window HONDA ELEMENT 2003 1.G Owner's Manual

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).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.
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. 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. Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield. Disconnect the battery.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic). 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 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.
223
212
St oring Your Vehicle
Maint enance266

Regular cleaning and polishing of
your Honda helps to keep it ‘‘new’’
looking. This section gives you
informationonhowtocleanyour
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 .268
.....................................
Washing .268
.......................................
Waxing .269
....................
Aluminum Wheels .269
..........................
Paint Touch-up .270
..................................
Interior Care .271
..........................
Floor Covering .271
.........................................
Fabric .271
...........................................
Vinyl .271
...................................
Seat Belts .271
....................................
Windows .272
..........................
Air Fresheners .272
....................
Corrosion Protection .273
.................................
Body Repairs .274
Appearance Care
Appearance Care
267

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.Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass
cleaner. You can also use a mixture
of one part white vinegar to ten parts
water. This will remove the haze that
builds up on the inside of the
windows. Use a sof t cloth or paper
towels to clean all glass and clear
plastic surf aces.If you want to use an air f reshener/
deodorizer in the interior of your
vehicle, it is best to use a solid type.
Some liquid air f resheners contain
chemicals that may cause parts of
the interior trim and f abric to crack
or discolor.
If youusealiquidairfreshener,
make sure you f asten it securely so it
does not spill as you drive.
Windows
A ir Fresheners
Interior Care
Appearance Care272
The rear window def ogger wires are
bonded to the inside of the glass.
Wiping vigorously up-and-down can
dislodge and break the def ogger wires.
When cleaning the rear window, use
gentle pressure and wipe side-to-side.

This indicator should come on when
the ignition switch is ON (II), and go
out af ter the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped
charging the battery.Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C, rear
def ogger, cruise control, etc. Try not
to use other electrically-operated
controls such as the power windows.
Keep the engine running and take
extra care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly.
By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to
a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed291
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR

µµ
µ
µ
µ
Î Î
Î
No. No.
CONT INUED
Amps. Circuits ProtectedAmps. Circuits Protected
1
2
3
4
5 6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
15 A
10 A
10 A
10 A
Ignition Coil
Accessory Power Socket
Daytime running lights
ACG
Not Used 7.5 A
20 A
7.5 A 10 A
7.5 A
7.5 A
7.5 A 10 A
10 A
20 A
15 A
15 A
7.5 A 20 A
20 A
20 A Power Window Relay
AMP
Accessory, Radio
Rear Wiper
Meter
ABS
Daytime running lights
SRS
Remote Control Mirrors
LAF Heater
Not Used
Fuel Pump
Accessory Power Socket
Turn Signal Lights
Front Wiper
Not Used
Front Right Power Window
Front Left Power Window
Not Used
Not Used
: On Canadian models
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed299
INTERIOR FUSE BOX

µ
µ
µ
No.Circuits Protected
Amps.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Condenser Fan
Small Light
Interior Light
Cooling Fan Motor
Hazard
IGP
Horn, Stop
Not Used
Back Up
ABS Motor
Rear Defroster
Heater Motor
Power Window
Option
Lef t Headlight
Door Lock
Right Headlight
ABS F/S
Battery
Ignition 1
Spare Fuses
30 A
15 A
7.5 A 20 A
15 A
15 A
15 A
10 A
30 A
20 A
40 A
40 A
40 A
15 A
20 A
15 A
30 A
100 A 50 A
21 257.5A 30A
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Fuses
300
UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOX

