2007 HONDA ELEMENT battery

µ
Check
the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicato r’s
colors.
Check the terminals for corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it off with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a cloth
or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
future corrosion.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualified technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehic le’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the time
setting may be lost. To reset the time,
see page . If
your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the
audio system will disable itsel f. The
nexttimeyouturnontheradio,you
will see ‘‘ENTER CODE’’ in the
frequency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the code (see page ).
130
129
On EX and SC models
Checking the Battery
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
214
TEST INDICATOR
WINDOW
POSITIVE TERMINAL NEGATIVE TERMINAL
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.

Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc., are
completely dry.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than 1
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors. Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in reverse
(manual) or Park (automatic). If possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f ans cycle on and of f
twice). Pref erably, do this once a
month.
Vehicle Storage
Maint enance
215

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position: Wh
en 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, a 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 fuses. If the fuses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified 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
discharged 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
faster 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 (see on 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:
227 227
214 239
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
225

Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start your vehicle with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it.The numbers in the illustration show
you the order to connect the jumper
cables.
Turn of f all the electrical
accessories: heater, A/C, audio
system, lights, etc. Put the
transmission in neutral (M/T) or
Park (A/T), and set the parking
brake. Open the hood, and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
227
BOOSTER BATTERY
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

´´ µIf the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
then from the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
on your vehicle as shown. Do not
connect this jumper cable to any
other part of the engine.
4. 5.
6.
7.
3.
Jump Starting
228

Let the vehicle sit for a minute.
Op en the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipsti ck (see page ). If
the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn off all electri cal
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
Safely
pull off the road, and shut
off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn off the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(see on page
).
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action. 1.
2.
4. 3.
141
189
239
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Charging System Indicator
Emergency T owing
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
231
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.

If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn off as you
continue driving, have your vehicle
checked by your dealer as soon as
possible.
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 feel no difference in
your vehicle’s performance, it can
reduce your fuel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damag e.
If you have recently refueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
fu el fill cap. You will also see a
‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message on
the information display. Tighten the
cap until it clicks at least once.
Tightening the cap will not turn the
indicator off immediatel y; it can take
several days of normal driving. If
your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, the malfunction
indicator lamp may also come on
with the ‘‘D’’ indicator. Tocheckiftheyareset,turnthe
ignitionswitchtotheON(II)
position,wi
thoutstartingtheengine.
Them alfunctionindicato rlampwill
comeonfo r20seconds.Ifi tthen
goesoff,thereadinesscodesareset.
Ifitblinksfi vetimes,thereadiness
codesarenotset.Ifpossible,donot
take your vehicle for a state
emissions test until the readiness
codes are set. Ref er to for more information
(see page ). 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.
Your vehicle has certain " readiness
codes" that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states and
provinces, part of the emissions testing is to make sure these codes
are set. If they are not set, the test
cannot be completed.
254
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Emissions
T esting
R
ea
d ines
sC

odes
232
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.

µµ
No. Amps. Circuits Protected
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 30 A
15 A
7.5 A 20 A
15 A
15 A
15 A
15 A
10 A
30 A
20 A
40 A
40 A
40 A
15 A
15 A
15 A
30 A
100 A 50 A Condenser Fan
Small Light
Interior Light
Cooling Fan Motor
Hazard
IGP
Horn, Stop
DBW
Back Up
VSA Motor
Rear Defroster
Heater Motor
Power Window Main
Option
Left Headlight
Door Lock
Right Headlight
VSA MTR FSR
Battery
IG1 Main
Spare Fuses
21 257.5A 30A
Fuse Locations
238
UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOX