Honda Element (2010 year). Instruction

Pre-Tow Checklist
When preparing to tow, and before
driving away, be sure to check the
following:

●

The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, cooling system, and
lights are in good operating
condition.

●

The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.

●

All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages 232 and 233).

●

The hitch, safety chains, and any
other attachments are secure.

●

All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive.

●

Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 271),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.

Driving Safely With a Trailer
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.

For your safety and the safety of
others, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the
open road, and follow the guidelines
below.

Towing Speeds and Gears
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use the D position
when towing a trailer on level roads.
D3 is the proper shift lever position
to use when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain. (See ‘‘Driving on Hills’’ on the

next page for additional gear
information.)

Towing a Trailer

236

Table of Contents

Making Turns and Braking
Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.

Driving on Hills
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the road
to let the engine cool.

If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently while going up a hill, shift
to D3.

If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in place
by pressing on the accelerator, as
this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.

When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shift down to second
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and

remember, it will take longer to slow
down and stop when towing a trailer.

Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause the trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections.

Backing Up
Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing
up. Grip the bottom of the steering
wheel, then turn the wheel to the left
to get the trailer to move to the left,
and turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right.

Parking
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including firmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer's tires.

Towing Your Vehicle
Your vehicle is not designed to be
towed behind a motor home. If your
vehicle needs to be towed in an
emergency, see page 303.

Towing a Trailer

237

Driving

Table of Contents

General Information
Your vehicle has been designed
primarily for use on pavement. But
its higher ground clearance allows
you to occasionally travel on unpaved
roads, such as campgrounds, picnic
sites, and similar locations. It is not
designed for trail-blazing, mountain
climbing, or other challenging off-
road activities.

If you decide to drive on unpaved
roads, you will find that it requires
somewhat different driving skills.
Your vehicle will also handle
somewhat differently than it does on
pavement. So be sure to read this
owner's manual, pay special attention
to the precautions and tips in this
section, and get acquainted with your
vehicle before you leave the
pavement.

Improperly operating this
vehicle on or off pavement can
cause a crash or rollover in
which you and your passengers
could be seriously injured or
killed.

●

Follow all instructions and
guidelines in this owner's
manual.

●

Keep your speed low, and
don't drive faster than
conditions permit.

Important Safety Precautions
To avoid loss of control or rollover,
be sure to follow all precautions and
recommendations.

●

Be sure to store cargo properly,
and do not exceed your vehicle
cargo load limits (see pages 208
and 232).

●

Wherever you drive, make sure
you and your passengers always
wear seat belts.

●

Keep your speed low, and never go
faster than the conditions allow.

●

It's up to you to continually assess
the situation and drive within the
limits.

Off-Highway Driving Guidelines

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Table of Contents

Check Out Your Vehicle
Before you leave the pavement, be
sure to do all scheduled maintenance
and service, and inspect your vehicle
for any problems. Pay special
attention to the condition of the tires,
and check the tire pressures.

After you return to the pavement,
carefully inspect your vehicle to
make sure there is no damage that
could make driving it unsafe.
Recheck the condition of the tires
and the tire pressures.

Remember
The route presents limits (too steep
or bumpy roads). You have limits
(driving skill and comfort). And your
vehicle has limits (traction, stability,
and power).

Driving off-highway can be
hazardous if you fail to recognize
limits and take the proper
precautions.

Accelerating and Braking
For better traction on all surfaces,
accelerate slowly and gradually build
up speed. If you try to start too fast
on wet soil, mud, snow, or ice, you
might not have enough traction to
get underway, and you may dig
yourself a hole. Starting with the shift
lever in second (2) gear will help you
have a smoother start on snow or ice.

Keep in mind that you will usually
need more time and distance to
brake to a stop on unpaved surfaces.
Avoid hard braking. Do not ‘‘pump’’

the brakes; let the anti-lock braking
system pump them for you.

