HONDA ELEMENT 2009 1.G Owners Manual

Brake System Indicator (Red)U.S. CanadaThe brake system indicator (red)
normally comes on when you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, and as a reminder to check
the parking brake. It will stay on if
you do not fully release the parking
brake.
If the brake system indicator (red)
comes on while driving, the brake
fluid level is probably low. Press
lightly on the brake pedal to see if it
feels normal. If it does, check the
brake fluid level the next time you
stop at a service station (see page
258).
If the fluid level is low, take your
vehicle to a dealer, and have the
brake system inspected for leaks or
worn brake pads.However, if the brake pedal does not
feel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system's dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will feel the brake
pedal go down much farther before
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.
Slow down by shifting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is safe. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed and repaired as
soon as possible (see
Emergency
Towing on page303).
If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and carefully. If the ABS indicator and the VSA
system indicator come on with the
brake system indicator, have your
vehicle inspected by your dealer
immediately.
Brake System Indicator
297
Taking Care of the Unexpected
2009 Element

The vehicle's fuses are located in two
fuse boxes. The under-hood fuse box
is located in the engine compartment
on the driver's side. To open it, push
the tabs as shown.
The interior fuse box is underneath
the steering column. To remove the
fuse box lid, turn the knobs
clockwise and pull the lid out of its
hinges.Checking and Replacing Fuses
If something electrical in your
vehicle stops working, check for a
blown fuse first. Determine from the
chart on pages301and302,or the
diagram on the fuse box lid, which
fuse or fuses control that device.
Check those fuses first, but check all
the fuses before deciding that a
blown fuse is the cause. Replace any
blown fuses, and check if the device
works.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Make sure the
headlights and all other
accessories are off.
2. Remove the cover from the fuse box.
UNDER-HOOD
TAB
INTERIOR
KNOBS
Fuses298
2009 Element

3. Check each of the large fuses inthe under-hood fuse boxes by
looking through the top at the wire
inside. Removing these fuses
requires a Phillips-head
screwdriver.
4. Check the smaller fuses in theunder-hood fuse box and all the
fuses in the interior fuse box by
pulling out each one with the fuse
puller provided in the under-hood
fuse box.
5. Look for a blown wire inside thefuse. If it is blown, replace it with
one of the spare fuses of the same
rating or lower.
FUSE
BLOWN
FUSE PULLER
BLOWN
CONTINUED
Fuses
299
Taking Care of the Unexpected
2009 Element

If you cannot drive the vehicle
without fixing the problem, and you
do not have a spare fuse, take a fuse
of the same rating or a lower rating
from one of the other circuits. Make
sure you can do without that circuit
temporarily (such as the accessory
power socket or radio).
If you replace the blown fuse with a
spare fuse that has a lower rating, it
might blow out again. This does not
indicate anything wrong. Replace the
fuse with one of the correct rating as
soon as you can.
Replacing a fuse with one that has a
higher rating greatly increases the
chances of damaging the electrical
system. If you do not have a
replacement fuse with the proper rating
for the circuit, install one with a lower
rating.6. If the replacement fuse of the same
rating blows in a short time, there
is probably a serious electrical
problem in your vehicle. Leave the
blown fuse in that circuit and have
your vehicle checked by a
qualified technician.
On EX and SC modelsIf the radio fuse is removed, the
audio system will disable itself. The
next time you turn on the radio you
will see ‘‘ENTER CODE ’’in the
frequency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the specific digit
code (see page188).On vehicles with navigation systemIf the navigation system fuse is
removed, the navigation system will
disable itself. The next time you turn
on the ignition switch, the system
will require you to enter a PIN before
it can be used. Refer to the
navigation system manual.
Fuses300
2009 Element

INTERIOR FUSE BOXNo. Amps. Circuits Protected1 － Not Used
2 10 A Rear Accessory Power Socket
3 10 A Daytime Running Lights/ TPMS
4 10 A ACG
5 － Not Used No. Amps. Circuits Protected
6 7.5 A Power Window Relay
7 20 A AMP
ꭧ
8 7.5 A Accessory, Radio
9 10 A Rear Wiper
10 7.5 A Meter
11 － Not Used No. Amps. Circuits Protected
12 7.5 A Daytime Running Lights
13 10 A SRS
14 10 A Remote Control Mirrors
15 20 A LAF Heater
16 15 A Ignition Relay
17 15 A Fuel Pump
18 15 A Front Accessory Power Socket
19 7.5 A Turn Signal Lights
20 20 A Front Wiper
21 － Not Used
22 20 A Passenger's Power Window
23 20 A Driver's Power Window
24 － Not Used
25 － Not Used
ꭧ : If equipped
CONTINUED
Fuse Locations
301
Taking Care of the Unexpected
2009 Element

UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOXNo. Amps. Circuits Protected1 30 A Condenser Fan
2 15 A Small Light
3 7.5 A Interior Light
4 20 A Cooling Fan Motor
5 15 A Hazard
6 15 A FI ECU No. Amps. Circuits Protected
7 15 A Horn, Stop
8 15 A DBW
9 10 A Back Up
10 30 A VSA Motor
11 20 A Rear Defroster
12 40 A Heater Motor No. Amps. Circuits Protected
13 40 A Power Window Main
14 40 A Option
15 15 A Left Headlight
16 15 A Door Lock
17 15 A Right Headlight
18 30 A VSA F/S
19 100 A Battery
20 50 A IG1 Main
21 － 25 7.5 A －30 A
Spare Fuses
Fuse Locations302
2009 Element

If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a professional towing service or
organization. Never tow your vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.
The only way you can safely tow
your vehicle is with flat-bed
equipment.The operator will load
your vehicle on the back of a truck.
Any other method of towing will
damage the drive system. When you
contact the towing agency, inform
them a flat-bed is required.
4WD models onlyTowing with only two tires on the
ground will damage parts of the 4WD
system. It should be transported on a
flat-bed truck or trailer.
Emergency Towing
303
Taking Care of the Unexpected
2009 Element

304
2009 Element

The diagrams in this section give you
the dimensions and capacities of
your vehicle and the locations of the
identification numbers. It also
includes information you should
know about your vehicle's tires and
emissions control systems.Identification Numbers
...............
306
Specifications
..............................
308
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
.............................
311
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
...............................
311
Treadwear
...............................
311
Traction
..................................
311
Temperature
...........................
312
Tire Labeling
..............................
313
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) －Required Federal
Explanation
.........................
314
Emissions Controls
.....................
316
The Clean Air Act
....................
316
Crankcase Emissions Control System
................................
316
Evaporative Emissions Control
System
................................
316
Onboard Refueling Vapor
Recovery
.............................
316
Exhaust Emissions
Controls
..............................
317 Three Way Catalytic
Converter
................................
318
Emissions Testing
.......................
319
Technical Information
305
Technical Information
2009 Element

Your vehicle has several identifying
numbers located in various places.
The vehicle identification number
(VIN) is the 17-digit number your
dealer uses to register your vehicle
for warranty purposes. It is also
necessary for licensing and insuring
your vehicle. The easiest place to
find the VIN is on a plate fastened to
the top of the dashboard. You can
see it by looking through the
windshield on the driver's side. It is
also on the certification label
attached to the driver's doorjamb
(front edge of rear door), and is
stamped on the engine compartment
bulkhead. The VIN is also provided
in bar code on the certification label.
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN)CERTIFICATION LABEL
Identification Numbers306
2009 Element