2008 HONDA ELEMENT flat tire

If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.Open the hatch and the tailgate.
The spare tire, jack, and tools are
under the cargo area f loor.
Park the vehicle on f irm, level, and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park (automatic)
or reverse (manual). Apply the
parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer, unhitch
the trailer.
Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Have all
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.
1.
2.
3.
4.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
223
TOOLS
SPARE TIRE
JACK
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.
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2008 Element

Push the rear edge of the handle
to raise the handle loop and pull up
the loop to raise the cargo area
f loor.Unscrew the wing bolt, and take
the spare tire out of the cargo area.
Remove the tools and the jack. To
remove the jack, turn the jack’s
end bracket counterclockwise to
loosen it.Loosen the f ive wheel nuts 1/2
turn with the wheel nut wrench.
8.
7.
6.
5.
Changing a Flat Tire
224
WHEEL NUTS
JACK
WHEEL NUT WRENCH
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2008 Element

Locate the jacking point nearest
thetireyouneedtochange.Itis
pointed to by an arrow molded into
the underside of the body. Place
the jack under the jacking point.
Turn the end bracket clockwise
until the top of the jack contacts
the jacking point. Make sure the
jacking point tab is resting in the
jack notch.Use the extension and the wheel
nut wrench as shown to raise the
vehicle until the f lat tire is of f the
ground.
Remove the wheel nuts, then
remove the f lat tire. Handle the
wheel nuts caref ully; they may be
hot from driving. Place the flat tire
on the ground with the outside
surface facing up.
9.
10. 11.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
225
EXTENSION
JACKING POINTS WHEEL NUT WRENCH
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2008 Element

Bef ore mounting the spare tire,
wipeanydirtoff themounting
surface of the wheel and hub with
a clean cloth. Wipe the hub
carefully;itmaybehotfrom
driving.Put on the spare tire. Put the
wheel nuts back on f inger-tight,
then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel nut wrench
until the wheel is f irmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten the
wheel nuts f ully.
Do not attempt to forcibly pry the
wheel cover of f with a screwdriver or
other tool. The wheel cover cannot
be removed without f irst removing
the wheel nuts. 13.
12.LX model
Changing a Flat Tire
226
WHEEL COVER
WHEEL NUTS
WHEEL NUTS
BRAKE HUB
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2008 Element

Store the jack in its holder. Turn
the jack’s end bracket to lock it in
place. Store the tools.
Remove the center cap from the
f lat tire, and store it in the spare
tire well.Removethewingboltonthespare
tire mount, and pivot the arm 90°
to the upright position. Then
tighten the wing bolt securely.
Tighten the wheel nuts securely in
the same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
f acility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:
Lower the vehicle to the ground,
and remove the jack. 18.
16.
17.
14.
15.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
227
WING BOLT
ARM
80 lbf·ft (108 N·m , 11 kgf·m)
Loose items can fly around the
interiorinacrashandcould
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
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2008 Element

Remove the small round plug f rom
the cargo area f loor by pushing it
fromthebacksidetomakeahole.
Storetheremovedpluginaplace
you can easily remember.Reinstall the cargo area f loor.
Place the flat tire face down on the
cargo area f loor.
Align the center of the f lat tire
with the hole in the cargo area
f loor. Remove the spacer cone
from the wing bolt, turn it over,
and put it back on the bolt.Secure the f lat tire by screwing
thewingbolttothesparetire
mount through the hole in the
cargo area f loor.
19. 20. 21.22.
Changing a Flat Tire
228
WING BOLT
SPACER CONE
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2008 Element

µ
µ
µAs an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale
when one or more of your tires is
signif icantly under-inf lated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure.
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inf lated to
the inf lation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manuf acturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inf lation
pressure label.
(If your vehicle has tires of a
dif f erent size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire
inf lation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inf lation
pressure f or those tires.)
The maximum air
pressurethetirecan
hold.
The maximum load the
tire can carry at
maximum air pressure.
Max Press
Max Load
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(T PMS)
Maximum T ire Pressure
Maximum T ire L oad
Tire Labeling, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Required Federal Explanation
254
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2008 Element

ÎÎÎ
Bulb Replacement ..........................
Back-up Lights .207
..............................
Brake Lights .207
................
Front Parking Lights .204
........
Front Side Marker Lights .205
.................................
Headlights .202
....................
High-mount Brake .208
....................
Rear License Plate .208
............................
Specif ications .250
....................
Turn Signal Lights .204
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen .202
................................
Bungee Cords .153
............................
Capacities Chart .249
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard .54
.............................
Carrying Cargo .149
.............
CAUTION, Explanation of .iii
.........................................
CD Care .128
...................................
CD Changer .125
.......................
CD Error Message .126
.......
CD Changer Error Message .127
.......................................
CD Player .119
.................................
Ceiling Pocket .97
........................
Certif ication Label .246 ............................................
Chains .217
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .223
.................................
Changing Oil .194
........................................
How to .194
......................................
When to .185
...
Charging System Indicator .60,235
............
Checklist, Bef ore Driving .157
.....................................
Child Saf ety .37
Child Seats
......
LATCH Anchorage System .46
...........................
Lower Anchors .46
..........
Tether Anchorage Points .50
..........
Children, Protecting Larger .51
............
Cleaning the Body Panels .201
..............................................
Clock .132
.........................
Clock, Setting the .132
...................................
Clutch Fluid .201
........................
CO in the Exhaust .256
............
Cold Weather, Starting in .158
..............................
Compact Spare .222
.................
Consumer Inf ormation .262
.............
Controls, Instruments and .57
Coolant
........................................
Adding .196
....................................
Checking .143
.........................
Proper Solution .196 ...................
Temperature Gauge .68
Crankcase Emissions Control ........................................
System .256
................
Cruise Control Indicator .62
............
Cruise Control Operation .135
................
Cup (Beverage) Holders .98
.............
Customer Service Of f ice .262
...............
DANGER, Explanation of .iii
...................................
Dashboard .4,58
............
Daytime Running Lights .72
.......................................
Indicator .62
.................................
Dead Battery .231
.........
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety .264
........................
Def og and Def rost .105
................
Def ogger, Rear Window .73
..............
Def rosting the Windows .105
..........................
Dif f erential Fluid .200
....................................
Dimensions .248
...............
Dimming the Headlights .71
Dipstick
..........
Automatic Transmission .198
..................................
Engine Oil .143
..........................
Directional Signals .71
Index
D
C
II
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2008 Element