key HONDA ELEMENT 2007 1.G User Guide

Be caref ul when you are using the
beverage holders. A spilled liquid
that is very hot can scald you or your
passengers. Spilled liquids can also
damage the upholstery, and
electrical components in the interior.Your vehicle has one, two, or three
accessory power sockets, depending
on the model. All models have a
f ront accessory power socket on the
dashboard above the glove box.
EX and SC models have an accessory
power socket in the cargo area on
the passenger’s side.
The SC model has another socket in
the center console.
The f ront beverage holder is
removable. To remove it, push the
tab and pull it up. These sockets are intended to supply
power f or 12 volt DC accessories
that are rated 120 watts or less (10
amps). None of the sockets will
power an automotive type cigarette
lighter element. When more than
one socket is being used, the
combined power rating of the
accessories should be 120 watts or
less (10 amps).Open the glove box by pulling the
bottom of the handle. Close it with a
f irm push. Lock or unlock the glove
box with the master key.
On SC model
Interior Convenience Items
Beverage Holders
A ccessory Power Sockets Glove Box
Inst rument s and Cont rols
97
An open glove box can cause
serious injury to your passenger
inacrash,evenifthe
passenger is wearing the seat
belt.
Always keep the glove box
closed while driving.

The ceiling light has a three-position
switch: ON, Door Activated, and
OFF.
In the Door Activated (center)
position, the light comes on when
you:Open any door.
Remove the key from the ignition.
If you do not open a door, the light
f ades out in about 30 seconds.
Unlock the doors with the key or
remote transmitter. Turn on the spotlight by pushing the
lens. Push the lens again to turn it
of f . You can use the spotlights at all
times. The cargo area light has a three-
position switch. In the center
position, the light comes on when
you open the hatch.
The ignition switch light comes on
when you unlock the driver’s door,
and f ades out about 30 seconds af ter
you close the door.
On EX and SC models
Interior Lights
Ceiling L ight
Spotlights Cargo A rea L ight
Ignition Switch L ight
98
ON
OFF DOOR ACTIVATED

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

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

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

Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly, or
your vehicle may roll if it is parked
on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission.Make sure the windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.
in the cargo area or take them
with you.
Lock the doors and the hatch with
the key.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes. If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb. If you have a manual
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving
159
curb. If you have a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear,
and set the parking brake.
t ran
sm
is
s

ion, put it in reverse gear,
and set the parking brake.

Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
In
this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer to
on page . Do
you have fuel? Check the fuel
gauge; the low fuel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses
(see page ).
Ifyoufindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualified technician to find
the problem (see
on page ).
62 234
239
152
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
If theEngineWon’tStart
226

CONT INUED
....................................
Accessories .143
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key
.......................................
Position) .79
..............
Accessory Power Sockets .97
....................
Additives, Engine Oil .190
.........
Advice f or Pregnant Women .18
.............................
Airbag (SRS) . 11, 24
...
Airbags, Additional Information .24
...
Additional Safety Precautions .36
.............................
Airbag Service .35
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
......................
Indicator Works .34
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .34
..
How the SRS Indicator Works .33
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work .27
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .31
How Your Side Curtain Airbags
.........................................
Work .32
........................
SRS Components .24
..............
Air Conditioning System .102
.........................................
Usage .103
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .209 ......................................
Alignment .245
......................................
Antif reeze .192
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............................
Indicator . 61, 162
...................................
Operation .161
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 129
.
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock . 79
......................
Armrests, Front Seat .84
................................
Audio System .107
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 22
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 133
..............
Automatic Transmission . 155
..........................
Capacity, Fluid .244
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 194
.......................................
Shif ting .155
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 155
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 155
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 158
......................
Auxiliary Input Jack .125
Battery Charging System ...........................
Indicator . 60, 231
............................
Jump Starting .227 ..............................
Maintenance .214
............................
Specif ications .245
..............................
Bef ore Driving .137
..................................
Belts, Seat . 10, 20
...........................
Beverage Holders .97
...................................
Body Panels .197
..................................
Booster Seats .52
Brakes ...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 161
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 138
....................
Bulb Replacement . 203
...........................................
Fluid .196
.........................................
Parking .93
.................
System Indicator . 60, 233
........................
Wear Indicators .161
.............................
Braking System .160
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle . 138
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 72
........................
Brights, Headlights .72
Index
A
B
INDEX
I

