2005 HONDA ELEMENT dead battery

2005 Element Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com. Contents


Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ .ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ .4
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .7
Seat belts, SRS, and child protection
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column
Features ........................................................................\
...................................................................... 89
Climate, audio, steering wheel, security, cruise control, and HomeLink
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................121
Fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .135
Engine and transmission operation
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................161
Schedules, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................195
Flat tire, dead battery, overheating, fuses
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ .219
Vehicle specifications, tires, fuels, and emissions controls
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................233
Warranty and contact information
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................237
How to order
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
Fluid capacities and tire pressures
Owner's Identification Form

This shows the number of miles (U.S.)
or kilometers (Canada) driven since
you last reset it.
There are two trip meters: Trip A
and Trip B. Switch between these
displays and the odometer by
pressing the Select/Reset button
repeatedly.Each trip meter works independently,
so you can keep track of two
dif f erent distances.
To reset a trip meter, display it, and
then press and hold the Select/Reset
button until the number resets to
‘‘0.0.’’ Both trip meters will reset if
the vehicle’s battery goes dead or is
disconnected.The odometer shows the total
distance your vehicle has been
driven. It measures miles in U.S.
models and kilometers in Canadian
models. It is illegal under U.S.
federal law and Canadian provincial
regulations to disconnect, reset, or
alter the odometer with the intent to
change the number of miles or
kilometers indicated.
This shows how much f uel you have.
It may show slightly more or less
than the actual amount. Driving
uphill or make turns can cause the
needle to f luctuate or the low f uel
indicator to come on early. The
needle returns to the bottom after
you turn of f the ignition. Odometer
Trip Meter Fuel Gauge
Gauges
58
TACHOMETER SPEEDOMETER FUEL GAUGE
ODOMETER/TRIP METER TEMPERATURE GAUGE SELECT/RESET
BUTTON
Avoid driving with an extremely low
f uel level. Running out of f uel could
cause the engine to misf ire, damaging
the catalytic converter.

µµ
If the MAIN switch is OFF, the
passenger’s window cannot be raised
or lowered. Keep the MAIN switch
off whenyouhavechildreninthe
vehicle so they do not injure
themselves by operating the
passenger’s window unintentionally. To open/close the driver’s
window, push the window switch
f irmly down or up to the second
detent, and release it. The window
will automatically go up or down all
the way. To stop the window, pull/
push on the window switch brief ly. If the driver’s
window senses any obstacle while it
is closing automatically, it will
reverse direction and then stop. To
close the window, remove the
obstacle, then use the window switch
again.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, or the
driver’s window f use is removed, the
AUTO f unction will be disabled. The
power window system needs to be
reset af ter reconnecting the battery
or installing the f use.
If the power windows do not operate
properly af ter resetting, have your
vehicle checked by your dealer. Pull and hold the driver’s window
switch to close the window
completely, then hold the switch
f or a second or two more. Start the engine. Push down and
hold the driver’s window switch
until the window is f ully open.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II)
to raise or lower either window. To
open the window, push the switch
downandholdit.Releasetheswitch
when you want the window to stop.
Pull back on the switch and hold it to
close the window. 1.
2.
AUTO AUTO REVERSE
Power Windows
Inst rument s and Cont rols
81
DRIVER’S WINDOW SWITCH
MAIN SWITCH
Closing a power window on
someone’s hands or fingers can
cause serious injury.
Make sure your passenger is
away from the window before
closing it.

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You can use these five methods to
f ind radio stations on a selected
band: the
preset buttons, and .
The ignition switch must be in
ACCESSORY (I) or ON (II) position.
Turn the system on by pushing the
PWR/VOL knob or the AM/FM
button. Adjust the volume by turning
thesameknob.
The band and f requency that the
radio was last tuned to is displayed.
To change bands, press the AM/FM
button. On the FM band, ST will be
displayed if the station is broadcast-
ing in stereo. Stereo reproduction on
AM is not available.
Use the TUNE knob to
tune the radio to a desired f requency.
Turn the knob right to tune to a
higher f requency, or lef t to tune to a lower f requency.
The SEEK f unction
searches up and down from the
current f requency to f ind a station
with a strong signal. To activate it,
press either ( or ), then
release it.
The SCAN f unction
samples all stations with strong
signals on the selected band. To
activate it, press the SCAN button,
then release it. You will see SCAN in
the display. The system will scan f or
a station with a strong signal. When
it f inds one, it will stop and play that
station f or about 5 seconds (LX and
DX models) or 10 seconds (EX
model).
If you do nothing, the system will
then scan f or the next strong station
and play it f or 5 seconds (LX and DX
models) or 10 seconds (EX models).
When it plays a station you want to listen to, press the SCAN button
again.
Each preset button can
store one f requency on AM, and two
f requencies on FM.
Select the desired band, AM or
FM. FM1 and FM2 let you store
two f requencies with each preset
button.
UsetheTUNE,SEEK,orSCAN
function to tune the radio to a
desired station.
Pick a preset button, and hold it
until you hear a beep.
Repeat steps 1 through 3 to store a
total of six stations on AM and
twelve stations on FM.
On all models except EX, the preset
f requencies will be lost if your
vehicle’s battery goes dead, is
disconnected, or the radio f use is
removed. 2.
3.
4. 1.
To Play the Radio
To Select a Station
TUNE,SEEK,SCAN, AUTO SELECT
TUNE SEEK
SCAN
Preset
Playing the AM/FM Radio
96

