HONDA ELEMENT 2003 1.G Owners Manual

Remove the f irst f ilter by pulling it
straight out of the air conditioning
unit. Remove the second f ilter by
sliding it to the lef t, then pulling it
out.Remove the old f ilter f rom the
f ilter case.
Install the new f ilter in the case.
Make sure the ‘‘AIR FLOW’’
arrows on the f ilter and the f ilter
case f ace the same direction.Install the dust and pollen f ilters
into the air conditioning unit.
Make sure the ‘‘AIR FLOW’’
arrows on the f ilter point
downward.
Reinstall the dust and pollen f ilter
cover.
Pivot the glove box up into
position. Reinstall the hooks into
thesidepanelof theglovebox.
Close the glove box.
If you are not sure how to replace
the dust and pollen f ilters, have them
replaced by your Honda dealer.
3.
4.
5.6.
7.
8.
Dust and Pollen Filter
Maint enance247
DUST AND POLLEN FILTERS

Check the condition of the drive belt.
Examine the edges of the belt f or
cracks or fraying.An auto-tensioner adjusts the tension
of the drive belt. The pointer on the
auto-tensioner should be in the
proper range. It should be checked
accordingtothetimeanddistance
recommendations in the
maintenance schedule.If the pointer is out of this range or
you see signs of wear, have the drive
belt replaced by your Honda dealer
as soon as possible.
Drive Belt
Maint enance248
Proper range
POINTER

To saf ely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inf lated. The
f ollowing pages give more detailed
informationonhowandwhento
check air pressure, how to inspect
your tires f or damage and wear, and
what to do when your tires need to
be replaced.Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort. Underinf lated tires wear
unevenly, adversely af f ect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,aremore
prone to damage from road hazards,
and wear unevenly.
We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per month.
Remember to check the spare tire at
thesametimeyoucheckallthe
other tires.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the vehicle
has been parked f or at least three
hours. If you have to drive the
vehicle bef ore checking the tire
pressure, the tires can still be
considered ‘‘cold’’ if you drive less
than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Add or release air, if needed, to
match the recommended cold tire
pressures on page .
250
Inf lation
Tires
Maint enance249
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.

If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot [the vehicle has been
driven several miles (kilometers)],
you will see readings 4 to 6 psi (30 to
40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4 kgf /cm ) higher
than the cold reading. This is normal.
Do not let air out to match the
specif ied cold pressure. The tire will
be underinf lated.
Youshouldgetyourowntire
pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier f or you to tell if a
pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions and
speeds. Tire pressures f or high
speed driving are the same as f or
normal driving.
Thecompactsparetirepressureis:For convenience, the recommended
tire sizes and cold air pressures are
on a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
For additional technical information
about your tires, see page .
Tubeless tires have some ability to
self -seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is of ten
very slow, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.
308
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
Front:
Rear:
Recommended T ire Pressures f orNormal Driving
Tires
Maint enance250
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
P215/70R16 99S 32 psi (220 kPa ,
2.2 kgf/cm)
34 psi (235 kPa , 2.4 kgf/cm
)

Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Excessive tread wear. In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord. The tires were properly balanced by
the factory. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time bef ore they
are worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you f eel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire
should always be rebalanced if it is
removed f rom the wheel f or repair.
Your vehicle’s tires have wear indica-
tors molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down to that point, you
will see a 5/16 inch (7.9 mm) wide
band running across the tread. This
shows there is less than 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) of tread lef t on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire.
CONT INUED
Inspection
Maintenance
Tires
Maint enance251
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS

When shopping f or 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.
Make sure the installer balances the
wheels when you have new tires
installed. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. Your vehicle’s
original tires were dynamic or ‘‘spin’’
balanced at the f actory. For best
results, have the installer perf orm a
dynamic balance.
To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, you
should have the tires rotated every
10,000 miles (16,000 km). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the
chart each time they are rotated.
(Only on vehicles equipped withaluminum wheels)
Tire Rotation
Tires
Maint enance252
Front Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) (For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only genuine Honda wheel weights f or
balancing.

It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, then replace the two
f ront tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s han-
dling.
The tires that came with your
vehicle were selected to match the
perf ormance capabilities of the
vehicle while providing the best
combination of handling, ride
comfort,andlonglife.Youshould
replace them with radial tires of the
same 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.
TheABSworksbycomparingthe
speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally
supplied with the vehicle. Tire size
and construction can affect wheel
speed and may cause the system to
work inconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your vehicle. Re-
placement wheels are available at
your Honda dealer.
Replacing T ires and Wheels
Tires
Maint enance253
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.

´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
tiresonallfourwheelstobalance
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
areclear.Checkwiththetiredealer
f or maximum speed recommenda-
tions.
Wheels:
Tires:
See page f or inf ormation about
DOT Tire Quality Grading.
Tires that are marked ‘‘M S’’ or
‘‘All Season’’ on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They
should be suitable f or most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed f or
optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate
perf ormance in winter driving.
For the best perf ormance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions.
308
Snow T iresWheels and Tires
Winter Driving
Tires
Maint enance254
16x61/2JJ
P215/70R16 99S

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 f or 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, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with them installed. If
youhearthemcomingincontact
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.
T ire Chains
Tires
Maint enance255
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.

Check the operation of your vehicle’s
exterior lights at least once a month.
A burned out bulb can create an
unsaf e condition by reducing your
vehicle’s visibility and the ability to
signal your intentions to other
drivers.
Lights
Maint enance256
FRONT TURN SIGNAL/PARKING LIGHTHEADLIGHT SIDE MARKER LIGHT