Honda Civic DIYs and Civic Tech ChatHonda Civic DIYs and Civic Tech Chat - for the true gearheads! Bring your wrench, it's time for some Honda Civic DIY projects! Questions about problems with your car do NOT go here.
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I thought I'd throw this up in the DIY section since the original discussion took place in "I.C.E" where it seems less likely to be discovered by someone looking for such a thing.
A lot of people seem to ask whether it is possible to get an OEM Honda "fob-head key" keyless remote transmitter (the kind on Accords and now on the '06 Civics) to work with a 7th gen Civic. I don't know why but I felt compelled to take it upon myself to find out - the answer is YES, but it could end up being more expensive than you'd think it to be worth, depending on how/where you come up with the parts/labor.
I did this on my '04 EX Coupe and it went flawlessly. It SHOULD work for all 7th Gens, but I'd love it if someone with an '01-'03 could confirm whether any revisions would be needed for those cars...
Here's the short story:
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If you have a 7th gen with the "Sidewinder" style key (the one with the key tracks cut on the outside flats of the shaft, generally '04-'05), then by far the EASIEST way to do it is to swap an '05 CR-V keyless RECEIVER unit into your Civic. It is totally plug and play! Once it's in, you get yourself the CR-V key cut and programmed to your car and you're done. That's it!
1 CR-V kls receiver Honda Part Number: 38385-S9A-A01
1 CR-V fobhead key Honda Part Number: 35111-S9A-305
To get to the receiver, Follow the stereo install DIY...
...up to the point where you have the center console out. Look inside the open center of the dash (above and to the right of the cupholders, basically behind where the cig lighter/accessory outlet is) and you will see the keyless receiver in there on the right, a small black box about the size of a pager, with a green 5 pin plug but probably only 4 wires. It is visible in this photo:
R&R and reassemble! Then you will have to have either a dealer or locksmith program the new key's immobilizer chip into your car's system (sorry there is no DIY for that process that I am aware of) and then program the new remote in:
If your Civic has a "normally" cut key (eg: '01-'03) then in addition to the above, you will also need to disassemble the CR-V key as well as a "normal" key (blank or already cut) and transplant the normal key shaft into the CR-V key head. There is a DIY for this from a TSX owner here:
If you use a CR-V key though you will NOT also have to swap the immobilizer chip out (unless your normal key's chip is already programmed to your car and you don't want to have to have the new one programmed afterward) because the CR-V chip is already the same (type 3) as a Civic one.
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Now the background details, for those who want it...
The CR-V fob-head key is the key of choice because it comes from the factory with the correct immobilizer chip (type 3) and sidewinder key shaft ("F" stamped) already on it. The only thing that doesn't jive with the Civic is the transmitter frequency, which you deal with by putting the CR-V receiver in your car.
The Accord and '06 Civics don't have a stand-alone keyless receiver, on those this is integrated into other parts such as the immobilizer pickup unit. I skipped even looking down that road because I wasn't sure what effect swapping that out might have on a 7th gen Civic ECU or if it was even possible. There seemed really no point in going to all that anyway when the CR-V receiver swapout is so darn simple and clean.
The Accord key is not suitable because it uses a different (type 4) immobilizer chip and a different ("V" stamped) key shaft, neither of which are compatible with the 7th gen Civic. The key shaft could be sanded down on both flat sides to make it narrower like the F stamped key, but why? One thing to note, the transmitter innards do appear to be identical (FCC ID: OUCG8D-380H-A) so if you were doing a "normal" key shaft mod AND sticking a preprogrammed immob chip in, then you could use an Accord key head transmitter, if you happened to already have one laying around.
For further background reading, FCC schematics of the receivers, and my misc ramblings to myself, the original thread where all this was hashed out is here:
Being the naturally curious type, I actually did TWO keys for my car, one of them each way.
The first key, I actually bought a brand new CR-V part numbered fob-head key from a dealer parts department, had the service department cut it and program its immob chip and keyless transmitter into my car.
The second key, I made myself, to test that procedure as well, by taking a mis-cut key from someone's Accord that the parts guy would have thrown away but instead gave me to experiment with, and my original sidewinder main key, then disassembling both keys, and swapping my key's pre-cut shaft and pre-programmed chip into the Accord head, otherwise following the TSX guy's DIY procedure
Both keys turned out great. The reason I mention this is, even for those of you '04-'05s for whom the CR-V key already has the right chip, if you wanted to take apart the key you already have to put the pre-programmed chip in, you could then avoid the expense of having the new chip programmed into your car. One way to reduce the expense involved (although you're sacrificing your old key in the process).
If you wanted to go one step further, like I did with the experiment, and also swap the shafts out, you could then even avoid having to have it cut. I HAD TO do it because it was an Accord key with the wrong chip & shaft, plus I wanted to test the procedure. Honestly though you should not have to do all that if you have the CR-V key, even if you swap the chip, the dealer would still probably cut you the key for free if you bought it at their parts counter.
Another note, if you are going to shave the head off an original key to get to your preprogrammed chip for whatever reason, BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS!!! You can easily damage the chip if you are careless. I deviated from the TSX DIY in that I shaved my key head apart using a box cutter style razor blade shaving thin slices off the plastic, working from the outer edges inward, until I got down to the metal surrounding the chip on the sides.
