HONDA Element 2008 User Manual

Introduction

2008 Element

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Congratulations! Your selection of a 2008 Honda Element was a wise investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.

One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new vehicle is to read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and convenience items. Afterwards, keep this owner’s manual in your vehicle so youcanrefertoitatanytime.

Several warranties protect your new vehicle. Read the warranty booklet thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights and responsibilities.

Maintaining your vehicle according to the schedules given in this manual helps to keep your driving trouble-free while it preserves your investment. When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that your dealer’s staff is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to your vehicle. Your dealer is dedicated to your satisfaction and will be pleased to answer any questions and concerns.

As you read this manual, you will find inf ormation that is preceded by a symbol. This information is intended to help you avoid damage to your vehicle, other property, or the environment.

Introduction

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California Proposition 65 Warning

WARNING:

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, f ront passenger seat occupancy, airbag deployment data, and the f ailure of any airbag system component.

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 f rom other sources for research purposes, but it remains confidential.

This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth

This data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by anyone else

AFewWordsAboutSafety

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Your safety, and the safety of others, is very important. And operating this vehicle safely is an important responsibility.

To help you make informed decisions about safety, we have provided operating procedures and other information on labels and in this manual. This inf ormation alerts you to potential hazards that could hurt you or others.

Of course, it is not practical or possible to warn you about all the hazards associated with operating or maintaining your vehicle. You must use your own good judgement.

You will f ind this important safety information in a variety of forms, including:

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Safety Labels Safety Messages

three signal words: , , or . These signal words mean:

Safety Headings

Safety Precautions.

Safety Section Instructions

This entire book is f illed with important saf ety information please read it carefully.

on the vehicle.

−

preceded by a safety alert symbol and one of

DANGER WARNING CAUTION

You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

You CAN be HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

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such as Important Safety Reminders or Important

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such as Driver and Passenger Safety.

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how to use this vehicle correctly and safely.

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iii

Important Handling Information

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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 of this manual and the

Off-Highway Driving Guidelines

control or an accident.

section on page . Failure to operate your vehicle correctly might result in loss of

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156

2008 Element Online Reference Owner's Manual

Contents

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... i

A Few Words About Safety .............................................................................................................................. iii

Important Handling Information .................................................................................................................... iv

Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) .................................................................................................... 4

Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) .................................................... 7

Instruments and Controls

Features (heating and cooling

Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break- in, and cargo loading) ..................................................................... 139

Driving (engine and transmission operation) ................................................................................................ 155

Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 183

Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) ............................. 221

Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 245

Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 261

Authorized Manuals (U. S. only) (how to order) ......................................................................................... 265

Index ............................................................................................................................... ........................................ I

(indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column) , audio, steering wheel, and cruise control )

........................................................... 101

............................................ 57

Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)

00X31-SCV-6502

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Overview of Contents

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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 Saf ety

Important information about the proper use and care of your vehicle’s seat belts, an overview of the supplemental restraint system, and valuable inf ormation 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 steering column.

Features

How to operate the heating and air conditioning system, the audio system, and other convenience

features.

Before Driving

What gasoline to use, how to breakin 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 detailed information.

Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)

How to order manuals and other technical literature.

Index

Service Information Summary

A summary of the information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

Your Vehicle at a Glance

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POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCH (P.80)

POWER WINDOW SWITCHES

(P.91)

HOOD RELEASE HANDLE (P.142)

A/T model is shown.

MIRROR CONTROLS (P.92)

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MANUAL TRANSMISSION

(P.159)

(P.161)

INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES(P.66)

(P.59)

DRIVER’S FRONT AIRBAG

PASSENGER’S FRONT AIRBAG (P.11, 34)

HEATING/COOLING CONTROLS (P.102)

PARKING BRAKE (P.93)

(P.11, 27)

Your Vehicle at a Glance

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HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS (P.71)

REMOTE AUDIO CONTROLS (P.134)

＊

CRUISE CONTROL MASTER BUTTON (P.135)

VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST(VSA) SYSTEM ON/OFF SWITCH (P.172)

A/T model is shown.

