2008 HONDA ELEMENT Owners Manual

....
Customer Service Inf ormation .262
....................
Warranty Coverages .263
Reporting Saf ety Def ects
..........................
(U.S. Vehicles) .264
.....................
Authorized Manuals .265
Warranty and Customer Relations
Warrant y and Cust omer Relat ions
261
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2008 Element

Honda dealership personnel are
trained prof essionals. They should
be able to answer all your questions.
If you encounter a problem that your
dealership does not solve to your
satisf action, please discuss it with
the dealership’s management. The
service manager or general manager
can help. Almost all problems are
solved in this way.
If you are dissatisf ied with the
decision made by the dealership’s
management, contact your Honda
Customer Service Office.
U.S. Owners:Canadian Owners:
In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands:
When you call or write, please give
us this inf ormation:
Vehicle identif ication number (see
page )
Name and address of the dealer
who services your vehicle
Date of purchase
Mileage on your vehicle
Your name, address, and
telephone number
A detailed description of the
problem
Name of the dealer who sold the
vehicle to you 246
Customer Service Inf ormation
262
CUSTOMER RELATIONS
Honda Canada Inc.
715 Milner Avenue
Toronto, ON
M1B 2K8
Tel: 1-888-9-HONDA-9
Fax: Toll-free 1-877-939-0909 Toronto (416) 287-4776
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Automobile Customer Service
Mail Stop 500-2N-7A
1919 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, California 90501-2746
Tel: (800) 999-1009 Bella International
P.O. Box 190816
San Juan, PR 00919-0816
Tel: (787) 620-7546
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2008 Element

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Your new vehicle is covered by these
warranties:
covers your new vehicle, except f or
the battery, emissions control
systems, and accessories, against
def ects in materials and
workmanship.
provides prorated
coverage f or a replacement battery
purchased f rom your dealer.
these two
warranties cover your vehicle’s
emissions control systems. Time,
mileage, and coverage are
conditional. Please read your
warranty booklet f or exact
inf ormation. provides
coverageforaslongasthepur-
chaser of the muf f ler owns the
vehicle.
this warranty gives up
to 100 % credit toward a replacement
battery. a seat
belt that f ails to f unction properly is
covered by a limited warranty.
Please read your warranty booklet
f or details.
all exterior body panels are
covered f or rust-through f rom the
inside f or the specif ied time period
with no mileage limit.
Honda accessories are covered
under this warranty. Time and
mileage limits depend on the type of
accessory and other f actors. Please
read your warranty booklet f or
details.
covers all Honda
replacement parts against defects in
materials and workmanship. Restrictions and exclusions apply to
all these warranties. Please read the
2008 Honda warranty inf ormation
booklet that came with your vehicle
f or precise inf ormation on warranty
coverages. Your vehicle’s original
tires are covered by their
manuf acturer. Tire warranty
inf ormation is in a separate booklet.
Please ref er to the 2008 warranty
manual that came with your vehicle.
Warranty Coverages
U.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
New Vehicle L imit ed Warrant y Replacement Bat t ery L imit ed
Warranty
Emissions Cont rol Syst ems Def ect s Warrant y and EmissionsPerf ormance Warranty Replacement Muf f ler L if et ime
Limited Warranty
Original Equipment Bat t ery L imit ed Warranty Seat Belt Limited Warranty
Rust Perf orat ion L imit ed Warrant yAccessory Limited Warranty
Replacement Part s L imit edWarrantyWarrant y and Cust omer Relat ions
263
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2008 Element

If NHTSA receives similar com-
plaints, it may open an investigation,
and if it f inds that a saf ety def ect
exists in a group of vehicles, it may
order a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become
involved in individual problems
between you, your dealer, or
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
If you believe that your vehicle has a
def ect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you
should immediately inf orm the
National Highway Traf f ic Saf ety
Administration (NHTSA) in addition
to notifying American Honda Motor
Co., Inc.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the
VehicleSafetyHotlinetoll-freeat
1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
; or write to:
.
Reporting Saf ety Def ects (U.S. Vehicles)
264
http://www.saf ercar.govhttp://www.saf ercar.gov
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Administrator, NHTSA, 1200 New
DC 20590.You can also obtain other
inf ormation about motor vehicle
safety from
Jersey Avenue, SE. , Washington,
2008 Element

T he publications shown below can be purchased f rom Helm
Incorporated. You can order by phone or online:Call Helm Inc. at 1-800-782-4356 (credit card orders only)
Go online at
If you are interested in other years or models, contact Helm Inc.
at 1-800-782-4356.Covers maintenance and recommended procedures f or
repair to engine and chassis components. It is written
f or the journeyman mechanic, but it is simple enough
f or most mechanically inclined owners to understand.
Complements the Service Manual by providing in-depth
troubleshooting inf ormation f or each electrical circuit
in your vehicle.
Describes the procedures involved in the replacement
of damaged body parts.
Purchasing Factory Authorized Manuals Service Manual:
Electrical T roubleshooting Manual:
Body Repair Manual:
(U.S. only)
Authorized Manuals
Authorized Manuals
265
Form Description
2008 Honda Element Service Manual 2008 Honda Element
Electrical Troubleshooting Manual
2008 Honda Element Body Repair Manual 2008 Honda Element Owner’s Manual
2008 Honda Element Honda Service History 2008 Honda Element Quick Start Guide Order Form for Previous Years-
Indicate Year and Model Desired
Publication
Form Number 61SCV06
61SCV06EL
61SCV30
31SCV650
31SCVM30 31SCVQ50 HON-R
www. helminc. com
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2008 Element

266
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2008 Element

CONT INUED
....................................
Accessories .147
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key
.......................................
Position) .79
..............
Accessory Power Sockets .98
....................
Additives, Engine Oil .194
.........
Advice f or Pregnant Women .18
.............................
Airbag (SRS) .11,24
...
Airbags, Additional Information .24
...
Additional Safety Precautions .36
.............................
Airbag Service .35
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
......................
Indicator Works .34
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .34
..
How the SRS Indicator Works .33
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work .27
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .30
How Your Side Curtain Airbags
.........................................
Work .32
........................
SRS Components .24
..............
Air Conditioning System .102
.........................................
Usage .103
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .213 ......................................
Alignment .250
......................................
Antif reeze .196
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............................
Indicator .61,168
...................................
Operation .167
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System .131
.
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock .79
......................
Armrests, Front Seat .84
................................
Audio System .107
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners .22
.............
Automatic Speed Control .135
..............
Automatic Transmission .161
..........................
Capacity, Fluid .249
...............
Checking Fluid Level .198
.......................................
Shif ting .161
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator .161
................
Shif t Lever Positions .161
....................
Shif t Lock Release .163
......................
Auxiliary Input Jack .125
Battery
Charging System ...........................
Indicator .60,235
............................
Jump Starting .231 ..............................
Maintenance .218
............................
Specif ications .250
..............................
Bef ore Driving .139
..................................
Belts, Seat .10,20
...........................
Beverage Holders .98
...................................
Body Panels .201
..................................
Booster Seats .52
Brakes
...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) .167
.............
Break-in, New Linings .140
....................
Bulb Replacement .207
...........................................
Fluid .200
.........................................
Parking .93
.................
System Indicator .60,237
........................
Wear Indicators .167
.............................
Braking System .166
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle .140
..
Brightness Control, Instruments .72
........................
Brights, Headlights .71
Index
A
B
INDEX
I
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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