[whizmo]

I've removed several of these screws - they're tight, but I've had good luck using the correct jeweler's screwdriver AND using vice-grips on the shank of the driver to turn the screw. This way you can keep steady/hard pressure to keep the driver engaged to the screw head so it doesn't cam out while you independently apply steady torque to the screw.

- Mark

 

[rka4570]

I took my key into the dealer. They weren't able to remove the screw and ended up replacing the remote.

 

[sjlee]

I took my key into the dealer. They weren't able to remove the screw and ended up replacing the remote.

Did they charge you for the new remote?

 

[jl_ss]

Timely thread. I just had to replace a battery in one of our keys. Used an eyeglass screwdriver very carefully and backed off on any indication of stripping. I made sure to maintain a force in the direction of the screwdriver to keep it from twisting out of the slot. It came loose after a few tries.

 

[doublesharp]

Timely thread. I just had to replace a battery in one of our keys. Used an eyeglass screwdriver very carefully and backed off on any indication of stripping. I made sure to maintain a force in the direction of the screwdriver to keep it from twisting out of the slot. It came loose after a few tries.

What year is your Pilot? Mine is an 06 and both remotes were dead. Wonder how many people with older than 06 models are still using original battery?

I seldom drive our Pilot and my wife was getting ready to leave on a week long shopping trip. She was leaving at 6:30 am Sat and told me the remote was dead at 7:30 pm Fri night. I thought about telling her tough luck, find a dealer on the road, but then figured I'd give it a shot. That turned into a challenge. I had 2 sets of cheap precision screwdrivers. The fit was pretty good but the screw driver steel wasn't. I didn't strip the screw, I rounded the screw driver. I'd let pb blaster soak for over an hour and I tried heating the screw driver tip over a tea candle. I put the sdriver in vice grips, no good. Finally I took the plastic edge off the front tip of the key housing and used a flat tip screw driver in the slot on the side and just forcefully pried the housing off. Then I used a pair of needle nose pliers to break the seal and then my 2nd screwdriver to get the screw out.

A bubba job all the way but it worked and the screw still got a good enough bite that the remote won't fall apart. I may drop a bit of super glue on the corner for insurance. I was surprised how long that screw was. My screw had a blue thread sealer on about the first 3 threads but I think a quality jewelers screw driver would do the job. My screwdrivers are about 4" long and have a spinning knob on the handle. OK for glasses but not good enough for the heavy torque required for this little screw. Way overkill on this one Honda. Surprised you don't sell a special $70 tool like you do for the running boards on a Ridgeline.

 

[rka4570]

Did they charge you for the new remote?

Nope, they replaced it for free.

 

[jl_ss]

what year is your pilot? Mine is an 06 and both remotes were dead. Wonder how many people with older than 06 models are still using original battery?

2005

 

[legendaryyaj]

Replaced mine not to long ago and my spare is dead now. Weird as I never touch the spare. Took mine to the dealer and they had to break the case and put in new screw. Cost me $18 and that was it. No need to reprogram as he just swapped to new case. Car is a 06 btw

 

[sujadi]

I've used drill bit less size compare to the screw and drill slowly and stop as it hit the key.. right away you can remove the cover and change the battery, covred it up again and apply a dub of super glue to the part being drilled...

 

[rugbyflanker]

Is there a trend here with 2006 pilots and dead key fobs? My 2006 Pilot key stopped working 2 months ago. I replaced the battery and it worked fine for about a month and then died again. I replaced the battery again (and again) and cleaned the contacts, etc. but my key fob is totally dead. Now I'm resigned to the fact that I need to make a trip to the dealer for a replacement. My second key fob (that my wife uses) works fine still but I'm expecting that to die soon too...

 

[CNJ]

Add me to the list of pissed off people who cant get the ****ing screw out! This is so rediculas. It's the only vehicle I've ever had this problem with. Both fobs are dead! ARRRGGG! Time to get busy with the drill. Well maybe I'll try the dealer but I'm not buying new fobs and having them reprogrammed.

 

[rooster59]

I'm going to take mine to the dealer.

"Can you put a new battery in these?"
"Sure"
"How much?"
"$10 each"
"Gee, that's a lot. Will they be just like new?"
"Of course, we're a Honda dealer!"
"Guaranteed?"
"Of course, we're a Honda dealer!"

 

[CNJ]

OK third time is a charm! I got that SOB out by heating it up with a soldering iron as stated a few posts ago. Also had to use a jewelers flathead due to the stripped screw. Thank You to all once again! Love this site, now I have to find the batteries. :29:

 

[sjlee]

I'm going to take mine to the dealer.

"Can you put a new battery in these?"
"Sure"
"How much?"
"$10 each"
"Gee, that's a lot. Will they be just like new?"
"Of course, we're a Honda dealer!"
"Guaranteed?"
"Of course, we're a Honda dealer!"

$10 to replace the battery in the remote? I think the battery alone is a few bucks, so probably well worth it. In addition, if they end up stripping the screw or damaging the remote, they'll probably replace it for free.

 

[RRPilot]

I took mine to the dealer near me and they wanted about $50 for a new key. So, I called dealer I bough the car from and they replaced it for $10.

 

[KKL]

How-To Undo Key Screw

The battery in the key fob conked out today. Got home and tried the spare. Same thing. The light does not flash at all on either. The spare sat in the drawer all the time and has only been used once or twice in five+ years. I was surprised both keys died at the same time. I read the postings here and was amply forewarned about stripping the tiny screw.

I clamp the key down on a bench corner to free up both hands. My left hand bears down on a Size 0 jeweler's philips driver (with hardened tip) to prevent cam out. My right hand operates a vice grip applied to the ridged shank of the screw driver. It took all but a minute to do both keys.

I checked the open-circuit voltage of the CR1616 batteries. They are both down around 2.4 Volts. A new battery should read 3V+.

 

[Tupperware]

The trick for me was to use heat from a soldering iron and then a Hozan #0 Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) screwdriver.
JIS looks like Phillips, but it's different. The JIS driver will not cam out of the screw. If you spend time working on Japanese machinery, a quality JIS screwdriver set is a VG investment. You'll know when you are looking at a JIS screw when you see a small dimple or dot in one quadrant of the cross. Smaller screws do not always have the dot, but on #1 and larger, it's usually present.
pics of dimples here:
http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/F5K/IE3C/FQSWZZ4L/F5KIE3CFQSWZZ4L.MEDIUM.jpg

 

[normkol]

If any of you damages your key, there are shells available for replacement. You transfer the electronics to the new shell, have the blade cut, and you're in business. No programming necessary.

A good automotive locksmith will have these, or can get them.

 

[humanoid]

Don't forget that there is a little chip in the shell of the OEM one, you'll need to transfer that as well.

 

[TomStromie]

My wife stopped at NAPA when her key's battery was dead. They sold her a battery and replaced it for free. I'm having her take the other key (also dead battery) to NAPA for replacement. It saves me stripping the screw.