My radio is sapping the battery energy on my 2003 Honda Element. How can this be fixed?

Steve Allison

• 5569 Answers
• Posted on Aug 30, 2008

SOURCE: 2003 Honda Element starting randomly

May not be 'loose' wiring but you are headed in the right direction if you haven't already found the problem.

This is a common problem and is almost always caused by battery-related cables.

You will need to remove both cables at the battery and clean them with a $3 tool that will do both the female and male clamp parts.
You should also remove and clean the positive cable from the starter itself.
Since you are already dirty, take the extra five minutes and remove and clean the point at which the negative battery cable is connected to the chassis.
At each of these points, thoroughly protect the cleaned connections with at least a glob of petroleum jelly or (if you are at an auto parts store anyhow) 'dielectric' grease. Either of these will delay the next cleaning cycle by years.

ALWAYS remove the negative (ground) cable FIRST.

The bad connection is dropping ALL of the 12 volts when trying to start since the starter draws 100+ amperes and any cruddy connection is enough to drag down (drop) the voltage so far down that all devices that depend on getting at least 9-10 volts will reset themselves.
After the engine is running, a bad connection becomes less important since the other items being serviced don't draw anywhere like that amount of current and the alternator can operate these and still charge the battery regardless of the bad junction.

SOURCE: honda element radio code

The radio code is on the inside of the glove compartment along the side you can see it from driver side better .

SOURCE: on 2003 Honda Element: replaced battery

There is code specific to each honda. The code is either in the manual, or posted somewhere randomly around the car. Mine is on a white sticker in the door jam of the drivers seat. It is a six digit code. You just type in that code with the 1-6 buttons and it works. It took me 2 hours to figure this out, but basically, its a anti-theft mechanism.

Hope this helps!

SOURCE: My radio is not working on my 2003 Honda element.

because of security features in newer cars. your probrably better off taking it to the dealer so they can reset the codes.

SOURCE: 2003 honda element will not spray wondshield wiper

Water pump!