CONT INUED
.................
Jacking up the Vehicle .221
.......................................
Jack, Tire .219
................................
Jump Starting .227
...............................
Keys and Locks .75
.......................
Label, Certif ication .242
.................
Lane Change, Signaling .71
..................
Lap/Shoulder Belts . 15, 21
...........
LATCH Anchorage System .46
Lights
....................
Bulb Replacement .198
.......................................
Indicator .59
.........................................
Parking .71
..................................
Turn Signal .71
....................................
Load Limits .146
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) .79
Locks
.......
Anti-thef t Steering Column .79
....................................
Glove Box .97 ............................................
Hatch .81
.................................
Power Door .80
........................................
Tailgate .82
........................
Low Coolant Level .141
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator .63
...
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 60, 231
.
Low Tire Pressure Indicator . 64, 163
................................
Lower Anchors .46
...
Lower Gear, Downshif ting to a .153
...
Lubricant Specif ications Chart .244
.........................................
Luggage .145
..................................
Maintenance .177
........................................
Minder .179
.........................
Minder Indicator .61
...
Owner Maintenance Checks .184
.................................
Record . 186-187
..........................................
Saf ety .178
.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . 60, 232
...................
Manual Transmission .153
...............
Checking Fluid Level .195
.....
Recommended Shif t Points .154
................................
Shif ting the .153
........
Manual Transmission Fluid .195 .........................
Meters, Gauges . 59, 66
.................................
Mirror, Vanity .99
..........................
Mirrors, Adjusting .92
...............
Modif ying Your Vehicle . 144
Monitor, Door and Tailgate .............................................
Open .63
...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline . 138
.........................................
Odometer .66
...............................
Odometer, Trip .66
....................
Of f -Highway Driving . 173
...................
Neutral Gear Position . 156
..................
New Vehicle Break-in . 138
.....................
Normal Shif t Speeds .154
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of . i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication . 242
Index
N
O
M
J
K
L
INDEX
V

Î
Oil........................
Change, How to .190
......................
Change, When to .179
......................
Checking Engine .141
..............
Pressure Indicator . 60, 231
Selecting Proper Viscosity ......................................
Chart .189
...........
ON (Ignition Key Position) .79
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
....................................
Recovery .251
..............................
Outside Mirrors .92
....................
Overheating, Engine .229
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks .184
..............
Panel Brightness Control .72
........................
Park Gear Position .155
...........................................
Parking .159
.................................
Parking Brake .93
Parking Brake and Brake
.................
System Indicator . 60, 233
.................................
Parking Lights .71
..
Parking Over Things that Burn . 159
................................
Playing a Disc .119
..........
Playing the AM/FM Radio . 107Playing the XM Satellite
..........................................
Radio .113
.............................
PGM-FI System .252
..........................
Power Door Locks .80
.................................
Power Mirrors .92
.................
Power Socket Locations . 97
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 197
.........
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . 18
........................
Preparing to Drive .151
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens . 12
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 18
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 18
........................
Protecting Children .37
Protecting Inf ants and Small .......................................
Children .42
...........
Protecting Larger Children . 51
.....................
Using Booster Seat .52
...................
Radiator Overheating . 229
.............
Radio/CD Sound System . 107
..................
RadioThef t Protection . 129
Readiness Codes ........................... 254
.................
Rear Dif f erential Fluid . 196
.......................................
Rear Doors .81 ..
Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement . 203
..........................
Rear Seat, Folding .87
............................
Rear View Mirror .92
.................................
Rear Windows .93
......................................
Def ogger .73
......................
Wiper and Washer .70
...............
Reclining the Seat Backs . 83
..............
Reclining the Front Seats . 86
.......
Recommended Shif t Speeds . 154
...
Recommended Tire Pressures . 209
.............................
Reminder Lights .59
...............
Removing the Rear Seats . 89
.......................
Remote Transmitter .77
................
Remote Audio Controls . 132
Replacement Inf ormation ..............
Dust and Pollen Filter . 206
................
Engine Oil and Filter . 190
..........................................
Fuses .234
................................
Light Bulbs .198
...........................................
Tires .208
.............................
Wiper Blades .206
Replacing Seat Belts Af ter a ............................................
Crash .23
..........
Reporting Saf ety Def ects . 260
Reserve Tank, Engine ...............................
Coolant . 141, 192
Index
R
P
VI