2005 HONDA ELEMENT warning

Push the button next to the shift
levertoturnonthehazardwarning
lights (f our-way f lashers). This
causes all f our outside turn signals
and both turn indicators in the
instrument panel to f lash. Use the
hazard warning lights if you need to
park in a dangerous area near heavy
traf f ic, or if your vehicle is disabled.The rear window def ogger will clear
fog, frost, and thin ice from the
window. Push the def ogger button to
turn it on and off. The indicator in
the button comes on to show the
def ogger is on. If you do not turn it
of f , the def ogger will shut itself of f
af ter about 15 minutes. It also shuts
of f when you turn of f the ignition
switch. You have to turn the
def ogger on again when you restart
the vehicle.
Push the button in the speedometer
repeatedly to adjust the brightness
of the instrument panel lights. There
are six brightness levels. A segment
display shows the current brightness
level.
CONT INUED
Instrument Panel Brightness
Rear Window Def ogger
Hazard Warning Button
Instrument Panel Brightness, Hazard Warning Button, Rear Window Def ogger
Inst rument s and Cont rols
63

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See pages f or important saf ety
inf ormation and warnings about how toproperly position seats and seat-backs. 12 14
To change the seat-back angle of the
f ront seat, pull up on the lever on the
outside of the seat bottom. Adjust
theseat-backandmakesureitlocks
into position.
Make all seat adjustments bef ore
you start driving.
To adjust the seat forward and
backward, pull up on the bar under
the seat cushion’s f ront edge. Try to
movetheseattomakesureitis
locked in position.
Seats
Seat A djustmentsFront Seat
Inst rument s and Cont rols
73

See page f or important saf etyinf ormation and a warning about how toproperly position the head restraints. 15
The rear seat passengers can get out
through the passenger’s door. Push
down on the release lever at the base
of the f ront passenger’s seat-back,
and push the seat-back forward. The
seat-back will tilt f orward and the
entire seat will move forward.
Make sure the seat is upright and
f ully latched bef ore sitting in it.
Your vehicle is equipped with head
restraints in all seating positions to
help protect you and your
passengers f rom whiplash and other
injuries. They are most ef f ective when you
adjust them so the back of the
occupant’s head rests against the
center of the restraint.
The head restraints in the f ront and
rear seating positions adjust f or
height. You need both hands to
adjust the restraint. To raise it, pull
upward. To lower the restraint, push
the release button sideways and
push the restraint down.
Seats
Head Restraints
Rear Seat Access
Inst rument s and Cont rols
75
RELEASE BUTTON RELEASE LEVER

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Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors. Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f uture corrosion.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
Checking the Battery
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Maint enance
193
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the battery
maintenance.

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.Open the hatch and the tailgate.
The spare tire, jack, and tools are
under the cargo area f loor.
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
it.
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.
1.
2.
3.
4.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
197
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 the
jack.

Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low. Serious engine damage is
possible and you should take
immediate action.
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn of f the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(seeon page
).
1.
2.
4. 3.
126
170
217
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Charging System Indicator
Emergency T owing
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
209
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.

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Quality grades can be f ound where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and the
maximum section width. For
example:
All passenger car tires must conf orm
to Federal Saf ety Requirements in
addition to these grades. The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specif ied government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-
half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded
100. The relative perf ormance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart signif icantly f rom the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and dif f erences in
road characteristics and climate.
The traction grades, f rom highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specif ied government test surf aces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
perf ormance.
Warning: The traction grade
assignedtothistireisbasedon
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
The tires on your vehicle meet all
U.S. Federal Saf ety Requirements.
All tires are also graded f or
treadwear, traction, and temperature
perf ormance according to
Department of Transportation
(DOT) standards. The f ollowing
explains these gradings.
Unif orm T ire Quality Grading
T readwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A Treadwear
Traction AA, A, B, C
DOT T ire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
224

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The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specif ied indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire f ailure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
perf ormance, which all passenger
vehicle tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Saf ety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
perf ormance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by
law. Warning: The temperature grade f or
this tire is established f or a tire that
is properly inf lated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinf la-
tion, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire
f ailure.
Temperature A,B,C
DOT T ire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
T echnical Inf ormation
225