2009 HONDA ELEMENT maintenance

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
i
2009 Element

2009 Element Online Reference Owner's Manual
Contents

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... i A Few Words About Safety .............................................................................................................................. iii Important Handling Information .................................................................................................................... iv
Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) .................................................................................................... 3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) .................................................... 5
Instruments and Controls
(indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column)
............................................ 55
Features (
heating and cooling, audio, steering wheel, cruise control and other convenience items
)
................... 103
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break- in, and cargo loading) ..................................................................... 197
Driving (engine and transmission operation) ................................................................................................ 213
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 241
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) ............................. 281
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 305
Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 321
Index ........................................................................................................................................................................ I


Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)
1 00X31-SCV-6600

Contents
A convenient reference to the
sections in this manual.
Your Vehicle at a Glance
A quick reference to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important information about the
proper use and care of your vehicle's
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable information on how to
protect children with child restraints.
Instruments and Controls
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and
gauge, and how to use the controls
on the dashboard and steering
column.
Features
How to operate the heating and air
conditioning system, the audio
system, and other convenience
features.Before Driving
What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
Driving
The proper way to start the engine,
shift the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you're
planning to tow a trailer.
Maintenance
The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance
service. There is also a list of things
to check and instructions on how to
check them.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience, and
details how to handle them.
Technical Information
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual for detailed
information.
Index
Service Information Summary
A summary of the information you
need when you pull up to the fuel
pump.Overview of Contents2
2009 Element

This section gives you important
information about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It shows
you how to use seat belts. It explains
how your airbags work. And it tells you
how to properly restrain infants and
children in your vehicle.
Important Safety Precautions
.............
6
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
..........
7
Seat Belts
.....................................
8
Airbags
........................................
9
Protecting Adults and Teens
...........
11
1.
Close and Lock the Doors
........
11
2.
Adjust the Front Seats
.............
11
3.
Adjust the Seat-Backs
..............
12
4.
Adjust the Head Restraints
......
13
5.
Fasten and Position the Seat Belts
..................................
14
6.
Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
..............................
15
Advice for Pregnant Women
........
16
Additional Safety Precautions
......
16
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
...............................
18
Seat Belt System Components
.....
18 Lap/Shoulder Belt
......................
19
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
.............................
20
Seat Belt Maintenance
................
20
Additional Information About Your Airbags
..................................
22
Airbag System Components
........
22
How Your Front Airbags Work
....
25
How Your Side Airbags Work
......
28
How Your Side Curtain Airbags Work
.....................................
30
How the SRS Indicator Works
.....
31
How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works
.....................
32
How the Passenger Airbag Off Indicator Works
.....................
32
Airbag Service
............................
33
Additional Safety Precautions
......
34
Protecting Children －General
Guidelines
..............................
35
All Children Must Be
Restrained
..............................
35
All Children Should Sit in a Back Seat
.......................................
36
The Passenger's Front Airbag Can Pose Serious Risks
...........
36 If You Must Drive with Several
Children
................................
38
If a Child Requires Close Attention
................................
38
Additional Safety Precautions
......
39
Protecting Infants and Small Children
.................................
40
Protecting Infants
.......................
40
Protecting Small Children
...........
41
Selecting a Child Seat
.....................
42
Installing a Child Seat
.....................
43
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH
..................................
44
Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Belt
..................
46
Installing a Child Seat with a Tether
...................................
48
Protecting Larger Children
.............
49
Checking Seat Belt Fit
................
49
Using a Booster Seat
...................
50
When Can a Larger Child Sit in
Front
.....................................
50
Additional Safety Precautions
......
51
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
...............
52
Safety Labels
..................................
53
Driver and Passenger Safety
5
Driver and Passenger Safety
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

