2011 HONDA ELEMENT service

To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, without starting the engine.
The malfunction indicator lamp will
come on for 20 seconds. If it then
goes off, the readiness codes are set.
If it blinks five times, the readiness
codes are not set. If possible, do not
take your vehicle for an emissions
test until the readiness codes are set.
Refer toEmissions Testing for
more information (see page 261). Brake System Indicator (Red)
The brake system indicator (red)
normally comes on when you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, and as a reminder to check
the parking brake. It will stay on if
you do not fully release the parking
brake.
If the brake system indicator (red)
comes on while driving, the brake
fluid level is probably low. Press
lightly on the brake pedal to see if it
feels normal. If it does, check the
brake fluid level the next time you
stop at a service station (see page
199).
If the fluid level is low, take your
vehicle to a dealer, and have the
brake system inspected for leaks or
worn brake pads.
CONTINUED
Malfunction Indicator Lamp, Brake System Indicator
237
Taking Care of the Unexpected
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

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

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 traction
performance.
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)
253
Technical Information
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Customer Service Information
....
264
Warranty Coverages
...................
265
Reporting Safety Defects
.............
266
Authorized Manuals
....................
267
Warranty and Customer Relations
263
Warranty and Customer Relations
10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Honda dealership personnel are
trained professionals. They should
be able to answer all your questions.
If you encounter a problem that your
dealership does not solve to your
satisfaction, please discuss it with the
dealership's management. The
service manager or general manager
can help. Almost all problems are
solved in this way.
If you are dissatisfied with the
decision made by the dealership's
management, contact Honda
Customer Service.U.S. Owners:
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Automobile Customer Service
Mail Stop 500-2N-7A
1919 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, California 90501-2746
Tel: (800) 999-1009In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands:Bella International
P.O. Box 190816
San Juan, PR 00919-0816
Tel: (787) 620-7546
When you call or write, please give
us this information:●Vehicle identification number (see
page 248)●Name and address of the dealer
who services your vehicle●Date of purchase●Odometer reading of your vehicle●Your name, address, and
telephone number●A detailed description of the
problem●Name of the dealer who sold the
vehicle to you
Customer Service Information26410/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Purchasing Factory Authorized ManualsThe publications shown below can be purchased from Helm
Incorporated. You can order by phone or online:●Call Helm Inc. at (800)782-4356 (credit card orders only)●Go online at
www. helminc. com
If you are interested in other years or models, contact Helm Inc.
at (800) 782-4356.Publication
Form Number Form Description
61SCV09 2011 Honda Element Service Manual
61SCV09EL 2011 Honda Element
Electrical Troubleshooting Manual
61SCV30 2009 Honda Element Body Repair Manual
31SCV680 2011 Honda Element Owner's Manual
31SCVM60 2011 Honda Element Honda Service History 31SCVQ80 2011 Honda Element Technology Reference Guide HON-R Order Form for Previous Years-
Indicate Year and Model Desired
Service Manual:
Covers maintenance and recommended procedures for
repair to engine and chassis components. It is written
for the journeyman mechanic, but it is simple enough
for most mechanically inclined owners to understand.
Electrical Troubleshooting Manual:
Complements the Service Manual by providing in-depth
troubleshooting information for each electrical circuit in
your vehicle.
Body Repair Manual:
Describes the procedures involved in the replacement
of damaged body parts.
Authorized Manuals
267
Warranty and Customer Relations

