2003 HONDA ELEMENT light

Removethelensbycarefully
prying on the edge of the lens with
a f ingernail f ile or a small f lat-tip
screwdriver. Do not pry on the
edge of the housing around the
lens.
Although the ceiling light, cargo area
light, and spotlights come apart the
same way, they do not use the same
type of bulbs.
Ceiling light:Pry on the rear edge of the lens
near both sides.
Spotlights: Pry on the rear edge of the lens in
the middle.
Cargo area light: Pryonthefrontedgeof thelens
near both sides.
1.
Replacing Interior L ight Bulbs
Lights
Maint enance264
CEILING LIGHT
SPOTLIGHTS

Remove the bulb by pulling it
straight out of its metal tabs.
Push the new bulb into the metal
tabs. Snap the lens back in place.
3. 2.
Lights
Maint enance265
CARGO AREA LIGHT

If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry. To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals. Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield. Disconnect the battery.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic). If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Honda
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months maintenance
schedule (Normal Conditions) as
soon as you take it out of storage
(see page ). The replacements
called f or in the maintenance
schedule are not needed unless the
vehicle has actually reached that
time or mileage.
223
212
St oring Your Vehicle
Maint enance266

Frequent washing helps preserve
your vehicle’s beauty. Dirt and grit
can scratch the paint, while tree sap
and bird droppings can permanently
ruin the f inish.
Wash your vehicle in a shady area,
not in direct sunlight. If the vehicle is
parked in the sun, move it into the
shade and let the exterior cool down
bef ore you start.When you have washed and rinsed
the whole exterior, dry it with a
chamois or sof t towel. Letting it
air-dry will cause dulling and water
spots.
As you dry the vehicle, inspect it f or
chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page ).
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with
cool water to remove loose dirt.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommendedinthisOwner’s
Manual. Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix
in a mild detergent, such as
dishwashing liquid or a product
made especially f or vehicle
washing.
Check the body f or road tar, tree
sap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it
of f immediately so it does not
harm the f inish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of
the vehicle does not need waxing. Wash the vehicle using the water
and detergent solution and a sof t-
bristle brush, sponge, or sof t cloth.
Start at the top and work your way
down. Rinse f requently.
270
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Washing
268
Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your vehicle. The radio antenna on your vehicle does
not need to be removed when you use a
‘‘drive-through’’ vehicle wash. How-
ever, if you remove the antenna, make
sure to reinstall it and tighten it se-
curely using an appropriate tool.

µ
µ
Always wash and dry the whole
vehiclebeforewaxingit.Youshould
wax your vehicle, including the metal
trim, whenever water sits on the
surf ace in large patches. It should
formintobeadsordropletsafter
waxing.
Polishes Polishes and cleaner/
waxes can restore the shine to paint
that has oxidized and lost some of its
shine. They normally contain mild
abrasives and solvents that remove
the top layer of the f inish. You
should use a polish on your Honda if
the f inish does not have its original
shine af ter using a wax.
Clean your Honda’s aluminum alloy
wheels as you do the rest of the
exterior.Washthemwiththesame
solution, and rinse them thoroughly.
The wheels have a protective clear-
coat that keeps the aluminum from
corroding and tarnishing. Using
harsh chemicals, including some
commercial wheel cleaners or stif f
brushes, can damage this clear-coat.
Only use a mild detergent and sof t
brush or sponge to clean the wheels.
Cleaning tar, insects, etc. with
removers also takes off the wax.
Remember to re-wax those areas,
even if the rest of the vehicle does
not need waxing.
Waxes A wax coats the finish and
protects it f rom damage by exposure
to sunlight, air pollution, etc. You
should use a wax on your Honda
when it is new. You should use a quality liquid or
paste wax. Apply it according to the
instructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of
products:
On some models
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Waxing A luminum Wheels
269

If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Stopping in traf f ic or on the shoulder
of a busy road is dangerous. Drive
slowly along the shoulder until you
gettoanexitoranareatostopthat
is far away from the traffic lanes.Park the vehicle on f irm, level and
non-slippery ground, away f rom
traffic. Put the transmission in
Park (automatic) or Reverse
(manual). Apply the parking brake.
Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire. If you are towing a trailer, unhitch
the trailer.Open the hatch and the tailgate.
The spare tire, jack, and tools are
under the cargo area f loor.
1.
2. 3.
4.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed277
JACK SPARE TIRETOOLS
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.

Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
the f uses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See on page .)
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral. 285
301
CONT INUED
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Jump Starting
Emergency T owing
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed283

If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ).In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
Your vehicle has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
240
285 84
174 296
301
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed284