airbag off HONDA ELEMENT 2009 1.G User Guide

How the SRS Indicator Works
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 briefly then goes off. This
tells you the system is working
properly. 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 flashes
on and off while you drive.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them.
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.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
31
Driver and Passenger Safety
2009 Element

How the Side Airbag Off Indicator
WorksU.S. CanadaThis indicator alerts you that the
passenger's side airbag has been
automatically shut off. It does
not
mean there is a problem with your
side airbags.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the indicator
should come on briefly and then go
off (see page59).If it doesn't come
on, stays on, or comes on while
driving without a passenger in the
front seat, have the system checked.How the Passenger Airbag Off
Indicator Works
This indicator alerts you that the
passenger's front airbag has been
shut off because weight sensors
detect about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less
(the weight of an infant or small
child) on the front passenger's seat.
It does
not mean
there is a problem
with the airbag. Be aware that objects placed on the
front seat can cause the indicator to
come on.
If no weight is detected on the front
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut off. However, the indicator will
not come on.
The passenger airbag off indicator
may come on and off repeatedly if the
total weight on the seat is near the
airbag cutoff threshold.
If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in front, move the seat as far to
the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly.
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR
U.S. Canada
Additional Information About Your Airbags32
2009 Element

Additional Safety Precautions●Do not attempt to deactivate yourairbags.
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
●Do not tamper with airbag components or wiring for any
reason.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
●Do not expose the front
passenger's seat-back to liquid.
If
water or another liquid soaks into
the seat-back, it can prevent the
side airbag cutoff system from
working properly.
●Do not cover or replace front seat- back covers without consulting
your dealer.
Improperly replacing
or covering front seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags from
inflating during a side impact.
●Do not remove or modify a front seat without consulting your
dealer.
This could make the
driver's seat position sensor or the
front passenger's weight sensors
ineffective. If it is necessary to
remove or modify a front seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, first contact Honda
Automobile Customer Service at
(800) 999-1009.
Additional Information About Your Airbags34
2009 Element

All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
safer when they are restrained in a
back seat. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration and
Transport Canada recommend that
all children aged 12 and under be
properly restrained in a back seat.
Some states have laws restricting
where children may ride.
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back.The Passenger's Front Airbag Can
Pose Serious Risks
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe frontal collision. To do this,
the passenger's front airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
force to cause very serious injuries.
Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger's
front airbag off (see page32),please
follow these guidelines:
Infants
Never put a rear-facing child seat inthe front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's front airbag.
If the
airbag inflates, it can hit the back of
the child seat with enough force to
kill or very seriously injure an infant.
Small Children
Placing a forward-facing child seat inthe front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's front airbag can be
hazardous.
If the vehicle seat is too
far forward, or the child's head is
thrown forward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough force to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown childseats are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inflating passenger's
front airbag.
Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page49for important
information about protecting larger
children).
Protecting Children －General Guidelines36
2009 Element

Even with advanced front airbags
that automatically turn the
passenger's front airbag off (see page
32),a back seat is the safest place for
a small child.
If it is necessary to put a forward-
facing child seat in the front, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, and be sure the child seat is
firmly secured to the vehicle and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.Selecting a Child Seat
When buying a child seat, you need
to choose either a conventional child
seat, or one designed for use with
the lower anchors and tethers for
children (LATCH) system.
Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the rear seats.
Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.
In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
1.
The child seat should meet U.S. or
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213.
Look for FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
2.
The child seat should be of the proper type and size to fit the child.Rear-facing for infants, forward-
facing for small children.
Protecting Infants and Small Children, Selecting a Child Seat42
2009 Element

ꭧ: The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Differences for the Canadian models are noted in the text.
DRL
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS
INDICATOR (P.
60)
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
(P.
61)
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR (P.
58,295)
VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA)
INDICATOR
(P.
62)
VSA OFF
INDICATOR
(P.
62)
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(ABS) INDICATOR (P.
59) LOW OIL
PRESSURE
INDICATOR
(P.
58,295)
DOOR AND TAILGATE
OPEN INDICATOR (P.
61)SIDE AIRBAG OFF
INDICATOR (P.
59)
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATOR (P.
60) SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
INDICATOR (P.
59)LOW FUEL
INDICATOR
(P.
61)MAINTENANCE MINDER
INDICATOR (P.
59)SEAT BELT REMINDER
INDICATOR (P.
58)LIGHTS ON INDICATOR (P. 61)PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P.
58,297)
CRUISE CONTROL
INDICATOR (P.60)
TPMS INDICATOR
(P.
63) CRUISE MAIN INDICATOR
(P.
60)
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR
LAMP (P.
58,296)
LOW TIRE PRESSURE
INDICATOR (P.
62)
Instrument Panel
57
Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

