Honda key fobs and how to replace when lost

On 1/3/10 10:22 AM, in article ,
"Guy" > wrote:

> I forgot to ask this from the dealership at purchase and I know I can
> still ask but I'll ask here first.
>
> I seem to remember getting a couple of little metal chips on the key
> chain and told to use that to get a replacement key fob. I think this
> was on my 2003 when new but I didn't get anything for the 2010 nor
> told about key fobs. Do they just go by the VIN # now to replace
> these key fobs? I'm just thinkiing ahead.

Yes, you should've gotten the little tags with the numbers. They identify
the key. Additionally, there is a chip in the key (or maybe its in the
remote, but doesn't really matter, since its all a single piece).

To make a replacement key for this thing, they use the number on the tag
(that you didn't get) to cut the teeth on the key, then program the car's
computer to accept the new ID chip that is in the new key (which will allow
it to start the car), then program the computer to accept the transmitter in
the end of the key to make the lock/unlock buttons work.

You have to go to a dealer to get the "chip" programmed in. The other stuff
you can get done elsewhere.

On 01/03/2010 08:22 AM, Guy wrote:
> I forgot to ask this from the dealership at purchase and I know I can
> still ask but I'll ask here first.

translation: i'm bored and i want to "play".

>
> I seem to remember getting a couple of little metal chips on the key
> chain and told to use that to get a replacement key fob. I think this
> was on my 2003 when new but I didn't get anything for the 2010 nor
> told about key fobs. Do they just go by the VIN # now to replace
> these key fobs? I'm just thinkiing ahead.

"thinki[i]ng"??? that's clearly untrue - you'd have figured everything
out from google by now if you just wanted the info. otoh, you have time
to post no less than 8 times. see point above.

you're a complete waste of electrons.

On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:52:20 -0800, jim beam > wrote:
[i]
>On 01/03/2010 08:22 AM, Guy wrote:
>> I forgot to ask this from the dealership at purchase and I know I can
>> still ask but I'll ask here first.
>
>translation: i'm bored and i want to "play".
>
>>
>> I seem to remember getting a couple of little metal chips on the key
>> chain and told to use that to get a replacement key fob. I think this
>> was on my 2003 when new but I didn't get anything for the 2010 nor
>> told about key fobs. Do they just go by the VIN # now to replace
>> these key fobs? I'm just thinkiing ahead.
>
>"thinking"??? that's clearly untrue - you'd have figured everything
>out from google by now if you just wanted the info. otoh, you have time
>to post no less than 8 times. see point above.
>
>you're a complete waste of electrons.

LOL. Try looking in the mirror.

On 01/04/2010 12:58 PM, Guy wrote:[i]
> On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:52:20 -0800, jim > wrote:
>
>> On 01/03/2010 08:22 AM, Guy wrote:
>>> I forgot to ask this from the dealership at purchase and I know I can
>>> still ask but I'll ask here first.
>>
>> translation: i'm bored and i want to "play".
>>
>>>
>>> I seem to remember getting a couple of little metal chips on the key
>>> chain and told to use that to get a replacement key fob. I think this
>>> was on my 2003 when new but I didn't get anything for the 2010 nor
>>> told about key fobs. Do they just go by the VIN # now to replace
>>> these key fobs? I'm just thinkiing ahead.
>>
>> "thinking"??? that's clearly untrue - you'd have figured everything
>> out from google by now if you just wanted the info. otoh, you have time
>> to post no less than 8 times. see point above.
>>
>> you're a complete waste of electrons.
>
> LOL. Try looking in the mirror.

q.e.d.

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" > wrote in
:

> In article >,
> Tegger > wrote:
>
>> > You keep talking about a "key fob". There is no such thing;
>>
>>
>> A "key fob" is usually a decorative thingy that many people like to
>> attach to their key rings, but sometimes the fob is an activator for
>> an automotive security system.
>
> No, you had it right the first time.
>
> What people insist on calling a "fob" is acually the remote
> transmitter. At one time, it was a separate piece. Now it's attached
> to the key itself, and they're still calling it a "fob"? It's not a
> fob. It's the remote transmitter--and when combined, just call it the
> KEY, for God's sake.



I shoulda checked first before posting. "Guy" is in fact using the correct
terminology, and we are not.

Honda officially refers to the plastic bit of the key that holds the radio
transponder chip as a "fob". It is no longer a separate piece from the key,
but it's still a "fob" according to Honda.

Honda ALSO uses the word "fob" to identify the older separate plastic
thingy that has door-opening buttons, as well as the non-functional
decorative doohickeys that people like to hang from their keyrings.

You may not like it, but that's how it is.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" > wrote in
:

> In article >,
> Tegger > wrote:
>
>> Honda officially refers to the plastic bit of the key that holds the
>> radio transponder chip as a "fob". It is no longer a separate piece
>> from the key, but it's still a "fob" according to Honda.
>
> nope, you have it wrong.



How do you know? Do you know what I'm looking at?


>
> That bit of plastic at the head of the key? With the buttons? That's
> not the transponder chip.
>


According to Honda, those /do/ contain the transponder in the plastic end
of the key, along with the buttons. On some models, the head ("fob",
acording to Honda) with the chip is NOT removable from the key. On other
models the head IS removable from the key.

Excerpts from a few TSB's:

"The 2006 Civic GX comes with two master keys and one valet key that does
not have the master key fob functions."

