service HONDA ELEMENT 2008 1.G User Guide

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 .140
.................
Fuel Recommendation .140
.........
Service Station Procedures .141
....................................
Ref ueling .141
Opening and Closing the
.......................................
Hood .142
...................................
Oil Check .143
.............
Engine Coolant Check .143
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Fuel Economy .144
...
Accessories and Modif ications .147
.............................
Carrying Cargo .149
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
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Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise the engine speed by shif ting to
a lower gear.
We recommend quality gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 % ethanol by
volume and up to 15 % MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
On vehicles with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
140
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Close the f uel f ill door.
Screw the f uel f ill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
the malf unction 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 fuel vapor recovery
system. The system helps keep
f uel vapor 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.
236
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Ref ueling
Quick Start Guide
Fuel Recommendation, Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
141
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.
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Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert the end into the hole in
the hood.
Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Lif t it up slightly to remove the
support rod f rom the hole. Put the
support rod back into its holding clip.
Lower the hood to about a f oot
(30cm)abovethefender,thenletit
drop. Make sure it is securely
latched.
If the hood latch handle moves
stif f ly, or if you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated.
Put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood near the center.
The hood latch handle is above
the ‘‘H’’ logo. Push this handle up
to release it. Lift up the hood.
1. 2.
3.
To Close the Hood:
Opening and Closing the Hood
Service Station Procedures
142
LATCH
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
SUPPORT ROD
CLIP
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Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore 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 f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to
on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
vehicle.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
1.
2.
3. 4.
196
190
193
Oil Check Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
A dding Engine Oil
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
143
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARKLOWER MARK RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
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Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.Driving on a signif icantly under-
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor (not including the spare tire).
If the air pressure of a tire becomes
signif icantly low, the sensor in that
tire immediately sends a signal that
causes the low tire pressure
indicator to come on.
If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inf late the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver’s doorjamb.
If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire (see page ).
If you cannot make the low tire
values, have your dealer check theBecausetirepressurevariesby
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure indicator may
come on unexpectedly.
For example, if you check and f ill
your tires in a warm area, then drive
in extremely cold weather, the tire
pressure will be lower than
measured and could be underinflated
and cause the low tire pressure
check and adjust your tire pressure
maybecomeoverinflated.However,
Refer to page for tire inflation
guidelines.
thetirepressuresmonthly.
222
212
CONT INUED
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

Indicator
Driving
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as soon as possible, and inflate them
systemassoonaspossible.
incoolerconditions,anddriveinto
extremelyhotconditions,thetireLowTirePressure
Whenthelowtirepressure indicator
is on, one or more of your tires is
to theproperpressureasindicatedon
signif icantly underinf lated. You
thevehicle’stireinformationplacard.
should stop and check your tires
pressure indicator go out after
inf lating the tires to the specif ied
Under-inflationalsoreducesfuel
indicatortocomeon.Or,ifyou
thelowtirepressure indicator will
not come on if the tires are
monitored,youmustmanuallycheck
overinf lated.
Althoughyourtirepressureis
2008 Element

Each tire, including the spare, should
be checked monthly when cold and
set to the recommended inf lation
pressure as specif ied in the vehicle
placard and this owner’s manual (see
page ).
If you see this message, the system
is of f and is not monitoring the tire
pressures. Have the system checked
by your dealer as soon as possible.
This indicator comes on and stays on
if there is a problem with the tire
pressure monitoring system.
When you restart the vehicle with
thecompactsparetire,theTPMS
indicator may also come on and stay
on after driving several miles
(kilometers).Never use a puncture-repairing agent
in a f lat tire. If used, you will have to
dealer as soon as possible.
After you replace the flat tire with
Each wheel (except the compact
sparetirewheel)isequippedwitha
tire pressure sensor mounted inside
must use TPMS specif ic wheels. It is
recommended that you always have
qualif ied technician.
250

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.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Changing a T ire with T PMS
Tire Pressure Monitoring
170
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pressure to be sureitiscorrect.