If either of you do not fasten your
seat belt while driving, the beeper
will sound and the indicator will flash
again at regular intervals. For more
information, see page18.
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates a potential
problem with your front airbags. This
indicator will also alert you to a
potential problem with your side
airbags, passenger's side airbag
cutoff system, side curtain airbags,
automatic seat belt tensioners,
driver's seat position sensor, or the
front passenger's weight sensors.
For more information, see page
31.
U.S. Canada
Side Airbag Off
Indicator
This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates that the
passenger's side airbag has
automatically shut off. For more
information, see page
32.
Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS) Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for a
few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position, and
when the ignition switch is turned to
the START (III) position. If it comes on
at any other time, there is a problem
with the ABS. If this happens, have
your vehicle checked at a dealer. With
this indicator on, your vehicle still has
normal braking ability but no anti-lock
function. For more information, see
page
226.
Maintenance Minder
Indicator
This indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. It
reminds you that it is time to take
your vehicle in for scheduled
maintenance. The maintenance main
items and sub items will be displayed
in the information display. See page
243for more information on the
maintenance minder.
This indicator goes off when your
dealer resets it after completing the
required maintenance service.
CONTINUED
Instrument Panel Indicators
59
Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

Heating and Cooling
..................
104
Hood, Opening and Closing the
..........................................
200
Horn
............................................
69
Hydraulic Clutch
........................
258
I
Identification Number, Vehicle
...................................
306
Ignition Keys
.........................................
75
Switch
......................................
79
Immobilizer System
.....................
76
Important Safety Precautions
.........
6
Indicators, Instrument Panel
........
57
ABS (Anti-lock Brake)
..............
59
Brake (Parking and Brake System)
.........................
58,297
Charging System
..............
58,295
Cruise Control
..........................
60
Cruise Main
.............................
60
Door and Tailgate Open
...........
61
DRL (Daytime Running Lights)
..................................
60 High Beam
...............................
61
Key (Immobilizer System)
.......
60
Lights On
.................................
61
Low Fuel
..................................
61
Low Oil Pressure
..............
58,295
Low Tire Pressure
.............
62,227
Maintenance Minder
.........
59,243
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
.............................
58,296
Passenger Airbag Off
...............
32
Seat Belt Reminder
.............
18,58
Side Airbag Off
....................
32,59
SRS
.....................................
31,59
TPMS
................................
63,228
Turn Signal and Hazard Warning
...............................
60
VSA OFF
..................................
62
VSA System
.............................
62
Washer Level
...........................
61
Individual Map Lights
..................
95
Infant Restraint
............................
40
Infant Seats
..................................
40
Tether Anchorage Point
...........
48
Inflation, Proper Tire
..................
271
Recommended Pressures
.......
272
Inside Mirror
...............................
93 Inspection, Tire
..........................
273
Installing a Child Seat
..................
43
Instrument Panel
..........................
57
Instrument Panel Brightness
.......
72
Instruments and Controls
.............
55
Interior Lights
..............................
95
Introduction
...................................
i
iPod
®Error Messages
................
172
J
Jacking up the Vehicle
...............
283
Jack, Tire
...................................
283
Jump Starting
.............................
291
K
Keys
.............................................
75
L
Label, Certification
.....................
306
Lane Change, Signaling
...............
71
Lap/Shoulder Belt
.................
14,19
CONTINUED
Index
V
INDEX
2009 Element