＊＊To use the horn, press the center pad of the steering wheel.1:

2 : If equipped

WINDSHIELD WIPERS/WASHERS (P.70)

PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR (P.34)

AUDIO SYSTEM (P.107) DIGITAL CLOCK (P.132)

REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER (P.73)

ACCESSORY POWER SOCKET (P.98)

HAZARD WARNING BUTTON

HORN

＊

(P.73)

STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENT CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS (P.74)

(P.135)

Your Vehicle at a Glance

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Driver and Passenger Saf ety

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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 . 8

.......Your Vehicle’s Safety Features . 9

.....................................Seat Belts . 10

.........................................Airbags . 11

.........Protecting Adults and Teens . 13

.....1. Close and Lock the Doors . 13

...........2. Adjust the Front Seats . 13

............3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 14

...4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 15

5. Fasten and Position the

............................Seat Belts . 16

6. Maintain a Proper Sitting

................................Position . 17

.....Advice for Pregnant Women . 18

...Additional Safety Precautions . 18

Additional Information About Your

.................................Seat Belts . 20

..Seat Belt System Components . 20

......................Lap/Shoulder Belt . 21

Automatic Seat Belt

...............................Tensioners . 22

...............Seat Belt Maintenance . 22

Additional Information About Your

.....................................Airbags . 24

......Airbag System Components . 24

How Your Front Airbags

.........................................Work . 27

...How Your Side Airbags Work . 30

How Your Side Curtain Airbags

.........................................Work . 32

How the SRS Indicator

.......................................Works . 33

How the Side Airbag Off

......................Indicator Works . 34

How the Passenger Airbag Off

......................Indicator Works . 34

.............................Airbag Service . 35

...Additional Safety Precautions . 36

Protecting Children General

All Children Must Be

All Children Should Sit in a

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................................Guidelines . 37

...............................Restrained . 37

.................................Back Seat . 38

The Passenger’s Front Airbag

If You Must Drive with Several

...................................Children . 40

If a Child Requires Close

..................................Attention . 40

Protecting Infants and

.........................Small Children . 42

.......................Protecting Infants . 42

.....................Selecting a Child Seat . 44

....................Installing a Child Seat . 45

...............................With LATCH . 46

..............................With a Tether . 50

...............Checking Seat Belt Fit . 51

..................Using a Booster Seat . 52

When Can a Larger Child Sit in

.........................................Front . 52

.............Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 54

...................................Safety Labels . 55

.........Can Pose Serious Risks . 38

Driver and Passenger Safety

...Additional Safety Precautions . 41

.........Protecting Small Children . 43

.........With a Lap/Shoulder Belt . 48

...........Protecting Larger Children . 51

...Additional Safety Precautions . 53

Important Safety Precautions

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You’ll find many saf ety recommendations throughout this section, and throughout this manual. Therecommendationsonthispage 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 ).

Restrain All Children

Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in a back seat, not the front seat. Infants and smallchildrenshouldberestrained 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 pages ).37 53

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 f ollow all instructions and warnings in this manual.

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

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every additional drink. So don’t drink and drive, and don’t let your friends drink and drive, either.

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 ).

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(5)

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(7)

(11)

(8)

Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features

Your vehicle is equipped with many

(4)(3)

(9)

(1)

features that work together to protect you and your passengers during a crash.

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.

Driver and Passenger Safety

(2)

(10)

(8)

(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)

(2)

However, you and your passengers can’t take full advantage of these features unless you remain sitting in a proper position and

your seat belts

features can contribute to injuries if they are not used properly.

The f ollowing pages explain how you cantakeanactiveroleinprotecting yourself and your passengers.

. In fact, some safety

always wear

Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features

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Seat Belts

Your vehicle is equipped with seat belts in all seating positions.

Your seat belt system also includes an indicator on the instrument panel and a beeper to remind you and your passengers to fasten your seat belts.

Why Wear Seat Belts

Seat belts are the single most effectivesafetydeviceforadultsand larger children. (Infants and smaller children must be properly restrained in child seats.)

Not wearing a seat belt properly increases the chance of serious injury or death in a crash, even though your vehicle has airbags.

In addition, most states and all Canadian provinces require you to wear seat belts.

Not wearing a seat belt properly increases the chance of serious injury or death in a crash, even though your vehicle has airbags.

Be sure you and your passengers always wear seat belts and wear them properly.

When properly worn, seat belts:

Keep you connected to the vehicle so you can take advantage of the vehicle’s built-in safety features.

Help protect you in almost every type of crash, including frontal, side, and rear impacts and rollovers.

Help keep you from being thrown against the inside of the vehicle and against other occupants.

Keep you from being thrown out of the vehicle.

Help keep you in a good position should the airbags ever deploy. A good position reduces the risk of injury from an inflating airbag and allows you to get the best advantage from the airbag.

Of course, seat belts cannot completely protect you in every crash.Butinmostcases,seatbelts can reduce your risk of serious injury.

What You Should Do:

Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly.

Airbags

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Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features

Driver and Passenger Safety

Your vehicle has a supplemental restraint system (SRS) with front airbags to help protect the heads and chests of the driver and a front seat passenger during a moderate to severe f rontal collision (see page

for more information on how

your front airbags work).

