check engine HONDA ELEMENT 2007 1.G Owners Manual

If the indicator comes on at any
other time, or does not come on at all,
you should have the system checked
by your dealer. For example:If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.
If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them.
The SRS indicator alerts
you to a potential problem
with your airbags or seat belt
tensioners.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on brief ly then goes of f . This
tells you the system is working
properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the SRS Indicator Works
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
33
Ignoring the SRS indicator can
result in serious injury or death
if the airbag systems or
tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS indicator alerts you to
a possible problem.

The instrument panel has many
indicato rs that give you important
info rmation about your vehicl e.
See page .
If this indicator comes on when the
engine is running, the battery is not
being charged. For more information,
see page .
The
engine can be severely damaged
if this indicator flashes or stays on
wh en the engine is running. For
more information, see page .This
indicator has two functions: This
indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. It reminds you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts.
A beeper also sounds if you have not
fastened your seat belt.
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position before fastening
your seat belt, the beeper sounds
and the indicator flashes. If you do
notfastenyourseatbeltbeforethe
beep er stops, the indicator stops
fl ashing but remains on.
If your front passenger does not
fasten their seat belt, the indic ator
comes on about 6 seconds after the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position.
Itcomesonwhenyouturnthe
ignition
switch to the ON (II)
position. It is a reminder to check
the parking brake. A beeper
sounds if you drive with the
parking brake not fully released.
Driving with the parking brake not
fully released can damage the
brakes and tires.
If it stays on after you have fully
released the parking brake while
the engine is running, or if it
comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the brake
system. For more inf ormation, see
page .
2. 1.
232
231
231 233
Malf unction Indicator
Lamp
L ow Oil Pressure
Indicator
Charging System
Indicator
Parking Brake and
Brake System
Indicator
Seat Belt Reminder
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
60
U.S. Canada

If this indicator comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position and the parking brake is
rele ased, it means there is a problem
in a circuit. Have your vehicle
checked by your dealer.
This indicator comes on when you
set the cruise control. See page
for information on operating the
cruise control.
The
left or right turn signal indicator
blinks when you signal a lane change
or turn. If the indicato rs do not blink
or they blink rapidly, it usu ally
means one of the turn signal bulbs is
burned out (see page ). Replace
the bulb as soon as possible, since
other drivers cannot see that you are
signaling.
When you press the hazard warning
button, both turn signal indicato rs
and all turn signals on the outside of
the vehicle flash.
This
indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. It will
then go off if you have inserted a
properly-coded ignition key. If it is
not a properly-coded key, the
indicator will blink, and the engine
will not start (see page ).
This indicator also blinks several
times when you turn the ignition
switch f rom the ON (II) position to
the ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0)
position. 76
133
200
Canadian models only
Instrument Panel Indicators
Turn Signal and Hazard Warning
Indicators
Cruise Control Indicator ‘‘Daytime Running
Lights’’ Indicator
Immobilizer System
Indicator
62

This shows how much fuel you have.
It may show slightly more or less
th an the actual amount. The needle
returns to the bottom after you turn
off the ignition. Your
vehicl e’s on board diagnostic
system will detect a loose or missing
fu el fill cap as an evaporative system
leak. The first time a leak is detected
a ‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message
appears on the information display. If
the system still detects a leak in
your vehicle’s evaporative emissions
system, the malfunction indicator
lamp (MIL) comes on. If the fuel fill
cap was not already tightened, turn
the engine off, and check or
retighten the fuel fill cap until it
clicks at least once. The MIL should
go off after several days of normal
driving once the cap is tightened or
replaced. If the MIL does not go of f ,
have your vehicle inspected by a
dealer. For more inf ormation, see
page .
Turn the engine of f , and conf irm the
f uel f ill cap is installed. If it is, loosen
it, then retighten it until it clicks at
least once. The message should go
off after several days of normal
driving once you tighten or replace
the f uel f ill cap. To scroll to another
display, press the select/reset knob.
The ‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message
will appear each time you restart the
engine until the system turns the
message of f . 232
Gauges
Fuel Gauge
Check Fuel Cap Message
Inst rument s and Cont rols
67
Avoid driving with an extremely low
f uel level. Running out of f uel could
cause the engine to misf ire, damaging
the catalytic converter.

