key HONDA ELEMENT 2011 1.G User Guide

The lock tab on the passenger's door
locks and unlocks only that door.
Pulling up on the driver's door lock
tab only unlocks the driver's door.
To lock the driver's door, remove the
key from the ignition switch, push
the lock tab down or push the door
lock switch down, then close the
door.
To unlock the driver's door from the
outside, turn the key and release it.Lockout PreventionWith the driver's door open and the
key in the ignition switch, the master
door lock switch is disabled. It is not
disabled if the driver's door is closed.
If you try to lock the open driver's
door with the key in the ignition
switch by pushing in the lock tab, the
tabs on all doors pop up when you
close the door.Rear Doors
To open the rear door, pull the rear
door handle located in the rear door
edge. The rear door can be opened
only when the front door is open.
To close the doors, close the rear
door first, then the front door. The
front door cannot be latched without
first closing the rear door. Closing
the rear door on the front door will
damage both doors.Hatch
To lock or unlock the hatch.●Use your master key to lock and
unlock the hatch. Turn the key
counterclockwise to lock the
hatch, and clockwise to unlock it.
Unlock
Lock
CONTINUED
Door Locks
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Instruments and Controls
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●Lock the hatch by pushing down
the lock tab on the driver's door
(see page 80), or by using the
master key in the driver's door
lock.●Lock or unlock the hatch with the
master door lock switch.
With the hatch unlocked, open it by
pulling the handle and lifting up.
To close the hatch, lower it, then
press down on the back edge.
When both the hatch and tailgate are
open, the hatch cannot be latched
without first closing the tailgate.Tailgate
You can open the tailgate only when
the hatch is open. To open the
tailgate, slide the lock lever to the left
and swing down the tailgate. To close
the tailgate, lift it up and push it
firmly until it latches.
Before closing the tailgate, make
sure the hatch is raised. Closing the
tailgate on the lowered hatch can
damage the hatch and the tailgate.
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Light Control SwitchOn EX modelThe light control switch has three
positions: OFF, Door Activated, and
ON.When the switch is in the OFF position:●The individual map lights can be
turned on and off by pressing the
lenses.●The ceiling light cannot be turned
on.
When the switch is in the door activatedposition:●The individual map lights come on
when any door is opened, or when
the remote transmitter is used to
unlock the doors (see page 77).
When the doors are closed, each
light can be turned on and off by
pushing the lens.
After all doors are closed tightly, the
lights dim slightly, then fade out in
about 30 seconds.
With any door left open, the lights stay
on about 3 minutes, then go out.
The lights also come on when the key
is removed from the ignition switch.When the light control switch is in the ON position:●All the individual map lights and
ceiling light come on and stay on as
long as the switch remains in the ON
position.
Individual Map LightsOn EX modelTurn on the individual map lights by
pushing the lens. Push the lens again
to turn it off.
OFF ON
DOOR ACTIVATED POSITION
Interior Lights
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Ceiling LightThe ceiling light has a three-position
switch: ON, Door Activated, and
OFF.
In the Door Activated (center)
position, the light comes on when
you:
●Open any door.●Remove the key from the ignition.
If you do not open a door, the light
fades out in about 30 seconds.●Unlock the doors with the key or
remote transmitter.Cargo Area Light
The cargo area light has a three-
position switch. In the center
position, the light comes on when
you open the hatch.
Ignition Switch Light
The ignition switch light comes on
when you unlock the driver's door,
and fades out about 30 seconds after
you close the door.
ON
OFF DOOR ACTIVATED
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Accessory Power Sockets
Your vehicle has one or two
accessory power sockets, depending
on the model. All models have a front
accessory power socket on the
dashboard above the glove box.
EX model has an accessory power
socket in the cargo area on the
passenger's side.
These sockets are intended to supply
power for 12 volt DC accessories that
are rated 120 watts or less (10 amps).