"Some models come with three immobilizer transponder keys (two master keys
[black grip] and one valet key [gray grip])."

"Different from previous systems, master keys with a keyless transmitter
have the transponder built into the transmitter. A transmitter may be
replaced independently from the key."
(TSB then shows exploded diagram of head/fob being removed from key.)

"The keyless remote transmitter is now part of the key. The battery (type
CR1616) is replaceable."
(Transponder head/fob is fixed to key, but battery removable)

Yeah yeah, I know, I'm still wrong. You don't like it? Don't scold me, call
up American Honda and tell them they're getting it wrong in their
documentation.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"Guy" > wrote in news:emv3k51697190iaginv12nqfd7o329km90@
4ax.com:

> On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 08:31:36 -0500, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
> > wrote:
>
>>In article >,
>> "Guy" > wrote:
>>
>>> Anyway using Tegger's terminology, this key chip (with the plastic) is
>>> what I am concerned about should it get lost.
>>
>>That's the remote transmitter. And it's attached to the key itself,
>>isn't it? You can't lose the remote transmitter without losing the key,
>>right?
>
>
> Yes. I was concerned about losing this item (for lack of the correct
> terminology).
>
> Now I have to do more research or better call the dealer and see what
> they call this thing (plastic transmitter that is part of the key).
> I'm confused what to call it now
>


See my very latest post. My informal term "chipped key" IS technically
correct, but not in all cases, and in any case is not what it's officially
called so I guess it's ultimately wrong.

My latest post includes excerpts from official Honda documentation, so it
calls things what Honda calls them, not what Usenet posters choose to call
them. Your dealer's people may have their own names for these things that
are different from all the ones bandied about in this thread, so watch out
for that.


To summarize Honda's _own documentation_:

* Key:
The long skinny metal part with the squiggles in it. You stick this into
the door locks and the ignition lock. It has no chips or buttons.

* Fob/keyless remote:
The plastic part that forms the head of the key. Sometimes this is
removable from the key, sometimes it is a permanent part of the key. The
"master" versions have buttons. The "valet" versions do not.

* Transponder/transmitter:
The chip inside all fobs/keyless remotes. This contains your car's unique
codes.

* "Switch blade" fob:
Like the fob mentioned above, but the key retracts into the body of the fob
for carrying convenience.
Verbatim from Acura TSB 06-036:
"Switch Blade Key Fob
The 2007 TL key fob is a switch blade-type for more convenient storage."


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" > wrote in
:

> In article >,
> Tegger > wrote:
>
>> Honda officially refers to the plastic bit of the key that holds the
>> radio transponder chip as a "fob". It is no longer a separate piece
>> from the key, but it's still a "fob" according to Honda.
>
> nope, you have it wrong.
>
> That bit of plastic at the head of the key? With the buttons? That's
> not the transponder chip.
>

the RFID chip is most likely molded into the plastic of the key head.
Now,if that key head is now the casing of the remote,then he's right.

You folks might want to read this article about thievery of cars with these
security systems.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.08/carkey_pr.html

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

"Guy" > wrote in news:rbg1k512p7nphp87mnbakt7vpupovpfnn8@
4ax.com:

> I forgot to ask this from the dealership at purchase and I know I can
> still ask but I'll ask here first.
>
> I seem to remember getting a couple of little metal chips on the key
> chain and told to use that to get a replacement key fob. I think this
> was on my 2003 when new but I didn't get anything for the 2010 nor
> told about key fobs. Do they just go by the VIN # now to replace
> these key fobs? I'm just thinkiing ahead.



Nobody actually answered your original question it seems...

Fobs are programmable. If you lose a key, you can buy a new one and have it
programmed, but you need to have ALL the car's other keys reprogrammed to
have the same data as the new one. This is REALLY expensive, so DON'T LOSE
YOUR KEYS.

If the fob becomes damaged, and you have the sort of key where the fob is
replaceable, a new fob can be installed, but it (and all the other keys)
will need to be reprogrammed just as if you'd lost the entire key.

If the key has a non-removable fob, it's just like the above two
paragraphs, except that you need a whole key instead of just the fob.

If you lose your key, you need to be able to get hold of one of the spares
so the car may be driven to the dealership. If there are NO keys available
at all, the car needs to be towed/flatbedded to the dealership. With you
along.

Security is pretty tight with these new keys. Dealers up here want you and
the car, in person, plus your ownership and a photo driver's license. The
ONLY exception is if the dealership employees know you and the car
personally and /extremely/ well.

Today's lesson: DON'T EVER LOSE YOUR KEYS!


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On 1/4/2010 5:24 PM, Tegger wrote:
>
> I shoulda checked first before posting. "Guy" is in fact using the correct
> terminology, and we are not.
>
> Honda officially refers to the plastic bit of the key that holds the radio
> transponder chip as a "fob". It is no longer a separate piece from the key,
> but it's still a "fob" according to Honda.
>
> Honda ALSO uses the word "fob" to identify the older separate plastic
> thingy that has door-opening buttons, as well as the non-functional
> decorative doohickeys that people like to hang from their keyrings.
>
> You may not like it, but that's how it is.

Unfortunately, Honda is using the word incorrectly. The definition of
"fob" is below.

fob (f�b) n.

A small pocket at the front waistline of a man's trousers or in the
front of a vest, used especially to hold a watch.

A short chain or ribbon attached to a pocket watch and worn hanging in
front of the vest or waist.
An ornament or seal attached to such a chain or ribbon.