2009 HONDA ELEMENT Owners Manual

Vanity MirrorOn EX and SC modelsTo use the vanity mirror on the back
of the sun visor, pull up the cover.Overhead Console
On EX and SC modelsTo open the overhead console, push
on the rear edge or slide the tab as
shown in the illustration. It will
unlatch and swing down. To close it,
push it until it latches. Make sure the
holder is closed while you are
driving.You may also store small items in
this holder. Make sure they are small
enough to let the holder close and
latch, and that they are not heavy
enough to cause the holder to pop
open while driving.
Push
Slide
Slide
Interior Convenience Items
101
Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

102
2009 Element

The heating and air conditioning
system in your vehicle provides a
comfortable driving environment in all
weather conditions.
The standard audio system has many
features. This section describes those
features and how to use them. (If you
have an optional audio system, refer to
the operating instructions that came
with it.)On EX and SC modelsYour vehicle has an anti-theft audio
system that requires a code number to
enable it.
Vents, Heating, and A/C
..............
104
Air Flow Controls
.....................
105
Ventilation
...............................
106
Using the Heater
.....................
106
Using the A/C
.........................
106
Dehumidify the Interior
...........
107 To Defog and Defrost
..............
107
To Remove Exterior Frost or Ice From the Windows
..............
108
To Turn Everything Off
............
108
Audio System
..............................
109
Playing the FM/AM Radio (Models without navigation
system)
................................
110
Playing the XM
®Radio (Models
without navigation system)
......
113
Playing a Disc (Models without navigation system)
...................
119
Disc Player Error Messages
(Models without navigationsystem)
................................
125
Disc Changer Error Messages
(Models without navigationsystem)
................................
126
Playing the FM/AM Radio
(Models with navigationsystem)
................................
127
Playing the XM
®Radio (Models
with navigation system)
...........
132
Playing a Disc (Models with navigation system)
...................
140 Disc Player Error Messages
(Models with navigationsystem)
................................
148
Playing a PC Card (Models with
navigation system)
...................
149
PC Card Error Messages (Models with navigation system)
...........
161
Playing an iPod
®(Models with
navigation system)
...................
162
iPod
®Error Messages (Models
with navigation system)
...........
172
Playing a USB Flash Memory Device (Models with navigation
system)
................................
173
USB Flash Memory Device Error Messages (Models with
navigation system)
...............
182
Protecting Your Discs
..................
183
FM/AM Radio Reception
.............
186
Radio Theft Protection
.................
188
Setting the Clock
.........................
189
Remote Audio Controls
................
191
Auxiliary Input Jack
.....................
192
Cruise Control
.............................
193
Rearview Camera and Monitor
.....
196
Features
103
Features
2009 Element

FAN CONTROL DIAL TEMPERATURECONTROL DIALMODE CONTROL DIAL
DEFROST POSITION
REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER
BUTTON
MAX A/C POSITION
A/C (AIR CONDITIONING)
BUTTON
RECIRCULATION BUTTON
Vents, Heating, and A/C104
2009 Element

Air Flow Controls
Fan Control Dial
Turn this dial clockwise to increase
the fan speed and airflow.
Temperature Control Dial
Turning this dial clockwise increases
the temperature of the airflow.
Air Conditioning (A/C) Button
This button turns the air
conditioning on and off. The
indicator in the button is on when the
A/C is on.
Recirculation ButtonWhen the recirculation indicator is
on, air from the vehicle's interior is
sent throughout the system again.
When the indicator is off, air is
brought in from the outside of the
vehicle (fresh air mode).The outside air intakes for the
heating and cooling system are at the
base of the windshield. Keep this
area clear of leaves and other debris.
The system should be left in fresh air
mode under almost all conditions.
Keeping the system in recirculation
mode, particularly with the A/C off,
can cause the windows to fog up.
Switch to recirculation mode when
driving through dusty or smoky
conditions, then return to fresh air
mode.
Rear Window Defogger Button
This button turns the rear window
defogger on and off (see page74).
Mode Control Dial
Use the mode control dial to select
the vents the air flows from. Some air
will flow from the dashboard vents in
all modes.
The system automatically turns
on the A/C and switches to
recirculation mode. Air flows from
the center and side vents in the
dashboard (see page106).
Air flows from the center and
corner vents in the dashboard.Airflow is divided between the
vents in the dashboard and the floor
vents.Air flows from the floor vents.
When you select
, the system
automatically switches to fresh air
mode.
Airflow is divided between the
floor vents and the defroster vents at
the base of the windshield.
CONTINUED
Vents, Heating, and A/C
105
Features
2009 Element

