2004 HONDA ELEMENT tow

Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange tab).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its tube. Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page . Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to on page f or inf ormation
on checking other items in your
Honda.
1. 2. 3.
157
151160
4.
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
Oil Check
A dding OilEngine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
113
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARKLOWER MARK RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
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·µ If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, the load f rom your trailer
will be transf erred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
The total weight must not exceed
theGrossVehicleWeightRating
(GVWR). The load f or the f ront and
rear axles also must not exceed the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
(see page ).
The maximum load f or your vehicle
is 675 lbs (308 kg). This f igure
includes the total weight of all
occupants, cargo, accessories, and
the tongue weight if you are towing a
trailer. Determine the combined weight
of accessories, luggage, and cargo
beingloadedinthevehicle.The
weight may not saf ely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4 [75
lbs(34kg)inthisexample].
To determine the correct cargo and
luggage load limit: Locate the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 675 lbs (308 kg)’’ on your vehicle’s placard
(on the driver’s doorjamb).
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in the vehicle. (Four
is seating capacity of your vehicle.)
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers f rom
675 lbs (308 kg).
The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
For example, if there will be f our 150
lbs (70 kg) occupants in your vehicle,
the amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 75 lbs (34
kg).
4 150 lbs (70 kg) = 600 lbs (280
kg)
675 lbs (308 kg) 600 lbs (280 kg) =
75 lbs (34 kg)
1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6.
135
Load Limit
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving118
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in thismanual.
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This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes
important inf ormation on parking
your vehicle, the braking system,
and f acts you need if you are plan-
ning to tow a trailer or drive off-
highway.........................
Driving Guidelines . 122
........................
Preparing to Drive . 123
.......................
Starting the Engine . 124
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 125
..............
Automatic Transmission . 127
..................................
Parking Tips . 131
.............................
Braking System . 132
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 133
...........................
Towing a Trailer . 135
......................
Trailer Driving Tips . 139
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a
................................
Motorhome . 141
Of f -Highway Driving ..................................
Guidelines . 143
Driving
Driving121
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These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shif t
lever is in.
The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II). If it
f lashes while driving (in any shif t
position), it indicates a possible
problem in the transmission. To shif t f rom any position, press
f irmly on the brake pedal, push the
release button, and pull the lever
toward you. You cannot shif t out of
Park when the ignition switch is in
LOCK (0) or ACCESSORY (I).
This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page . 130
CONT INUED
To shift from:
PtoR
RtoN
NtoD Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoN NtoR RtoP Do this:
Press the brake pedal and
press the release button.
Press the release button.
Move the lever.Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Park (P)Shif t L ock Release
Automatic Transmission
Driving127
SHIFT LEVER
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Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly or
your vehicle may roll if it is parked
on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission.If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the f ront wheels away f rom the
curb.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb.
Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes.
Make sure the windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.
in the cargo area, or take them
with you.
Lock the doors and the hatch with
the key.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.
Parking T ips
Parking T ips
Driving131
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Your vehicle has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.
Be sure to read the
on page
if you plan to tow of f paved
surf aces.
The maximum
allowable weight on the vehicle axles
are 2,300 lbs (1,045 kg) on the f ront
axle, and 2,205 lbs (1,000 kg) on the
rear axle.
To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer
and 40 percent toward the rear, then
re-adjust the load as needed.
The maximum
allowable weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo and the tongue
load is 4,450 lbs (2,020 kg).
Thebestwaytoconfirmthatall
loads are within limits is to check
them at a public scale.
143
Driving Of f -
Highway Guidelines section
CONT INUED
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Gross Axle Weight Ratings
(GA WR)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR)
135
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.
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The total
weight of the trailer and everything
loaded in it must not exceed 1,500
lbs (680 kg). Towing a load that is
too heavy can seriously af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance.
It can also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
Theweightthatthe
tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer puts
on the hitch should be approximately
10 percent of the trailer weight. Too
little tongue load can make the
trailer unstable and cause it to sway.
Too much tongue load reduces f ront-
tire traction and steering control.
T otal T railer Weight:
Tongue Load:
Towing a Trailer
Driving136
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Towing generally requires a variety
of supplemental equipment. To
ensure the best quality, we
recommend that you purchase
Honda equipment whenever possible.
Discuss any additional needs with
your trailer sales or rental agency,
and make sure all equipment is
properly installed, maintained, and
also meets state regulations.
Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody.
Always use saf ety chains. Make sure
they are secured to both the trailer
and hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground. Check trailer light requirements f or
the areas where you plan to tow.
Your vehicle has a trailer lighting
connector located behind the right
side panel in the cargo area. Ref er to
thedrawingaboveforthewiring
color code and purpose of each pin.
Electric brakes must be
electronically actuated. Do not
attempt to tap into your vehicle’s
hydraulic system. See your brake
manuf acturer f or more inf ormation
on installing electric brakes.
There are two common types of
trailer brakes: surge and electric.
Surge brakes are common f or boat
trailers, since the brakes will get wet.
Honda requires that any trailer with
a total trailer weight of 1,000 lbs (455
kg) or more has its own brakes.
If you use a non-Honda trailer
lighting harness and converter, you
can get the connector and pins that
mate with the connector in your
vehicle f rom your Honda dealer.
Connector 98530-00006-00
Terminal Kit 07JAZ-001-030A
CONT INUED
T owing Equipment and
A ccessories
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Hitches
Saf et y Chains T railer L ights
Trailer Brakes
137
GROUND
(BLACK)RIGHT TURN
SIGNAL
(GREEN/
YELLOW) TAILLIGHT
(RED/YELLOW)
BRAKE
LIGHT
(WHITE/
BLACK) LEFT TURN
SIGNAL
(GREEN/RED)
BACK-UP
LIGHT
(WHITE/
BLACK)
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