tires HONDA ELEMENT 2006 1.G User Guide

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Driving less than 5 miles (8 km) per
trip or, in f reezing temperatures,
driving less than 10 miles (16 km)
per trip.
Driving in extremely hot [over 90°F
(32°C)] conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced
roads. Extensive idling or long periods of
stop and go driving, such as a taxi or
a commercial delivery vehicle.
Follow the severe maintenance
schedule if you drive your vehicle
MAINLY under one or more of the
f ollowing conditions:
T railer towing, driving with a loaded
roof rack, or driving in mountainous
conditions.
166
Canadian Owners
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000
Every 3 years (independent of mileage)
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112
Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop 150
240
Service the items listed at the indicated distance (or time, if given).
Every 10,000 miles (16,000 km)
Check inflation and condition once a month
Every 5,000 miles (8,000 km) or every 6 months, whichever comes first
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Every 160,000 miles (256,000 km)
At 120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 5 years
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Replace at 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 3
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90
144 100
160 140
224
130
208
120
192
110
176
Every 15,000 miles (24,000 km)
(Use normal schedule except in dusty condition)
Check engine oil and coolant
Check tires
Replace engine oil
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page 190 )
Replace engine oil filter
Check front and rear brakes
Lubricate all hinges, locks and latches
Inspect the following items:
Tie rod ends, steering gearbox, and boots
Suspension components, driveshaft boots
Check parking brake adjustment
Inspect the following items: Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system , fuel lines and connections
Lights and controls/vehicle underbody
Inspect drive belts
Replace dust and pollen filter
Replace air cleaner element
Replace spark plugs
Inspect valve clearance
Replace automatic transmission fluid
Replace manual transmission fluid
Replace rear differential fluid
Inspect idle speed
Replace engine coolant
Replace brake fluid Follow the maintenance
schedule for severe conditions. See dust and pollen filter on page for
replacement information under special
driving conditions.
See information on maintenance and
emissions warranty on page .
1:
2:
: 185
164
1
2
Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions

Slide the new wiper blade into the
holder until the tabs lock.
Slide the wiper blade assembly
onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
Lower the wiper arm down against
the windshield or the hatch glass.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 inf ormation on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they 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 affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to
fail from being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,are
more prone to damage f rom road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
We recommend that you visually
check your tires everyday. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
5.
6.
7.
CONT INUED
T ires
Inf lation Guidelines
Wiper Blades, Tires
Maint enance
187
REINFORCEMENTBLADE
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.

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.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure in each tire at least once a
month. Even tires that are in good
condition may lose 1 to 2 psi (10 to
20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per
month. Remember to check the
sparetireatthesametime.
If you check air pressures when the
tires are hot (driven f or several
miles), you will see readings 4 to 6
psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4 kgf /cm )
higher than the cold readings. This
is normal. Do not let air out to match
the recommended cold air pressure.
The tire will be underinf lated.
While tubeless tires have some
ability to self -seal if they are
punctured, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.
Check the air pressures when the
tires are cold. This means the
vehicle has been parked f or at least 3
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km). Add or release air, if needed, to
match the recommended cold tire
pressures.
The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions and
speed.
Thecompactsparetirepressureis:
For convenience, the recommended
tire sizes and cold tire pressures are
on a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
For additional technical information
about your tires, see page .
224
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
Front:
Rear:
Recommended T ire Pressures f orNormal Driving
Tires
188
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.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
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.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you f eel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed f rom the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance.
Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a
band 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide 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.
Youshouldreplacethetireif youcan
see the tread wear indicator in three
or more places on the tire.
For vehicles with aluminum wheels:
Tire Inspection
Tire Maintenance
Tires
Maint enance
189
TREAD WEAR INDICATORSINDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
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, replace the two f ront
tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
af f ect your vehicle’s handling.
If you ever replace a wheel, make
sure that the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheels.
Replacement wheels are available at
your dealer.
Replace your tires 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 braking
ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Using tires of a dif f erent
size or construction can cause the
ABS to work inconsistently.
To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires every 10,000 miles (16,000
km). Move the tires to the positions
shown in the illustration each time
they are rotated. If you purchase
directional tires, rotate only f ront-to-
back. T ire Rotation Replacing T ires and Wheels
Tires
190
Front
Front
(Non-directional Tires
and Wheels) (Directional Tires
and Wheels)

´
Wheels: Tires marked ‘‘M S’’ or ‘‘All
Season’’ on the sidewall have an all-
weather tread design suitable for
most winter driving conditions.
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.
If you mount snow tires on your
vehicle, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as original tires. Mount snow tires on
all f our wheels. The traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
maybelowerthanyouroriginaltires.
Check with the tire dealer f or
maximum speed recommendations.
Tires:
See page f or DOT tire quality
grading inf ormation, and page
f or tire size and labeling
inf ormation. 224
226
Wheel and T ire Specif ications Winter Driving
Snow T ires
Tires
Maint enance
191
16x61/2JJ
16x61/2
P215/70R16 99S
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.

When installing cables, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions, and
mount them as tight as you can.
Make sure they are not contacting
the brake lines or suspension. Drive
slowly with them installed. If you
hear them coming into contact with
the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Remove them as soon as
you begin driving on cleared roads. Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, use only SAE Class ‘‘S’’
cable-type traction devices, with
rubber chain tensioners, on the f ront
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. Tire Chains
Tires
192
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.

Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc., are
completely dry.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.
Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than 1
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. Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield.
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.If possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f an cycles twice).
Pref erably, do this once a month.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in reverse
(manual) or Park (automatic). If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your dealer
perf orm the inspections called f or in
the 24 months/30,000 miles
(48,000 km) 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.
165
Vehicle Storage
194

Check the inf lation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
f aces. Use greater caution while
driving.
Use the compact spare tire as a
temporary replacement only. Get
your regular tire repaired or replaced,
and put it back on your vehicle as
soon as you can.
Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indicator bars. The
replacement should be the same size
and design tire, mounted on the
same wheel. The spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the spare wheel is not
designed f or mounting a regular tire.
Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare tire.
Do not use your compact spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel.
On models with manual
transmission, do not drive f or a
long period with the compact
spare tire mounted on a f ront
wheel; it will damage the limited
slip dif f erential.
Compact Spare Tire
196
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)

The operator will load
your vehicle on the back of a truck.
Any other method of towing will
damage the drive system. When you
contact the towing agency, inf orm
them a f lat-bed is required. If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a prof essional towing service or
organization. Never tow your vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.
The only way you can saf ely tow
your vehicle is with f lat-bed
equipment.
Emergency Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
217
Towing with only two tires on the
ground will damage parts of the 4WD
system. It should be transported on a
f lat-bed truck or trailer.