[Blue04]

Quick Question One:

I’m a new pilot owner (as of yesterday) and have three quick questions that I hope somebody here might have an answer for.

Honda has made it pretty hard to lock your keys in the car, but if it can be done (and according to a forum search it can) I’ll do it eventually. With previous cars I always had a spare in my wallet, but the fat Honda keys stuffed full of immobilizer chip don’t suit themselves to that. My dealer said that they couldn’t make a flat “door only” key.

So... Does anybody know what’s inside the end of the key besides the chip? Any guess what would happen (besides destroying the immobilizer function) if I had my dealer make me a spare key which I then attacked with a grinder until flat?

Thanks – scott

 

[jay]

Because of the immobilizer function, spare keys are relatively expensive- $40 or more if I recall correctly. Before I did that, I'd look into having a regular key cut. It would only open the door, or course, but if your keys are locked inside, that's all you need. The question becomes finding a blank that will work, and using your current key to copy without destroying it.

One feature I would like to see, an emergency door key like my Ford Contour had. It was plastic, credit card sized, with the key embedded in the middle.

 

[N_Jay]

Quick Question One:

I’m a new pilot owner (as of yesterday) and have three quick questions that I hope somebody here might have an answer for.

Honda has made it pretty hard to lock your keys in the car, but if it can be done (and according to a forum search it can) I’ll do it eventually. With previous cars I always had a spare in my wallet, but the fat Honda keys stuffed full of immobilizer chip don’t suit themselves to that. My dealer said that they couldn’t make a flat “door only” key.

So... Does anybody know what’s inside the end of the key besides the chip? Any guess what would happen (besides destroying the immobilizer function) if I had my dealer make me a spare key which I then attacked with a grinder until flat?

Thanks – scott

I would attack it with a utility knife, not a grinder.

It will open doors, but not start the car.

 

[ramirami]

So... Does anybody know what’s inside the end of the key besides the chip? Any guess what would happen (besides destroying the immobilizer function) if I had my dealer make me a spare key which I then attacked with a grinder until flat?

Thanks – scott

I really cannot imagine how you can lock the key in the pilot...its really difficult.

see if you can find a workman who will make the duplicate key by hand and not the grinder.... will need some searching now a days

 

[howardbuck]

I always keep a spare key in my wallet also. You can buy a spare key from the Honda dealer without the chip in it. It will still have the platic head on it however. I just took a small plumbing blow torch to the plastic and melted it. Now I have a nice flat key to put in my wallet.

Howard

 

[sfhondapilot]

You might want to consider adding a keypad.

Here's a link to an aftermarket system

 

[sfhondapilot]

and then there is

Tap Magic

 

[Mark B]

[snipped] You can buy a spare key from the Honda dealer without the chip in it. It will still have the platic head on it however. I just took a small plumbing blow torch to the plastic and melted it. Now I have a nice flat key to put in my wallet.

Howard

I've been looking for a year for a cheap key to keep in my wallet. My dealer told me (again) last week that they didn't make keys without the chips! :3: :3: :3:

So last week I bought one with a chip at the ridiculous price, ground the plastic down, and found the chip. It looks like a small pill. I suppose I could have them program it, and the key would then be able to start my Pilot.

Grinding the plastic off wasn't too hard, but I like your idea of melting the plastic - that's easier to do!

MarkB

 

[N_Jay]

I've been looking for a year for a cheap key to keep in my wallet. My dealer told me (again) last week that they didn't make keys without the chips! :3: :3: :3:

So last week I bought one with a chip at the ridiculous price, ground the plastic down, and found the chip. It looks like a small pill. I suppose I could have them program it, and the key would then be able to start my Pilot.

Grinding the plastic off wasn't too hard, but I like your idea of melting the plastic - that's easier to do!

MarkB

Maybe you can sell the chip on Ebay to someone who needs it to put in a remote start kit.

 

[Mark B]

Maybe you can sell the chip on Ebay to someone who needs it to put in a remote start kit.

That's a great idea N_Jay, Thanks!

MarkB

 

[dgipalo]

One of the things I wish that Honda did (or was available in the aftermarket) is a 'unlock keypad' like is available on Ford and some Nissan products. Makes going places where I get wet a lot less nerve-racking, since I can just lock the keys in a hidden place in the car, and lock the doors and windows, and still be able to get back in after the surfing or swimming, without worrying about trashing the remotes or the keys.

True story: I used to have a '87 Corvette. One day, I went to the beach, and when we got back the car would not start. (and no, I did not take the keys in the water; I did put them in my slightly soggy swimsuit.) Fortunately, I was 'rescued' by a fellow 'vette driver, who recommended I rinse the keys in distilled water. I did, dried the key, and the car started right up. It had the first generation 'immobilizer' technology, where a calibrated resistor was embedded in the key; any substance that altered the conductivity of the key caused a no-start.

The keys in the pilot use an inductive transmitter, but if the plastic lets salty water into the chip are, the key's toast.

 

[OnHonda11]

Okay, maybe a dumb question but doesn't everyone have a "valet key" (grey plastic) for their pilots? When was the last time you actually used it at all let alone for a valet? Are you really going to let someone touch your pilot to park it? The only thing it really protects is access to the glove box. Just take that key and doctor it instead of buying a new one with a chip. Great idea of saving the chip and reselling it as long as the buyer doesn't come by your place after dark and help himself/herself:22: to your customized pilot:2: I think the idea of the tap device is hilarious. Never heard of that one.

