seats HONDA ELEMENT 2008 1.G User Guide

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Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or a small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Placing a child in the f ront seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
f rontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.If a child requires physical attention
or f requent visual contact, we
strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in the back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.
Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).
Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page ).
Have the child sit upright and well
backintheseat(seepage ).
Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page ).
Your vehicle has two back seats
where children can be properly
restrained. If you ever have to carry
a group of children, and a child must
ride in f ront:
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If You Must Drive with Several
Children
If a Child Requires Close
Attention
Protecting Children General Guidelines
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An inf ant must be properly
restrained in a rear-f acing, reclining
child seat until the child reaches the
seat maker’s weight or height limit
f or the seat, and the child is at least
one year old.
Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back.Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision. A rear-f acing child seat can be placed
in any seating position in the back
seat, but not in the f ront.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inflates, it can hit the back of the
child seat with enough f orce to kill or
seriously injure an inf ant.
When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger f rom
moving their seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking their
seat-back in the desired position.
It could also interf ere with proper
operation of the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system.
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in
a f orward-f acing position. Never put a
rear-f acing child seat in t he f ront seat .
Rear-f acing Child Seat Placement
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
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A child who is at least 1 year old, and
who f its within the child seat maker’s
weight and height limits, should be
restrained in a f orward-f acing,
upright child seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to cause very
serious or fatal injuries.
We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the f ront.
We also recommend that a small
child use the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit f or the seat.
In any of these situations, we
strongly recommend that you install
the child seat directly behind the
f ront passenger’s seat, move the seat
as far forward as needed, and leave it
unoccupied. Or, you may wish to get
a smaller rear-f acing child seat.
CONT INUED
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
the f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.
Child Seat Placement
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
43
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death during a
collision.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.
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Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children.
When buying a child seat, you need
to choose either a conventional child
seat, or one designed f or use with
the lower anchors and tethers for
children (LATCH) system.
Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the two second
row seats.
If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, and be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
Even with advanced front airbags
that automatically turn the
passenger’s front airbag off (see
page ), a back seat is the saf est
place f or a small child.
34 Selecting a Child Seat
T he child seat should meet U.S. or
Canadian Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213.
T he child seat should be of theproper type and size to f it the child.
1.
2.
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children, Selecting a Child Seat
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Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.
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Af ter selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (lower anchors and
tethers for children) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.
A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as f irmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid.’’ Some side-to-side movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat’s
ef f ectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured.
Bef ore purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend that
you test the seat in the specif ic
vehicle seating position or positions
where the seat will be used.
Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash.
The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A f orward-f acing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same f or rear-
f acing child seats.
Installing a Child Seat
Properly secure t he child seat t o
the vehicle.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmlysecured.
T he child seat should f it the
vehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
Secure the child in the child seat.
3.
1.
2. 3.
Selecting a Child Seat, Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Make sure there are no objects
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors.
To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:
Place the child seat on the vehicle
seat, then attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Remove both anchor covers by
pulling f orward.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connector as
shown above.
The lower anchors are located
between the seat-back and seat
bottom, and are to be used only with
a child seat designed f or use with
LATCH.
The location of each lower anchor is
indicated by a small button above the
anchor point.
Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (lower anchors and tethers
f or children) at the rear seats.
1.
2.3.
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH
Installing a Child Seat
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MARKS
Rigid-type
LOWER ANCHORS ANCHOR COVER
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Whatever type you have, f ollow
the child seat maker’s instructions
f or adjusting or tightening the f it.Remove the head restraint (see
page ). Make sure the removed
head restraints are secured in the
cargo area, and reinstalled when
the child seat is removed.
Slide the anchor cover open.
Route the tether strap over the top
of the seat-back, making sure the
strap is not twisted.
Other LATCH-compatible seats have
a f lexible-type connector as shown
above.
5.
4. 6.7.
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CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
47
TETHER ANCHOR
ANCHOR COVER
Flexible-type
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With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle.
When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver’s have a lockable retractor
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.
If the tether strap is too long and
cannot be tightened f irmly, f ind a
route where the strap can be
tightened securely.
Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. 1.
8.
9. Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
Installing a Child Seat
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TETHER ANCHOR
TETHER STRAP HOOK
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A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
Some states and Canadian provinces
also require children to use a booster
seat until they reach a given age or
weight (e.g., 6 years or 60 lbs). Be
sure to check current laws in the
states or provinces where you intend
to drive. Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster meets f ederal
saf ety standards and that you f ollow
the booster seat maker’s instructions.
If a child who uses a booster seat
must ride in f ront, move the vehicle
seat as far back as possible and be
sure the child is wearing the seat
belt properly.
A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle’s or
booster’s seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster seat.
A child who has outgrown a forward-
f acing child seat should ride in a
back seat and use a booster seat
until the lap/shoulder belt f its them
properly without the booster. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
aged 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
Using a Booster Seat When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
Protecting L arger Children
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This section gives inf ormation about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your vehicle. All the essential
controls are within easy reach............................
Control Locations .58 ............................
Instrument Panel .59
..........
Instrument Panel Indicators .60
.............................................
Gauges .66
...................................
Trip Meter .66
.....................................
Odometer .66
..................................
Fuel Gauge .67
..........
Check Fuel Cap Message .67
...................
Temperature Gauge .68
..................
Maintenance Minder .68
Controls Near the Steering ...........................................
Wheel .69
.
Windshield Wipers and Washers .70
...........
Turn Signal and Headlights .71
........
Instrument Panel Brightness .72
.................
Hazard Warning Button .73
.................
Rear Window Def ogger .73
..........
Steering Wheel Adjustment .74
...............................
Keys and Locks .75
........................
Immobilizer System .76
.......................
Remote Transmitter .77
................................
Ignition Switch .79
......................................
Door Locks .80
......................
Power Door Locks .80
..................................
Rear Doors .81
............................................
Hatch .81
........................................
Tailgate .82 .................................................
Seats .83
........................
Seat Adjustments .83
Driver’s Seat Height
..............................
Adjustment .84
...................
FrontSeatArmrests.84
..........................
Head Restraints .85
..........
Reclining the Front Seats .86
...............
Folding the Rear Seats .87
..........
Removing the Rear Seats .89
..............................
Power Windows .91
.............................................
Mirrors .92
....
Adjusting the Power Mirrors .92
.................................
Rear Windows .93
.................................
Parking Brake .93
............................................
Skylight .93
.................................
Interior Lights .96
................................
Ceiling Light .96
.....................................
Spotlights .96
........................
Cargo Area Light .96
..................
Ignition Switch Light .96
...........
Interior Convenience Items .97
.......................
Beverage Holders .98
..........
Accessory Power Sockets .98
....................................
Glove Box .98
......................................
Sun Visor .99
..............................
Vanity Mirror .99
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols
57
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