2010 HONDA ELEMENT warning

Check the condition of the battery
monthly by looking at the test indicator
window. The label on the battery
explains the test indicator's colors.
Check the terminals for corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To remove
it, cover the terminals with a solution of
baking soda and water. It will bubble
up and turn brown. When this stops,
wash it off with plain water. Dry off the
battery with a cloth or paper towel.
Coat the terminals with grease to help
prevent future corrosion.If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualified technician. WARNING:
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
Wash your hands after handling.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle's
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( －) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
If your vehicle's battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the time
setting may be lost. To reset the
time, see page 189.
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurtyou.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery maintenance.
On EX and SC models
If your vehicle's battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the audio
system may disable itself. The next
time you turn on the radio, you willsee ‘‘ENTER CODE ’’in the
frequency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the code (see page188).
NEGATIVE TERMINAL
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
POSITIVE TERMINAL
CONTINUED
Checking the Battery
277
Maintenance
Table of Contents

If you have a flat tire while driving,
stop in a safe place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by thejack.1. Park the vehicle on firm, level, and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park (automatic)
or reverse (manual). Apply the
parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer, unhitch
the trailer.
2. Turn on the hazard warning lights, and turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Have all
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.
3. Open the hatch and the tailgate.
4. The spare tire, jack, and tools are
under the cargo area floor.
TOOLS
SPARE TIRE
JACK
CONTINUED
Changing a Flat Tire
283
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Table of Contents

Low Oil Pressure Indicator
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn off
the engine as soon as you can safely get
the vehicle stopped. 1. Safely pull off the road, and shut
off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
2. Let the vehicle sit for a minute. Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page 201). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other drivingmaneuvers.
3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page 251).
4. Start the engine, and watch the oil pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn off the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
before you can continue driving(see Emergency Towing on page
303). Charging System Indicator
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technicalassistance.
Low Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
295
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Table of Contents

The tires on your vehicle meet all
U.S. Federal Safety Requirements.
All tires are also graded for
treadwear, traction, and temperature
performance according to
Department of Transportation (DOT)
standards. The following explains
these gradings.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:Treadwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A
All passenger car tires must conform
to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades. Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times
as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor tractionperformance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
311
Technical Information
Table of Contents

Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading,
either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
312
Table of Contents