The information display in the
instrument panel shows you the
engine oil life and maintenance
service items when the ignition
switch is in the ON (II) position. This
information helps to keep you aware
of the periodic maintenance your
vehicle needs for continued trouble-
free driving. Refer to page for
more information.
This
shows the temperature of the
engine’s coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise to
about the middle of the gauge. In
severe driving conditions, the pointer
may rise to the upper zone. If it
reaches the red (hot) mark, pull
safely to the side of the road. Turn to
page f or instructions and
precautions on checking the engine’s
cooling system. 229
179
Gauges
Maintenance Minder
Temperature Gauge
68

µµ
If the MAIN switch is OFF, the
passenger’s window cannot be raised
or lowered. Keep the MAIN switch
off whenyouhavechildreninthe
vehicle so they do not injure
themselves by operating the
passenger’s window unintentionally. To open/close the driver’s
window, push the window switch
f irmly down or up to the second
detent, and release it. The window
will automatically go up or down all
the way. To stop the window, pull/
push on the window switch brief ly. If the driver’s
window senses any obstacle while it
is closing automatically, it will
reverse direction, and then stop. To
close the window, remove the
obstacle, then use the window switch
again.
If the power windows do not operate
properly af ter resetting, have your
vehicle checked by your dealer. Pull and hold the driver’s window
switch to close the window
completely, then hold the switch
f or about 2 seconds. Start the engine. Push down and
hold the driver’s window switch
until the window is f ully open.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position to raise or lower either
window. To open the window, push
the switch down and hold it. Release
the switch when you want the
window to stop. Pull back on the
switchandholdittoclosethe
window. If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, or the
driver’s window f use is removed, the
AUTO f unction may be disabled. If
this happens, the power window
system needs to be reset af ter
reconnecting the battery or installing
the fuse.
1.
2.
AUTO AUTO REVERSE
Power Windows
Inst rument s and Cont rols
91
DRIVER’S WINDOW SWITCH
MAIN SWITCH
Closing a power window on
someone’s hands or fingers can
cause serious injury.
Make sure your passenger is
away from the window before
closing it.

Bef ore you begin driving your
vehicle, you should know what
gasoline to use and how to check the
levels of important f luids. You also
need to know how to properly store
luggage or packages. The
inf ormation in this section will help
you. If you plan to add any
accessories to your vehicle, please
read the information in this section
first..............................
Break-in Period .138
.................
Fuel Recommendation .138
.........
Service Station Procedures .139
....................................
Ref ueling .139
Opening and Closing the
.......................................
Hood .140
...................................
Oil Check .141
.............
Engine Coolant Check .141
...............................
Fuel Economy .142
...
Accessories and Modif ications .143
.............................
Carrying Cargo .145
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
137

Close the fuel fill door.
Screw
the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
the malfunction indicator lamp
maycomeon(seepage ).You
will also see a ‘‘CHECK FUEL
CAP’’ message on the inf ormation
display. even though the tank is not f ull,
there may be a problem with your
vehicle’s f uel vapour recovery
system. The system helps keep
f uel vapours f rom going into the
atmosphere. Try f illing at another
pump. If this does not f ix the
problem, consult your dealer. Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top of f ’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door. Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.
Outside of the vehicle, open the
f uel f ill door by pulling its notched
edge.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
1.
2.
3.4.
5.
6.
232
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Ref ueling
Quick Start Guide
Fuel Recommendation, Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
139
Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.

Wait a few minutes after turning the
engine off before you check the oil.
Remove the dipstick (orange tab).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its tube. Remove
the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks. Look
at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page for
info rmation on adding the proper
coolan t.
Refer to
on page for information
about checking other items on your
vehicle.
If
it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
1.
2.
3. 4.
189 192
184
Oil Check
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
A dding Engine Oil
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
141
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARKLOWER MARK RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN

The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
Combine
several short trips into
one. Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehic le uses extra
fuel. Use cruise control when
appropriate.
Always
maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
messages displayed in the
inf ormation display. See on page
.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible. Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel. The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion. an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more f uel. 184
For example,
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Fuel Economy
142