2003 HONDA ELEMENT Owners Manual

Both seats can be removed to give
more cargo capacity.
To remove a seat:Pull the seat-back adjustment
strap at the inside edge of the seat
cushion and push the seat-back
backward until seat cushion and
seat-back are level. Remove the cover between the
seat cushion and the side wall by
pulling the tab and pulling the
cover straight up.
Pull the release strap on the seat
support to unlock the seat support.
1. 3.
2.
CONT INUED
Removing the Rear Seats
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols101
SEAT-BACK ADJUSTMENT STRAP
RELEASE STRAP COVERTAB

Reverse this procedure to reinstall
the seat. Make sure the seat is
securely locked.
Push the lock lever f orward to
unlock the seat. Hold the steel handle next to the
lock lever and the holding strap at
the outside edge of the seat
cushion, and remove the entire
seat by pulling it up and backward.Always remove an unsecured seat
f rom the vehicle bef ore driving. A
seat that is not locked in place could
be thrown about and cause injury in
a sudden stop or crash.
4. 5.
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols102
LOCK LEVER STEEL HANDLE
HANDLE STRAP

Your vehicle’s f ront windows are
electrically-powered. Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) to raise or
lower either window.
Each f ront door has a switch that
controls its window. To open the
window, push the switch down and
hold it. Release the switch when you
want the window to stop. Close the
window by pulling back on the
switch and holding it.The driver’s door armrest has a
master power window control panel.
To open the passenger’s window,
push down on the switch and hold it
until the window reaches the desired
position. To close the window, pull
back on the window switch. Release
the switch when the window gets to
the position you want.
CONT INUED
Power Windows
Inst rument s and Cont rols103
DRIVER’S WINDOW SWITCH
MAIN SWITCH
Closing a power window on
someone’s hands or fingers can
cause serious injury.
Make sure your passengers are
away from the windows before
closing them.

µ
The master control panel also con-
tains these extra features:
To open the driver’s
window f ully, push the window
switch f irmly down, then release it.
The window automatically goes
down all the way. To stop the
window f rom going all the way down,
pull back on the window switch
brief ly.
To close the driver’s window f ully,
pull back the window switch f irmly,
then release it. The window
automatically goes all the way up. To
stop the window f rom going all the
way up, push down on the window
switch brief ly. To open or close the driver’s window
partially, push down or pull back on
the window switch lightly and hold it.
The window will stop when you
release the switch.
The light in the AUTO switch comes
on when you turn the ignition switch
to ON (II).
The MAIN switch controls power to
the passenger’s window. When you
push in the MAIN switch, the
passenger’s window cannot be raised
or lowered. The MAIN switch does
not af f ect the driver’s window. To
cancel this f eature, push on the
switch again. Keep the MAIN switch
pushed in when you have children in
the vehicle so they do not injure
themselves by operating the
passenger’s window unintentionally.
AUTO
Power Windows
Inst rument s and Cont rols104

If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, or the
driver’s window f use is removed, the
AUTO f unction will be disabled. The
power window system needs to be
reset af ter reconnecting the battery
or installing the f use. You should do
the f ollowing.Start the engine. Push down on
the driver’s window switch until
the window is f ully open.
Pull back on the driver’s window
switch to close the window
completely, then hold the switch
f or a second or two more.
If the power windows do not operate
properly af ter resetting, have your
vehicle checked by a Honda dealer.
Auto reverse stops sensing when the
window is almost closed. You should
always check that all passengers and
objects are away from the window
bef ore closing it. If the driver’s window runs into any
obstacle while it is closing
automatically, it will reverse
direction, and then stop. To close the
window, remove the obstacle, then
use the window switch again.
To open a rear window, pull the lever
towards you, then push it out until it
locks. To close the rear window pull
the lever towards you, then push it
back. Make sure the window is f ully
closed and locked.
1.
2.
Auto Reverse
Rear Windows
Power Windows, Rear Windows
Inst rument s and Cont rols105

Push the appropriate edge of the
adjustment switch to move the
mirrorright,left,up,ordown.
When you f inish, move the
selector switch to the center (off)
position. This turns of f the
adjustment switch so you can’t
move a mirror out of position by
accidentally bumping the switch.
Keeptheinsideandoutsidemirrors
clean and adjusted f or best visibility.
Be sure to adjust the mirrors bef ore
you start driving.
The inside mirror has day and night
positions. The night position reduces
glare f rom headlights behind you.
Flip the tab on the bottom edge of
the mirror to select the day or night
position.
Move the selector switch to L
(driver’s side) or R (passenger’s
side). Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Adjust the outside mirrors with the
adjustment switch on the driver’s
door armrest: 3.
4.
1.
2.On U.S. EX, and Canadian DX and EX models
Adjusting the Power Mirrors
Mirrors
Inst rument s and Cont rols106
TAB SELECTOR SWITCH
ADJUSTMENT SWITCH

Your vehicle’s skylight can be
removed (see page ). You can
also lif t up the rear of the skylight
f or ventilation.
To lif t up the rear of the skylight,
pull down the lever to unlock the
skylight, then push it up until the
skylight is locked in the tilt-up
position.To close the skylight, pull down the
lever to unlock the skylight, then
push it back in place. Make sure the
skylight is f ully closed and locked.
108
On 4WD models only
Skylight
Inst rument s and Cont rols107
If you try to tilt up the skylight in
below-f reezing temperatures, or when
it is covered with snow or ice, you can
damage it.
Bef ore lif ting the skylight, make sure
the roof of the vehicle is dry. Rain or
remaining water af ter car-washing may
get into the f rame of the skylight. In
winter, remove the buildup of snow on
the roof .

To remove the skylight:
Turn of f the engine, and set the
parkingbrake.Thenpulldownthe
lever, squeeze both sides of the pivot
while pushing up the red tab in the
lever, and pull the lever assembly
away from the ceiling.Push up the rear of the skylight.
Standing on the tailgate with the
hatch down, hold both sides of the
skylight and pull it toward you to
remove it f rom the vehicle roof .
With the rear seats in their upright
position, store the skylight, f ace
down in its bag in the cargo area.
Secure the bag with four hooks on
the cargo area f loor. Do not store
anything on top of the skylight.
Removing and Storing the
Skylight
Skylight
Inst rument s and Cont rols108
The maximum weight on the tailgate is
440 lbs (200 kg).