Air Conditioning System - Honda Element 2003 Owner's Manual

Main Menu Table of Contents
On U.S. EX, and Canadian DX and EX
models
Your vehicle's air conditioning is a
sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be
done by a qualified mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to make
sure the air conditioning works
efficiently.
Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling
efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.
AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant.

Air Conditioning System

If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Refrigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specifications on page
307 .)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenance
245