2006 HONDA ELEMENT ignition

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound or series of clicks, or
nothing at all. Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem (see
on page ).
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ).
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged (seeon page ).
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, the shif t
lever must be in Park or neutral.
Check these things:
193205217
205
CONT INUED
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Emergency T owing
Jump Starting
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
203

Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem (see on page ).212
55
140 217
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
If theEngineWon’tStart
204

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.
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.
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
several days of normal driving. If your vehicle’s battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes several
days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, 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 for a state
emissions test until the readiness
codes are set. Ref er to
for 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.

However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.
Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed and repaired as
soon as possible (seeon page ).
If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and caref ully.
If the brake system indicator comes
on while driving, the brake f luid level
is probably low. Press lightly on the
brake pedal to see if it f eels normal.
If it does, check the brake f luid level
thenexttimeyoustopataservice
station (see page ).
If the f luid level is low, take your
vehicle to a dealer, and have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads. The brake system indicator
normally comes on when
you turn the ignition switch
to the ON (II) position, and
as a reminder to check the
parking brake. It will stay
on if you do not f ully
release the parking brake.
177 217Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
211
Canada U.S.

Turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Make sure the
headlights and all other
accessories are of f .
If something electrical in your
vehicle stops working, check f or a
blown f use f irst. Determine f rom the
chart on pages and , or the
diagram on the f use box lid, which
f use or f uses control that device.
Check those f uses f irst, but check all
the f uses bef ore deciding that a
blown f use is the cause. Replace any
blown f uses, and check if the device
works.
The interior f use box is underneath
the steering column. To remove the
f use box lid, turn the knobs
counterclockwise and pull the lid out
of its hinges.
The vehicle’s f uses are located in
two f use boxes. The under-hood f use
box is located in the engine
compartment on the driver’s side. To
open it, push the tabs as shown.
Remove the cover f rom the f use
box.
1.
2. 215 216
Checking and Replacing Fuses
Fuses
212
TAB
UNDER-HOOD
INTERIOR
KNOBS

´
´Î ÎÎ Î
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
CONT INUED
Circuits Protected
No. Amps. Circuits Protected
Amps.
No.
Ignition Coil
BACC
B Daytime running lights
IG1 ACG
Not Used
1
2
3
4
5 15 A
15 A
10 A
10 A Power Window Relay
AMP
Accessory, Radio
Rear Wiper
Meter
ABS
IG2 Daytime running lights
SRS
Remote Control Mirrors
LAF Heater
Not Used
Fuel Pump
Front Accessory Power Socket
Turn Signal Lights
Front Wiper
Not Used
Passenger’s Power Window
Driver’s Power Window
Not Used
Not Used
7.5 A
20 A
7.5 A 10 A
7.5 A
7.5 A
7.5 A 10 A
10 A
20 A
15 A
15 A
7.5 A 20 A
20 A
20 A
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
2: 1 : If equipped Canadian models
2 2
Fuse Locations
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
215
INTERIOR FUSE BOX

Thediagramsinthissectiongive
you the dimensions and capacities of
your vehicle, and the locations of the
identif ication numbers. It also
includes inf ormation you should
know about your vehicle’s tires and
emissions control systems.................
Identif ication Numbers .220
................................
Specif ications .222
DOT Tire Quality Grading ......................
(U.S. Vehicles) .224
Unif orm Tire Quality ..................................
Grading .224
.................................
Treadwear .224
......................................
Traction .224
.............................
Temperature .225
.................................
Tire Labeling .226.......................
Emissions Controls .227
.....................
The Clean Air Act .227
Crankcase Emissions Control ....................................
System .227
Evaporative Emissions Control ....................................
System .227
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor ................................
Recovery .227
...
Exhaust Emissions Controls .228
....................
PGM-FI System .228
Ignition Timing Control ................................
System .228
Three Way Catalytic ...........................
Converter .228
....................
Replacement Parts .228
..
Three Way Catalytic Converter .229
..............
State Emissions Testing .230
T echnical Inf ormation
Technical Inf ormation
219

The PGM-FI system uses sequential
multiport f uel injection. It has three
subsystems: air intake, engine
control, and f uel control. The
powertrain control module (PCM) in
automatic transmission vehicles or
the engine control module (ECM) in
manual transmission vehicles uses
various sensors to determine how
much air is going into the engine. It
then controls how much f uel to inject
under all operating conditions.The emissions control systems are
designed and certif ied to work to-
gether in reducing emissions to
levels that comply with the Clean Air
Act. To make sure the emissions
remain low, you should use only new
Honda replacement parts or their
equivalent f or repairs. Using lower
qualitypartsmayincreasethe
emissions f rom your vehicle.
The exhaust emissions controls
include three systems: PGM-FI,
ignition timing control, and three
way catalytic converter. These three
systems work together to control the
engine’s combustion and minimize
the amount of HC, CO, and NOx that
comes out the tailpipe. The exhaust
emissions control systems are
separate f rom the crankcase and
evaporative emissions control
systems.
The emissions control systems are
covered by warranties separate from
the rest of your vehicle. Read your
warranty manual for more informa-
tion.
The three way catalytic converter is
in the exhaust system. Through
chemical reactions, it converts HC,
CO, and NOx in the engine’s exhaust
to carbon dioxide (CO ), nitrogen
(N ), and water vapor. This system constantly adjusts the
ignition timing, reducing the amount
of HC, CO, and NOx produced.
2
2
Exhaust Emissions Controls Replacement PartsPGM-FI System
Three Way Catalytic Converter
Ignit ion T iming Cont rol Syst em
Emissions Cont rols
228