Avoiding Obstacles
Debris on the road can damage your
suspension or other components.
Because your vehicle has a high
center of gravity, driving over a large
obstacle, or allowing a wheel to drop
into a deep hole can cause your
vehicle to tip or roll over.

Driving on Slopes
If you can't clearly see all conditions
or obstacles on a slope, walk the
slope before you drive on it. If you
have any doubt whether or not you
can safely drive on the slope, don't
do it. Find another route.

If you are driving up a hill and find
that you cannot continue, do not try to
turn around.

Your vehicle could roll

over. Slowly back down the hill,
following the same route you took up
the hill.

CONTINUED

Off-Highway Driving Guidelines

239

Driving

Table of Contents

Crossing a Stream
Avoid driving through deep water. If
you encounter water in your route (a
small stream or large puddle, for
example), evaluate it carefully before
going ahead. Make sure it is shallow,
flowing slowly, and has firm ground
underneath. If you are not sure of the
depth or the ground, turn around and
find another route.

Driving through deep water can also
damage your vehicle. The water can
get into the transmission and
differential, diluting the lubricant and
causing an eventual failure. It can
also wash the grease out of the wheel
bearings.

If You Get Stuck
Avoid driving on soft sand, deep
mud, or other surfaces where you
could get stuck. If you do happen to
get stuck because of inclement
weather or other conditions, choose
a safe and appropriate course of
action.

You should never use a jack to try
getting unstuck. A jack only works
on firm, level ground. Also, your
vehicle could easily slip off the jack
and hurt you or someone else.

4-Wheel Drive Vehicles
If you spin the wheels excessively
trying to get unstuck, you may
overheat the components of the 4-
wheel drive system. If this happens,
the 4-wheel drive system shuts off
and only the front wheels receive
power. At this point, you must stop
and allow everything to cool down.
The 4-wheel drive system will work
again after its temperature drops.

If you slip the clutch for a long time
while trying to get unstuck, you may
overheat and damage it.

Off-Highway Driving Guidelines

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Table of Contents

All service items not detailed in this
section should be performed by a
certified technician or other qualified
mechanic.

Important Safety Precautions
To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions before you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.

●

Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is off.

●

To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.

●

To reduce the possibility of fire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and flames away from the battery
and all fuel-related parts.

●

Wear eye protection and protective
clothing when working with the
battery or compressed air.

Improperly maintaining this
vehicle, or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.

Always follow the inspection
and maintenance
recommendations and
schedules in this owner's
manual.

Potential Vehicle Hazards

●

Carbon Monoxide poison from
engine exhaust. Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.

●

Burns from hot parts. Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down before touching any parts.

●

Injury from moving parts. Do not
run the engine unless instructed to
do so.

Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to be
seriously hurt or killed.

Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner's
manual.

Some of the most important safety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
performing maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you should
perform a given task.

Maintenance Safety

242

Table of Contents

Your vehicle displays engine oil life
and maintenance service items on
the information display to show you
when you should have your dealer
do engine oil replacement and
indicated maintenance service.

Based on the engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil life and displays it as a
percentage.

Engine Oil Life Display

To see the current engine oil life,
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position, then press and release
the select/reset knob repeatedly
until the engine oil life indicator
appears.

The remaining engine oil life is
shown on the display according to
this table:

Calculated Engine

Oil Life (%)

Displayed

Engine Oil Life (%)

100% － 91%

100%

90% － 81%

90%

80% － 71%

80%

70% － 61%

70%

60% － 51%

60%

50% － 41%

50%

40% － 31%

40%

30% － 21%

30%

20% － 16%

20%

15% － 11%

15%

10% － 6%

10%

5% － 1%

ENGINE OIL LIFE INDICATOR

SELECT/RESET KNOB

U.S. model is shown.