Bulbs, Halogen
..........................
202
Bungee Cords
............................
155
C
Capacities Chart
.........................
251
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
............
52
Cargo
.........................................
151
Cargo Area Light
..........................
96
Cargo Hooks
..............................
156
Cargo, How to Carry
..................
151
Carrying Cargo
..........................
151
CAUTION, Explanation of
............
iii
CD Care
.....................................
127
Ceiling Light
................................
96
Certification Label
......................
248
Chains, Tires
..............................
217
Changing a Flat Tire
..................
223
Changing Oil How to
....................................
194
When to
..................................
185
Charging System Indicator
...........................
58, 235
Check Fuel Cap Message
............
66
Checklist, Before Driving
...........
159 Child Safety
..................................
35
Booster Seats
...........................
50
Child Seats
....................
40, 41, 42
Important Safety Reminders
.....
39
Infants
......................................
40
Larger Children
.......................
49
LATCH
.....................................
44
Risks with Airbags
...................
36
Small Children
.........................
41
Tethers
....................................
48
Warning Labels
........................
37
Where Should a Child Sit?
........
36
Child Seats
.............................
35, 42
LATCH Anchorage Points
........
44
Tether Anchorage Points
.........
48
Cleaning the Seat Belts
..............
209
Clock
..........................................
133
Code, Audio System
...................
132
CO in the Exhaust
................
52, 258
Cold Weather, Starting in
...........
160
Compact Spare Tire
....................
222
Controls, Instruments and
............
55
Coolant Adding
....................................
196
Checking
................................
145
Proper Solution
.......................
196 Temperature Gauge
.................
67
Cooler Box
...................................
98
Crankcase Emissions Control System
...................................
258
Cruise Control Indicator
...............
60
Cruise Control Operation
...........
137
Cruise Main Indicator
..................
60
Cup Holders
.................................
99
Customer Service
.......................
264
D
DANGER, Explanation of
.............
iii
Dashboard
...............................
3, 56
Daytime Running Lights
..............
72
Daytime Running Lights Indicator
...................................
60
Dead Battery
..............................
231
Defects, Reporting Safety
...........
266
Defogger, Rear Window
...............
74
Dimensions
................................
250
Dimming the Headlights
..............
71
Dipstick
Automatic Transmission
.........
198
Engine Oil
...............................
145
IndexII10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Seat Belts
.................................
8, 18
Additional Information
.............
18
Advice for Pregnant Women
....
16
Automatic Seat Belt
Tensioners
...........................
20
Cleaning
..................................
209
Lap/Shoulder Belt
..............
14, 19
Maintenance
............................
20
Reminder Indicator and Beeper
.............................
18, 58
System Components
................
18
Use During Pregnancy
.............
16
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt
..................................
14, 19
Seats
............................................
83
Head Restraints
........................
85
Seats, Adjusting the
.....................
83
Sensors Driver's Seat Position Sensor
...
26
Front Passenger's Weight Sensors
................................
26
Impact Sensors
........................
22
Serial Number
............................
248
Service Intervals
.........................
185
Service Manual
..........................
267
Service Station Procedures
........
143 Setting the Clock
........................
133
Shifting the Automatic Transmission
..........................
161
Shift Lever Position Indicators
...
161
Shift Lock Release
......................
163
Side Airbags
.................................
28
How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works
...................
31
How Your Side Airbags Work..28
Side Curtain Airbags
....................
29
How Your Side Curtain Airbags Work
....................................
29
Side Marker Lights, Bulb Replacement in
.......................
206
Signaling Turns
............................
60
Snow Tires
.................................
217
Sound System
............................
109
Spare Tire
..................................
222
Inflating
...........................
212, 222
Specifications
..........................
252
Spark Plugs
................................
250
Specifications
.............................
250
Speed Control
............................
137
Speed Limiter
.............................
163
Speedometer
................................
64 SRS, Additional Information
.........
22
Additional Safety Precautions
...
33
Airbag Service
..........................
33
Airbag System Components
.....
22
How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works
...................
31
How the SRS Indicator Works..30
How Your Front Airbags Work
....................................
24
How Your Side Airbags Work..28
How Your Side Curtain Airbags Work
....................................
29
SRS Indicator
.........................
30, 59
START (Ignition Key Position).....
79
Starting the Engine
....................
160
In Cold Weather at High Altitude
................................
160
With a Dead Battery
................
231
State Emissions Testing
.............
261
Steam Coming from Engine
.......
233
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
...............................
74
Anti-theft Column Lock
............
79
Buttons
...........................
135, 137
Stereo Sound System
..........
109, 110
Storing Your Vehicle
..................
219
IndexVIII10/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu