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
140
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\fy
(+\fy\f
y
2008 Element
ÎÎ
..........................
Four-wheel Drive .156
............................
Front Airbags .11,27
Front Seat
......................................
Adjusting .13
...................................
Airbags .11,27
.................................................
Fuel .140
......................
Fill Door and Cap .141
...........................................
Gauge .67
................
Octane Requirement .140
........................
Reserve Indicator .63
........................
Tank, Filling the .141
.....................
Fuses, Checking the .238 .............
Halogen Headlight Bulbs .202
................................................
Hatch .81
..............
Hazard Warning Flashers .73
Headlights
........................................
Aiming .202
.......
Daytime Running Lights .72
..................
High Beam Indicator .63
........................
Reminder Beeper .71
........
Replacing Halogen Bulbs .202
...................................
Turning on .71
..............................
Head Restraints .85
......................
Safety Information .15
.....................
Heating and Cooling .102
.............
High Altitude, Starting at .158
.................
High-Low Beam Switch .71
..
Hood, Opening and Closing the .142
..............................................
Horn .5,69
...........................
Hydraulic Clutch .201 ...
Identif ication Number, Vehicle .246
Ignition
..............................................
Keys .75
.............................................
Light .96
...........................................
Switch .79
............
Timing Control System .257
........................
Immobilizer System .76
.......
Immobilizer System Indicator .62
...
Important Handling Inf ormation .iv
.........
Important Safety Precautions .8
.........
Indicators, Instrument Panel .60
...............................
Inf ant Restraint .42
......................................
Inf ant Seats .42
......
LATCH Anchorage System .46
...........................
Lower Anchors .46
..........
Tether Anchorage Points .50
...................
Inf lation, Proper Tire .212
...................................
Inside Mirror .92
.............................
Inspection, Tire .214
............................
Instrument Panel .59
........
Instrument Panel Brightness .72
..........
Instrument Panel Indicators .60
.................................
Interior Lights .96
........................................
Introduction .i
...............
Gas Mileage, Improving .144
.........................................
Gasoline .140
...............
Fuel Reserve Indicator .63
...........................................
Gauge .67
................
Octane Requirement .140
........................
Tank, Filling the .141
................
Gas Station Procedures .141
.............................................
Gauges .66
...
Engine Coolant Temperature .68
...............................................
Fuel .67 Gearshif t Lever Positions
..........
Automatic Transmission .161
..............
Manual Transmission .159
........................................
Glove Box .98
Index
I
H
G
IV
——y
y
(+yy
2008 Element
CONT INUED
...............................
Keys and Locks .75 .................
Jacking up the Vehicle .225
.......................................
Jack, Tire .223
................................
Jump Starting .231
.......................
Label, Certif ication .246
.................
Lane Change, Signaling .71
..................
Lap/Shoulder Belts .16,21
...........
LATCH Anchorage System .46
Lights
....................
Bulb Replacement .202
.......................................
Indicator .59
.........................................
Parking .71
..................................
Turn Signal .71
....................................
Load Limits .150
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) .79
Locks
.......
Anti-thef t Steering Column .79
....................................
Glove Box .98 ............................................
Hatch .81
........................................
Tailgate .82
........................
Low Coolant Level .143
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator .63
................................
Lower Anchors .46
...
Lower Gear, Downshif ting to a .159
...
Lubricant Specif ications Chart .249
.........................................
Luggage .149
..................................
Maintenance .183
.........................
Minder Indicator .61
...
Owner Maintenance Checks .190
..........................................
Saf ety .184
.
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .60,236
...................
Manual Transmission .159
...............
Checking Fluid Level .199
.....
Recommended Shif t Points .160
................................
Shif ting the .159
........
Manual Transmission Fluid .199 .................................
Mirror, Vanity .99
..........................
Mirrors, Adjusting .92
...............
Modif ying Your Vehicle .148
Monitor, Door and Tailgate
.............................................
Open .63
...................
Neutral Gear Position .162
..................
New Vehicle Break-in .140
.....................
Normal Shif t Speeds .160
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of . i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication .246
...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline .140
.........................................
Odometer .66
...............................
Odometer, Trip .66
....................
Of f -Highway Driving .179
Index
N
O
M
J
K
L
INDEX
V
\f—\f—y
y
(+\fy\fy
LowOilPressureIndicator....60,235
Minder ........................................ .185
PowerDoor..................................80
LowTirePressure Indicator....64, 169
.........................
Meters, Gauges .59,66
2008 Element
On 4WD model only
Service Inf ormation Summary
Gasoline:
Fuel Tank Capacity:
Recommended Engine Oil:
Automatic Transmission Fluid:Brake Fluid:
Tire Pressure (measured cold):
Manual Transmission Fluid:
SpareTirePressure:
Power Steering Fluid: Rear Differential Fluid:
15.9 US gal (60
)
Unleaded gasoline, pump octane
number of 87 or higher.
API Premium grade 5W-20
detergent oil (see page ).
filter): Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 preferred, or a DOT 3 or
DOT 4 brake fluid as a temporary
replacement (see page ).
Honda Manual Transmission
Fluid preferred, or an SAE 10W-30
or 10W-40 motor oil as a
temporary replacement (see page
).
Capacity (including differential):
2.0 US qt (1.9
) Front: 33 psi (230 kPa , 2.3 kgf/cm
)
Rear: 35 psi (240 kPa , 2.4 kgf/cm
)
Front/Rear: 32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
)
32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm
)
Honda Power Steering Fluid
preferred, or another brand of
power steering fluid as a
temporary replacement. Do not
use ATF (see page ). 1.1 US qt (1.0
)
Capacity: Honda Dual Pump Fluid II. Do not
use ATF.
4.4 US qt (4.2
) SC model All models except SC
193 199
201 200
——y
y
(+y
y
Oilchangecapacity(including
(see page 198 ).(Automatic
Transmission Fluid)
Honda ATF-Z1
2008 Element