[TopMomm]

Hello Pilot Pals,

I'm hoping someone is online who might be able to help us. My dear husband just put his BMW key into our Pilot, and it seems to have locked up the entire car (the BMW key fit by the way).

I guess the Pilot thinks someone is trying to steal it.

How do we override this? The steering is locked, the ignition is locked, it's a mess. And it's sitting in the driveway, with a dried-out Christmas tree hanging halfway out of the back (it's scratched up the interior big-time, but that's another issue...)

Anyway, anyone know what to do? All the Honda dealerships here are closed on Sundays.

Awaiting help,

TopMomm (aka Diane)

 

[2k3pilot]

I believe that Honda has some kind of roadside assistance service. If you have access to your owners manual or any documentation that came with it you may want to try finding the number. My wife is out with our Pilot now or I'd get the 800 number for you.
I don't know if this will work but you may want to try disconnecting the battery with the BMW key removed and then reconnecting the battery and then trying your correct Honda key.
Once again I'm not sure if the battery thing will work but I would try it.
If anyone else has any advice please chime in.

 

[baoloclamdong]

Ok,Try this,disconnect your battery cables(positive only is fine)and leave it off for about 30 sec.reconnect it see what your display will say.You may need to enter your CODE.You should have it.

 

[TopMomm]

Thanks, 2K. I have my manual, but the only number is a Customer Relations number (and the recording says currently closed). Husband is skeptical of battery fix, but says he'll try it.

Other thoughts?

 

[TopMomm]

Code?

How would we enter a code?

 

[2k3pilot]

The instructions for entering the code should be in the owners manual. I faintly remember my salesman telling us about it.

 

[TopMomm]

Any dealers open on Sundays?

Nope, disconnecting the battery doesn't work.

My husband is really irritated about this...says it has to happen "all the time" -- people putting the wrong key in the ignition, and there has to be some way to reset it (and "WHY ISN'T IT IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL!")

I dunno. All I know is that it's setting up tomorrow to be a very bad day (how do I get to work, 12-foot tree hanging out the back, etc., etc). I say, "Well, it's never happened to me..."

So, still need advice here. Anyone have a Honda dealership that's open on Sundays?

Diane

 

[TopMomm]

Back on the road

Thanks to all who wrote, especially Goldtopan, who went the extra mile for a Pilot buddy and called a Honda tech guy from her husband's dealership. They told us to try rocking the steering wheel and ignition -- and after some rather violent rocking -- my husband got it to unlock.

Could it have been caused by the BMW key? Or a fluke coincidence? I don't know.

Cheers to this board! What would we do without you guys? (Reason enough to keep the Pilot, huh?)

Diane

 

[Tom]

Re: Back on the road

Thanks to all who wrote, especially Goldtopan -- told us to try rocking the steering wheel and ignition
Diane

I don't see any response from a Goldtopan in this thread - was it a private message?

What type of rocking did you do - rock the whole car? I can't imagine what "rocking the ignition" would mean.

 

[tim.s]

Re: Back on the road

...They told us to try rocking the steering wheel and ignition...

...What type of rocking did you do - rock the whole car? I can't imagine what "rocking the ignition" would mean....

Sounds like a typically steering lock.

If you turn off your car, remove the key, and then turn the steering wheel (clockwise for instance), it will lock into one position. Because there is a bit of spring in the steering, the steering wheel will rotate back a bit (counter clockwise in this example). When you put the key in, you will need to turn the wheel slightly (clockwise in this example) before the key turn.

If you don't know what's happening, it will seem like the key is just stuck (won't turn). It should not require too much steering wheel "rocking" unless you are parked on a slope and the car rolled slightly.

This type of steering lock has been around for a long time as a theft deterrent and a safety feature.

 

[TopMomm]

Re that rocking that my husband did yesterday: I think he said that he rocked the steering wheel while at the same time moving the key in the ignition back and forth. Of course, we've experienced typical steering column lock before, but this was really excessive ... Couldn't get it to budge an inch without a lot of brute strength.

Husband said the weird thing was that the wheels weren't turned. It was on a slope tho, so guess that might have had something to do with it. (Or that wrong key really just set it off!)

Now, we just have to find the code for our stereo system (which is now locked thanks to our disconnecting the battery), and then I have to find the link that explains how to reset my automatic window feature (anyone have the link at their fingertips?)

And then I have to figure out how to rub out the scrape marks from the 12-ft Christmas tree that my husband crammed in the back of my beloved Pilot. They're on the ceiling.

 

[Ferdball]

Now, we just have to find the code for our stereo system (which is now locked thanks to our disconnecting the battery), and then I have to find the link that explains how to reset my automatic window feature (anyone have the link at their fingertips?)

http://eferdie.com/pilot/docs/pdi.pdf