 

[Mark B]

[...snipped...]
Great idea of saving the chip and reselling it as long as the buyer doesn't come by your place after dark and help himself/herself:22: to your customized pilot:2:

Since I didn't get the chip programmed to match my key/Pilot, it can't be used to start my Pilot. The "programming" costs extra (in addition to the cost of the key)!!! I'm not sure, but I'd guess that once a key/chip is programmed, it can't be changed. Does anybody know for sure?

MarkB

 

[kemosabe]

Since I didn't get the chip programmed to match my key/Pilot, it can't be used to start my Pilot. The "programming" costs extra (in addition to the cost of the key)!!! I'm not sure, but I'd guess that once a key/chip is programmed, it can't be changed. Does anybody know for sure?

MarkB

I think (but don't quote me on this) that the reprogramming actually happens on (or to) the vehicle itself...

...the reason I make this statement is that when I had a 3rd key cut and "programmed" at the dealer, the tech took my Pilot, my original key, and the newly cut key into to the shop and hooked some gizmo up to my Pilot. A 1/2 hour later when I got the Pilot back, both keys worked!

However, when I got home, my wife's key did NOT work anymore (to start the Pilot). I had to take all THREE keys (and the valet key) and the Pilot back to the dealer to have them reprogram the Pilot.

This is what leads me to believe that there's some kind of memory gadget in the vehicle that is programmed to accept key x, y, and z (since my wife's key didn't change, yet it stopped working)...

 

[jay]

I think (but don't quote me on this) that the reprogramming actually happens on the vehicle...

...the reason I make this statement is that when I had 3rd key cut and "programmed", the tech took my Pilot, my key, and the newly cut key into to the shop and hooked some gizmo up to my Pilot. A 1/2 hour later when I got the Pilot back, both keys worked!

However, when I got home, my wife's key did NOT work anymore (to start the Pilot). I had to take all THREE keys and the Pilot back to the dealer to have them reprogram the Pilot.

This is what leads me to believe that there's some kind of memory gadget in the vehicle that is programmed to accept key x, y, and z (since my wife's key didn't change, yet it stopped working)...

From the couple of threads I've seen about bumper, Maxima, and mirror damage, having your wife's key not work is probably a good thing.:2:



(Just to make sure everyone understands, that was a joke. )

 

[Mark B]

...the reason I make this statement is that when I had a 3rd key cut and "programmed" at the dealer, the tech took my Pilot, my original key, and the newly cut key into to the shop and hooked some gizmo up to my Pilot. A 1/2 hour later when I got the Pilot back, both keys worked!

However, when I got home, my wife's key did NOT work anymore (to start the Pilot). I had to take all THREE keys (and the valet key) and the Pilot back to the dealer to have them reprogram the Pilot.

This is what leads me to believe that there's some kind of memory gadget in the vehicle that is programmed to accept key x, y, and z (since my wife's key didn't change, yet it stopped working)...

That would be easier than "programming the chip", and it supports something else I've heard - that these types of chips are also used to identify pets by inserting them just below the skin - maybe each chip has a unique ID number that the car and veterinarian can read.

MarkB

 

[kemosabe]

That would be easier than "programming the chip", and it supports something else I've heard - that these types of chips are also used to identify pets by inserting them just below the skin - maybe each chip has a unique ID number that the car and veterinarian can read.

MarkB

Mark B: Actually, that makes sense... Spoze key 1 has ID #1234 and key 2 has ID #5678 and key 3 has ID #9999 -- Your Pilot is "programmed" with that gizmo hooked up to it to only accept codes #1234 and #5678 and rejects everything else. The codes must be in the key's chip itself and that code is transmitted to the Pilot's computer "before" the engine is allowed to start for verification and validation... :8:

 

[SteveLuman]

You can have up to 5 keys for your Pilot. You can add a single key to the already programmed ones, or you can reprogram all keys at once.

I'm not sure if you are programming the key or the Pilot, but you can add one additional key without reprogramming the existing ones.

We had lost a key a while back and had all keys reprogrammed...then we found the key and reprogrammed it separately later.

 

[kemosabe]

[ S N I P P E D ]
We had lost a key a while back and had all keys reprogrammed...then we found the key and reprogrammed it separately later.

Hmmm... maybe the service technician at my dealership didn't know what he was doing???

Oh well... :8:

 

[Mark B]

You can have up to 5 keys for your Pilot. You can add a single key to the already programmed ones, or you can reprogram all keys at once.

I'm not sure if you are programming the key or the Pilot, but you can add one additional key without reprogramming the existing ones.

We had lost a key a while back and had all keys reprogrammed...then we found the key and reprogrammed it separately later.

Since I don't have any additional keys yet, that means I can get an ID chip put in my cat, and then just take my cat to my Honda dealer and have them add the ID of the chip in my cat to my Pilot! (I don't have to have all my keys reprogrammed!)
This way, I can use the non-programmed key in my wallet and my cat to start my Pilot!!! :2::2::2: Sounds like a Monty Python skit!

OK, OK, before anybody calls PETA on me - I'm kidding - I don't even have a cat. It's been a long day and I need to logoff!

MarkB