2004 HONDA ELEMENT automatic transmission

Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc., are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic).Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors. Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals.If possible, run the engine
periodically until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f an cycles on and of f
twice). Pref erably do this once a
month.
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Honda
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months maintenance
schedule (Normal Conditions) as
soon as you take it out of storage
(see page ). The replacements
called f or in the maintenance
schedule are not needed unless the
vehicle has actually reached that
time or mileage. 152
Maint enance
Vehicle Storage
178
—
—y
y
(+
y
y

If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.Park the vehicle on f irm, level and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park (automatic)
or Reverse (manual). Apply the
parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer, unhitch
the trailer.
Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.
Open the hatch and the tailgate.
The spare tire, jack, and tools are
under the cargo area f loor.
1. 2.
3. 4.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed181
TOOLS
SPARE TIRE
JACK
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by thejack.
—
—y

y
(+
y
y

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Check these things:
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights, and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page . Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
the f uses are OK, there is
probably something wrong with
the electrical circuit f or the
ignition switch or starter motor.
You will need a qualif ied
technician to determine the
problem (see
on page ).
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ).
188 195
177 188
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed186
—
—y
y
(+
y

y

Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it.Open the hood, and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or like ice, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc. Put the transmission in
Neutral or Park, and set the
parking brake.
1.
2.To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed188
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyonenearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
—
—y
y
(+
y
y

The Engine Number is stamped into
the engine block.
The Transmission Number is on a
label on top of the transmission.
Identif ication Numbers
T echnical Inf ormation203
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NUMBER
ENGINE NUMBER MANUAL TRANSMISSION NUMBER
—
—y
y
(+
yy

ÎÎ ÎÎ Î
Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation204
Dimensions
Weights
Engine
Capacities
169.3 in (4,300 mm)
71.5 in (1,815 mm)
70.4 in (1,788 mm)
101.4 in (2,575 mm)
62.1 in (1,577 mm)
62.3 in (1,582 mm)
1.88 US gal (7.1
)
1.90 US gal (7.2
)
3.3 US qt (3.1
)
7.6 US qt (7.2
)
2.0 US qt (1.9
)
1.43 US gal (5.4
)
3.1 US qt (2.9
)
1.45 US gal (5.5
)
6.9 US qt (6.5
)
5.6 US qt (5.3
)
4.2 US qt (4.0)
4.4 US qt (4.2)
15.9 US gal (60
)
9.7 : 1
144 cu-in (2,354 cm
)
3.43 x 3.90 in (87.0 x 99.0 mm)
0.145 US gal (0.55
)4.8 US qt (4.5
)
2.6 US qt (2.5)
1.3 US qt (1.2
)
1.1 US qt (1.0)
2.4 US qt (2.3
)
2.3 US qt (2.2)
Excluding the oil remaining in the engine.
Including the coolant in the reserve tank and that remaining in the
engine.
Reserve tank capacity:
Length
Width
Height
Wheelbase
Track
Gross vehicle weight rating Type
BorexStroke
Displacement
Compression ratio
Spark plugs
Fuel tank
Engine oil
See the certification label attached
to the driver’s doorjamb (front
edge of rear door).
Water cooled 4-stroke DOHC
VTEC 4-cylinder gasoline engine Engine
coolant Automatic
transmission
fluid Manual
transmission
fluid Rear
differential
fluid (4WD)
Windshield
washer
reservoir
IZFR6K-11SKJ20DR-M11
Approx.
FrontRear
Change
Without filter
Total 1: 2:ChangeTotal
Change Total
Change
4WD
2WD
Total
4WD
2WD
ChangeTotal 4WD
2WD
ChangeTotal
U.S. Vehicles
Canada
Vehicles
NGK:
DENSO:
Automatic Transmission
Manual Transmission
1 22
Including filter
—
—y
y
(+
yy

If you take your vehicle f or a state
emissions test shortly af ter the
battery has been disconnected or
gone dead, it may not pass the test.
This is because of certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that must be set in the on-
board diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. These codes are erased
when the battery is disconnected,
and set again only after several days
of driving under a variety of
conditions.
If the testing f acility determines that
the readiness codes are not set, you
will be requested to return at a later
date to complete the test. If you must
get the vehicle re-tested within the
next two or three days, you can
condition the vehicle for re-testing
by doing the f ollowing.Make sure the gas tank is nearly,
but not completely, f ull (around
3/4). Make sure the vehicle has been
parked with the engine of f f or 8
hours or more.
Make sure the ambient
temperature is between 20° and
95°F.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, start the engine, and let it
idle f or 20 seconds.
Keep the vehicle in Park
(automatic transmission) or
Neutral (manual transmission).
Increase the engine speed to 2,000
rpm and hold it there until the
temperature gauge rises to at least
1/4of thescale(approximately3
minutes).
Select a nearby lightly traveled
major highway where you can
maintain a speed of 50 to 60 mph
(80to97km/h)foratleast20
minutes. Drive on the highway in
D (A/T) or 5th (M/T). Do not use
thecruisecontrol.
When traffic allows, drive for 90
seconds without moving the
accelerator pedal. (Vehicle speed
may vary slightly; this is okay.) If
you cannot do this f or a
continuous 90 seconds because of
traf f ic conditions, drive f or at least
30 seconds, then repeat it two
more times (for a total of 90
seconds).
Then drive in city/suburban
traffic for at least 10 minutes.
When traffic conditions allow, let
the vehicle coast f or several
seconds without using the
accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal.
If the testing f acility determines the
readiness codes are still not set, see
your Honda dealer.
T esting of Readiness Codes
St at e Emissions T est ing
T echnical Inf ormation212
—
—y

y
(+
y
y

CONT INUED
BatteryCharging System ...........................
Indicator . 54, 192
............................
Jump Starting . 188
..............................
Maintenance . 177
............................
Specif ications . 205
..............................
Bef ore Driving . 109
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,19
...........................
Beverage Holders . 87
...................................
Body Panels . 165
..................................
Booster Seats . 45
Brakes
...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 133
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 110
....................
Bulb Replacement . 166 ...........................................
Fluid . 164
.........................................
Parking . 83
.................
System Indicator . 54, 194
........................
Wear Indicators . 133
.............................
Braking System . 132
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle . 110
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 63
........................
Brights, Headlights . 62
Bulb Replacement
..........................
Back-up Lights . 169
..............................
Brake Lights . 169
................
Front Parking Lights . 167
........
Front Side Marker Lights . 168
.................................
Headlights . 166
............................
Specif ications . 205
....................
Turn Signal Lights . 167
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen . 166
............................
Capacities Chart . 204
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 48
..............................................
Cargo . 117
........................
Cargo, . 117
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 115
................................
Accessories . 115
............................
Modif ications . 116
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) . 69
..............
Accessory Power Sockets . 87
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 157
.............................
Airbag (SRS) . 10, 22
................
Air Conditioning System . 91
............................................
Usage . 91
.........................
Air Outlets (Vents) . 92
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires . 172
.........................
Normal Driving . 173
......................................
Antif reeze . 160
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............................
Indicator . 55, 134
...................................
Operation . 133
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 104
.
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock . 69
......................
Armrests, Front Seat . 74
..................................
Audio System . 94
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 20
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 107 ..............
Automatic Transmission . 127
..........................
Capacity, Fluid . 204
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 162
.......................................
Shif ting . 127
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 127
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 127
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 130
......................
Auxiliary Input Jack . 106
how to carry
Index
A
B C
I
—
—y
y
(+
yy