steering HONDA ELEMENT 2011 1.G User Guide

ꭧ1: To use the horn, press the center pad of the steering wheel.
ꭧ 2: If equipped
HAZARD WARNING BUTTON
(P. 73)
CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS (P. 137)
STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENT (P. 74) HORN
ꭧ
1
Ex model is shown. VSA OFF SWITCH
(P. 173) REMOTE AUDIO
CONTROLS
ꭧ
2
(P. 135) HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS
(P. 71) WINDSHIELD WIPERS/WASHERS
(P. 70)
REAR WINDOW
DEFOGGER BUTTON
(P. 74) AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
(P. 161)
ACCESSORY
POWER SOCKET
(P. 100)
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
69
Instruments and Controls
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Rear Window DefoggerThe rear window defogger will clear
fog, frost, and thin ice from the
window. Push the defogger button to
turn it on and off. The indicator in the
button comes on to show the
defogger is on. If you do not turn it
off, the defogger will shut itself off
after about 15 minutes. It also shuts
off when you turn off the ignition
switch. You have to turn the
defogger on again when you restart
the vehicle.Make sure the rear window is clear
and you have good visibility before
starting to drive.
The defogger wires on the inside of
the rear window can be accidentally
damaged. When cleaning the glass,
always wipe side-to-side.
Steering Wheel Adjustment
Make any steering wheel adjustment
before you start driving.
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured
in a crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Rear Window Defogger, Steering Wheel Adjustment7410/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

To adjust the steering wheel upward
or downward:1. Push the lever under the left side of the steering column all the way
down.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down to the desired position.
Make sure you can see the
instrument panel gauges and the
indicators. 3. Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in that position.
4. Make sure you have securely locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down. Keys and Locks
The master key fits all the locks on
your vehicle. The valet key works
only in the ignition and the door
locks. You can keep the glove box
and hatch locked when you leave
your vehicle and the valet key at a
parking facility.
KEY
NUMBER
TAG
MASTER
KEYS
(BLACK)VALET
KEY
(LIGHT
GRAY)
CONTINUED
Steering Wheel Adjustment, Keys and Locks
75
Instruments and Controls
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

If the front wheels are turned, the
anti-theft lock may make it difficult to
turn the key. Firmly turn the steering
wheel to the left or right as you turn
the key.
ACCESSORY (I)－You can operate
the audio system and the accessory
power sockets in this position.
ON (II) －This is the normal key
position when driving. Several of the
indicators on the instrument panel
come on as a test when you turn the
ignition switch from the
ACCESSORY (I) to the ON (II)
position.
START (III) －Use this position
only to start the engine. The switch
returns to the ON (II) position when
you let go of the key. You will hear a reminder beeper if
you leave the key in the LOCK (0) or
the ACCESSORY (I) position and
open the driver's door. Remove the
key to turn off the beeper.
The shift lever must be in Park
before you can remove the key from
the ignition switch.
Removing the key from the
ignition switch while driving
locks the steering. This can
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle.
Remove the key from the
ignition switch only when
parked.Power Door Locks
To lock all of the doors and hatch,
press the door lock switch on the
driver's door, or press the lock tab
down on the driver's door, or use the
key on the outside lock. Pressing up
on the door lock switch will unlock
all of the doors and the hatch.
LOCK TAB
DOOR LOCK SWITCH
Ignition Switch, Door Locks8010/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

