack.
There may be other geographic
situations that could affect XM Radio
reception.
As required by the FCC: Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible forcompliance could void the user'sauthority to operate the equipment.Receiving XM Radio Service
If your XM Radio service has expired or
you purchased your vehicle from a
previous owner, you can listen to a
sampling of the broadcasts available on
XM Radio. With the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) or ON (II) position,
push the VOL/PWR knob to turn on the
audio system and press the XM button. A
variety of music types and styles will
play.
If you decide to purchase XM Radio
service, contact XM Radio atwww.xmradio.com,
or at 1-800-852-9696.
You will need to give them your radio I.
D. number and your credit card number.
To get your radio I.D. number, turn the
TUNE knob until ‘‘0 ’’ appears in the
display. Your I.D. will appear in the
display. After you've registered with XM Radio,
keep your audio system in the XM Radio
mode while you wait for activation. This
should take about 30 minutes.
While waiting for activation, make sure
your vehicle remains in an open area
with good reception. Once your audio
system is activated, you'll be able to
listen to XM Radio broadcasts. XM Radio
will continue to send an activation signal
to your vehicle for at least 12 hours from
the activation request. If the service has
not been activated after 36 hours, contact
XM
®Radio.
Playing the XM
®Radio
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