engine HONDA ELEMENT 2007 1.G Owner's Manual

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery. If
the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
down, and hold it there while
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressu re on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
Without
touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position for more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for at least
10 seconds before trying again.
Press the clutch pedal down all the
way. The START (III) position
does not function unless the clutch
pedal is pressed.
Make sure the shift lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
5.
Manual transmission:
Automatic transmission:
Starting theEngine
152
The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air found at
altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page .
76

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 the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from fifth to
reverse. When shif ting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch 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 the clutch to wear out
f aster. 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.’’
Manual T ransmission
Driving
153
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.

Normal acceleration15 mph (24 km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
40 mph (64 km/h)
48 mph (77 km/h)
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th 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.
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you good
f uel economy and ef f ective
emissions control. The f ollowing
shif t points are recommended:
The engine speed limiter only works
when you upshif t; engine speed is
not limited during downshif ts.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone.
Recommended Shif t Points Engine Speed L imiter
Manual T ransmission
154

µ
These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shif t
lever is in. To shif t f rom any position, press
f irmly on the brake pedal, push the
release button, and pull the lever
toward you. You cannot shif t out of
Park when the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) or ACCESSORY (I)
position.
The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it f lashes while driving (in
any shif t position), it indicates a
possible problem in the transmission.
Avoid rapid acceleration, and have
thetransmissioncheckedbyyour
dealer as soon as possible. This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
CONT INUED
To shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR
Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoD DtoN
DtoD NtoDRtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
press the shift lever release
button.
Press the shift lever release
button.
Move the shift lever.
3
3
3
3
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Park (P)
Automatic Transmission
Driving
155
SHIFT LEVER
RELEASE BUTTON
D BUTTON3

µ
µ µ
µ
Use
neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from neutral to
another gear.
Press the brake
pedal and press the release button to
shift from Park to reverse. To shift
fr om reverse to neutral, come to a
completestop,andthenshift. To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop before shifting
into Park. You must also press the
release button to shift into Park. The
shift lever must be in Park before
you can remove the key from the
ignition switch. If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page . Use this position f or
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 5) f or your
speed and acceleration. You may
notice the transmission shifting up at
higher engine speeds when the
engine is cold. This helps the engine
warm up f aster.
To use D , press the
D buttonwhentheshiftleverisin
the ‘‘D’’ position. This position is simi-
lartoD,exceptonlythefirstthree
gears are selected instead of all f ive.
Use D when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain, or to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D can
also keep the transmission f rom
cycling between third and f ourth
gears in stop-and-go driving.
158
3
3
3 3
Automatic Transmission
Neutral (N)
Reverse (R) Shif t L ock Release
Drive (D)
Drive (D )
3
156

µµThis position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop.
Use second gear:
For more power when climbing.
To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.
For starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow.
To help reduce wheel spin.
When driving downhill with a
trailer. This position locks the
transmission in f irst gear. By
upshif ting and downshif ting through
1, 2, D , and D, you can operate the
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal. 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.
3
Automatic Transmission
Second (2)
First (1)Engine Speed L imiter
Driving
157

This allows you to move the shif t
lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal and pressing the release
button does not work.Set the parking brake.
Remove the key from the ignition
switch.
Put a cloth on the edge of the shif t
lock release slot cover next to the
shif t lever. Using a f lat-tip
screwdriver, caref ully pry on the
edge of the cover to remove it. Insert the key in the shift lock
release slot.
Push down on the key while you
pressthereleasebuttononthe
shif t lever and move the shif t lever
out of Park to neutral.Remove the key from the Shift
Lock Release slot, then reinstall
thecover.Makesurethenotchon
the cover is on the right side.
Press the brake pedal, and restart
the engine.
If you need to use the shif t lock
release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have it
checked by your dealer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.6.
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ock Release
158
COVER
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT

Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by taking your f oot of f the
accelerator and downshif ting to a
lower gear.The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
Resting your f oot on the pedal keeps
the brakes applied lightly, builds up
heat, and reduces their ef f ectiveness.
It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you. Your vehicle is equipped with disc
brakes at all f our wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The anti-lock
brake system (ABS) helps you retain
steering control when braking very
hard.
Check your brakes af ter driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Be extra
cautious and alert in your driving.Braking System Design
Braking System
160

Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving. Each
tire, including the spare, should
be checked monthly when cold and
set to the recommended inflation
pressure as specified in the vehicle
placard and this owner’s manual (see
page ).
Although your tire pressure is
monitored, you must manually check
thetirepressuresmonthly.
If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inf late the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver’s doorjamb.
When the tire pressure monitoring
system warning indicator is on, one
or more of your tires is signif icantly
under-inf lated. You should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper
pressureasindicatedonthevehicle’s
tire inf ormation placard.
If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure indicator to come on. After inflating the tire(s) to the
proper pressure, the warning
indicator will remain on until the
vehicle is driven at a speed more
than 25 mph (40 km/h).
Driving on a signif icantly under-
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. 245
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
Driving
163

The VSA system cannot enhance the
vehicle’s driving stability in all
situ ations and does not control your
vehicle’s entire braking system. It is
still your responsibility to drive and
corner at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
The
vehicle stability assist (VSA)
system helps to stabilize the vehicle
during cornering if the vehicle turns
more or less than desired. It also
assists you in maintaining traction
while accelerating on loose or
slippery road surfaces. It does this
by regulating the engine’s output and
by selectively applying the brakes.
When VSA activates, you may notice
that the engine does not respond to
the accelerator in the same way it
does at other times. You will also see
the VSA activation indicator blink. When
VSA activates, you will see the
VSA activation indicator blink (see
page ).
The VSA system indicator (see page
) comes on and stays on when
there is a problem with the VSA
system. The VSA activation indicator
will also come on. If this indicator comes on while
driving, pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e, and turn of f the
engine. Reset the system by
restarting the engine. If the VSA
system indicator stays on, or comes
back on while driving, have the VSA
system inspected by your dealer.
If the indicator does not come on
when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON (II) position, there may be a
problem with the VSA system. Have
your dealer inspect your vehicle as
soon as possible.
Without VSA, your vehicle will have
normal braking and cornering ability,
but it will not have VSA traction and
stability enhancement.
64
64 VSA A ctivation Indicator
Vehicle Stability Assist
(VSA ) System Indicator
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System
Driving
165