Page 230 of 286
5. Push the rear edge of the handleto raise the handle loop and pull up
the loop to raise the cargo area
floor.
6. Unscrew the wing bolt, and takethe spare tire out of the cargo area.
7. Remove the tools and the jack. To remove the jack, turn the jack's
end bracket counterclockwise to
loosen it.
8. Loosen the five wheel nuts 1/2turn with the wheel nut wrench.
JACK
WHEEL NUTS
WHEEL NUT WRENCH
Changing a Flat Tire22410/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
Page 231 of 286
9. Locate the jacking point nearestthe tire you need to change. It is
pointed to by an arrow molded into
the underside of the body. Place
the jack under the jacking point.
Turn the end bracket clockwise
until the top of the jack contacts
the jacking point. Make sure the
jacking point tab is resting in the
jack notch.
10. Use the extension and the wheel nut wrench as shown to raise the
vehicle until the flat tire is off the
ground.
11. Remove the wheel nuts, thenremove the flat tire. Handle the
wheel nuts carefully; they may be
hot from driving. Place the flat tire
on the ground with the outside
surface facing up.
JACKING POINTS
EXTENSION
WHEEL NUT WRENCH
CONTINUED
Changing a Flat Tire
225
Taking Care of the Unexpected
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
Page 233 of 286
14. Lower the vehicle to the ground,and remove the jack.
15. Tighten the wheel nuts securely in the same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
facility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:
80 lbf·ft (108 N·m, 11 kgf·m) 16. Store the jack in its holder. Turn
the jack's end bracket to lock it in
place. Store the tools.
17. Remove the center cap (if equipped) from the flat tire, and
store it in the spare tire well.
Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
18. Remove the wing bolt on the sparetire mount, and pivot the arm 90°
to the upright position. Then
tighten the wing bolt securely.
ARM
WING BOLT
CONTINUED
Changing a Flat Tire
227
Taking Care of the Unexpected
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
Page 235 of 286

Diagnosing why the engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:●You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.●You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Check these things:
●Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
or neutral or the starter will not
operate.●Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged (see
Jump Starting
on page 231).
●Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the fuses. If the fuses
are OK, there is probably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. See
Emergency Towing on page 244.
If the headlights dim noticeably or go
out when you try to start the engine,
either the battery is discharged or
the connections are corroded. Check
the condition of the battery and
terminal connections (see page 218).
You can then try jump starting the
vehicle from a booster battery (see
page 231).
CONTINUED
If the Engine Won't Start
229
Taking Care of the Unexpected
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
Page 240 of 286

5. Look for any obvious coolantleaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 244).
6. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
7. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the
temperature gauge or lower before
checking the radiator.
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
8. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off. 9. Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum heat. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the proper
coolant mixture available, you can
add plain water. Remember to
have the cooling system drained
and refilled with the proper
mixture as soon as you can.
10. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine, and check
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see Emergency
Towing on page 244).
11. If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has gone
down, add coolant to the MAX
mark. Put the cap back on tightly.
If the Engine Overheats23410/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
Page 245 of 286

The vehicle's fuses are located in two
fuse boxes. The under-hood fuse box
is located in the engine compartment
on the driver's side. To open it, push
the tabs as shown.
The interior fuse box is underneath
the steering column. To remove the
fuse box lid, turn the knobs
clockwise and pull the lid out of its
hinges.Checking and Replacing Fuses
If something electrical in your
vehicle stops working, check for a
blown fuse first. Determine from the
chart on pages 242 and 243, or the
diagram on the fuse box lid, which
fuse or fuses control that device.
Check those fuses first, but check all
the fuses before deciding that a
blown fuse is the cause. Replace any
blown fuses, and check if the device
works.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Make sure the
headlights and all other
accessories are off.
2. Remove the cover from the fuse box.
UNDER-HOOD
TAB
INTERIOR
KNOBS
CONTINUED
Fuses
239
Taking Care of the Unexpected
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
Page 249 of 286
UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOXNo. Amps.Circuits Protected1 30 A Condenser Fan
2 15 A Small Light
3 7.5 A Interior Light
4 20 A Cooling Fan Motor
5 15 A Hazard
6 15 A FI ECU
No. Amps. Circuits Protected7 15 A Horn, Stop
8 15 A DBW
9 10 A Back Up
10 30 A VSA Motor
11 20 A Rear Defroster
12 40 A Heater Motor
No. Amps. Circuits Protected13 40 A Power Window Main
14 40 A Option
15 15 A Left Headlight
16 15 A Door Lock
17 15 A Right Headlight
18 30 A VSA F/S
19 100 A Battery
20 50 A IG1 Main21- 25 7.5 A -30 A
Spare Fuses
Fuse Locations
243
Taking Care of the Unexpected
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
Page 250 of 286

If your vehicle needs to be towed, call
a professional towing service or
organization. Never tow your vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.On 4WD modelsThe only way you can safely tow
your vehicle is with flat-bed
equipment.The operator will load
your vehicle on the back of a truck.
Any other method of towing will
damage the drive system. When you
contact the towing agency, inform
them a flat-bed is required.Towing with only two tires on the
ground will damage parts of the 4WD
system. It should be transported on a f
lat-bed truck or trailer.
On 2WD modelsThere are two ways to tow your
vehicle:Flat-bed Equipment
- The operator
loads your vehicle on the back of a
truck. This is the best way to
transport your vehicle.
Wheel-lift Equipment
- The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the front tires and lift them off
the ground. The rear tires remain on
the ground. This is an acceptable
way to tow your vehicle. If, due to damage, your vehicle must
be towed with the front wheels on
the ground, do this:
●Start the engine.●Shift to D position and hold for 5
seconds, then to N.●Turn off the engine.●Leave the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) position so the
steering wheel does not lock.●Release the parking brake.Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shift the transmission or start the
engine, your vehicle must be
transported with the all four wheels off
the ground.
Emergency Towing24410/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu