Taigher

I'm trying to get keyless entry on my civic because it's the 21st century. I did some googling and some seventh gen civics had this preinstalled, but there was an option I guess when you first bought the car. Whoever bought my car back in the day probably didn't pay a little extra for the keyless entry because they're unintelligent or w/e.

I actually bought a keyless entry fob for my specific car and can confirm that I need to install the module + harness for this to work. So here's my question:

What's the easiest way to go about doing this? Is there a reputable aftermarket website that sells these things? Will I need to buy a soddering kit for this as well? And lastly, does anyone have any experience with their own 7th gen civics who've installed their own module/harness? How hard is it really?

Ok thanks

mcnoople

It is easy to install if you can find a factory kit. If you can understand how the systems work it is very easy to install aftermarket keyless into an older honda. You just need the keyless control unit to ground a certain wire to lock the door and ground a different wire to unlock the door. It is a total of 6 wires including one 12 volt constant hot, three wires going to chassis ground, and 2 wires that go to the door lock circuit to trigger the door lock actuators.

Here is the unit that I used. Cheap kit with remotes that look like OEM Hyundai remotes from about 7-8 years ago. I have had zero trouble with mine since install over a year ago.
When I bought mine it was labled as "eagle eye" brand, but with made in china electronics they change names and label more often than I change my socks. The key is to get the least intrusive kit you can find. You don't want to tie into too many system. Apply the KISS principle to all cheap china electronics.

Taigher

That Amazon link is surprisingly affordable. Are we sure it works on my car? 2003 honda civic lx

ezone

If you can scrounge a keyless receiver and its connectors and some of its harness from a you-pull-it yard, that would make it a breeze.....if you can wire up your own aftermarket stereo and follow a wiring diagram, you should be able to wire up a used factory keyless reciver. The OE unit has 4 wires: constant hot, keyed hot, a ground, and one for communication to the MICU.
(Your OEM fob may or may not work, depending on what you specified it to fit)

Search the forum, I'm sure I helped someone do this sometime in the last couple years.


The aftermarket can also be done, I'd run the (negative triggers) to the wiring for the inside power lock switch on the drivers door (I'd tap into the wiring for that switch under the dash though)

mcnoople

Yes, it will work on a 2003 civic. The power door lock switch grounds a wire to cause the lock to operate. There are 2 different wires: grounding 1 causes lock, grounding the other causes unlock. The aftermarket control unit (if wired correctly) would just apply a ground to the same wires used by the factory power door lock switch wiring.

The factory unit is a little more complicated in its operation since it uses multiplex communication but the actual wiring isn't any more complicated.

As I posted in my first reply. The aftermarket china stuff only requires 6 wires to operate 1990s-early 2000s honda door lock wiring. You hook up 1 power and 1 ground to power the control unit. You hook 1 wire to the unlock trigger and the partner wire for that wire goes to ground. You hook 1 wire to the lock trigger and the partner wire for that wire goes to ground. When the unit receives a signal from a proper remote it makes a connection between the trigger wire and its partner wire. This cause the locks to operate.

I think when I installed mine I spent more time removing extra wire from the controller harness than I did installing the unit. Be forewarned some china instruction leave a lot to be desired.