2005 HONDA ELEMENT dashboard

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

The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:
Your vehicle also has side airbags to
help protect the upper torso of the
driver or a f ront seat passenger
during a moderate to severe side
impact (see page f or more
information on how your side airbags
work). Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright, and as f ar back f rom the
steering wheel while allowing f ull
control of the vehicle. A f ront
passenger should move their seat as
f ar back f rom the dashboard as
possible. To do
their job, airbags must inf late with
tremendous f orce. So while
airbags help save lives, they can
cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly. They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
Your vehicle has a supplemental
restraint system (SRS) with f ront
airbags to help protect the heads and
chests of the driver and a front seat
passenger during a moderate to
severe f rontal collision (see page f or more inf ormation on how
your f ront airbags work). 24 26
Standard on EX models
Airbags
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
What you should do:
A irbags can pose hazards.
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rear
impact s, or minor f ront al or sidecollisions.
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
11

µ
The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your saf ety.
Af ter everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors are closed
and locked.
Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible while allowing you to
maintain f ull control of the vehicle.
Have a front passenger adjust their
seat as far to the rear as possible.
If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.
See pages f or important
guidelines on how to properly
protect inf ants, small children, and
larger children who ride in your
vehicle. The f ollowing pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect the driver, adult passengers,
and teenage children who are large
enough and mature enough to drive
or ride in the f ront.
See page f or how to lock the
doors, and page f or how the door
monitor indicator works. Locking the doors also helps prevent
an outsider f rom unexpectedly
opening a door when you come to a
stop.Your vehicle
has a door
monitor indicator on the instrument
panel to indicate when a specif ic
door or the tailgate or the hatch is
not tightly closed.
Locking the doors reduces the
chance of someone being thrown out
of the vehicle during a crash and it
helps prevent passengers f rom
accidentally opening and f alling out.
Remember, however, that no saf ety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
30 46 7057
Close and L ock the Doors
A djust the Front Seats
Introduction 1.
2.
Protecting A dults and Teens
12

Your airbag system includes:Automatic seat belt tensioners
(see page ). In models with side airbags, one
for the driver and one for a front
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact,
or side impact in models with side
airbags. an
indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
side airbag has been turned of f
(see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ). In models with side airbags,
sensors that can detect whether
a child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and automatically
turn the airbag off (see page ).
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and f ront
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition is in ON (II).
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.’’
21 26
27 28
26
In models with side airbags,A irbag System Components
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
23

µ
To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.Canadian Models
U.S. Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
32

µ
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. If you are not wearing a
seat belt in crash, you could be
thrown f orward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed. Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous.
For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition can accidentally set the
vehicle in motion, possibly injuring
themselves or others. Children who play in vehicles
can accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles.
Even very
young children learn how to
unlock vehicle doors, turn on the
ignition, and open the tailgate or
hatch, which can lead to accidental
injury or death.
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a child.
Never let two children use thesame seat belt .
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap. Do not leave children alone in a
vehicle. Lock all doors, the tailgate and the
hat ch when your vehicle is not inuse.
K eep vehicle keys and remot et ransmit t ers (on some models) outof t he reach of children.
34

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 dealer f or a
replacement.
U.S. models onlyU.S. models
Canadian modelsU.S. models only
Saf ety L abels
48
SUN VISOR
DASHBOARD

These sockets are intended to supply
power f or 12 volt DC accessories
that are rated 120 watts or less (10
amps).Open the glove box by pulling the
bottom of the handle. Close it with a
f irm push. Lock or unlock the glove
box with the master key.
Be caref ul when you are using the
beverage holders. A spilled liquid
that is very hot can scald you or your
passengers. Spilled liquids can also
damage the upholstery, and
electrical components in the interior.
Your vehicle has one or two
accessory power sockets, depending
on the model. All models have a
f ront accessory power socket on the
dashboard above the glove box.
The EX model has another
accessory power socket in the cargo
area on the passenger’s side. None of the sockets will power an
automotive type cigarette lighter
element. When more than one
socket is being used, the combined
power rating of the accessories
should be 120 watts or less
(10 amps).
Interior Convenience Items
Beverage Holders
Glove Box
A ccessory Power Sockets
Inst rument s and Cont rols
87
An open glove box can cause
serious injury to your passenger
inacrash,evenifthe
passenger is wearing the seat
belt.
Always keep the glove box
closed while driving.