steering HONDA ELEMENT 2003 1.G Owner's Manual

To operate the wipers in mist mode,
push the control lever up f rom the
OFF position. The wipers run at high
speed until you release the lever.
This gives you a quick way to clear
the windshield.To clean the windshield, pull back on
the wiper control lever. The washers
spray until you release the lever.The wipers run at low speed while
you’re pulling the lever, then
complete one more sweep of the
windshield af ter you release it.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Windshield Washers
79

Therotatingswitchontheright
lever controls the rear window wiper
and washer.Therearwindowwasherusesthe
same f luid reservoir as the wind-
shield washer.
To activate the rear windshield wiper,
rotate the switch to ‘‘ON’’. The wiper
operates every seven seconds after
completing two sweeps. When you
turn the wiper switch to the ‘‘OFF’’
position or turn of f the ignition
switch, the wiper will return to its
parked position.
To use the wiper and washer, rotate
and hold the switch one position up
f rom ‘‘ON’’. The wiper opreates
while you are holding the switch,
then completes two more sweeps
after you release it. To use the
washer only, rotate and hold the
switch one position down f rom
‘‘OFF’’.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Rear Window Wiper and Washer
Inst rument s and Cont rols80

The rear window def ogger will clear
fog, frost, and thin ice from the
window. Push the def ogger button to
turn it on and of f . The light in the
button lights to show the def ogger is
on.Make sure the rear window is clear
and you have good visibility bef ore
starting to drive.
Thedefoggerwiresontheinsideof
the rear window can be accidentally
damaged. When cleaning the glass,
always wipe side to side.
Push the button next to the shift
levertoturnonthehazardwarning
lights (f our-way f lashers). This
causes all f our outside turn signals
and both indicators in the instrument
panel to f lash. Use the hazard
warning lights if you need to park in
a dangerous area near heavy traffic,
or if your vehicle is disabled.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Hazard Warning Rear Window Def ogger
81

Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in that position.
Make sure you have securely
locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.
To adjust the steering wheel upward
or downward:
Make any steering wheel adjustment
bef ore you start driving.
Push the lever under the lef t side
of the steering column all the way
down.
Move the steering wheel to the
desired position, making sure the
wheel points toward your chest,
not toward your f ace. Make sure
you can see the instrument panel
gauges and the indicator lights.
1.
2. 3.
4.
See page f or important saf ety
inf ormation about how to properlyposition the steering wheel. 20
Steering Wheel A djustment
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols82
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured
inacrash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.

µAs required by the FCC:This device complies with Part 15 of theFCC rules. Operation is subject to thef ollowing two conditions: (1) This devicemay not cause harmf ul interf erence, and(2) this device must accept anyinterf erence received, includinginterf erence that may cause undesiredoperation.
Changes or modif ications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible f orcompliance could void the user’sauthority to operate the equipment.
This device complies with IndustryCanada Standard RSS-210.Operation is subject to the f ollowing twoconditions: (1) this device may not causeinterf erence, and (2) this device mustaccept any interf erence that may causeundesired operation of the device.
The ignition switch is on the right
side of the steering column. It has
f our positions:
LOCK(0)
 ACCESSORY (I)
 ON (II)
 START (III) You can insert or
remove the key only in this position.
To switch f rom ACCESSORY to
LOCK, you must push the key in
slightly as you turn it. If your vehicle
has an automatic transmission, the
shif t lever must also be in Park. The
anti-thef t lock will lock the steering
column when you remove the key.
CONT INUED
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Keys and Locks
Ignition Switch L OCK (0)
85

µ
µ
µ Use this position
only to start the engine. The switch
returns to ON (II) when you let go of
the key.
You will hear a reminder beeper if
you leave the key in the ignition
switch in the LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I) position and open
the driver’s door. Remove the key to
turn of f the beeper. The engine will not start if the
Immobilizer System does not
recognize the key’s coding (see page ).
If the f ront wheels are turned, the
anti-thef t lock may sometimes make
it difficult to turn the key from
LOCK to ACCESSORY. Firmly turn
the steering wheel to the lef t or to
the right as you turn the key.
In this position,
you can operate the audio system
and the accessory power sockets.
This is the normal key
position when driving. All f eatures
and accessories on the vehicle are
usable. Several of the lights on the
instrument panel come on as a test
when you turn the ignition switch
f rom ACCESSORY to ON. 84
ST A RT (III)
A CCESSORY (I)
ON (II)
Keys and Locks
Inst rument s and Cont rols86
Removing the key from the
ignition switch while driving
locks the steering. This can
cause you to lose control.
Remove the key from the
ignition switch only when
parked.

