2008 HONDA ELEMENT Owners Manual

Avoid driving through deep water. If
you encounter water in your route (a
small stream or large puddle, f or
example), evaluate it carefully before
going ahead. Make sure it is shallow,
f lowing slowly, and has f irm ground
underneath. If you are not sure of
the depth or the ground, turn around
andfindanotherroute.
Driving through deep water can also
damage your vehicle. The water can
get into the transmission and
dif f erential, diluting the lubricant
and causing an eventual failure. It
can also wash the grease out of the
wheel bearings.Avoid driving on sof t sand, deep mud,
or other surf aces where you could
get stuck. If you do happen to get
stuck because of inclement weather
or other conditions, choose a saf e
and appropriate course of action.
You should never use a jack to try
getting unstuck. A jack only works
on f irm, level ground. Also, your
vehicle could easily slip of f the jack
and hurt you or someone else.
If you spin the wheels excessively
trying to get unstuck, you may
overheat the components of the
4-wheel drive system. If this happens,
the 4-wheel drive system shuts off
and only the f ront wheels receive
power. If this happens, stop and
allow everything to cool down. The
4-wheel drive system will work again
after its temperature drops.
If you slip the clutch f or a long time
while trying to get unstuck, you may
overheat and damage it.
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
If You Get Stuck
Crossing a Stream4-Wheel Drive Vehicles
Driving
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This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance minder messages on
the information display, and
instructions f or simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself .......................
Maintenance Saf ety .184
....................
Maintenance Minder .185
..............................
Fluid Locations .192
........................
Adding Engine Oil .193
Changing the Engine Oil and
...........................................
Filter .194
..............................
Engine Coolant .196
....................
Windshield Washers .197
.......................
Transmission Fluid .198
Automatic Transmission .......................................
Fluid .198
...
Manual Transsmission Fluid .199
.................
Rear Dif f erential Fluid .200
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid .200
....................
Power Steering Fluid .201
............
Cleaning the Body Panels .201
.............................................
Lights .202
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts .209
.....................................
Floor Mats .209
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .210
.................................
Wiper Blades .210
...........................................
Wheels .212
...............................................
Tires .212
...................
Checking the Battery .218
.............................
Vehicle Storage .219
265
Maintenance
Maint enance
183
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To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and flames away from the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down bef ore touching any parts.
Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.
Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions Burns f rom hot parts.
Injury f rom moving parts.
Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Potential Vehicle Hazards
184
Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner’s
manual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle, or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection
and maintenance
recommendations and
schedules in this owner’s
manual.
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Calculated Engine Oil Lif e (%)
100 % 91 % 90 % 81 %
80 % 71 %
70 % 61 %
60 % 51 %
50 % 41 %
40 % 31 %
30 % 21 %
20 % 16 %
15 % 11 %10 % 6 % 5% 1% 0% Displayed
Engine Oil Lif e (%) 100 %90 %
80 %
70 %
60 %
50 %
40 %
30 %
20 %
15 %
10 %5%
0%
Based on the engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil lif e and displays it as a
percentage. The remaining engine oil lif e is
shownonthedisplayaccordingto
this table:
To see the current engine oil lif e,
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position, then press and release
the select/reset knob repeatedly
until the engine oil lif e indicator
appears (see page ).
Your vehicle displays engine oil lif e
and maintenance service items on
the inf ormation display to show you
when you should have your dealer do
engine oil replacement and indicated
maintenance service.
68
Maintenance Minder
Engine Oil L if e Display
Maint enance
185
ENGINE OIL LIFE INDICATORSELECT/RESET KNOB
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When the remaining engine oil lif e is
5 to 1 percent, you will see a
‘‘SERVICE’’ message along with the
same maintenance item code(s),
everytimeyouturntheignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
The 15 and 10 percent oil lif e
indicator reminds you that the time
is coming soon to take your vehicle
in f or the required maintenance.
If the remaining engine oil lif e is 15
to 6 percent, you will see the engine
oil lif e indicator every time you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. The maintenance minder
indicator will also come on, and the
maintenance item code(s) for other
scheduled maintenance items
needing service will be displayed
above the ‘‘OIL LIFE’’ message.
Maintenance Minder
186
MAINTENANCE
ITEM CODE(S)
ENGINE OIL LIFE
INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE MINDER INDICATOR
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If you do not perf orm the indicated
maintenance, negative mileage is
displayed and begins to blink af ter
the vehicle has been driven 10 miles
(10 km) or more.
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
0 percent, the engine oil lif e indicator
will blink. The display comes on
everytimeyouturntheignition
switch to the ON (II) position. The
maintenance minder indicator
( ) also comes on and remains
on in the instrument panel. When
you see this message, immediately
have the indicated maintenance done
by your dealer.
The maintenance item code or codes
indicate the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil change
(see page ).
You can switch the information
display f rom the engine oil lif e
display to the odometer or the trip
meter. Press and release the select/
reset knob on the instrument panel.
Whentheengineoillifeis15to1
percent, the maintenance minder
indicator ( ) comes on every
time you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, then it goes out
if you switch the inf ormation display.
When you see this message, have
the indicated maintenance
perf ormed by your dealer as soon as
possible.
Negative mileage means your
vehicle has passed the maintenance
required point.
Immediately have the indicated
maintenance done by your dealer.
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Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
187
NEGATIVE MILEAGE
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Your dealer will reset the display
af ter completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘OIL LIFE 100%’’ on the inf ormation
display the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the maintenance minder as
f ollows:Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
Press the select/reset knob
repeatedly until the engine oil lif e
is displayed.
All maintenance items displayed on
the inf ormation display are in code.
For an explanation of these
maintenance codes, see page .
To change the inf ormation display
f rom the engine oil lif e display to the
odometer or the trip meter, press
and release the select/reset knob.
When the engine oil lif e is 0 percent
or negative mileage, the
maintenance minder indicator
( )remainsonevenif you
change the inf ormation display.
Immediately have the service
perf ormed, and make sure to reset
the display as described on the
f ollowing.
1.
2.
191
Maintenance Minder
Resetting the Engine Oil Lif e
Display
Maintenance Main Items and Sub
Items
188
MAINTENANCE MAIN ITEM
MAINTENANCE SUB ITEM(S)
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