Your vehicle also has side airbags to help protect the upper torso of the driver or a front seat passenger during a moderate to severe side impact (see page for more

information on how your side airbags

In addition, your vehicle has side curtain airbags to help protect the heads of the driver, front passenger, and passengers in the outer rear seating positions during a moderate to severe side impact (see page

work).27 32

your side curtain airbags work).

for more information on how

CONTINUED

Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features

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The most important things you need to know about your airbags are:

Airbags do not replace seat belts.

They are designed to supplement the seat belts.

Airbags off er no protection in rear impacts, or minor frontal or side collisions.

Airbags can pose serious hazards.

To do their job, airbags must inflate with tremendous f orce. So while airbags help save lives, they can cause minor injuries or more serious or even fatal injuries if occupants are not properly restrained or sitting properly.

What you should do:

Always wear your seat belt properly, and sit upright and as far back from the steering wheel as possible while allowing full control of the vehicle. A front passenger should move their seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.

The rest of this section gives more detailed inf ormation about how you can maximize your safety.

Remember however, that no safety system can prevent all injures or deaths that can occur in a severe crash, even when seat belts are properly worn and the airbags deploy.

The f ollowing pages provide

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instructions on how to properly protect the driver, adult passengers, and teenage children who are large enough and mature enough to drive or ride in the front.

5337

See pages for important

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guidelines on how to properly protect infants, small children, and larger children who ride in your vehicle.

After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure the doors are closed and locked.

Your vehicle has a door and

tailgate open monitor on the instrument panel to indicate when a specific door or the tailgate or the hatch is not tightly closed.

Locking the doors reduces the chance of someone being thrown out of the vehicle during a crash, and it helps prevent passengers f rom accidentally opening a door and falling out.

Locking the doors also helps prevent an outsider from unexpectedly opening a door when you come to a stop.

See page for how to lock the doors, and page for how the door

and tailgate monitor system works.

Protecting Adults and Teens

Adjust theFront SeatsClose and Lock the DoorsIntroduction 2.1.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the rear as possible while allowing you to maintain f ull control of the vehicle. Have a front passenger adjust their seat as far to the rear as possible.

If you sit too close to the steering wheel or dashboard, you can be seriously injured by an inflating front airbag, or by striking the steering wheel or dashboard.

CONTINUED

Protecting Adults and Teens

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada recommend that drivers allow at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the center of the steering wheel and the chest. In addition to adjusting the seat, you can adjust the steering wheel up and down (see page ).

If you cannot get far enough away from the steering wheel and still reach the controls, we recommend that you investigate whether some type of adaptive equipment may help.

Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious injury or death if the front airbags inflate.

Always sit as far back from the front airbags as possible.

Once a seat is adjusted correctly, rock it back and forth to make sure it is locked in position.

See page for how to adjust the front seats.

Adjust the Seat-Backs3.

Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a comfortable, upright position, leaving ample space between your chest and the airbag cover in the center of the steering wheel.

Passengers with adjustable seatbacks should also adjust their seatback to a comfortable, upright position.

Protecting Adults and Teens

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Adjust the Head Restraints4.

Reclining the seat-back too far can result in serious injury or death in a crash.

Adjust the seat-back to an upright position, and sit well back in the seat.

Reclining a seat-back so that the shoulder part of the belt no longer rests against the occupant’s chest reduces the protective capability of the belt. It also increases the chance of sliding under the belt in a crash and being seriously injured. The farther a seat-back is reclined, the greater the risk of injury.

See page for how to adjust the seat-backs.

Adjust the driver’s head restraint so the center of the back of your head rests against the center of the restraint.

Have passengers adjust their head restraints properly as well. Taller persons should adjust their restraint as high as possible.

Improperly positioning head restraints reduces their effectiveness and you can be seriously injured in a crash.

Make sure head restraints are in place and positioned properly before driving.

Properly adjusted head restraints will help protect occupants from whiplash and other crash injuries.

See page for how to adjust the head restraints.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Protecting Adults and Teens

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Fasten and Position the Seat

5. Belts

Insert the latch plate into the buckle, then tug on the belt to make sure the belt is securely latched. Check that the belt is not twisted, because a twisted belt can cause serious injuries in a crash.

Position the lap part of the belt as low as possible across your hips, then pull up on the shoulder part of the belt so the lap part fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic bones take the force of a crash and reduces the chance of internal injuries.

If necessary, pull up on the belt again to remove any slack, then check that the belt rests across the center of your chest and over your shoulder.