Automatic Seat Belt TensionersFor added protection, the front seat
belts are equipped with automatic
seat belt tensioners. When activated,
the tensioners immediately tighten
the belts to help hold the driver and a
front passenger in position.The tensioners are designed to
activate in any collision severe
enough to cause the front airbags to
deploy, or if a sensor detects your
vehicle is about to roll over (see page
30).
If a side curtain airbag deploys
during a side impact, the tensioner
on that side of the vehicle will also
deploy.
The tensioners can also be activated
during a collision in which the front
airbags
do not deploy.
In this case, the
airbags would not be needed, but the
additional restraint could be helpful.
When the tensioners are activated,
the seat belts will remain tight until
they are unbuckled. Seat Belt Maintenance
For safety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out fully, and look for
frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
the belts retract easily. If a belt does
not retract easily, cleaning the belt
may correct the problem (see page
268).Any belt that is not in good
condition or working properly will
not provide good protection and
should be replaced as soon as
possible.
Honda provides a limited warranty
on seat belts. See your
Honda
Warranty Information
booklet for
details.
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts20
2009 Element

If the indicator comes on with no
front seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interfering
with the weight sensors. Look for
and remove:●Any items under the front
passenger's seat.●Any object(s) hanging on the seat
or in the seat-back pocket.●Any object(s) touching the rear of
the seat-back.
If no obstructions are found, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible. Airbag Service
Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance free, and there are no
parts you can safely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
●An airbag ever inflates.
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
any airbag by yourself. This must
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
●The SRS indicator alerts you to a
problem.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
●If your vehicle has a moderate to
severe impact.
Even if your airbags
do not inflate, your dealer should
inspect the driver's seat position
sensor, the front passenger's
weight sensors, the front seat belt
tensioners, and all seat belts and
their anchors worn during a crash
to make sure they are operating
properly.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
33
Driver and Passenger Safety
2009 Element

This section gives information about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your vehicle. All the essential
controls are within easy reach.
Control Locations
..........................
56
Instrument Panel
..........................
57
Instrument Panel Indicators
..........
58
Gauges
..........................................
64
Information Display
..................
65
Odometer
..................................
65
Trip Meter
................................
66
Fuel Gauge
...............................
66
Check Fuel Cap Message
.........
66
Temperature Gauge
..................
67
Maintenance Minder
................
67
Outside Temperature Indicator
...............................
68 Controls Near the Steering
Wheel
.......................................
69
Windshield Wipers and Washers
....................................
70
Turn Signals and Headlights
.........
71
Instrument Panel Brightness
........
72
Hazard Warning Button
................
73
Rear Window Defogger
.................
74
Steering Wheel Adjustment
..........
74
Keys and Locks
.............................
75
Immobilizer System
......................
76
Remote Transmitter
......................
77
Ignition Switch
..............................
79
Door Locks
...................................
80
Power Door Locks
....................
80
Rear Doors
................................
81
Hatch
........................................
81
Tailgate
.....................................
82
Seats
.............................................
83
Seat Adjustments
......................
83
Driver's Seat Height Adjustment
...........................
84
Front Seat Armrests
..................
85
Head Restraints
.........................
85 Reclining the Front Seats
..........
87
Folding the Rear Seats
..............
88
Removing the Rear Seats
..........
90
Power Windows
............................
92
Mirrors
.........................................
93
Adjusting the Power Mirrors
.....
93
Rear Windows
...............................
94
Parking Brake
...............................
94
Interior Lights
...............................
95
Light Control Switch
.................
95
Individual Map Lights
...............
95
Courtesy Light
..........................
96
Ceiling Light
.............................
96
Cargo Area Light
.......................
96
Ignition Switch Light
.................
96
Interior Convenience Items
...........
97
Cooler Box
................................
98
Beverage Holders
.....................
99
Accessory Power Sockets
.......
100
Glove Box
...............................
100
Sun Visor
................................
100
Vanity Mirror
..........................
101
Overhead Console
..................
101
Instruments and Controls
55
Instruments and Controls
2009 Element