tailgate HONDA ELEMENT 2007 1.G Owners Manual

µAfter
everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors are closed
and locked.
They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
To do
their job, airbags must inflate with
trem endous force. So while
airbags help save lives, they can
cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly.
The
most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:
Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as far back from the
steering wheel as possible while
allowing full control of the vehicl e. A
front passenger should move their
seat as far back from the dashboard
as possible. Locking
the doors reduces the
ch ance of someone being thro wn out
of the vehicle during a crash, and it
helps prevent passengers from
accidentally opening a door and
falling out.
Lo cking the doors also helps prevent
an outsider from unexp ectedly
opening a door when you come to a
stop.
The
rest of this section gives more
detailed information about how you
can maximize your safety.
Remember however, that no safety
system can prevent all injures or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
The following pages pro vide
instru ctions on how to properly
protect the driver, adult passengers,
and teenage children who are large
enough and mature enough to drive
or ride in the front.
See pages for important
guidelines on how to properly
protect infants, small children, and
larger children who ride in your
vehicle. Your
vehicle has a door and
tailgate monitor indicator
on the instrument panel to indicate
when a specific door or the tailgate
or the hatch is not tightly closed.
See page for how to lock the
doors, and page for how the door
and tailgate monitor indicator works.
5337
63
80
Close and L ock the Doors
Protecting A dults and T eens
Introduction 1.
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rearimpact s, or minor f ront al or sidecollisions.A irbags can pose hazards.
What you should do:
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features, Protecting A dults and Teens
12

µ
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. If
you are not wearing a
seat belt in crash, you could be
thrown forward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed. Children
who play in vehicl es
can accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles.
Even very
young children learn how to
unlock vehicle doors, turn on the
ignition, and open the tailgate or
hatch, which can lead to accidental
injury or death.
If a child wraps a loose
seat belt around their neck, they
can be seriously or f atally injured.
(See pages and f or how to
activate and deactivate the
lockable retractor.)
Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous.
For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition switch can accidentally set
the vehicle in motion, possibly
injuring themselves or others. 4948
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a child.
Never let two children use thesame seat belt .
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap. Lock all doors, the tailgate and the
hat ch when your vehicle is not inuse.
K eep vehicle keys and remot et ransmit t ers (on some models) outof t he reach of children.
Make sure any unused seat belt
t hat a child can reach is buckled,the lockable retractor is activated,and the belt is f ully retracted andlocked.
Do not leave children alone in avehicle.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
41

Your vehicle’s exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. Carbon
monoxide should not enter the
vehicle in normal driving if you
maintain your vehicle properly and
f ollow the inf ormation on this page.High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage.
Have the exhaust system inspected
f or leaks whenever:
The vehicle is raised f or an oil
change.
You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.
The vehicle was in an accident
that may have damaged the
underside. Select the f resh air mode.
Select the mode.
Turn the f an on high speed.
Set the temperature control to a
comfortable setting.
If you must sit in your parked vehicle
with the engine running, even in an
unconf ined area, adjust the heating
and cooling system as f ollows: With the tailgate or hatch open, air
f low can pull exhaust gas into your
vehicle’s interior and create a
hazardous condition. If you must
drive with the tailgate or hatch open,
openallthewindowsandsetthe
heating and cooling system as shown
below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
54
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.

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 Convenience Items .96
.......................
Beverage Holders .97
..........
Accessory Power Sockets .97
....................................
Glove Box .97
.................................
Interior Lights .98
................................
Ceiling Light .98
.....................................
Spotlights .98
........................
Cargo Area Light .98
..................
Ignition Switch Light .98
..........................................
Sun Visor .99
..................................
Vanity Mirror .99
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols
57

ÎThe U.S. instrument panel is shown. Differences for the Canadian models are noted in the text.
Instrument Panel
Instru me ntsand Cont ro ls
59
CRUISE CONTROL
INDICATOR
(P.61)
(P.64)
VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST(VSA) SYSTEM
INDICATOR (P.61)
(P.65)
MAINTENANCE
MINDER
INDICATOR (P.61)
LIGHT ON INDICATOR
SEAT BELT REMINDER
INDICATOR (P.60)
(P.62)
PARKING
BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR
LOW FUEL
INDICATOR
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATOR (P.62) SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR
SIDE
AIRBAG OFF
INDICATOR
LOW
TIRE PRESSURE
INDICATOR (P.64)
VSA ACTIVATION
INDICATOR
(P.64)
(P.60,
232)
(P.63)
(P.63)
(P.60,
233)
(P.60) HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
(P.63) MALFUNCTION INDICATOR
LAMP
LOW OIL PRESSURE
INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR DOOR
AND TAILGATE
OPEN MONITOR (P.63)
(P.61) TPMS
INDICATOR
(P.60, 231)

