2007 HONDA ELEMENT tow

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise the engine speed by shif ting to
a lower gear.
We recommend quality gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 % ethanol by
volume and up to 15 % MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
On vehicles with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
138

Wait a few minutes after turning the
engine off before you check the oil.
Remove the dipstick (orange tab).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its tube. Remove
the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks. Look
at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page for
info rmation on adding the proper
coolan t.
Refer to
on page for information
about checking other items on your
vehicle.
If
it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
1.
2.
3. 4.
189 192
184
Oil Check
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
A dding Engine Oil
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
141
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARKLOWER MARK RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN

µ·
Steps
for determining correct load
limit:
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicl e.
The
maximum load for your vehicle
is 675 lbs (308 kg). This figure
includes the total weight of all
occupants, cargo, and accessories,
and the tongue load if you are towing
a trailer. Locate
the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 675
lbs’’ on your vehicle’s placard.
[The placard is on the driv er’s
doorjamb.]
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
675 pounds or 308 kilograms. Determine
the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capaci ty
calc ulated in step 4.
The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capaci ty.
For example, if the maximum load
is 675 lbs and there will be four
150 lb. passengers in your vehicle,
the amount of available cargo and luggage
load capaci ty is 75 lbs.
(675 600 (4 150) = 75 lbs.)
If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will
be transf erred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of
yourvehicle(seepage ).
1.
2.
5.
6.
3.
4. 167
Load Limits
Carrying Cargo
146
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
the braking system, the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system, and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer or drive off-highway.........................
Driving Guidelines .150
....................
Preparing to Drive .151
.......................
Starting the Engine .152
...................
Manual Transmission .153
..............
Automatic Transmission .155
...........................................
Parking .159
.............................
Braking System .160
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .161
Tire Pressure Monitoring
........................
System (TPMS) .163
Vehicle Stability Assist ............................
(VSA) System .165
...........................
Towing a Trailer .167
Of f -Highway Driving
..................................
Guidelines .173
Driving
Driving
149

µ
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.
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. 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.
CONT INUED
To shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR
Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoD DtoN
DtoD NtoDRtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
press the shift lever release
button.
Press the shift lever release
button.
Move the shift lever.
3
3
3
3
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Park (P)
Automatic Transmission
Driving
155
SHIFT LEVER
RELEASE BUTTON
D BUTTON3

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µ µ
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Use
neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift 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.
Press the brake
pedal and press the release button to
shift from Park to reverse. To shift
fr om reverse to neutral, come to a
completestop,andthenshift. To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop before shifting
into Park. You must also press the
release button to shift into Park. The
shift lever must be in Park before
you can remove the key from the
ignition switch. If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page . Use this position f or
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 5) f or your
speed and acceleration. You may
notice the transmission shifting up at
higher engine speeds when the
engine is cold. This helps the engine
warm up f aster.
To use D , press the
D buttonwhentheshiftleverisin
the ‘‘D’’ position. This position is simi-
lartoD,exceptonlythefirstthree
gears are selected instead of all f ive.
Use D when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain, or to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D can
also keep the transmission f rom
cycling between third and f ourth
gears in stop-and-go driving.
158
3
3
3 3
Automatic Transmission
Neutral (N)
Reverse (R) Shif t L ock Release
Drive (D)
Drive (D )
3
156

Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly, or
your vehicle may roll if it is parked
on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission.Make sure the windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.
in the cargo area or take them
with you.
Lock the doors and the hatch with
the key.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes. If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb. If you have a manual
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving
159
curb. If you have a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear,
and set the parking brake.
t ran
sm
is
s

ion, put it in reverse gear,
and set the parking brake.

Your vehicle has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can also use it to
tow a trailer if you carefully observe
the load limits, use the proper
equipment, and follow the guidelines
in this section.
The weight that
the tongue of a fully-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.
173
Driving Of f -
Highway Guidelines section
CONT INUED
Load Limits
Tongue Load:
T otal T railer Weight:
Towing a Trailer
Driving
167
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.