None of the sockets will power an
automotive type cigarette lighter
element. When more than one
socket is being used, the combined
power rating of the accessories
should be 120 watts or less (10
amps).Glove Box
Open the glove box by pulling the
bottom of the handle. Close it with a
firm push. Lock or unlock the glove
box with the master key.
An open glove box can cause
serious injury to your passenger
in a crash, even if the
passenger is wearing the seat
belt.
Always keep the glove box
closed while driving.
Sun Visor
To use the sun visor, pull it down.
When using the sun visor for the
side window, remove the support rod
from the clip, and swing it out.
In this position, the sun visor can be
adjusted by moving it on its slider.
Do not use the extended sun visor
over the inside mirror.
Make sure you put the sun visor
back in place when you are getting
into or out of the vehicle.
Slide
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1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off allelectrical accessories to reduce the
drain on the battery.
3. Make sure the shift lever is in Park. Press on the brake pedal.
4. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III) position
for more than 15 seconds at a time.
If the engine does not start right
away, pause for at least 10 seconds
before trying again.
The immobilizer system protects your
vehicle from theft. If an improperly
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine's fuel system is disabled. For
more information, see page 76.
The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air found at
altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
Starting the Engine16010/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, seeShift Lock Release on
page 163.
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop before shifting
into Park. You must also press the
release button to shift into Park. The
shift lever must be in Park before
you can remove the key from the
ignition switch.
Reverse (R) －Press the brake
pedal and press the release button to
shift from Park to reverse. To shift
from reverse to neutral, come to a
complete stop, and then shift. Neutral (N)
－Use neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with the
engine idling. Shift to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from neutral to
another gear. Drive (D)
－Use this position for
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 5) for your
speed and acceleration. You may
notice the transmission shifting up at
higher engine speeds when the
engine is cold. This helps the engine
warm up faster.
Drive (D3) －To use D3, press the
D3 button when the shift lever is in
the ‘‘D ’’position. This position is
similar to D, except only the first
three gears are selected instead of all
five. Use D3 when towing a trailer in
hilly terrain, or to provide engine
braking when going down a steep
hill. D3 can also keep the
transmission from cycling between
third and fourth gears in stop-and-go
driving.Automatic Transmission16210/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Second (2)－This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshift to first gear when
you come to a stop.
Use second gear:●For more power when climbing.●To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.●For starting out on a slippery
surface or in deep snow.●To help reduce wheel spin.●When driving downhill with a
trailer. First (1)
－This position locks the
transmission in first gear. By
upshifting and downshifting through
1, 2, D3, and D, you can operate the
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal.
Engine Speed Limiter
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. If this occurs,
you may feel the engine cut in and
out. This is caused by a limiter in the
engine's computer controls. The
engine will run normally when you
reduce the rpm below the red zone. Shift Lock Release
This allows you to move the shift
lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal and pressing the release button
does not work.
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition
switch.
CONTINUED
Automatic Transmission
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Driving
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3. Put a cloth on the edge of the shiftlock release slot cover next to the
shift lever to prevent scratches.
Using a flat-tip screwdriver,
carefully pry on the edge of the
cover to remove it.
4. Insert the key in the shift lockrelease slot.
5. Push down on the key while you press the release button on the
shift lever and move the shift lever
out of Park to neutral. 6. Remove the key from the shift lock
release slot, then reinstall the
cover. Make sure the notch on the
cover is on the right side. Insert
the key into the ignition switch,
press the brake pedal, and restart
the engine.
If you need to use the shift lock
release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have it
checked by your dealer.
COVER
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
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Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure the
parking brake is set firmly, or your
vehicle may roll if it is parked on an
incline.
Set the parking brake before you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the vehicle from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanism
in the transmission.Parking Tips
●Make sure the windows are
closed.●Turn off the lights.●Place any packages, valuables, etc.
in the cargo area or take them with
you.●Lock the doors and the hatch with
the key.●Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.
●If the vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb.●If the vehicle is facing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb.●Make sure the parking brake is
fully released before driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes.
Parking
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Driving
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