This indicator reminds you that the
exterior lights are on. It comes on
when the light switch is in either the
or position. If you turn the
ignition switch to the ACCESSORY
(I) or LOCK (0) position without
turning off the light switch, this
indicator will stay on. A reminder
chime will also sound when you open
the driver’s door.
This indicator comes on with the
high beam headlights. For more
info rmation, see page .
On Canadian models, this indicator
comes on with reduced brightness
wh en the daytime running lights
(DRL) are on (see page ). This
indicator comes on when the
washer fluid level is low. Add washer
fluid when you see this indicator
come on (see page ).
All of the indicators in the monitor
display come on f or a f ew seconds
when you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position. The appropriate indicator comes on
in this display if the tailgate or any
door is not closed tightly. When the indicator comes on, there
is about 2.8 U.S. gal (10.5
)of fuel
remaining in the tank bef ore the
needle reaches E. There is a small
reserve of f uel remaining in the tank
when the needle does reach E.
This indicator comes on as a
reminder that you must ref uel soon.
72
72 193
Canadian models only
Instrument Panel Indicators
Lights On Indicator
High Beam Indicator
Washer Level Indicator
Door and T ailgate Open Monitor
Low Fuel Indicator
Inst rument s and Cont rols
63
LOW FUEL INDICATOR

See page for information on
cargo loading. Keep the tailgate and
the hatch closed at all times while
driving to avoid damaging them, and
to prevent exhaust gas from getting
into the interior. See
on page .
Youcanopenthetailgateonlywhen
the hatch is open. To open the
tailgate, slide the lock lever to the
lef t and swing down the tailgate. To
close the tailgate, lif t it up and push
it f irmly until it latches.
Bef ore closing the tailgate, make
sure the hatch is raised. Closing the
tailgate on the lowered hatch can
damage the hatch and the tailgate.
When both the hatch and tailgate are
open, the hatch cannot be latched
without f irst closing the tailgate. To close the hatch, lower it, then
press down on the back edge. With the hatch unlocked, open it by
pulling the handle and lif ting up. 147
54
Door L ocks
Carbon
Monoxide Hazard
Tailgate
82

Turn of f the engine, and set the
parkingbrake.Thenpulldownthe
lever, squeeze both sides of the pivot
while pushing up the red tab in the
lever, and pull the lever assembly
away from the ceiling.Push up the rear of the skylight.
Standing on the tailgate with the
hatch down, hold both sides of the
skylight and pull it toward you to
remove it f rom the vehicle roof .
To remove the skylight:
Skylight
94
Bef ore lif ting the skylight, make sure
the roof of the vehicle is dry. Rain or
remaining water af ter car-washing may
get into the f rame of the skylight. In
winter, remove the buildup of snow on
the roof . If you try to tilt up the skylight in
below-f reezing temperatures, or when
it is covered with snow or ice, you can
damage it.
The maximum weight on the tailgate is
440 lbs (200 kg).

Air flows from the defroster
vents at the base of the windshield. The heater uses engine coolant to
warm the air. If the engine is cold, it
will be several minutes before you
feel warm air coming from the
system.
When
you select or ,
the system automatically switches to
fresh air mode and turns on the A/C.
The A/C indicator does not come on.
Select and fresh air mode.
Set the fan to the desired speed.
Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control dial.
The flow-through ventilation system
draws in outside air, circulates it
through the interior, then discharg es
it through vents near the tailgate. Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page ). If it moves near the red zone,
turn of f the A/C until the gauge
reading returns to normal.
Set the temperature to the lower
limit.
Make sure the A/C is of f .
Select and fresh air mode.
Set the f an to the desired speed.
Turn on the A/C by pressing the
button. The indicator in the button
comesonwhenafanspeedis
selected.
Set the temperature to the lower
limit.Select .
If the outside air is humid, select
recirculation mode. If the outside
air is dry, select f resh air mode.
Set the f an to the desired speed.
Set the mode control dial to MAX
A/C.
The system automatically turns on
the A/C, selects and
switches to recirculation mode.
Set the temperature to the lower
limit.
Set the f an to the desired speed.
you can
cool it down more rapidly by partially
opening the windows, turning on the
A/C, and setting the fan to
maximum speed in f resh air mode.
1.
2.
3.
4. 1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
68
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
To cool the interior with MAX A/C:
If the interior is very warm,
Vents, Heating, and A/C
Using the A/C Using the Heater
Ventilation
(f resh air mode)
104

In addition, the total weight of the
vehicle, all passengers, accessories,
cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). Both
areonalabelonthedriver’s
doorjamb.
Store or secure all items that could
be thro wn around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Be sure items placed on the floor
behind the front seats cannot roll
under the seats and interfere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals, the proper operation of the
seats, or proper operation of the
sensors under the seats.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger could
injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop.
Ifyoufoldtherearseatsdownor
up,orremovethem,tiedown
items that could be thro wn about
the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop. Also, keep all cargo
below the bottom of the windows.
If it is higher, it could interfere
with the proper operation of the
side curtain airbags.
Distribute cargo evenly on the
floor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thro wn
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.
If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
tailgate or the hatch, exhaust gas can enter the passenger area. To
avoid the possibility of ,followthe
instructions on page .
If you carry any items on a roof
rack,besurethetotalweightof
the rack and the items does not
exceed 165 lbs (75 kg).
If you use an accessory roof rack,
the roof rack weight limit may be
lower. Ref er to the inf ormation that
came with your roof rack.
Theseparationnetcanbeusedto
hold back sof t, lightweight items
stored in the cargo area. Heavy
items should be properly secured on
the f loor of the cargo area. The net
may not prevent heavy items f rom
being thrown f orward in a crash or a
sudden stop. 54
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
or on a Roof Rack carbon
monoxide poisoning
Optional Separation Net
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
147