Accelerate to the desired cruising
speedabove25mph(40km/h). Push in the Cruise Control Master
Switch to the lef t of the steering
column. The indicator in the
switch will light.
Cruise control allows you to maintain
asetspeedabove25mph(40km/h)
without keeping your f oot on the
accelerator pedal. It should be used
f or cruising on straight, open
highways. It is not recommended f or
conditions such as city driving,
winding roads, slippery roads, heavy
rain, or bad weather. You should
have f ull control of the vehicle under
those conditions.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
On EX models Using t he Cruise Cont rol
Cruise Control
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures153
Improper use of the cruise
control can lead to a crash.
Use the cruise control only
when traveling on open
highways in good weather.

You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
When climbing a steep hill, the
automatic transmission may
downshif t to hold the set speed.
Press and release the SET/
DECELbuttononthesteering
wheel. The CRUISE CONTROL
light on the instrument panel
comes on to show the system is
now activated. Thecruisecontrolmaynotholdthe
set speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to
slow down to the desired speed. This
will cancel the cruise control. To
resume the set speed, press the
RES/ACCEL button. The CRUISE
CONTROL light on the instrument
panel comes on.
Press and hold the RES/ACCEL
button. The vehicle will accelerate.
When you reach the desired
cruising speed, release the button.
To increase your speed in very
small amounts, tap the RES/
ACCEL button repeatedly. Each
time you do this, your vehicle will
speed up about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Push on the accelerator pedal.
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the SET/DECEL
button.
3.
Changing t he Set Speed
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Cruise Control
154
RESUME/ACCEL
SET/DECEL

Resting your f oot on the brake or
clutch pedal will cause the cruise
control to cancel.
You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
Tap the brake or clutch pedal.
Youcancancelthecruisecontrolin
any of these ways:
Push the CANCEL button on the
steering wheel.
Press the Cruise Control Master
Switch.
Even with the cruise control turned
on, you can still use the accelerator
pedal to speed up f or passing. Af ter
completing the pass, take your foot
of f the accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will return to the set cruising speed.
Press and hold the SET/DECEL
button. The vehicle will decelerate.
Release the button when you
reach the desired speed.
To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the SET/DECEL
button repeatedly. Each time you
do this, your vehicle will slow
down about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your f oot. The
CRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel will go out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the SET/
DECEL button. The vehicle will
then maintain the desired speed.
CONT INUED
Cancelling t he Cruise Cont rol
Cruise Control
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures155
CANCEL BUTTON

If a side airbag
inflates,acupholderorotherhard
object attached on or near the
door could be propelled inside the
vehicle and hurt someone.
Covering the outside edge of a
f ront seat-back, with a non-Honda
seat cover for example, could
prevent the side airbag f rom
inf lating properly.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with non-
Honda (af termarket) components
could seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Some examples are:
Lowering the vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to impact speed
bumps or other raised objects,
which could cause the airbags to
deploy.
Raising the vehicle with an
af termarket suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Af termarket wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Do not modif y your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modif ications could make the
system inef f ective.
Any object
attached to or placed on the covers
marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG,’’ in the
center of the steering wheel and
on top of the dashboard, could
interf ere with the proper operation
of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inf late, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult with your Honda dealer.
Only on models equipped with side
airbagsModif ications
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Do not at t ach hard object s on ornear a f ront door.
Do not place any object s over t heoutsideedgeof afront seat-back.
Do not at t ach or place object s on the f ront airbag covers.
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving166