Honda Civic Forum - Check the lights, idiot...

I just wanted to share what I learned from my latest experience.

05 Civic VP. For the last few months it fails to start on occasion. Engine cranks no start. Up until last night you could just turn off the key, wait 60 seconds, turn it back on and it would start. Well, last night, it wouldn't start at all and had to be towed home. Battery is good, fully charged. I plugged in my basic scan tool (that won't show me data unless I pay to unlock extra features) and there's no codes, no pending codes.

I wait until it's real quite and turn on the key, I hear the click and the fuel pump running for a few seconds, ok the relays are ok.

I pull the #1 coil and plug and test for spark, no spark, ah ok. I test the crank sensor and I'm getting a solid 5v pulse. I pull the lower timing cover to make sure there's no gunk built up on the crank sensor, it's clean. Next I test the TDC sensor and again I'm getting a solid 5v pulse. I'm scratching my head now and worrying about the ECU.

I pull #4 coil and plug and check for spark again, no spark. I get in the car to check fuses and finally notice the green key icon keeps flashing when I turn they key on. Wait, ain't that supposed to go out after a few seconds? Why yes, yes it is.

I go get the spare key and it fires right up DOH! As improbable as it is, the passive RFID chip in one of the keys has stopped working and the idiot light has been trying to tell me this the entire time! If only I had paid attention to it.

PS Bone stock 05 Civic VP with over 350k miles on it. Purrs like a, well, like a large pissed off cat when you step on it, and runs perfect most of the time. Just keep that oil clean and on top of the rest of the maintenance and the thing may run forever.