2009 HONDA ELEMENT service

California Proposition 65 Warning
WARNING:This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.Event Data Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with one or more devices commonly referred to as event data recorders. These
devices record front seat belt use, front passenger seat occupancy, airbag deployment data, and the failure of
any airbag system component. This data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by anyone else
except as legally required or with the permission of the vehicle owner.Service Diagnostic Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record information about powertrain performance. The data
can be used to verify emissions law requirements and/or help technicians diagnose and solve service problems. It
may also be combined with data from other sources for research purposes, but it remains confidential.Introductionii
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

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

Additional Safety Precautions●Do not attempt to deactivate yourairbags.
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
●Do not tamper with airbag components or wiring for any
reason.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
●Do not expose the front
passenger's seat-back to liquid.
If
water or another liquid soaks into
the seat-back, it can prevent the
side airbag cutoff system from
working properly.
●Do not cover or replace front seat- back covers without consulting
your dealer.
Improperly replacing
or covering front seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags from
inflating during a side impact.
●Do not remove or modify a front seat without consulting your
dealer.
This could make the
driver's seat position sensor or the
front passenger's weight sensors
ineffective. If it is necessary to
remove or modify a front seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, first contact Honda
Automobile Customer Service at
(800) 999-1009.
Additional Information About Your Airbags34
2009 Element

If either of you do not fasten your
seat belt while driving, the beeper
will sound and the indicator will flash
again at regular intervals. For more
information, see page18.
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates a potential
problem with your front airbags. This
indicator will also alert you to a
potential problem with your side
airbags, passenger's side airbag
cutoff system, side curtain airbags,
automatic seat belt tensioners,
driver's seat position sensor, or the
front passenger's weight sensors.
For more information, see page
31.
U.S. Canada
Side Airbag Off
Indicator
This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates that the
passenger's side airbag has
automatically shut off. For more
information, see page
32.
Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS) Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for a
few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position, and
when the ignition switch is turned to
the START (III) position. If it comes on
at any other time, there is a problem
with the ABS. If this happens, have
your vehicle checked at a dealer. With
this indicator on, your vehicle still has
normal braking ability but no anti-lock
function. For more information, see
page
226.
Maintenance Minder
Indicator
This indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. It
reminds you that it is time to take
your vehicle in for scheduled
maintenance. The maintenance main
items and sub items will be displayed
in the information display. See page
243for more information on the
maintenance minder.
This indicator goes off when your
dealer resets it after completing the
required maintenance service.
CONTINUED
Instrument Panel Indicators
59
Instruments and Controls
2009 Element

Vehicle Stability Assist
(VSA) System Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position and when the ignition switch
is turned to the START (III) position.
It flashes when VSA is active (see
page230).
If it comes on and stays on at any
other time, or it does not come on
when you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, there is a
problem with the VSA system. Take
your vehicle to a dealer to have it
checked. Without VSA, your vehicle
still has normal driving ability, but
will not have VSA traction and
stability enhancement. See page230
for more information on the VSA
system.
VSA OFF Indicator
It comes on as a reminder that you
have turned off the vehicle stability
assist (VSA) system.
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position and when the ignition switch
is turned to the START (III) position.
See page230for more information
on the VSA system.
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle's tires are significantly low on
pressure.
If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is safe, check which tire
has lost the pressure, and determine
the cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page282),and have the
flat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinflated,
call a professional towing service
(see page303).For more
information, see page227.
Instrument Panel Indicators62
2009 Element