On EX modelThree controls for the audio system
are mounted in the steering wheel
hub. These let you control basic
functions without removing your
hand from the wheel.The middle button adjusts the
volume up (
) or down (
). Press
the top or bottom of the button and
hold it until the desired volume is
reached, then release it.
The MODE button changes the
mode.
Pressing the MODE button
repeatedly cycles through all
present, connected media sources.
Media sources that are not present
or connected will not appear when
cycling with the MODE button.
The CH button has two functions,
depending on whether you are
listening to the radio, or playing a
disc. If you are listening to the radio, use
the CH button to change stations.
Each time you press this button, the
system advances to the next preset
station on the band you are listening
to. You will see the number of the
selected Preset button in the display.
To change bands, or to change from
FM1 to FM2 or XM1 to XM2, press
the MODE button.
If you are playing a disc, the system
skips to the beginning of the next
track (file in MP3 or WMA format)
each time you press the CH button.
You will see the track/file number
and the elapsed time. If the disc has
text data or the disc is compressed in
MP3 or WMA, you can also see any
other information (track title, file
name, folder name, etc.).
CH BUTTON
MODE
BUTTON
VOLUME
BUTTON
CONTINUED
Remote Audio Controls
135
Features
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Cruise control allows you to maintain
a set speed above 25 mph (40 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the
accelerator pedal. It should be used
for cruising on straight, open
highways. It is not recommended for
city driving, winding roads, slippery
roads, heavy rain, or bad weather.
Improper use of the cruise
control can lead to a crash.
Use the cruise control only
when traveling on open
highways in good weather.Using Cruise Control
1. Push the CRUISE button on the
steering wheel. The CRUISE
MAIN indicator on the instrument
panel comes on.
The cruise control system can be left
on, even when it is not in use. 2. Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed above 25 mph (40 km/h).
3. Press and release the SET/ DECEL button on the steering
wheel. The CRUISE CONTROL
indicator on the instrument panel
comes on to show the system is
now activated.
RES/ACCEL
BUTTON
CANCEL
BUTTON
SET/DECEL
BUTTON
CRUISE BUTTON
CONTINUED
Cruise Control
137
Features
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Canceling Cruise ControlYou can cancel cruise control in any
of these ways:●Tap the brake pedal.●Push the CANCEL button on the
steering wheel.●Push the CRUISE button on the
steering wheel.Resuming the Set Speed
When you push the CANCEL button,
or tap the brake pedal, the system
will remember the previously set
cruising speed. To return to that
speed, accelerate to above 25 mph
(40 km/h) then press and release the
RES/ACCEL button. The CRUISE
CONTROL indicator will come on.
The vehicle will accelerate to the
same cruising speed as before.
Pressing the CRUISE button turns
the system completely off and erases
the previous cruising speed.
RES/ACCEL
BUTTON
CANCEL
BUTTON
SET/DECEL
BUTTON
Cruise Control
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Features
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Modifying Your Vehicle
Removing parts from your vehicle, or
replacing components with non-
Honda components could seriously
affect your vehicle's handling,
stability, and reliability.
Some examples are:●Lowering the vehicle with a non-
Honda suspension kit that
significantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.●Raising your vehicle with a non-
Honda suspension kit can affect
the handling and stability.
●Non-Honda wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components, and are not
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS).●Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interfere with the operation of
your vehicle's anti-lock brakes and
other systems.●Modifying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle's
safety features can make the
systems ineffective.
If you plan to modify your vehicle,
consult your dealer.
Accessories and Modifications15010/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Your vehicle has a higher ground
clearance that allows you to travel
over bumps, obstacles, and rough
terrain. It also provides good
visibility so you can anticipate
problems earlier.
Because your vehicle rides higher off
the ground, it has a high center of
gravity that can cause it to roll over if
you make abrupt turns. Utility
vehicles have a significantly higher
roll over rate than other types of
vehicles.
To prevent rollovers or loss of
control:●Take corners at slower speeds
than you would with a passenger
vehicle.●Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers whenever possible.
●Do not modify your vehicle in any
way that would raise the center of
gravity.●Do not carry heavy cargo on the
roof.
Four-wheel drive modelsYour vehicle is equipped with a four-
wheel drive (4WD) system. When
the system senses a loss of front-
wheel traction, it automatically
transfers some power to the rear
wheels. This gives you better traction
and mobility.
You still need to exercise the same
care when accelerating, steering, and
braking that you would in a two-
wheel drive vehicle.See page 180 for off-highway drivingguidelines.
Driving Guidelines15810/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

You should do the following checks
and adjustments before you drive
your vehicle.1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
2. Check that the hood is fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be carrying are stored properly or
fastened down securely. 5. Check the seat adjustment (see
page 83).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see page 93).
7. Check the steering wheel adjustment (see page 74). 8. Make sure the doors, the hatch,
and the tailgate are securely
closed and locked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page 14).
10. When you start the engine, check the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page 57).
Preparing to Drive
159
Driving
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu