2003 HONDA ELEMENT ECU

Remove the head restraint (see
page ).
Make sure the removed head
restraints are secured in the cargo
area. Reinstall the head restraints
when the child seat is removed. Attach the attaching clip to the
tether anchor fitting and tighten
the strap according to the child
seat maker’s instructions. Make
sure the strap is not twisted.
Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers.This symbol on rear or f orward
f acing child seats or booster
cushions indicates the presence of
LATCH compatible hardware.
5.
6.
7.
94
Canadian model only
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
L ower Universal Anchorage
System Symbol
49

The seat belts in all seating positions
except the driver’s have an additional
locking mechanism that must be
activated to secure a child seat. (See
pages and f or instructions on
how to secure child seats with this
type of seat belt.)
If the shoulder part of the belt is
pulled all the way out, the locking
mechanism will activate. The belt
will retract, but it will not allow the
passenger to move f reely.
To deactivate the locking
mechanism, unlatch the buckle and
let the seat belt f ully retract. To
ref asten the belt, pull it out only as
f ar as needed.
See page f or instructions on how
to wear the lap/shoulder belt
properly.35
39
17
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety51

Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in that position.
Make sure you have securely
locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.
To adjust the steering wheel upward
or downward:
Make any steering wheel adjustment
bef ore you start driving.
Push the lever under the lef t side
of the steering column all the way
down.
Move the steering wheel to the
desired position, making sure the
wheel points toward your chest,
not toward your f ace. Make sure
you can see the instrument panel
gauges and the indicator lights.
1.
2. 3.
4.
See page f or important saf ety
inf ormation about how to properlyposition the steering wheel. 20
Steering Wheel A djustment
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols82
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured
inacrash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.

Adjust the f ront seats f orward as
f ar as they will go. Pull up the seat-
back angle adjustment lever and
pivot the seat-back backward.
Release the lever when the seat-
back is level with the rear seat
cushion.Move the f ront seat backward
until it touches the rear seat.
Adjust the rear seat-back to the
desired position.
Reverse this procedure to return the
f ront and rear seats to the upright
position. Make sure you install the
head restraints and the seats are
locked securely bef ore driving.
When you return the seat-back to
the upright position, hold the seat-
back to keep it f rom going up too
quickly.
2.
3.4.
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols98
SLIDE BAR SEAT-BACK ANGLE
ADJUSTMENT LEVER

Fold down the seat support.
A fastening strap is attached to the
inside of the seat cushion. While
pushing the seat up and toward
thesidewall,hookthefastening
straptothegrabrail. Reverse this procedure to return the
rear seat to the upright position.
When not in use, store the fastening
strap hook in the f abric pocket on
the bottom of the seat cushion.
Make sure the seat is locked
securely.
4. 5.
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols100
GRAB RAIL
FASTENING STRAP SEAT SUPPORT

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

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).

To reinstall the skylight, reverse the
removal procedure, making sure the
air def lector is pushed down. When
reinstalling the lever assembly, align
both pivots with the receptacle holes,
let the pivots move out until they rest
intheholessecurely.Makesurethe
skylight is f ully closed and latched.
Skylight
Inst rument s and Cont rols109
An unsecured skylight can be
thrown about and cause serious
injury in a sudden stop or crash.
Make sure to store the skylight
in its bag, and secure the bag to
the hooks on the cargo area
floor.