2006 HONDA ELEMENT cooling

Your Vehicle at a Glance
4
POWER DOOR
LOCK SWITCHMIRROR CONTROLS
GAUGES
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
A/T model is shown. HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE INSTRUMENT PANEL
HEATING/COOLING
CONTROLSPARKING BRAKE
(P.70)
(P.81) (P.82)
(P.58)
(P.90)(P.83)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MANUAL TRANSMISSION (P.53)
AIRBAGS
(P.11,23)
(P.139) (P.143)
(P.127)

Your vehicle’s exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. You should
have no problem with carbon
monoxide entering the vehicle in
normal driving if you maintain your
vehicle properly.High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage.
Have the exhaust system inspected
f or leaks whenever:
The vehicle is raised f or an oil
change.
You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.
The vehicle was in an accident
that may have damaged the
underside. Select the f resh air mode.
Select the mode.
Turn the f an on high speed.
Set the temperature control to a
comfortable setting.
If you must sit in your parked vehicle
with the engine running, even in an
unconf ined area, adjust the heating
and cooling system as f ollows: With the tailgate or hatch open, air
f low can pull exhaust gas into your
vehicle’s interior and create a
hazardous condition. If you must
drive with the tailgate or hatch open,
openallthewindowsandsetthe
heating and cooling system as shown
below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
47
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.

Control L ocations
52
POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCHAUDIO SYSTEM
A/T model is shown. HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
HEATING/COOLING
CONTROLS
(P.70)
(P.81)
(P.82)
(P.94)
(P.90)
MIRROR CONTROLS
PARKING BRAKE
(P.83)
CRUISE CONTROL
MASTER BUTTON
CRUISE CONTROL
BUTTONS
(P.127) (P.120)
(P.120)

This shows the temperature of the
engine’s coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise to
about the middle of the gauge. In
severe driving conditions, the pointer
may rise to the upper zone. If it
reaches the red (hot) mark, pull
safely to the side of the road. Turn to
page f or instructions and
precautions on checking the engine’s
cooling system. If the system still detects a loose or
missing f uel cap, the malf unction
indicator lamp (MIL) comes on.
Turn the engine of f , and check or
retighten the f uel cap at least 3 clicks.
The MIL goes out af ter several days
of normal driving once the cap is
tightened or replaced. If it does not
go out, have your dealer inspect the
vehicle. For more inf ormation, see
page .
If your f uel cap is loose or missing, a
‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message
appears as text in the odometer/trip
meter display after you start the
engine. Turn the engine of f and
conf irm the f uel cap is installed. If it
is, loosen the cap, then retighten it at
least 3 clicks. When you restart the
engine, the message appears again.
To clear the message, press and hold
the select/reset button until the
message is replaced the odometer/
trip meter display.
This shows how much f uel you have.
It may show slightly more or less
than the actual amount. Driving
uphill or making turns can cause the
needle to f luctuate or the low f uel
indicator to come on early. The
needle returns to the bottom after
you turn of f the ignition.
210
207
Gauges
Temperature Gauge
Check Fuel Cap Indicator
(odometer/trip meter message)
Fuel Gauge
Inst rument s and Cont rols
59
Avoid driving with an extremely low
f uel level. Running out of f uel could
cause the engine to misf ire, damaging
the catalytic converter.

The outside air intakes f or the
heating and cooling system are at
the base of the windshield. Keep this
area clear of leaves and other debris.
Thesystemshouldbeleftinfresh
air mode under almost all conditions.
Keeping the system in recirculation
mode, particularly with the A/C of f ,
can cause the windows to fog up.
Switch to recirculation mode when
driving through dusty or smoky
conditions, then return to fresh air
mode.
This button turns the rear window
def ogger of f and on (see page ).
Use the mode control dial to select
the vents the air flows from. Some
air will f low f rom the dashboard
vents in all modes.
Turning this dial clockwise increases
the temperature of the airflow. Turn this dial clockwise to increase
the fan speed and airflow.
This button turns the air
conditioning on and of f . The
indicatorinthebuttonisonwhen
the A/C is on.
When the recirculation indicator is
on, air f rom the vehicle’s interior is
sent throughout the system again.
When the indicator is off, air is
brought in f rom the outside of the
vehicle (fresh air mode). The system automatically
turns on the A/C and
switches to recirculation mode. Air
f lows f rom the center and side vents
in the dashboard.
Air flows from the center
and corner vents in the dashboard.
Airf low is divided between
the vents in the dashboard and the
f loor vents.
Air f lows f rom the f loor
vents. When you select , the
system automatically switches to
f resh air mode.
Airf low is divided between
the f loor vents and the def roster
vents at the base of the windshield.
63
CONT INUED
Rear Window Def ogger Button
Mode Control Dial
Air Conditioning (A/C) Button T emperature Control Dial
Fan Control Dial A ir Flow Controls
Recirculation Button
Vents, Heating, and A/C
Features
91

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. 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.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ). The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition. 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.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. 187
152
151
CONT INUED
Pre-T ow Checklist Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Towing a Trailer
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving
155

If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to between the
MIN and MAX lines. Inspect the
cooling system f or leaks.If Honda antif reeze/coolant is not
available, you may use another
major-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporaryreplacement.Makesureit
is a high-quality coolant
recommended f or aluminum engines.
Continued use of any non-Honda
coolant can result in corrosion,
causing the cooling system to
malf unction or f ail. Have the cooling
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda antif reeze/coolant as soon as
possible.If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.
Always use Honda Long-lif e Anti-
f reeze/Coolant Type 2. This coolant
is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antif reeze and 50 percent water.
Never add straight antifreeze or
plain water.
CONT INUED
A dding Engine Coolant
Engine Coolant
Maint enance
173
RESERVE TANK
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

When the radiator and engine are
cool, relieve any pressure in the
cooling system by turning the
radiator cap counterclockwise,
without pressing down.
Remove the radiator cap by
pushing down and turning
counterclockwise.The coolant level should be up to
the base of the f iller neck. Add
coolant if it is low.
Pourthecoolantslowlyand
caref ully so you do not spill any.
Clean up any spill immediately; it
could damage components in the
engine compartment.
Put the radiator cap back on and
tighten it.
Pour coolant into the reserve tank.
Fill it to half way between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.
Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your vehicle’s
cooling system. They may not be
compatible with the coolant or
engine components. Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather. Check the f luid level in the
windshield washer reservoir at least
monthly during normal use.
The low washer
level indicator comes on when the
level is low (see page ).
When you ref ill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer f luid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition them.
3.
4.
5.
2. 1. 57
On Canadian models:
Windshield Washers
Engine Coolant, Windshield Washers
174
RADIATOR CAP
Do not use engine antif reeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir. Antif reeze
can damage your vehicle’s paint, while
a vinegar/water solution can damage
the windshield washer pump. Use only
commercially-available windshield
washer f luid.