CONTINUED

Maintenance Minder

243

Maintenance

Table of Contents

If the remaining engine oil life is 15
to 6 percent, you will see the engine
oil life indicator every time you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. The maintenance minder
indicator will also come on, and the
maintenance item code(s) for other
scheduled maintenance items
needing service will be displayed
above the ‘‘OIL LIFE’’ message.

The 15 and 10 percent oil life
indicator reminds you that the time is
coming soon to take your vehicle in
for the required maintenance.

When the remaining engine oil life is
5 to 1 percent, you will see a
‘‘SERVICE’’ message along with the

same maintenance item code(s),
every time you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.

MAINTENANCE MINDER INDICATOR

MAINTENANCE
ITEM CODE(S)

ENGINE OIL LIFE
INDICATOR

U.S. model is shown.

Maintenance Minder

244

Table of Contents

The maintenance item code or codes
indicate the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil change
(see page 246).

You can switch the information
display from the engine oil life
display to the odometer or the trip
meter. Press and release the select/
reset knob on the instrument panel.

When the engine oil life is 15 to 1
percent, the maintenance minder
indicator (

) comes on every time

you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position, then it goes out if
you switch the information display.

When you see this message, have
the indicated maintenance performed
by your dealer as soon as possible.

When the remaining engine oil life is
0 percent, the engine oil life indicator
will blink. The display comes on
every time you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. The
maintenance minder indicator (

)

also comes on and remains on in the
instrument panel. When you see this
message, immediately have the
indicated maintenance done by your
dealer.

If you do not perform the indicated
maintenance, negative distance
traveled is displayed and begins to
blink after the vehicle has been
driven 10 miles (10 km) or more.
Negative distance traveled means
your vehicle has passed the
maintenance required point.
Immediately have the indicated
maintenance done by your dealer.

NEGATIVE DISTANCE TRAVELED

U.S. model is shown.

CONTINUED

Maintenance Minder

245

Maintenance

Table of Contents

To change the information display
from the engine oil life display to the
odometer or the trip meter, press and
release the select/reset knob.

When the engine oil life is 0 percent
or negative distance traveled, the
maintenance minder indicator (

)

remains on even if you change the
information display.

Immediately have the service
performed, and make sure to reset
the display as described as follows.

Maintenance Main Items and Sub
Items

All maintenance items displayed on
the information display are in code.
For an explanation of these
maintenance codes, see page 249.

Resetting the Engine Oil Life
Display
Your dealer will reset the display
after completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘OIL LIFE 100%’’ on the information

display the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.

If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the maintenance minder as
follows:

1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON

(II) position.

2. Press the select/reset knob

repeatedly until the engine oil life
is displayed.

MAINTENANCE MAIN ITEM

MAINTENANCE SUB ITEM(S)

Maintenance Minder

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Table of Contents

3. Press the select/reset knob for

about 10 seconds. The engine oil
life and the maintenance item
code(s) will blink.

4. Press the select/reset knob for

another 5 seconds. The
maintenance item code(s) will
disappear, and the engine oil life
will reset to ‘‘100.’’

Important Maintenance
Precautions
If you have the required service done
but do not reset the display, or reset
the display without doing the service,
the system will not show the proper
maintenance intervals. This can lead
to serious mechanical problems
because you will no longer have an
accurate record of when
maintenance is needed.

Your authorized Honda dealer knows
your vehicle best and can provide
competent, efficient service.

U.S. model is shown.

CONTINUED

Maintenance Minder

247

Maintenance

Table of Contents

However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties in
effect. Maintenance may be done by
any qualified service facility or
person who is skilled in this type of
automotive service. Make sure to
have the service facility or person
reset the display as previously
described. Keep all receipts as proof
of completion, and have the person
who does the work fill out your
Honda Service History or Canadian
Maintenance Log. Check your
warranty booklet for more
information.

We recommend using Honda parts
and fluids whenever you have
maintenance done. These are
manufactured to the same high
quality standards as the original
components, so you can be confident
of their performance and durability.

