2009 HONDA ELEMENT ESP

Congratulations! Your selection of a 2009 Honda Element was a wise
investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new vehicle is toread
this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Afterwards, keep this owner's manual in your vehicle so
you can refer to it at any time.
Several warranties protect your new vehicle. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the maintenance minder shown in the
instrument panel helps to keep your driving trouble-free while it preserves
your investment. When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that
your dealer's staff is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique
to your vehicle. Your dealer is dedicated to your satisfaction and will be
pleased to answer any questions and concerns. As you read this manual, you will find
information that is preceded by a
symbol. This information is
intended to help you avoid damage to
your vehicle, other property, or the
environment.
Introduction
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2009 Element

Your safety, and the safety of others,
is very important. And operating this
vehicle safely is an important
responsibility.
To help you make informed
decisions about safety, we have
provided operating procedures and
other information on labels and in
this manual. This information alerts
you to potential hazards that could
hurt you or others.
Of course, it is not practical or
possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or
maintaining your vehicle. You must
use your own good judgement.You will find this important safety information in a variety of forms, including:
●Safety Labels
－on the vehicle.●Safety Messages －preceded by a safety alert symbol
and one of
three signal words: DANGER,WARNING ,orCAUTION.
These signal words mean:
You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don't follow instructions.You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don't follow instructions.You CAN be HURT if you don't follow
instructions.
●Safety Headings －such as Important Safety Reminders or Important
Safety Precautions.●Safety Section －such as Driver and Passenger Safety.●Instructions －how to use this vehicle correctly and safely.
This entire book is filled with important safety information －please read it
carefully.
A Few Words About Safety
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2009 Element

You'll find many safety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The recommendations on this page
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.Always Wear Your Seat BeltA seat belt is your best protection in all
types of collisions. Airbags are
designed to supplement seat belts, not
replace them. So even though your
vehicle is equipped with airbags, make
sure you and your passengers always
wear your seat belts, and wear them
properly (see page14).
Restrain All ChildrenChildren age 12 and under should ride
properly restrained in a back seat, not
the front seat. Infants and small
children should be restrained in a
child seat. Larger children should use
a booster seat and a lap/shoulder belt
until they can use the belt properly
without a booster seat (see pages
35－51).Be Aware of Airbag HazardsWhile airbags can save lives, they can
cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them, or
are not properly restrained. Infants,
young children, and short adults are at
the greatest risk. Be sure to follow all
instructions and warnings in this
manual.
Don't Drink and DriveAlcohol and driving don't mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don't drink
and drive, and don't let your friends
drink and drive, either.Control Your SpeedExcessive speed is a major factor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
faster than is safe for current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.Keep Your Vehicle in Safe
ConditionHaving a tire blowout or a mechanical
failure can be extremely hazardous.
To reduce the possibility of such
problems, check your tire pressures
and condition frequently, and perform
all regularly scheduled maintenance
(see page243).
Important Safety Precautions6
2009 Element

The total time for inflation and
deflation is one-tenth of a second, so
fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until
they see them lying in their laps.
After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder from the airbag's surface.
Although the powder is not harmful,
people with respiratory problems
may experience some temporary
discomfort. If this occurs, get out of
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
Dual-Stage AirbagsYour front airbags are dual-stage
airbags. This means they have two
inflation stages that can be ignited
sequentially or simultaneously,
depending on crash severity.
In a
more severe
crash, both stages
will ignite simultaneously to provide
the quickest and greatest protection.
In a
less severe
crash, the first stage
will ignite first, then the second stage
will ignite a split second later. This
provides longer airbag inflation time
with a little less force.
Dual-Threshold AirbagsYour front airbags are also dual-
threshold airbags. Airbags with this
feature have two deployment
thresholds that depend on whether
sensors detect the occupant is
wearing a seat belt or not.
If the occupant's belt is
not latched,
the airbag will deploy at a slightly
lower threshold, because the
occupant would need extra
protection.
If the occupant's belt is
latched,
the
airbag will inflate at a slightly higher
threshold, when the airbag would be
needed to supplement the protection
provided by the seat belt.
Additional Information About Your Airbags26
2009 Element

Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions, many adults do not know
how to
properly
protect child
passengers.
If you have children, or ever need to
drive with a child in your vehicle, be
sure to read this section. It begins
with important general guidelines,
then presents special information for
infants, small children, and larger
children. All Children Must Be Restrained
Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In fact, vehicle
accidents are the number one cause
of death of children age 12 and
under.
To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state,
Canadian province and territory
requires that infants and children be
properly restrained when they ride in
a vehicle.
Infants and small children must be
restrained in an approved child seatthat is properly secured to the vehicle(see pages40 －48).
Children who are unrestrained
or improperly restrained can be
seriously injured or killed in a
crash.
Any child too small for a seat
belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. A
larger child should be properly
restrained with a seat belt and
use a booster seat if necessary.
Larger children must be restrained
with a lap/shoulder belt and ride on abooster seat until the seat belt fits
them properly
(see pages49 －51).
Protecting Children －General Guidelines
35
Driver and Passenger Safety
2009 Element

If the system repeatedly does not
recognize the coding of your key,
contact your dealer.
Do not attempt to alter this system or
add other devices to it. Electrical
problems could result that may make
your vehicle inoperable.
If you have lost your key and cannot
start the engine, contact your dealer.Always take the ignition key with you
whenever you leave the vehicle alone.
As required by the FCC:This device complies with Part 15 of theFCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This devicemay not cause harmful interference, and(2) this device must accept any
interference received, includinginterference that may cause undesiredoperation.
Changes or modifications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user'sauthority to operate the equipment.
This device complies with IndustryCanada Standard RSS-210.
Operation is subject to the following twoconditions: (1) this device may not causeinterference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference that may causeundesired operation of the device.
Remote TransmitterLOCK －Press this button once to
lock both doors and hatch. Some
exterior lights will flash. When you
push LOCK twice within 5 seconds,
you will hear a horn to verify that the
doors are locked. You cannot lock it
if any door is not fully closed or key
is in the ignition switch.
LED
UNLOCK
BUTTON LOCK
BUTTON
PANIC
BUTTON
CONTINUED
Immobilizer System, Remote Transmitter
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Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

To replace the battery, remove the
round cover on the back of the
transmitter by turning it
counterclockwise with a coin. Insert
a new battery with the＋side facing
up, and reinstall the cushion ring.
Align the ▽mark on the cover with
the
mark on the transmitter. Set
the cover in place and turn it
clockwise.
As required by the FCC:
This device complies with Part 15 of theFCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This devicemay not cause harmful interference, and(2) this device must accept any
interference received, includinginterference that may cause undesiredoperation.
Changes or modifications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user'sauthority to operate the equipment.
This device complies with IndustryCanada Standard RSS-210.
Operation is subject to the following twoconditions: (1) this device may not causeinterference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference that may causeundesired operation of the device.
Ignition SwitchThe ignition switch has four
positions: LOCK (0), ACCESSORY
(I), ON (II), and START (III).
LOCK (0) －You can insert or
remove the key only in this position.
To turn the key, push it in slightly. If
your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must
also be in Park.
CONTINUED
Remote Transmitter, Ignition Switch
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Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

Depending on where you drive, you
may experience reception problems.
Interference can be caused by any of
these conditions:●Driving on the north side of an
east/west mountain road.●Driving on the north side of a large
commercial truck on an east/west
road.●Driving in tunnels.●Driving on a road beside a vertical
wall, steep cliff, or hill to the south
of you.●Driving on the lower level of a
multi-tiered road.●Driving on a single lane road
alongside dense trees taller than
50 ft. (15 m) to the south of you.●Large items carried on a roof rack.
There may be other geographic
situations that could affect XM Radio
reception.
As required by the FCC: Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible forcompliance could void the user'sauthority to operate the equipment.Receiving XM Radio Service
If your XM Radio service has expired or
you purchased your vehicle from a
previous owner, you can listen to a
sampling of the broadcasts available on
XM Radio. With the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) or ON (II) position,
push the VOL/PWR knob to turn on the
audio system and press the XM button. A
variety of music types and styles will
play.
If you decide to purchase XM Radio
service, contact XM Radio atwww.xmradio.com,
or at
1-800-XM-RADIO(967-2346). In Canada,
contact XM Canada at www.xmradio.ca,
or at 1-877-GET-XMSR(438-9677). You
will need to give them your radio I.D.
number and your credit card number. To
get your radio I.D. number, turn the
TUNE knob until ‘‘0 ’’ appears in the
display. Your I.D. will appear in the
display. After you've registered with XM Radio,
keep your audio system in the XM Radio
mode while you wait for activation. This
should take about 30 minutes.
While waiting for activation, make sure
your vehicle remains in an open area
with good reception. Once your audio
system is activated, you'll be able to
listen to XM Radio broadcasts. XM Radio
will continue to send an activation signal
to your vehicle for at least 12 hours from
the activation request. If the service has
not been activated after 36 hours, contact
XM Radio.
Playing the XM
®Radio (Models without navigation system)
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2009 Element