After several miles (kilometers)

driving with the compact spare tire,
the TPMS indicator comes on and the
Manually checkthesparetire
System(TPMS)Indicator
Ifyouhaveaflattire,thelowtire
pressure indicator will come on.
thecompactsparetire,thelowtire
Replace the flat tire with the compact
yourtiresservicedbyyourdealeror
sparetire(seepage 222).
pressure indicator stays on. This
low tire pressureindicatorgoesoff.
monitoring thesparetirepressure.
thetirebehindthevalvestem.You
is normal; the system is not
Thelowtirepressure or the TPMS
AsrequiredbytheFCC:
indicator will go off, after several
miles (kilometers) driving, when
you replace the spare tire with the
specif ied regular tire equipped with
Havetheflattirerepairedbyyour
the tire pressure monitor sensor.
replacethetirepressuresensor.
2008 Element

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, cooling system, and
lights are in good operating
condition. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use D position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D is
the proper shif t lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See ‘‘ ’’ on the next
page f or additional gear inf ormation.)
173174 212
CONT INUED
3
Pre-T ow Checklist Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Towing a Trailer
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving on Hills
Driving
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Before you leave the pavement, be
sure to do all scheduled maintenance
and service, and inspect your vehicle
f or any problems. Pay special
attention to the condition of the tires,
and check the tire pressures.
After you return to the pavement,
caref ully inspect your vehicle to
make sure there is no damage that
could make driving it unsaf e.
Recheck the condition of the tires
and the tire pressures.
The route presents limits (too steep
or bumpy roads). You have limits
(driving skill and comfort). And your
vehicle has limits (traction, stability,
and power).
Driving of f -highway can be
hazardous if you f ail to recognize
limits and take the proper
precautions.Forbettertractiononallsurfaces,
accelerate slowly and gradually build
up speed. If you try to start too fast
on wet soil, mud, snow, or ice, you
might not have enough traction to
get underway, and you may dig
yourself a hole. Starting with the
shif t lever in second (2) gear will
help you have a smoother start on
snow or ice.
Keep in mind that you will usually
need more time and distance to
brake to a stop on unpaved surf aces.
Avoid hard braking. Do not ‘‘pump’’
the brakes; let the anti-lock braking
system pump them f or you.
Debris in the road can damage your
suspension or other components.
Because your vehicle has a high
center of gravity, driving over a large
obstacle, or allowing a wheel to drop
into a deep hole can cause your
vehicle to tip or roll over.
If you can’t clearly see all conditions
or obstacles on a slope, walk the
slope bef ore you drive on it. If you
have any doubt whether or not you
can saf ely drive on the slope, don’t
do it. Find another route.
If you are driving up a hill and f ind
that you cannot continue,
. Your vehicle could roll
over. Slowly back down the hill,
f ollowing the same route you took up
the hill.
do not try to
turn around
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
Check Out Your Vehicle
Remember A ccelerating and Braking A voiding Obstacles
Driving on Slopes
180
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This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance minder messages on
the information display, and
instructions f or simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself .......................
Maintenance Saf ety .184
....................
Maintenance Minder .185
..............................
Fluid Locations .192
........................
Adding Engine Oil .193
Changing the Engine Oil and
...........................................
Filter .194
..............................
Engine Coolant .196
....................
Windshield Washers .197
.......................
Transmission Fluid .198
Automatic Transmission .......................................
Fluid .198
...
Manual Transsmission Fluid .199
.................
Rear Dif f erential Fluid .200
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid .200
....................
Power Steering Fluid .201
............
Cleaning the Body Panels .201
.............................................
Lights .202
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts .209
.....................................
Floor Mats .209
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .210
.................................
Wiper Blades .210
...........................................
Wheels .212
...............................................
Tires .212
...................
Checking the Battery .218
.............................
Vehicle Storage .219
265
Maintenance
Maint enance
183
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