2003 HONDA ELEMENT hood open

Bef ore you begin driving your Honda,
youshouldknowwhatgasolineto
use, and how to check the levels of
important f luids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage
or packages. The inf ormation in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the inf ormation in this
section f irst..............................
Break-in Period .158
.........................................
Gasoline .158
.........
Service Station Procedures . 159
................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 159
....................
Opening the Hood .160
...............................
Oil Check .162
.........
Engine Coolant Check . 163
...............................
Fuel Economy .164
.....................
Vehicle Condition .164
...........................
Driving Habits .164
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 165
.............................
Carrying Cargo .167
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving157

Shift to Park or Neutral and set
the parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Screw the f uel f ill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks several
times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may come on (see
page ).
Standing in f ront of the vehicle,
put your f ingers between the f ront
edge of the hood and the f ront
grille. The hood latch handle is
above the ‘‘H’’ logo. Push this
handle up until it releases the
hood. Lif t the hood.
Push the f uel f ill door closed.
1. 2.
5.
6.
292
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
Opening the Hood
160
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
LATCH

If you can open the hood without
lifting the hood latch handle, or the
hood latch handle moves stif f ly or
does not spring back as bef ore, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated (see page ).To close the hood, lif t it up slightly to
remove the support rod f rom the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a f oot (30 cm) above the
fender,thenletitdrop.
After closing the hood, make sure it
is securely latched.
Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert the end into the hole in
the hood.
3.
237
CONT INUED
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving161
SUPPORT ROD
CLIP

Remove the oil f ilter and let the
remaining oil drain. A special
wrench (available from your
Honda dealer) is required to
remove the f ilter.
Install a new oil f ilter according to
instructions that come with it.
Run the engine until it reaches
normal operating temperature,
then shut it off.
Open the hood and remove the
engine oil f ill cap. Remove the oil
drain bolt and washer f rom the
bottom of the engine. Drain the oil
into an appropriate container.
Always change the oil and f ilter
accordingtothetimeanddistance
(miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and f ilter collect contami-
nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly.
Changing the oil and f ilter requires
special tools and access f rom
underneath the vehicle. The vehicle
should be raised on a service station-
type hydraulic lif t f or this service.
Unless you have the knowledge and
proper equipment, you should have
this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.
1.
2.
4. 3.
CONT INUED
Changing the Oil and Filter
Engine Oil
Maint enance223
WASHER
OIL DRAIN BOLT OIL FILTER

CONT INUED
Thecoolingsystemshouldbe
completely drained and ref illed with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
Honda All Season Antif reeze/
Coolant Type 2.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the vehicle.
Unless you have the tools and
knowledge, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn
the heater temperature control
dial f ully clockwise. Turn the
ignition of f .
Openthehood.Makesurethe
engine and radiator are cool to the
touch. Remove the radiator cap.
Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the
splash guard.
1.
2. 3.
4.
Replacing Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance227

Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months.
Look f or signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you f ind
these signs, or if they leave streaks
and unwiped areas when used.To replace a wiper blade:Front:
Raise the wiper arm of f the
windshield. Raise the wiper arm of f the hatch
glass and hold it. Rear:
1.
Wiper Blades
Maint enance242
FRONT REAR
WIPER ARMS
Do not open the hood when the wiper
arms are raised, or you will damage the
hood and the arms.

Theheadlightswereproperlyaimed
when your vehicle was new. If you
regularly carry heavy items in the
cargo area or pull a trailer,
readjustment may be required.
Adjustment of the headlights should
be perf ormed by a Honda technician
or other qualif ied mechanic.Your vehicle has halogen headlight
bulbs, one on each side. When
replacing a bulb, handle it by its steel
base and protect the glass from
contactwithyourskinorhard
objects. If you touch the glass, clean
it with denatured alcohol and a clean
cloth.
Open the hood.
If you need to change the
headlight bulb on the driver’s side,
remove the f ront end of the air
intake duct by pulling it out.
1.
Lights
Maint enance
Headlight A iming
Replacing a Headlight Bulb
258
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot
when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to
overheat and shatter.

Remove the electrical connector
f rom the bulb by pulling the
connector straight back.
Remove the rubber weather seal
by pulling on the tab.
Unclip the end of the hold-down
wire f rom its slot. Pivot it out of
the way and remove the bulb.Insert the new bulb into the hole,
making sure the tabs are in their
slots. Pivot the hold-down wire
back in place, and clip the end into
the slot.
Install the rubber seal over the
back of the headlight assembly.
Make sure it is right side up; it is
marked ‘‘TOP.’’
Push the electrical connector onto
the new bulb. Make sure it is
connected securely.
Turn on the headlights to test the
new bulb.
(Driver’s side)
Install the f ront end of the air
intake duct.
Open the hood. The f ront
parking/turn signal light is next to
the headlight bulb. On the driver’s
side, remove the f ront end of the
air intake duct by pulling it out.
Remove the socket from the
headlight assembly by turning it
one-quarter turn counterclockwise.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
2.
CONT INUED
Lights
Maint enance
Replacing a Front Parking/Turn
Signal Light Bulb
259