belt HONDA ELEMENT 2011 1.G Owner's Guide

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 Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
213.
Look for FMVSS 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 Seat4210/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

3.The child seat should fit the vehicleseating position (or positions)where it will be used.Before purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend that
you test the seat in the specific
vehicle seating position or positions
where the seat will be used. Installing a Child Seat
After selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:
1.
Properly secure the child seat to
the vehicle.
All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
2.
Make sure the child seat is firmly secured.
After installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as firmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be
‘‘rock solid. ’’Some side-to-side
movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat's
effectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a different seating
position, or use a different style of
child seat that can be firmly secured.
3.
Secure the child in the child seat.Make sure the child is properly
strapped in the child seat
according to the child seat maker's
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash.
The following pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A forward-facing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same for rear-
facing child seats.
Selecting a Child Seat, Installing a Child Seat
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Driver and Passenger Safety
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8. Attach the tether strap hook to thetether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.
If the tether strap is too long and
cannot be tightened firmly, find a
route where the strap can be
tightened securely.
9. Push and pull the child seat forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/
Shoulder Belt
When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver's have a lockable retractor that
must be activated to secure a child
seat.
1. With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according to
the seat maker's instructions, then
insert the latch plate into the
buckle and remove any slack from
the lap portion of the belt.
TETHER STRAP HOOK
TETHER ANCHOR
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2. To activate the lockable retractor,slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt feed back into the
retractor.
3. After the belt has retracted, tug on it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
the belt out, it is not locked, and
you will need to repeat these steps.
4. After confirming that the belt islocked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle, and pull
up to remove any slack from the
lap part of the belt. Remember, if
the lap part of the belt is not tight,
the child seat will not be secure.
To remove slack, it may help to put
weight on the child seat, or push
on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt.
5. Push and pull the child seatforward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract fully, then repeat these
steps.
To deactivate the lockable retractor
and remove a child seat, unlatch the
buckle, unroute the seat belt, and let
the belt fully retract.
Installing a Child Seat
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Installing a Child Seat with a
TetherA child seat with a tether can be
installed in either back seat, using
one of the anchor points shown
above.
Since a tether can provide additional
security to the lap/shoulder belt
installation, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.
1. After securing the child seat in thedesired position (see page 46),
remove the head restraint (see
page 85), then route the tether
strap over the top of the seat-back.
2. Slide the anchor cover open as shown.
3. Attach the tether strap hook to theanchor, making sure the strap is
not twisted.
4. Tighten the strap according to the seat maker's instructions. Make
sure the removed head restraint is
secured in the cargo area. Reinstall
the head restraint in place when
you remove the child seat.
TETHER ANCHORAGE POINTS
TETHER ANCHOR
ANCHOR COVER
TETHER ANCHOR
TETHER STRAP HOOK
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When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in a back seat on a
booster seat and wear the lap/
shoulder belt.
The following pages give instructions
on how to check proper seat belt fit,
what kind of booster seat to use if one
is needed, and important precautions
for a child who must sit in front.
Allowing a child age 12 or under
to sit in front can result in injury
or death if the passenger's front
airbag inflates.
If a child must ride in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, use a booster seat if
needed, have the child sit up
properly and wear the seat belt
properly.
Checking Seat Belt FitTo determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly fits a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself:
1. Does the child sit all the way backagainst the seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably over the edge of the
seat? 3. Does the shoulder belt cross
between the child's neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child's
thighs?
5. Will the child be able to stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these
questions, the child is ready to wear
the lap/shoulder belt correctly. If
you answer no to any question, the
child needs to ride on a booster seat.
Protecting Larger Children
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Driver and Passenger Safety
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Using a Booster SeatA child who has outgrown a forward-
facing child seat should ride in a
back seat and use a booster seat until
the lap/shoulder belt fits them
properly without the booster.
Some states also require children to
use a booster seat until they reach a
given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or
60 lbs). Be sure to check current
laws in the states where you intend
to drive.Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster meets federal
safety standards and that you follow
the booster seat maker's
instructions.
If a child who uses a booster seat
must ride in front, move the vehicle
seat as far back as possible and be
sure the child is wearing the seat belt
properly.
A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle's or
booster's seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster seat.
When Can a Larger Child Sit in
Front
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration recommends that all
children aged 12 and under be
properly restrained in a back seat.
If the passenger's front airbag
inflates in a moderate to severe
frontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child's body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.Protecting Larger Children5010/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can safely ride in front,
there are other important factors you
should consider.MaturityTo safely ride in front, a child must
be able to follow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.Physical SizePhysically, a child must be large
enough for the lap/shoulder belt to
properly fit (see pages 14 and 49). If
the seat belt does not fit properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in front.If you decide that a child can safely
ride up front, be sure to:
●Carefully read the owner's manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all safety
information.●Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.●Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the floor.●Check that the child's seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.●Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to fasten the seat belts
or sit properly.Additional Safety Precautions
●Do not let a child wear a seat belt
across the neck.
This could result
in serious neck injuries during a
crash.
●Do not let a child put the shoulder part of a seat belt behind the back
or under the arm.
This could cause
very serious injuries during a
crash. It also increases the chance
that the child will slide under the
belt in a crash and be injured.
●Two children should never use the
same seat belt.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
●Do not put any accessories on a
seat belt.
Devices intended to
improve a child's comfort or
reposition the shoulder part of a
seat belt can make the belt less
effective and increase the chance
of serious injury in a crash.
Protecting Larger Children
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Driver and Passenger Safety
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DRL
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS
INDICATOR (P. 60)
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
(P. 61)
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR (P. 58, 235)
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, 235)
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, 237)
CRUISE CONTROL
INDICATOR (P. 60)
TPMS INDICATOR
(P. 63) CRUISE MAIN INDICATOR
(P. 60)
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR
LAMP (P. 58, 236)
LOW TIRE PRESSURE
INDICATOR (P. 62)
Instrument Panel
57
Instruments and Controls
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The instrument panel has many
indicators that give you important
information about your vehicle.
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp
For more information, see page 236.Low Oil Pressure
Indicator
The engine can be severely damaged
if this indicator flashes or stays on
when the engine is running. For
more information, see page 235.Charging System
Indicator
If this indicator comes on when the
engine is running, the battery is not
being charged. For more
information, see page 235.
Parking Brake and Brake
System Indicator (Red)
This indicator has two functions:
1. It comes on when you turn the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. It is a reminder to check
the parking brake. A beeper
sounds if you drive with the
parking brake not fully released.
Driving with the parking brake not
fully released can damage the
brakes and tires.
2. If it remains on after you have fully released the parking brake while
the engine is running, or if it
comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the brake
system. For more information, see
page 237.
Seat Belt Reminder
Indicator
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. It reminds you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts.
A beeper also sounds if you have not
fastened your seat belt.
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position before fastening
your seat belt, the beeper sounds
and the indicator flashes. If you do
not fasten your seat belt before the
beeper stops, the indicator stops
flashing but remains on.
If your front passenger does not
fasten their seat belt, the indicator
comes on about 6 seconds after the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position.
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