2003 HONDA ELEMENT ECO mode

You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page
.)
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page .)
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inf late only in a
moderate to severe f rontal collision.
So even though your vehicle is
equipped with airbags, make sure
you and your passengers always
wear your seat belts, and wear them
properly. (See page .)
Children are saf est when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
notthefrontseat.Achildwhoistoo
smallforaseatbeltmustbeproperly
restrained in a child saf ety seat. (See
page .) Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
17
24 10
210
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat BeltBe Aware of Airbag Hazards Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Restrain All Children Don’t Drink and Drive
6

Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large, and it inf lates with tremendous
speed.
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in the
back seat, not the f ront seat. The
National Highway Traf f ic Saf ety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
In the back seat, children are less
likely to be injured by striking hard
interior parts during a collision or
hard braking. Also, children cannot
be injured by an inf lating airbag
when they ride in the back.
If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown f orward into the
dashboard and crush the child.
During a
crash, the belt could press deep
into the child and cause very
serious injuries. If youarewearingaseatbelt,the
child can be torn f rom your arms
during a crash. For example, if
your vehicle crashes into a parked
vehicleat30mph(48km/h),a
20-lb (9 kg) inf ant will become a
600-lb (275 kg) f orce, and you will
not be able to hold on.
CONT INUED
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Poses Serious Risks to Children
Children Should Sit in the Back
SeatA ddit ional Precaut ions t o Parent s
Neverholdaninfantorchildonyour lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfand an inf ant or child.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety25

CONT INUED
Due to variations in the design of
child seats, vehicle seats, and seat
belts, all child seats will not f it all
vehicle seating positions.
However, Honda is conf ident that
one or more child seat models can f it
andbeproperlyinstalledinall
recommended seating positions in
your vehicle.Bef ore purchasing a child seat, we
recommend that parents test the
child seat in the specif ic vehicle
seating position (or positions) where
they intend to use the seat. If a
previously purchased child seat does
not f it, you may need to buy a
different one that will fit.
Your vehicle has lower anchors
installed f or use with LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tethers f or
Children) - compatible child seats.
For more inf ormation, see page .
48
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
T he child seat should f it the
vehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
3.
31

In this vehicle, a rear-f acing child
seatcanbeplacedinanyseating
position in the back, but not in the
front seat.If the passenger’s
f ront airbag inf lates, it can hit the
back of the child seat with enough
f orce to kill or seriously injure an
inf ant. If an inf ant must be closely
watched, we recommend that
another adult sit in the back seat
with the baby.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision.
Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back. We recommend that an inf ant be
restrained in a rear-f acing child seat
until the inf ant is at least one year
old, reaches the seat maker’s weight
or height limit, and is able to sit up
without support.
Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode. Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype Rear-Facing Child Seat Placement
Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe front seat.
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat ina f orward-f acing position.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety34
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death if the
passenger’s front airbag inflates.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.

The back seat is the saf est place f or
a child of any age or size. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
In addition, the passenger’s f ront
airbag poses serious risks to children.
If the seat is too f ar f orward, or the
child’s head is thrown f orward
during a collision, or the child is
unrestrained or out of position, an
inf lating f ront airbag can kill or
seriously injure the child.Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in the
f ront, there are other important
f actors you should consider.
If a child who uses a booster must
ride in f ront, move the vehicle seat
as far to the rear 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 the ears are
even with the top of the seat-back. A
child of this height should be tall
enough to use the lap/shoulder belt
without a booster.
Even then, the child may still need to
use a booster seat. Note that some
states now require children to use
boosters until they reach a certain
ageand/orweight.Besuretocheck
current laws in the state or states
where you intend to drive.
On models with side airbags, the
side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying airbag, the child
could receive possibly serious
injuries.
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety44

Your Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) includes:An indicator light on the
instrument panel that alerts you to
a possible problem with the
system (see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Two f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG.’’
Automatic seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal
collision.
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, and driver and
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition is ON (II). If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, the sensors
will detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the
control unit will instantly inf late the
front airbags and activate the
automatic seat belt tensioners. Your vehicle is equipped with dual-
stage, dual-threshold airbags to help
reduce the chance of airbag-caused
injuries.
52 57
SRS Components
How Your Front A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety54

These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury. Read these labels caref ully.
If a label comes of f or becomes hard
to read, contact your Honda dealer
f or a replacement.
CONT INUED
U.S. models onlyU.S. models
Canadian modelsU.S. models only
Saf ety L abels
Driver and Passenger Saf ety61
SUN VISOR
DASHBOARD

This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). If it
comes on at any other time, it
indicates that the passenger’s side
airbag has automatically shut off.
For complete inf ormation, see page.
This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). If it
comes on at any other time, it
indicates a potential problem with
your f ront airbags or automatic seat
belt tensioners. On models equipped
with side airbags, this light will also
alert you to a potential problem with
your side airbags or passenger’s side
airbag automatic cutoff system. For
complete inf ormation, see page .
This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). It is a
reminder to you and your passengers
to protect yourselves by f astening
the seat belts. A beeper also sounds
if you have not fastened your seat
belt.
If you do not f asten your seat belt,
the beeper will stop af ter a f ew
seconds but the light stays on until
you do. Both the light and the beeper
stay of f if you f asten your seat belt
bef ore turning on the ignition.
58
57
Only on models equipped with side airbags
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator Side A irbag Cutof f
Indicator
Seat Belt Reminder L ight
67