ÎÎ
Bulb Replacement
............................
Specif ications .307
...................................
Spotlights .264
....................
Turn Signal Lights . 259
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen .258
............................
Capacities Chart .306
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 60
..........................
Cargo Area Light .115
.................................
Cargo Hooks .170
.............................
Carrying Cargo .167
..............
CAUTION, Explanation of . ii
..........................
CD Changer .134, 147
..............................
CD Player .132, 145
...............................
Ceiling Pocket .112
........................
Certif ication Label .304
............................................
Chains .255
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .277
............
Changing Engine Coolant . 227
.................................
Changing Oil .223
........................................
How to .223
......................................
When to .212
...
Charging System Indicator . 66,291
............
Checklist, Bef ore Driving . 173.....................................
Child Saf ety .24
.......................................
Child Seats .29
......
LATCH Anchorage System . 47
...........................
Lower Anchors .47
............
Tether Anchorage Point . 46
....................
Cleaner Element, Air . 236
Cleaning ....................
Aluminum Wheels .269
......................................
Exterior .268
.........................................
Fabric .271
..........................
Floor Covering .271
.......................................
Interior .271
...................................
Seat Belts .271
...........................................
Vinyl .271
....................................
Windows .272
.................
Clock, Setting the . 130,142
...................................
Clutch Fluid .235
........................
CO in the Exhaust .312
............
Cold Weather, Starting in . 175
...............
Consumer Inf ormation . 320
.............
Controls, Instruments and . 63
Coolant ........................................
Adding .225
....................................
Checking .163
.........................
Proper Solution .225
...................................
Replacing .227 ...................
Temperature Gauge . 74
....................
Corrosion Protection .273
Crankcase Emissions Control ........................................
System .313
............
Cruise Control Operation . 153
........
Customer Relations Of f ice . 320
................
DANGER, Explanation of . ii
.......................................
Dashboard .64
................
Daytime Running Lights . 77
............
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety . 322
........................
Def og and Def rost .124
................
Def ogger, Rear Window . 81
..............
Def rosting the Windows . 124
....................................
Dimensions .306
...............
Dimming the Headlights . 76
Dipstick ..........
Automatic Transmission . 231
..................................
Engine Oil .162
..........................
Directional Signals .77
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators . 185
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil .224
Doors ..............
Locking and Unlocking . 87
Index
C
D
II

Î
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor....................................
Recovery .313
..
Operation in Foreign Countries . 312
............................
Outside Mirrors .106
.......................................
Overdrive .181
....................
Overheating, Engine .288
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 219
.........................
Oxygenated Fuels .311
..............................
Paint Touch-up .270
..............
Panel Brightness Control . 77
........................
Park Gear Position .179
...........................................
Parking .184
...............................
Parking Brake .111
Parking Brake and Brake .................
System Indicator . 66,294
.................................
Parking Lights .76
Parking Over Things that ....................................
Burn .184, 314
.............................
PGM-FI System .314
..................
Polishing and Waxing . 269
............
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist . 12
.........
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . 21
............................
Protecting Adults .13 ...
Additional Safety Precautions . 22
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 21
........................
Protecting Children .24
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .34
.......
Protecting Larger Children . 42
.........
Protecting Small Children . 38
Using Child Seats with .....................................
Tethers .46
.............................
Using LATCH .47
...................
Radiator Overheating . 288
.....
Radio/CD Sound System . 126,137
...........................
Readiness Codes .293
.................
Rear Dif f erential Fluid . 233
.......................................
Rear Doors .88
..
Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement . 261
............................
Rear Seat Access .95
..........................
Rear Seat, Folding .99
..........................
Rear View Mirror .106
.................
Rear Window Def ogger . 81
.
Rear Window Wiper and Washer . 80
...............
Reclining the Seat-Backs . 92
.......
Recommended Shif t Speeds . 177
.............................
Reminder Lights .65 ............
Removing the Rear Seats . 101
Replacement Inf ormation .................
Air Cleaner Element . 236
..............
Dust and Pollen Filter . 246
..........................
Engine Coolant .227
................
Engine Oil and Filter . 223
..........................................
Fuses .296
................................
Light Bulbs .258
....................................
Schedule .210
................................
Spark Plugs .238
...........................................
Tires .253
.............................
Wiper Blades .242
Replacing Seat Belts Af ter a ............................................
Crash .53
Reserve Tank, Engine ...............................
Coolant .163, 225
...............................
Restraint, Child .24
..................
Reverse Gear Position . 180
...........................
Reverse Lockout .183
................................
Rotation, Tire .252
..................................
Saf ety Belts .8, 50
.........
Safety Defects, Reporting . 322
...........
Saf ety Checklist, Pre-Drive . 12
Index
R
P
S
VI

Î
Washers, Windshield........
Checking the Fluid Level . 228
.....................................
Operation .79
.........................................
Washing .268
..................
Waxing and Polishing . 269
Wheels ...............
Adjusting the Steering . 82
............
Alignment and Balance . 251
......................................
Wrench .279
Windows .....................................
Cleaning .272
................
Operating the Power . 103
...........................
Rear, Def ogger .81
Windshield .......................................
Cleaning .78
...................................
Def roster .124
.....................................
Washers .230
Wipers, Windshield .......................
Changing Blades .242
.....................................
Operation .78
....................................
Worn Tires .251
.....
Wrecker, Emergency Towing . 301
: U.S. and Canada only
Index
IX