This spreads the forces of a crash over the strongest bones in your upper body.

Improperly positioning the seat belts can cause serious injury or death in a crash.

Make sure all seat belts are properly positioned before driving.

Protecting Adults and Teens

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Never place the shoulder portion of a lap/shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back.

This could cause

very serious injuries in a crash.

If a seat belt does not seem to work properly, it may not protect the occupant in a crash.

No one should sit in a seat with an inoperative seat belt.

Using a seat belt that is not working properly can result in serious injury or death. Have your dealer check the belt as soon as possible.

See page for additional

information about your seat belts and how to take care of them.

Maintain a Proper Sitting

6. Position

After all occupants have adjusted their seats and head restraints, and put on their seat belts, it is very important that they continue to sit upright, well back in their seats, with their feet on the floor, until the vehicle is parked and the engine is off.

Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury during a crash. For example, if an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly increased.

In addition, an occupant who is out of position in the front seat can be seriously or f atally injured in a crash by striking interior parts of the vehicle or being struck by an inflating front airbag.

Sitting improperly or out of position can result in serious injury or death in a crash.

Always sit upright, well back in the seat, with your feet on the floor.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Protecting Adults and Teens

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Advice for Pregnant Women Additional Safety Precautions

When driving, remember to sit upright and adjust the seat as far back as possible while allowing full control of the vehicle. When riding as a front passenger, adjust the seat as far back as possible.

This will reduce the risk of injuries to both you and your unborn child that can be caused by a crash or an inflating front airbag.

Never let passengers ride in the cargo area or on top of a foldeddown back seat.

If they do, they could be very seriously injured in a crash.

Passengers should not stand up or change seats while the vehicle is moving.

A passenger who is not wearing a seat belt during a crash or emergency stop can be thrown against the inside of the vehicle, against other occupants, or out of the vehicle.

If you are pregnant, the best way to

Each time you have a checkup, ask your doctor if it’s okay for you to

drive. protect yourself and your unborn child when driving or riding in a vehicle is to always wear a seat belt, and keep the lap part of the belt as low as possible across the hips.

Two people should never use the same seat belt.

If they do, they could be very seriously injured in a crash.

Protecting Adults and Teens

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Do not put any accessories on seat belts.

Devices intended to improve occupant comfort or reposition the shoulder part of a seat belt can reduce the protective capability of the seat belt and increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.

Do not place hard or sharp objects between yourself and a front airbag.

Carrying hard or sharp objects on your lap, or driving with a pipe or other sharp object in your mouth, can result in injuries if your front airbag inflates.

Do not attach or place objects on the f ront airbag covers.

Objects on the covers marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’ could interf ere with the proper operation of the airbags or be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone if the airbags inf late.

Do not attach hard objects on or near a door.

If a side airbag or a side curtain airbag inflates, a cup holder or other hard object attached on or near the door could be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone.

Keep your hands and arms away from the airbag covers.

If your hands or arms are close to an airbag cover, they could be injured if the front airbag inflates.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

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Seat Belt System Components

Your seat belt system includes lap/ shoulder belts in all four seating positions. The front seat belts are also equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners.

This system uses the same sensors as the front airbags to monitor whether the front seat belts are latched or unlatched, and how much weight is on the front passenger’s seat (see pages and ).

instrument panel and a beeper to remind you and your passengers to fasten your seat belts.

This system monitors the front seat belts. If you turn the ignition switch to the ON (II) position before your seat belt is fastened, the beeper will sound and the indicator will flash. If your seat belt is not fastened bef ore

29 30

The seat belt system includes an indicator on the

the beeper stops, the indicator will stop flashing but remain on.

If a front passenger does not fasten their seat belt, the indicator will come on about 6 seconds after the ignition switch is turned to the ON (II) position.

If either the driver or a front passenger does not fasten their seat belt, the beeper will sound and the indicator will flash again at regular intervals.

When no one is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, or a child or small adult is riding there, the indicator should not come on and the beeper should not sound.

If the indicator comes on or the beeper sounds when the driver’s seat belt is latched and there is no front seat passenger and no items on the front seat, something may be interfering with the monitoring system. Look f or and remove:

Any items under the f ront passenger’s seat.

Any object(s) hanging on the seat or in the seat-back pocket.

Any objects, such as a folded-down back seat, that are touching the rear of the seat-back.

If no obstructions are found, have your vehicle checked by a dealer.

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

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Lap/Shoulder Belt

The lap/shoulder belt goes over your shoulder, across your chest, and across your hips.

To fasten the belt, insert the latch plate into the buckle, then tug on the belt to make sure the buckle is latched (see page for how to properly position the belt).

