2005 HONDA ELEMENT ECU

Reverse this procedure to reinstall
the seat. Make sure the seat is
securely locked.
Always remove an unsecured seat
f rom the vehicle bef ore driving. A
seat that is not locked in place could
be thrown about and cause injury in
a sudden stop or crash.
Hold the steel handle next to the
lock lever and the handle strap at
the outside edge of the seat
cushion, and remove the entire
seat by pulling it up and backward.
4.
Seats
80
STEEL HANDLE
HANDLE STRAP

With the rear seats in their upright
position, store the skylight, f ace
down in its bag in the cargo area.
Secure the bag with four hooks on
the cargo area f loor. Do not store
anything on top of the skylight.To reinstall the skylight, make sure
the air deflector is pushed down.
When reinstalling the lever assembly,
push in both red pivots, and align
with the receptacle holes. Let the
pivots move out until they rest in the
holes securely. Make sure the
skylight is f ully closed and latched.
Skylight
Inst rument s and Cont rols
85
An unsecured skylight can be
thrown about and cause serious
injury in a sudden stop or crash.
Make sure to store the skylight
in its bag, and secure the bag to
the hooks on the cargo area
floor.

Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert the end into the hole in
the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves
stif f ly, or if you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated.
Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood near the center.
The hood latch handle is above
the ‘‘H’’ logo. Push this handle up
to release it. Lift up the hood. Lif t it up slightly to remove the
support rod f rom the hole. Put the
support rod back into its holding clip.
Lower the hood to about a f oot (30
cm) above the f ender, then let it
drop. Make sure it is securely
latched.
1.
2.
3.
To Close the Hood:
Opening and Closing the Hood
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
125
LATCH
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
SUPPORT ROD
CLIP

In addition, the total weight of the
vehicle, all passengers, accessories,
cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). Both
areonalabelonthedriver’s
doorjamb.If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
tailgate or the hatch, exhaust gas
can enter the passenger area. To
avoid the possibility of, f ollow the
instructions on page .
If you carry any items on a roof
rack,besurethetotalweightof
the rack and the items does not
exceed 165 lbs (75 kg). Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop. If you use an accessory roof rack,
the roof rack weight limit may be
lower. Ref er to the inf ormation that
came with your roof rack.
Theseparationnetcanbeusedto
hold back sof t, lightweight items
stored in the cargo area. Heavy
items should be properly secured on
the f loor of the cargo area. The net
may not prevent heavy items f rom
being thrown f orward in a crash or a
sudden stop.
Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop. Be sure items placed on the f loor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
under the seats and interf ere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals or the seat. 47
Carrying Cargo
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
carbon
monoxide poisoning
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
or on a Roof Rack
Optional Separation Net
132

Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).Make sure the doors, hatch, and
tailgate are securely closed and
locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.
Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice. When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
73
82 15
53
64
Preparing to Drive
Driving
137

Towing can require a variety of
equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, how
much load you are towing, and
where you tow.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and that it meets
f ederal, state, province, and local
regulations.Honda recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs
(450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electrically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle’s hydraulic system. No
matter how successf ul it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle’s hydraulic system
will lower braking ef f ectiveness and
create a potential hazard.
Seeyourtrailerdealerformore
inf ormation on installing electric
brakes.
Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody.
Always use saf ety chains when you
tow a trailer. Make sure the chains
are secured to the trailer and hitch,
and that they cross under the tongue
and 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.
CONT INUED
T owing Equipment and
A ccessoriesTrailer Brakes
Hitches
Saf et y Chains
Towing a Trailer
Driving
151

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, cooling system, and
lights are in good operating
condition.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly. All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure. All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ). Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use overdrive (O/D)
when towing a trailer on level roads.
Turn of f the overdrive (O/D) when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain. (see
‘‘
’’ in the next column
f or additional gear inf ormation.)
149 150 187
CONT INUED
Pre-T ow Checklist
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Towing a Trailer
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving on Hills
Driving
153

Unscrew and remove the engine oil
fill cap on top of the valve cover.
Pour in the oil slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill. Clean up any spills
immediately. Spilled oil could
damage components in the engine
compartment. Install the engine oil
f ill cap, and tighten it securely. Wait
a f ew minutes, and recheck the oil
level. Do not f ill above the upper
mark; you could damage the engine.Oil is a major contributor to your
engine’s perf ormance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade 5W-20
detergent oil displaying the API
certif ication seal. This seal indicates
the oil is energy conserving, and that
it meets the American Petroleum
Institute’s latest requirements.
Honda motor oil is the pref erred
5W-20 lubricant f or your vehicle. It is
highly recommended that you use
Honda motor oil in your vehicle f or
optimum engine protection. make
sure the API certif ication seal says
‘‘For Gasoline Engines.’’
The oil viscosity or weight is
provided on the container’s label.
5W-20 oil is f ormulated f or year-
round protection of your vehicle to
improve cold weather starting and
f uel economy.
A dding Engine Oil
Recommended Engine Oil
A dding Engine Oil
170
ENGINE OIL FILL CAP
API CERTIFICATION SEALAmbient Temperature