Oxygenated Fuels
......................
198
P
Panel Brightness Control
.............
72
Parking
......................................
223
Parking Brake
..............................
94
Parking Brake and Brake System Indicator
...........................
58,297
Parking Over Things that Burn
................................
223,318
Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
....
32
PGM-FI System
..........................
317
Playing a Disc
.....................
119,140
Playing an iPod
®.........................
162
Playing a PC card
.......................
149
Playing a USB Flash Memory Device
....................................
173
Playing the FM/AM Radio
...............................
110,127
Playing the XM
®Radio
........
113,132
Pollen Filter
...............................
269
Power Door Locks
.......................
80
Power Windows
...........................
92
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts
........
16 Preparing to Drive
......................
215
Protecting Adults and Teens
........
11
Additional Safety Precautions
...
16
Advice for Pregnant Women
....
16
Protecting Children
......................
35
General Guidelines
..................
35
Protecting Infants
.....................
40
Protecting Larger Children
......
49
Protecting Small Children
........
41
Using Child Seats with Tethers
.................................
48
Using LATCH
..........................
44
R
Radiator Overheating
.................
293
Radio/CD Sound System
...........
109
Radio Theft Protection
...............
188
Readiness Codes
........................
319
Rear Differential Fluid
................
258
Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement
...........................
266
Rear Seat, Folding
........................
88
Rearview Camera and Monitor
..................................
196 Rear View Mirror
.........................
93
Rear Window Defogger
................
74
Rear Window Wiper and Washer
.....................................
70
Reclining the Front Seats
.............
87
Recommended Shift Speeds
.......
218
Refueling
....................................
199
Remote Audio Controls
..............
191
Remote Transmitter
.....................
77
Replacement Information Dust and Pollen Filter
.............
269
Engine Oil and Filter
...............
252
Fuses
......................................
298
Light Bulbs
.............................
261
Schedule
.................................
249
Tires
.......................................
274
Wiper Blades
..........................
269
Replacing Seat Belts After a Crash
........................................
20
Reporting Safety Defects (U.S. Vehicles)
................................
324
Reserve Tank, Engine Coolant
............................
201,254
Restraint, Child
............................
35
Reverse Lockout
........................
217
CONTINUED
Index
VII
INDEX
2009 Element

Rotation, Tire
.............................
274
S
Safety Belts
..............................
8,18
Safety Defects, Reporting (U.S. only)
.......................................
324
Safety Features
..............................
7
Airbags
......................................
9
Head Restraints
........................
13
Seat Belts
..............................
8,14
Seats & Seat-Backs
..............
11,12
Safety Labels, Location of
.............
53
Safety Messages
..........................
iii
Seat Adjustments
.........................
83
Seat Belts
.................................
8,18
Additional Information
.............
18
Advice for Pregnant Women
....
16
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
...........................
20
Cleaning
..................................
268
Lap/Shoulder Belt
..............
14,19
Maintenance
............................
20
Reminder Indicator and Beeper
.............................
18,58 System Components
................
18
Use During Pregnancy
.............
16
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt
..................................
14,19
Seats
............................................
83
Seats, Adjusting the
.....................
83
Sensors Driver's Seat Position Sensor
...
27
Front Passenger's Weight Sensors
................................
27
Impact Sensors
...................
22,23
Serial Number
............................
306
Service Intervals
.........................
243
Service Manual (U.S. only)
........
325
Service Station Procedures
........
199
Setting the Clock
........................
189
Shifting the Automatic Transmission
..........................
219
Shift Lever Position Indicators
...
219
Shift Lock Release
......................
221
Side Airbags
.................................
28
How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works
...................
32
How Your Side Airbags Work..28
Off Indicator
.............................
32 Side Curtain Airbags
....................
30
How Your Side Curtain Airbags Work
....................................
30
Side Marker Lights, Bulb
Replacement in
.......................
265
Signaling Turns
............................
60
Snow Tires
.................................
275
Sound System
............................
109
Spare Tire
..................................
282
Inflating
...........................
271,282
Specifications
..........................
310
Spark Plugs
................................
308
Specifications
.............................
308
Speed Control
............................
193
Speed Limiter
......................
218,221
Speedometer
................................
64
SRS, Additional Information
.........
22
Additional Safety Precautions
...
34
Airbag Service
..........................
33
Airbag System Components
.....
22
How the Side Airbag Off
Indicator Works
...................
32
How the SRS Indicator Works..31
How Your Front Airbags Works
..................................
25
How Your Side Airbags Work..28
IndexVIII
2009 Element