You will find OUR chips are not even actually chips like the Accord's, they are actually what looks like a tiny coil inside a glass tube, with that inside a rubber shock absorber. This mess sits encased in the molded plastic, directly under the lower half of the "H" on the head, and runs vertical almost down to the base of the head, so be careful in that region when shaving.
Finally, where the TSX guy says he drilled a new screw hole in his modded shaft and then used epoxy to fasten it into the head, I did that a bit different too. Actually the Civic metal is shaped differently, right where the screw would go, there is nothing, because that's where the cutout for the chip was, so I shaped the new "T" on top of the shaft to fit into the recess of the transmitter case, then, instead of epoxy, I used this steel-impregnated epoxy puddy ($3 at Home Depot) called "FastSTEEL", stuffed it into the recess, stuffed the new shaft T into it, then stuffed some more on top, closed the case, adjusted the shaft straight, then put the screw in, let it set up (quick, only a couple minutes) then DELICATELY took the screw out and opened the case, cleaned any excess out, then delicately put back together. It pretty much formed an entirely form fitted new steel head onto the makeshift T on the shaft, and this key is now probably even stronger than the stock one that was molded in!
I'll post another addendum if I think of anything more to add... Peace!
I did forget one bit about the shaft transplant. I can't say what this would be like doing a "normal" shaft swap (since I did it with my original sidewinder) but on my key I forgot to include one detail...
When you have gotten the chip out and you have cut the metal head down to a "T" on the head end of the shaft, I said above that there was no key metal there for the screw to go into. This is only partly accurate.
Now that I think of it, there was a very slight bit of metal showing in the screw hole of the plastic case when I test fitted it all together, just enough for the screw and key shaft to foul against each other (making neither straight) but not even close to enough for threading.
In order to get the screw & shaft both straight, I actually had to dremel that tad bit of metal out of the T, making it so there really WAS no key metal showing in the hole. Then the metal epoxy did the job of bonding the T into the case, and forming threads for the screw, when gently screwed into the setting epoxy
Ahhhh, one more thing - a quick FYI about the CR-V receiver part numbers...
There are TWO different receiver part numbers available on '05 CR-Vs. It seems the numbers are different depending on whether that CR-V was built in Japan or England.
I've talked this over with a dealer parts guy who was unsure of any differences but stated there is likely no difference at all other than just where the receiver was made.
The Japanese CR-V part number: 38385-S9A-A01
The British CR-V part number: 38385-SAA-A01
I've researched it "on paper" and it looks like either one should work fine, because they BOTH use the same key part number: 35111-S9A-305, and thus the same transmitter = same frequency etc etc, but since I've only physically tested it with the Japan part, that is the number I posted for the DIY.
One last thing, in the parts databases the number has the full "A01" on the end, but on the sticker on the unit itself, it only says "A"
how much does it cost to get the reciever, fobhead key, gettin it cut, and programmed at the dealership? also got any pics of the steps in which if we gut and do all the things on our keys to transplant to the crv fob stuff
The CR-V fobhead key can cost anywhere from $50 up to about $80 depending on which dealer you buy it from, the CR-V receiver unit new from dealer parts goes anywhere from $100 up - for both of these definitely shop around!! Dealers set their own prices and some are way cheaper than others for the same parts. Most of the parts guys I talked to said the shop would probably cut the key free if you bought it at their parts counter, but this too could vary depending on where you go. Then there is the programming of the immob chip which generally gets charged at shop labor rate for 1 hour minimum.
All together going start to finish at a dealership you could spend anywhere from $250 on up to whatever insane prices they have where you shop. There are lots of ways to bring the total costs down though.
For example, buy ONLY the new key at the parts department. Then look around wrecking yards or online for the receiver, you might find a used one cheaper, or someone parting out who would sell theirs for less etc. Then you could go to a locksmith for the programming as they would almost always be cheaper than a dealer on labor.
One more idea, if you have the inclination to do a pre-cut shaft & pre-programmed chip transplant from one of your existing keys, then you can avoid altogether the chip programming labor, and be able to use any key (CR-V, Accord etc) with the proper FCC ID (OUCG8D-380H-A) on the back of the key head, so you could find a used key at a junk yard, or as I did, get one free from a parts guy because it had been mis-cut and was headed for the trash can! Of course the shaft & chip transplant is a lot of fidgety detail work and not for the careless! - but is one more way to knock overall cost down.
Like me, if you got a used key cheap, did the shaft/chip swap yourself, etc etc, you could probably pull the whole job off start to finish for less than $100...
PS: For a DIY on the fob head to other shaft/chip transplant, scroll up to my first post and look under "If your Civic has a "normally" cut key"
PPS: I have seen some aftermarket switchblade style key cases for 7th gens on e(vil)bay but they look pretty iffy quality wise...
Last edited by seattlex19; 10-07-2005 at 04:56 PM.
NOTE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SKIMMED THROUGH THE DIY:
YOU MUST use the correct key transmitter and the correct receiver!!
If you just grab ANY fob head key and/or ANY receiver from ANY CR-V it may not work, they have to be the right pair.
If you are not sure, BEFORE you waste money or time, please scroll back to the first post for the receiver and key part numbers, or if you got your receiver or key third party, be certain the receiver has the correct part number on the label and key has the correct FCC ID on the back of the head
Last edited by seattlex19; 10-10-2005 at 10:31 AM.
DIY: Upgrading stock keyless entry to Accord / CR-V style fob-head key 
Enjoy! 