Air flows from the defroster
vents at the base of the windshield.
When you select
or
, the
system automatically switches to
fresh air mode and turns on the A/C.
The A/C indicator does not come on.
Ventilation
The flow-through ventilation system
draws in outside air, circulates it
through the interior, then discharges
it through vents near the tailgate.
1. Set the temperature to the lower limit.
2. Make sure the A/C is off.
3. Select
and fresh air mode.
4. Set the fan to the desired speed. Using the Heater
The heater uses engine coolant to
warm the air. If the engine is cold, it
will be several minutes before you
feel warm air coming from the
system.
1. Select
and fresh air mode.
2. Set the fan to the desired speed.
3. Adjust the warmth of the air with the temperature control dial.
Using the A/C
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page
67).If it moves near the red zone,
turn off the A/C until the gauge
reading returns to normal.
1. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. The indicator in the button
comes on when a fan speed is
selected.
2. Set the temperature to the lower limit. 3. Select
.
4. If the outside air is humid, select recirculation mode. If the outside
air is dry, select fresh air mode.
5. Set the fan to the desired speed.
If the interior is very warm,
you can
cool it down more rapidly by partially
opening the windows, turning on the
A/C, and setting the fan to maximum
speed in fresh air mode.
To cool the interior with MAX A/C:1. Set the mode control dial to MAX A/C.
The system automatically turns on
the A/C, selects
and switches
to recirculation mode.
2. Set the temperature to the lower limit.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
Vents, Heating, and A/C106
2009 Element

Dehumidify the Interior
Air conditioning, as it cools, removes
moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, it
makes the interior warm and dry and
can prevent the windows from
fogging up.1. Turn the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning.
3. Select
and fresh air mode.
4. Adjust the temperature to your preference.
This setting is suitable for all driving
conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32°F (0°C). To Defog and Defrost
To remove fog from the inside of the
windows:
1. Set the fan to the desired speed, or
high for faster defrosting.
2. Select
. The system
automatically switches to fresh air
mode and turns on the A/C. The
A/C indicator will not come on if it
was off to start with.
3. Adjust the temperature control dial so the airflow feels warm.
4. Selectto help clear the rear
window.
5. To increase airflow to the windshield, close the corner vents. When you select
or
, the
system automatically turns on the
A/C. This helps to dehumidify the air
and to defog the windshield. In either
mode, you cannot turn off the A/C.
When you switch to another mode,
the A/C returns to its original
setting, either on or off.
Vents, Heating, and A/C
107
Features
2009 Element

To Remove Exterior Frost or Ice
From the Windows1. Select
. The system
automatically switches to fresh air
mode and turns on the A/C. The
A/C indicator does not come on if
the A/C was off to start with.
2. Select.
3. Set the fan and temperature controls to maximum level.
4. Selectto help clear the rear
window.
To clear the windows faster, you can
close the dashboard corner vents by
rotating the tab below each vent.
This sends more warm air to the
windshield defroster vents. Once the
windshield is clear, select fresh air
mode to avoid fogging the windows.
For your safety, make sure you have
a clear view through all the windows
before driving. To Turn Everything Off
Turning the fan speed control dial all
the way to the left shuts the system
off.
●Keep the system off for short
periods only.●To keep stale air and mustiness
from collecting, you should have
the fan running at all times.
Vents, Heating, and A/C108
2009 Element