2009 HONDA ELEMENT seats

Adjusting the Head RestraintThe head restraints in the front and
rear seating positions adjust for
height. You need both hands to
adjust the restraint. To raise it, pull
upward. To lower the restraint, push
the release button sideways and
push the restraint down.
Removing the Head RestraintTo remove a head restraint for
cleaning or repair, pull it up as far as
it will go. Push the release button,
then pull the restraint out of the seat-
back.
Failure to reinstall the head
restraints can result in severe
injury during a crash.
Always replace the head
restraints before driving.
When reinstalling a head restraint,
put the legs back in place. Then
adjust it to the appropriate height
while pressing the release button.
Make sure the head restraint locks in
position when you reinstall it.
RELEASE BUTTON
Front
Rear
CUSHION
RELEASE
BUTTON
SEAT-BACK
LEGS
Seats86
2009 Element

Reclining the Front SeatsYou can recline the seat-backs on the
front seats so they are level with the
rear seat cushions, making a large
cushioned area. To do this:
1. Remove the head restraints fromthe front seats (see page85),and
store them in the side pockets of
the cargo area. 2. Adjust the front seats forward as
far as possible. Pull up the seat-
back angle adjustment lever and
pivot the seat-back backward until
it is level with the rear seat
cushion.
3. Move the front seat backward until it touches the rear seat.
4. Adjust the rear seat-back to the desired position.
Reverse this procedure to return the
front and rear seats to the upright
position. Make sure you install the
head restraints and the seats are
locked securely before driving.
When you return the seat-back to its
upright position, hold the seat-back
to keep it from going up too quickly.
Seats
87
Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

Folding the Rear Seats
To create more cargo space, you can
fold up each rear seat to each side
wall separately.1. Lower the head restraint to its lowest position.
2. Pull the seat-back adjustment strapat the inside edge of the seat
cushion and push the seat-back
backward as far as it will go.
3. Pull the release strap on the seatsupport, and pivot the seat toward
the vehicle's side wall.
SEAT-BACK ADJUSTMENT STRAP
RELEASE STRAP
Seats88
2009 Element

4. A fastening strap is attached to theinside of the seat cushion. While
pushing the seat up and toward the
side wall, hook the fastening strap
to the grab rail.
5. Fold down the seat support. Reverse this procedure to return the
rear seat to the upright position.
When not in use, store the fastening
strap hook in the fabric pocket on the
bottom of the seat cushion. Make
sure the seat is locked securely.
GRAB RAIL
FASTENING STRAP
SEAT SUPPORT
Seats
89
Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

Removing the Rear SeatsBoth seats can be removed to give
more cargo capacity. To remove a
seat:1. Pull the release strap on the seat support to unlock the seat support.
2. Remove the cover between theseat cushion and the side wall by
pulling the tab and pulling the
cover straight up.
3. Push the lock lever forward tounlock the seat and fold down the
seat support.
RELEASE STRAP
TAB
COVER
LOCK LEVER STEEL HANDLE
Seats90
2009 Element

4. Hold the steel handle next to thelock lever and the handle strap at
the outside edge of the seat
cushion, and remove the entire
seat by pulling it up and backward. Reverse this procedure to reinstall
the seat. Make sure the seats are
securely locked in place before
driving.
Always remove an unsecured seat
from the vehicle before driving. A
seat that is not locked in place could
be thrown about and cause injury in a
sudden stop or crash.
STEEL HANDLE
HANDLE STRAP
Seats
91
Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

Cooler BoxOn EX modelThere is a cooler box between the
driver's and passenger's seats.
To open the cooler box, slide the tab
backward, and pull up the lid.
The lid has a breakaway feature. If
the lid is rotated back too far it will
break away from the box without
damage.To reinstall the lid, vertically set the
rear lid hinge to the pins on the box
and push down. The lid must be
vertical as shown in the illustration.
To remove the cooler box, rotate the
handle up to the unlocked position.
Slide the console towards the rear of
the vehicle then lift the console.
TAB
Interior Convenience Items98
2009 Element

ꭧ: If equipped
Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:●Cargo area side pockets●Glove box●Overhead console (EX and SC
models)●Door pockets●Seat-back pockets (EX and SC
models)●Cargo area (including rear seats
when they are folded down, folded
to the side, or removed)●Seat-back bungees (EX model)●Roof-rack (if installed)●Center console (SC model)●Cooler box (EX model)
CARGO AREA CENTER CONSOLE
ꭧ
COOLER BOX
ꭧSEAT-BACK POCKETS
ꭧ
GLOVE BOX
CARGO AREA SIDE POCKET DOOR POCKETS
OVERHEAD CONSOLE
ꭧ
CONTINUED
Carrying Cargo
207
Before Driving
2009 Element