U.S. Vehicles:
According to state and federal
regulations, failure to perform
maintenance on the items marked
with ＃ will not void your emissions
warranties. However, all
maintenance services should be
performed in accordance with the
intervals indicated by the information
display.

Owner's Maintenance Checks
You should check the following
items at the specified intervals. If you
are unsure of how to perform any
check, turn to the appropriate page
listed.

●

Engine oil level － Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See page
201.

●

Engine coolant level － Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 201.

●

Automatic transmission － Check
the fluid level monthly. See page
256.

●

Brakes － Check the fluid level
monthly. See page 258.

●

Tires － Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
271.

●

Lights － Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
and license plate lights monthly.
See page 261.

Maintenance Minder

248

Table of Contents

Symbol

Maintenance Main Items

●

Replace engine oil

ꭧ1

●

Replace engine oil

ꭧ1

and oil filter

●

Inspect front and rear brakes

●

Check parking brake adjustment

●

Inspect these items:

●

Tie rod ends, steering gear box, and boots

●

Suspension components

●

Driveshaft boots

●

Brake hoses and lines (including ABS/VSA)

●

All fluid levels and condition of fluids

●

Exhaust system

＃

●

Fuel lines and connections

＃

ꭧ1: If the message ‘‘SERVICE’’ does not appear more than 12 months after the

display is reset, change the engine oil every year.

＃: See information on maintenance and emissions warranty on page 248.

NOTE:

●

Independent of the maintenance message in the information display,
replace the brake fluid every 3 years.

●

Inspect idle speed every 160,000 miles (256,000 km).

●

Adjust the valves during services A, B, 1, 2, or 3 if they are noisy.

Symbol

Maintenance Sub Items

●

Rotate tires

●

Replace air cleaner element

If you drive in dusty conditions, replace
every 15,000 miles (24,000 km).

●

Replace dust and pollen filter

If you drive primarily in urban areas that have high
concentrations of soot in the air from industry and
from diesel-powered vehicles, replace every
15,000 miles (24,000 km).

●

Inspect drive belt

●

Replace transmission fluid

Driving in mountainous areas at very low vehicle
speeds or trailer towing results in higher transmission
and transfer temperatures. This requires transmission
and transfer fluid changes more frequently than
recommended by the maintenance minder. If you
regularly drive your vehicle under these conditions,
have the transmission and transfer fluid changed at
60,000 miles (100,000 km), then every 30,000 miles
(48,000 km) (For A/T only).

●

Replace spark plugs

●

Inspect valve clearance

●

Replace engine coolant

●

Replace rear differential fluid (4WD model only)

Maintenance Minder

Maintenance

Minder

249

Table of Contents

Unscrew and remove the engine oil
fill cap on top of the valve cover. Pour
in the oil slowly and carefully so you
do not spill. Clean up any spills
immediately. Spilled oil could
damage components in the engine
compartment.

Reinstall the engine oil fill cap, and
tighten it securely. Wait a few
minutes, and recheck the oil level on
the engine oil dipstick. Do not fill
above the upper mark; you could
damage the engine.

Recommended Engine Oil
Oil is a major contributor to your
engine's performance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade 5W-20
detergent oil displaying the API
Certification Seal. This seal indicates
the oil is energy conserving, and that
it meets the American Petroleum
Institute's latest requirements.

Honda motor oil is the preferred
5W-20 lubricant for your vehicle. It is
highly recommended that you use
Honda motor oil in your vehicle for
optimum engine protection. Make
sure the API Certification Seal says
‘‘For Gasoline Engines.’’
The oil viscosity or weight is
provided on the container's label.
5W-20 oil is formulated for year-
round protection of your vehicle to
improve cold weather starting and
fuel economy.

ENGINE OIL FILL CAP

API CERTIFICATION SEAL

Ambient Temperature

CONTINUED

Adding Engine Oil

251

Maintenance

Table of Contents

Honda Element (2010 year). Instruction - part 16