To unlock the belt, press the red PRESSbuttononthebuckle.Guide the belt across your body so that it retracts completely. Af ter exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt is out of the way and will not get closed in the door.

All seat belts have an emergency locking retractor. In normal driving, the retractor lets you move freely in your seat while it keeps some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop, the retractor automatically locks the belt to help restrain your body.

The seat belts in all positions except the driver’s have a lockable retractor that must be activated to secure a child seat (see page ).

If the shoulder part of the belt is pulled all the way out, the lockable retractor will activate. The belt will retract, but it will not allow the passenger to move freely.

To deactivate the lockable retractor, unlatch the buckle and let the seat belt fully retract. To refasten the seat belt, pull it out only as far as needed.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

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For added protection, the front seat belts are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners. When activated, the tensioners immediately tighten the belts to help hold the driver and a front passenger in position.

The tensioners are designed to activate in any collision severe enough to cause the front airbags to deploy, or if a sensor detects your vehicle is about to roll over (see page

If a side airbag or side curtain airbag deploys during a side impact, the tensioner on that side of the vehicle will also deploy.

The tensioners can also be activated during a collision in which the front airbags . In this case, the airbags would not be needed, but the additional restraint could be helpful.

When the tensioners are activated, the seat belts will remain tight until they are unbuckled.

do not deploy

Seat Belt MaintenanceAutomatic Seat Belt Tensioners

For safety, you should check the condition of your seat belts regularly.

Pull each belt out fully, and look for frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check that the latches work smoothly and the belts retract easily. If a belt does not retract easily, cleaning the belt may correct the problem (see page

209

). Any belt that is not in good condition or working properly will not provide good protection and should be replaced as soon as possible.

Honda provides a limited warranty on seat belts. See your

Warranty Information

details.

Honda

booklet for

If a seat belt is worn during a crash,

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it must be replaced by your dealer. A belt that has been worn during a crash may not provide the same level of protection in a subsequent crash.

The dealer should also inspect the anchors for damage and replace them if needed. If the automatic seat belt tensioners activate during a crash, they must be replaced.

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

Not checking or maintaining seat belts can result in serious injury or death if the seat belts do not work properly when needed.

Check your seat belts regularly and have any problem corrected as soon as possible.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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Airbag System Components

(1) Driver’s Front Airbag (2) Passenger’s Front Airbag (3) Control Unit (4) Front Seat Belt Tensioners (5) Side Airbags (6) Driver’s Seat Position Sensor (7) Front Passenger’s Weight Sensors (8) Front Impact Sensors (9) Passenger Airbag Off Indicator (10) Side Impact Sensors (First) (11) Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) Sensors (12) Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Indicator (13) Rollover Sensor (14) Seat Belt Buckle Tensioners (15) Rear Safing Sensor

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(16) Side Curtain Airbags (17) Side Impact Sensors (Second)

Additional Information About Your Airbags

Your airbag system includes:

Two SRS (supplemental restraint system) front airbags. The driver’s airbag is stored in the center of the steering wheel; the front passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’ (see page ).

Two side airbags, one for the driver and one for a front passenger. The airbags are stored in the outer edges of the seatbacks. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE

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AIRBAG’’ (see page ).

Two side curtain airbags, one f or each side of the vehicle. The airbags are stored in the ceiling, above the side windows. The front and rear pillars are marked ‘‘SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see page

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Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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Automatic front seat belt tensioners (see page ).

Sensors that can detect a moderate to severe front impact, side impact, or rollover.

Sensors that can detect whether a child is in the passenger’s side airbag path and signal the control unit to turn the airbag off (see page ).

Sensors that can detect whether the driver’s seat belt and the front passenger’s seat belt are latched or unlatched (see page ).

A driver’s seat position sensor that monitors the distance of the seat from the front airbag. If the seat is too far forward, the airbag will inflate with less force (see page

Weight sensors that monitor the weight on the front passenger’s seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less (the weight of an infant or small child), the passenger’s front airbag will be turned off (see page ).

A sophisticated electronic system that continually monitors and records information about the sensors, the control unit, the airbag activators, the seat belt tensioners, and driver and f ront passenger seat belt use when the ignition switch is in the ON (II) position.

An indicator on the instrument panel that alerts you to a possible problem with your airbags, sensors, or seat belt tensioners (see page ).

An indicator on the instrument panel that alerts you that the passenger’s side airbag has been turned off (see page ).

An indicator on the dashboard that alerts you that the passenger’s front airbag has been turned off (see page ).

Emergency backup power in case your vehicle’s electrical system is disconnected in a crash.

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