2010 HONDA ELEMENT belt

Tailgate........................................ 82
Open Indicator ......................... 61
Opening the ............................. 82
Taillights, Changing Bulbs in .....266
Taking Care of the Unexpected ............................ 281
Technical Descriptions
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles) ............................. 311
Emissions Control Systems .....316
Three Way Catalytic
Converter ............................ 318
Tire Labeling ........................... 313
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) －Required Federal
Explanation ...................... 314
Temperature Gauge .....................67
Tensioners, Seat Belts ..................20
Tether Anchorage Points .............48
Theft Protection, Radio ..............188
Three Way Catalytic
Converter ............................... 318
Tilt the Steering Wheel ................74
Time, Setting the ........................189
Tire Chains ................................ 276
Tire, How to Change a Flat ........283 Tire Information
.........................313
Tire Labeling .............................. 313
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ........................... 227, 314
Tires .......................................... 271
Air Pressure ............................ 272
Chains ..................................... 276
Checking Wear .......................273
Compact Spare ........................282
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles) ............................. 311
Inflation ................................... 271
Inspection ............................... 273
Labeling .................................. 313
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator ........................ 62, 227
Maintenance ........................... 274
Pressure Monitoring System ...227
Replacing ................................ 274
Rotating .................................. 274
Snow ....................................... 275
Specifications .......................... 310
Tools, Tire Changing .................283
Towing A Trailer .................................. 232
Emergency Wrecker ...............303TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring
System) .............................. 227
Indicator ............................ 63, 228
Required Federal
Explanation ......................... 314
Transmission Checking Fluid Level,
Automatic ............................ 256
Checking Fluid Level, Manual ................................ 257
Fluid Selection ................256, 257
Identification Number .............306
Shifting the Automatic .............219
Shifting the Manual .................217
Treadwear .................................. 311
Trip Meter ................................... 66
Turn Signals ................................. 60
Turn Signals and Headlights ........71
U
Unexpected, Taking Care of the .......................................... 281
Uniform Tire Quality Grading (U.S. only) .............................. 311
Index
X

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.
Introduction
ii

Your Element has higher ground clearance than a passenger vehicle designed for use only on pavement. Higher
ground clearance has many advantages for off-highway driving. It allows you to travel over bumps, obstacles, and
rough terrain. It also provides good visibility so you can anticipate problems earlier.
These advantages come at some cost. Because your vehicle is taller and rides higher off the ground, it has a high
center of gravity. This means your vehicle can tip or roll over if you make abrupt turns. Utility vehicles have a
significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly
more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt. As a reminder, make sure you and your passengers always wear
seat belts.
For information on how to reduce the risk of rollover, read‘‘Driving Guidelines ’’on page 214 of this manual and the
Off-Highway Driving Guidelinessection on page 238. Failure to operate your vehicle correctly might result in loss of
control, a crash, or rollover.
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, jump starting, 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
INDEX
Service Information Summary(fluid capacities and tire pressures) ............................................................... last page
Contents
1

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 steeringcolumn. Features
How to operate the heating and air
conditioning system, the audio
system, and other conveniencefeatures.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 detailedinformation. Index
Service Information Summary
A summary of the information you
need when you pull up to the fuelpump.
Overview of Contents
2

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 ...........36If 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

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 Belt
A 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 page 14).
Restrain All Children
Children 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 pages35－51). Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
While 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 thismanual.
Don't Drink and Drive
Alcohol 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.
Pay Appropriate Attention to the
Task of Driving Safely
Engaging in mobile phone conversation
or other activities that keep you from
paying close attention to the road, other
vehicles and pedestrians could lead to a
crash. Remember, situations can
change quickly, and only you can
decide when it is safe to divert attention
away from driving. Control Your Speed
Excessive 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 Condition
Having 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 page 243).
Important Safety Precautions
6
Table of Contents

Your vehicle is equipped with many
features that work together to protect
you and your passengers during acrash.
Some features do not require any
action on your part. These include a
strong steel framework that forms a
safety cage around the passenger
compartment, front and rear crush
zones, a collapsible steering column,
and tensioners that tighten the seat
belts in a crash.
However, you and your passengers
can't take full advantage of these
features unless you remain sitting in
the correct position and
always wear
your seat belts.
In fact, some safety
features can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly.
The following pages explain how you
can take an active role in protecting
yourself and your passengers.
(5) (7)
(11) (8) (3) (4)
(9)
(1)
(2) (8)
(10) (2)
(1) Safety Cage
(2) Crush Zones
(3) Seats and Seat-Backs
(4) Head Restraints
(5) Collapsible Steering Column
(6) Seat Belts
(7) Front Airbags
(8) Side Airbags
(9) Side Curtain Airbags
(10) Front Seat Belt Tensioners
(11) Door Locks (6)
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
7
Driver and Passenger Safety
Table of Contents