2004 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.
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 age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. Infants and small children
should be restrained in a child seat.
Larger children should use a booster
and a lap/shoulder belt until theycanusethebeltproperlywithouta
booster (see page ). 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.
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 ).
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.
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.
14 29
152
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Restrain All ChildrenBe Aware of Airbag Hazards
Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Don’t Drink and Drive
Driver and Passenger Saf ety6
—
—y
y
(+
y

y

Your airbag system includes:Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) 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 impact
or side impact in models equipped
with side airbags. A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, and driver and
frontpassengerseatbeltusewhen
the ignition is in the ON (II)
position.
On models equipped with side
airbags, one for the driver and one
f or a f ront passenger. The airbags
arestoredintheouteredgesof
the seat-backs. Both are marked
‘‘SIDE AIRBAG’’ (see page ). An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, sensors will
detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration.
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
On models equipped with side
airbags, an indicator on the
dashboard that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ). If the rate of deceleration is high
enough, the control unit will instantly
inf late the driver’s and f ront
passenger’s f ront airbags, at the time
and with the f orce needed.
25
20 26
27
Airbag System Components
How Your Front Airbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety22
—
—y
y
(+
yy

If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, the sensors will
detect rapid deceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag.Only one airbag will deploy during a
side impact. If the impact is on the
passenger’s side, the passenger’s
side airbag will deploy even if there
is no passenger.
To get the best protection f rom the
side airbags, occupants should wear
their seat belts and sit upright and
well back in their seats.
The passenger’s side airbag has a
cutof f system designed to turn of f
the passenger’s side airbag if a child’s
head is in the airbag’s deployment
path (see page ).
If the side airbag of f indicator comes
on, have the passenger sit upright.
Once the passenger is out of the
deployment path of the side airbag,
the system will turn the airbag back
on and the indicator will go out
within a f ew seconds.
A f ront seat passenger should not
use a cushion or other object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutof f
system f rom working properly.
27
Optional on EX models
How Your Side A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety25
—
—y

y
(+
yy

µ
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in the
back seat. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration and
Transport Canada recommend that
all children age 12 and under be
properly restrained in the back seat.
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inf lating airbag when they ride in the
back.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 can inf late with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.
If
the airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant. If the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, in a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children). 44
All Children Should Sit in the
Back Seat
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Poses Serious Risks
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Inf ant s
Never put a rear-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
t he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Small Children
Larger ChildrenChildren who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injured
or killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
30
—
—y
y
(+
yy

Some states also require children to
use a booster until they reach a
given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or
60lbs).Besuretocheckcurrent
laws in the state or states where you
intend to drive.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.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.
Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster meets f ederal
saf ety standards and that you f ollow
the booster seat maker’s instructions.
If a child who uses a booster must
ride in f ront, move the vehicle seat
as far back 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 their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle’s or
booster’s seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster. Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see page ). If the seat
belt does not f it properly, with or
without the child sitting on a booster,
the child should not sit in the f ront.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
If the passenger’s f ront airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
On models with side airbags, the
passenger’s airbag also poses risks.
If any part of a larger child’s body is
in the path of a deploying side airbag,
the child could receive possibly
serious injuries.
45
Maturity
Physical Size
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
46
—
—y

y
(+
y
y

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 ety49
SUN VISOR
DASHBOARD
—
—y
y
(+
yy

This indicator comes on f or a f ew
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to ON (II). It will go of f if you
have inserted a properly-coded
ignition key. If it is not a properly-
coded key, the indicator will blink
and the engine will not start (see
page ).
This indicator also blinks several
times when you turn the ignition
switch f rom ON (II) to ACCESSORY
(I) or LOCK (0).
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to ON (II). If
it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a potential problem with
your f ront airbags. This indicator will
also alert you to a potential problem
with your side airbags, passenger’s
side airbag automatic cutoff system
or automatic seat belt tensioners.
For complete inf ormation, see page
.
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to ON (II). If
it comes on at any other time, it
indicates that the passenger’s side
airbag has automatically shut off.
For more inf ormation, see page . This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II), and when
the ignition switch is turned to
START (III). If it comes on at any
other time, there is a problem with
theABS.If thishappens,haveyour
vehicle checked at a dealer. With
this on, your vehicle still has normal
braking ability but no anti-lock
brakes. For complete inf ormation,
see page .
26
13466
25
Optional on EX models EX models only
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Immobilizer System
Indicator
Side Airbag Of f Indicator Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator
Instrument Panel
55
—
—y
y
(+
yy

µ
Canadian models onlyThis indicator reminds you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for
scheduled maintenance.
Ref er to the Maintenance Schedules
f or Normal and Severe Driving
Conditions on pages .
For the f irst 8,000 miles (12,800 km)
af ter the Maintenance Required
Indicator is reset, it will come on f or
two seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II).
Thiscomesonwhenthewasher
f luid level is low. Add washer f luid
when you see this light come on (see
page ).
This indicator comes on if any door
is not closed tightly.
This indicator comes on if the
tailgate or the hatch is not closed
tightly.
Between 8,000 miles (12,800 km)
and 10,000 miles (16,000 km), it will
light f or two seconds when you f irst
turn the ignition switch to ON (II),
andthenflashfortenseconds.
If you exceed 10,000 miles (16,000
km) without having the scheduled
maintenance perf ormed, this
indicator will remain on as a constant
reminder.Your dealer will reset this indicator
af ter completing the scheduled
maintenance. If this maintenance is
done by someone other than your
Honda dealer, reset the indicator as
f ollows.
Turn of f the engine.
Press and hold the Select/Reset
button on the instrument panel,
then turn the ignition switch to
ON (II).
Hold the button for about 10
seconds until the indicator goes
of f .
1.
152 153
2. 3.
161
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Washer L evel Indicator Maintenance Required
Indicator
Door-open Indicator
Tailgate and Hatch Open
Indicator
Instrument Panel
57
—
—y
y
(+
yy