2006 HONDA ELEMENT engine

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These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shif t
lever is in. To shif t f rom any position, press
f irmly on the brake pedal, push the
release button, and pull the lever
toward you. You cannot shif t out of
Park when the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) or ACCESSORY (I)
position. This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it f lashes while driving (in
any shif t position), it indicates a
possible problem in the transmission.
Avoid rapid acceleration, and have
thetransmissioncheckedbyyour
dealer as soon as possible.
146
CONT INUED
To shift from:
PtoR
RtoN
NtoD Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoN NtoR RtoP Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
press the release button.
Press the release button.
Move the lever.Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Park (P)Shif t L ock Release
Automatic Transmission
Driving
143
SHIFT LEVER

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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
completestop,andthenshift. 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. 146
Automatic Transmission
Drive (D)
Reverse (R)
Shif t L ock Release
Neutral (N)
144

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This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop. This position locks the
transmission in f irst gear. By
upshif ting and downshif ting through
1, 2, and D, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal.
For more power when climbing.
To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.
For starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow.
To help reduce wheel spin.
When driving downhill with a
trailer. If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
rpm below the red zone.
Overdrive (O/D) is on whenever you
turn the ignition to ON (II). Press
theO/Dswitchonthesideof the
shift lever to turn it off; the O/D
OFF indicator comes on.
Overdrive can be turned on or of f
only when the ignition switch is in
the ON (II) position. When overdrive is of f , the
transmission selects only the f irst
three gears. Use it to provide engine
braking when going down a steep hill,
or to keep the transmission f rom
cycling between third and f ourth
gear in stop-and-go driving.
Use second gear:
If you shif t into f irst when the
vehiclespeedisabove31mph(50
km/h), the transmission shif ts into
second gear f irst to avoid sudden
engine braking.
Automatic Transmission
Overdrive (O/D) Mode
Second (2)First (1)
Engine Speed L imiter
Driving
145

Do this if pushing on the brake pedal
and pulling the shif t lever does not
shif t the transmission out of Park:Set the parking brake.
Make sure the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) position.
To release the reverse lockout,
make sure the ignition switch is in
the ACCESSORY(I) position.
Put a cloth on the edge of the shif t
lock release slot cover next to the
shif t lever. Using a f lathead
screwdriver, caref ully pry on the
edge of the cover to remove it. Insert the flat-tip screwdriver into
the shif t lock release slot.
Remove the screwdriver f rom the
shif t lock release slot, then replace
thecover.Makesurethenotchon
the cover is on the right side.
Press the brake pedal and restart
the engine.
Push down on the screwdriver
while you press the release button
and move the shif t lever out of
Park to neutral.
To release the reverse lockout,
move the shift lever from neutral
to reverse, then to Park. If you need to use the shif t lock
release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have it
checked by your dealer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.6.
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ock Release
146
COVER
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT

Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by taking your f oot of f the
accelerator and downshif ting to a
lower gear.The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
Check the brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Be extra
cautious in your driving.
Resting your f oot on the pedal keeps
the brakes applied lightly, builds up
heat, and reduces their ef f ectiveness.
It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you. Your vehicle is equipped with disc
brakes at all f our wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The anti-lock
brake system (ABS) helps you retain
steering control when braking very
hard. Braking System Design
Braking System
148

Your vehicle has been designed to
primarily carry passengers and their
cargo. You can also use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 % of the total
trailer weight. Too much tongue
load reduces front-tire traction and
steering control. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway.
Be sure to read the
on page
if you plan to tow of f paved
surf aces.
The
maximum allowable weight of the
trailer and everything in or on it
must not exceed 1,500 lbs (680 kg).
Towing a trailer that is too heavy
can seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
157
Driving Of f -
Highway Guidelines section
CONT INUED
Load Limits
Tongue Load:
T otal T railer Weight:
Towing a Trailer
Driving
151
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.

Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, turn of f
the overdrive (O/D) (see page ).If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to 3rd
gear (manual transmission) or turn
of f the overdrive (O/D) (automatic
transmission). Do not ‘‘ride’’ the
brakes, and remember it will take
longer to slow down and stop when
towing a trailer.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections.Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
145
bottom
Towing a Trailer
Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ingBacking Up
Parking
156

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
This section also includes
maintenance schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a maintenance record, and
instructions f or simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .162
.................
Maintenance Schedule .163
....................
Maintenance Record .167
..............................
Fluid Locations .169
........................
Adding Engine Oil .170
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter .171
..............................
Engine Coolant .173
....................
Windshield Washers .174
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid .175
.......
Manual Transsmission Fluid .176
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid .177
....................
Power Steering Fluid .178
............
Cleaning the Body Panels .178
.............................................
Lights .179
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts .185
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .185
.................................
Wiper Blades .186
...............................................
Tires .187
...................
Checking the Battery .193
.............................
Vehicle Storage .194
237
Maintenance
Maint enance
161