engine HONDA ELEMENT 2003 1.G Owner's Manual

CONT INUED
Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top of f ’’ the tank, leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
Your vehicle has an on-board
ref ueling vapor recovery system to
help keep f uel vapors f rom going
into the atmosphere. If the fuel
nozzle keeps clicking of f even
though the tank is not full, there
maybeaproblemwiththissystem.
Consult your dealer.
Because the f uel f ill cap is on the
driver’s side of the vehicle, park
with that side closest to the
service station pumps.
Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
out the notched edge.
1.
2. 3.
4.
Filling the Fuel Tank
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving159
FUEL FILL CAP
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.

Check the engine oil level every time
you f ill the vehicle with f uel. Wait a
f ew minutes af ter turning the engine
of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange
handle). Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its tube.
2.
1. 3.
Oil Check
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving162
DIPSTICK

Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page . Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant. Refer to
on page f or inf ormation
on checking other items in your
Honda.
4. 219
225
212
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
A dding Oil A dding
Engine Coolant Owner Maintenance
Checks
Engine Coolant Check
163
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK MAX
MIN
RESERVE TANK

Always maintain your vehicle accord-
ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.You can improve f uel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more f uel.
The condition of your vehicle and
your driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
A cold engine uses more f uel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
‘‘warm-up’’ a cold engine by letting it
idle f or a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up f aster, and you get
better f uel economy. To cut down on
the number of ‘‘cold starts,’’ try to
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Turnoff theA/Cto
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the f low-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle’s underside adds weight
and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your f uel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion. Depending on traf f ic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra f uel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase f uel economy.
An important part of that mainte-
nance is the
(see page ). For
example, an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel. It also wears out
f aster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly. 219
Vehicle Condition
Driving Habits
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving164

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes
important inf ormation on parking
your vehicle, the braking system,
and f acts you need if you are plan-
ning to tow a trailer or drive off-
highway.........................
Driving Guidelines .172
........................
Preparing to Drive .173
.......................
Starting the Engine .174
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .175
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 176
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 177
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 177
..............
Automatic Transmission . 178
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 178
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 179
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 182
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 183
...........................................
Parking .184
.....................
The Braking System .185
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 185
...............
Brake System Design . 186
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .186
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .187
........................
ABS Indicator .188
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 189
...........................
Towing a Trailer .191
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a ................................
Motorhome .198 ..............
Of f -Highway Guidelines . 200
.................
General Inf ormation . 200
Important Saf ety ............................
Precautions .201
...............................
Driving Tips .202
Driving
Driving171

Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
steering wheel (see page ).Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
Start the engine (see page ).
Check the gauges and indicator
lights in the instrument panel (see
page ).
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely. Make sure the doors, the hatch,
and the tailgate are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Check that the hood, tailgate, and
hatch are f ully closed.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
17 65
92
106 82 174
Driving
Preparing to Drive
173

If the engine still does not start,
press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while
starting in order to clear f looding.
As bef ore, keep the ignition key in
the START (III) position f or no
more than 15 seconds. Return to
step 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lif t your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal so the engine
does not race.
If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race. Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. If the engine
does not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) f or
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause f or at least 10 seconds
bef ore trying again.
Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal. Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. START (III) does not
f unction unless the clutch pedal is
pressed.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.6.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission:
Driving
Starting the Engine
174

An engine is harder to start in cold
weather. The thinner air f ound at
high altitude above 8,000 f eet
(2,400 meters) adds to the problem.
Use the f ollowing procedure:Turn of f all electrical accessories
to reduce the drain on the battery.
Push the accelerator pedal half-
way to the f loor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do not
hold the ignition key in START
(III) f or more than 15 seconds.
When the engine starts, release
the accelerator pedal gradually as
the engine speeds up and smooths
out. If the engine fails to start in step 2,
push the accelerator pedal to the
f loor and hold it there while you
try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the engine
does not start, return to step 2.
3.
2. 1. Starting in Cold Weather at High
A ltitude (A bove 8,000 f eet/
2,400 meters)
Starting the Engine
Driving175

The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster.Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t into
Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into Reverse, or shif t into
one of the f orward gears f or a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear.
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving176
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.

Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you the best
f uel economy and ef f ective emis-
sions control. The f ollowing shif t
points are recommended:Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th Normal acceleration
15 mph (24 km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
40 mph (64 km/h)
48 mph (77 km/h) If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone.
Driving
Recommended Shif t Points Engine Speed L imiter
5-speed Manual T ransmission
177