Your vehicle’s audio system will
disable itself if it is disconnected
f rom electrical power f or any reason.
To make it work again, you must
enter a specif ic f ive-digit code in the
preset buttons. Because there are
hundreds of number combinations
possible f rom f ive-digits, making the
system work without knowing the
exact code is nearly impossible.
Youshouldhavereceivedacardthat
lists your audio system’s code and
serial numbers. It is best to store this
card in a saf e place at home. In
addition, you should write the audio
system’s serial number in this
Owner’s Manual.
If you lose the card, you must obtain
the code number f rom a dealer. To
do this, you will need the system’s
serial number.If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, or the
radio f use is removed, the audio
system will disable itself . If this
happens, you will see ‘‘CODE’’ in the
frequencydisplaythenexttimeyou
turn on the system. Use the preset
buttons to enter the five-digit code.
Thecodeisontheradiocodecard
included in your Owner’s Manual kit.
When it is entered correctly, the
radio will start playing.
If you make a mistake entering the
code, do not start over; complete the
f ive-digit sequence, then enter the
correct code. You have ten tries to
enter the correct code. If you are
unsuccessful in ten attempts, you
must then leave the system on for 1
hour bef ore trying again.
On EX models
Radio T hef t Prot ect ion
116

If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, you will
need to set the clock.You can use the R button to quickly
set the time to the nearest hour.
Press the R button while pressing
the CLOCK button. If the displayed
time is before the half hour, pressing
Rsetstheclockbacktotheprevious
hour. If the displayed time is af ter
the half hour, pressing R sets the
clock f orward to the beginning of the
next hour.
For example:
1:06 will reset to 1:00
1:53 will reset to 2:00
To set the hour, press the H button
while pressing the CLOCK (SCAN/
RPT) button until the hour advances
to the desired time. Change the
minute by pressing the M button
while pressing the CLOCK (SCAN/
RPT) button until the minute
advances to the desired time.
Press and hold the CLOCK button
until the numbers f lash and you hear
abeep.Changethehourbypressing
the H button until the numbers
advance to the desired time. Change
the minute by pressing the M button
until the numbers advance to the
desired time.
CONT INUED
U.S. LX and Canadian DX models On U.S. EX models
Setting the Clock
Features
117
CLOCK
BUTTON
H BUTTON R BUTTON TIME DISPLAY
M BUTTON CLOCK
BUTTON
H BUTTON R BUTTON
M BUTTON
TIME
DISPLAY

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To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop bef ore shif ting
into Park. The shif t lever must be in
Park bef ore you can remove the key
from the ignition switch.
Use this position f or
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear for the vehicle speed
and acceleration. You may notice the
transmission shif ting up at higher
speeds when the engine is cold. This
helps the engine warm up f aster.
Press the brake
pedal and press the release button to
shif t f rom Park to reverse. To shif t
f rom reverse to neutral, come to a
completestopandthenshift. Your vehicle has a reverse lockout so
you cannot accidentally shif t to
reverse when the vehicle speed
exceeds 5 mph (8 km/h).
If you cannot shif t to reverse when
the vehicle is stopped, press the
brake pedal and slowly shift to
neutral. Then press the release
button, and shift to reverse.
If there is a problem in the reverse
lockout system, or your vehicle’s
battery is disconnected or goes dead,
you cannot shif t to reverse. (Ref er to
on page ).
Use neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from neutral to
another gear. 144
Automatic Transmission
Drive (D)
Reverse (R)
Shif t L ock Release
Neutral (N)
142

If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
f uel f ill cap. Tighten the cap until it
clicks at least three times.
Tightening the cap will not turn the
indicator of f immediately; it takes at
least three days of normal driving.If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn of f as you
continue driving, have the vehicle
checked by the dealer as soon as
possible.
If your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.
If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage. To check if they are set, turn the
ignition to ON (II), without starting
the engine. The malf unction
indicator lamp will come on f or 20
seconds. If it then goes of f , the
readiness codes are set. If it blinks
f ive times, the readiness codes are
not set. If possible, do not take your
vehicle f or a state emissions test
until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to
f or more inf ormation (see page ).
230
Readiness Codes
State Emissions T esting
Malf unction Indicator L amp
210
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.