[Locksmith]

Im sure I have one I can send you. The only way you'll get one new from Honda is buying the latch assembly. What year?

 

[Betterintheory]

Im sure I have one I can send you. The only way you'll get one new from Honda is buying the latch assembly. What year?

I have an 03 awd

 

[Locksmith]

I'll look around my shop on Monday.

 

[Betterintheory]

Is it the blue or red+yellow piece that I need?

 

[Locksmith]

Blue is for the lock. Red goes to the handle.

 

[Locksmith]

I could not find a driver side linkage.

 

[Betterintheory]

bummer...I might have to attempt jerryrigging my own. Is there some plastic retainer thing for the bottom?
My inside door latch guide rod got knock out and reinstalling that thing was a pain because of its plastic retainer.

 

[Locksmith]

There are plastic retainers at both ends.

 

[Betterintheory]

I found this grill/oven grate with the same thickness/stiffness and made it work. The bottom plastic retainer wasn't there so I had to bend the bottom enough so it wouldn't back out but not so much that it wouldn't go in. It took a few tries in that tight space...but so far so good. Time will tell. But I'm glad to not only be able to put the door skin back on..but have a functioning lock cylinder now!

 

[Elementally Deficient]

KEY WON'T TURN TO OFF FROM POSITION 1 - PROBLEM IDENTIFIED

In researching my issue I came across this awesome thread and saw people with the same issue. The problem, however, has nothing to do with the lock mechanism in the steering column. With so many lock issues with Hondas, and the key not turning, it is easy to assume the problem is the ignition switch. But the problem is actually the at shift interlock switch under the shifter, which sends a signal to the ignition switch that the vehicle is in park. This picture below may help:

The shift interlock switch is a simple toggle switch with two green wires coming out of it. At rest, the circuit is complete. But when the car is in park, the metal shifter gate moves upward hitting the metal lever and depresses the switch. This sends a signal to the steering column that the vehicle can be switched off, allowing the key to move to off from position 1. That shifter gate moves up and down as you press the button on the side of the shift lever. The picture above demonstrates the problem - the vehicle is in park, but the shifter gate is hung up and won't move up enough to depress the shift interlock switch - so you can't move your key out of position 1 to turn it off.

I think the primary cause is the return spring in the shift lever has lost strength over the years and just doesn't have enough push to move the lever past any friction. The original lube has also gotten a bit sticky with age.

I don't have any great solutions however, other than perhaps dismantling the whole shifter and replacing the return spring with a new or stronger spring. The easiest solution, once you realize what is happening, is to simply jiggle the shift lever and that will typically get the shift gate past the friction to hit the switch. I cleaned and re-lubed that area, but that alone still wasn't enough.

You could also just cut one of the green wires, leaving the circuit open all the time. But not only would this mean you could switch the car off and remove the key in any gear, with it rolling away. But I assume this switch also tells the car when it can start. So cutting the wire (presumable, I didn't test this) would likely make the car think it is never in park and never let you turn the key from position 0 to start.

I took a small file and went to town on the path where the gate travels to hit the switch. This improved things, but it still gets hung up.

I suppose another solution would be to route the two green wires to a convenient spot and install a toggle switch. This would act as a form of theft deterrent, though hardly foolproof.

Sorry I don't have a great solution, but hopefully identifying the problem will help others.

EDIT - After cleaning and lubing (and filing) the area, the key has yet to stick in position 1. So maybe a good clean and lube is all it takes to resolve the issue. I also plan to take apart the shifter handle and re-lubricate that area where the button actuates the interlock.

 

[k29er]

I recently had this problem on not being able to turn the key. My solution was to buy a used lock assembly unit off ebay, and install it on my car.

So now the car works, but I have two keys, and the immobilizer unit looks a little hokey. However it works, and cost me less than $100.

BLUF: I need to do something like Kira did with my 2007.

Backstory: I have a 2007 Element approaching 200K that I handed down to son #1 and now on to son #2. Son #2 managed to pull key from car while not in park. Ignition was never right after that.

The other day it went to the shop for a starter, and the key was to the point that it wouldn't come out of the ignition, but at least we could start the car. While the car was there, an old school locksmith visited the shop and got the key out, but in the process he made it worse, as the ignition would no longer turn. Certainly a wafer problem. IF the mechanic had followed the instructions here, I think I'd be fine. But he didn't, and now my ignition has no wafers, no spring back after starting, and won't actually full click off either. Its a disaster.

I ordered a complete (used) ignition from ebay for ~$130.

@Locksmith, appreciate any thoughts. At this point, I'm not entirely sure what my best avenue forward is. I don't mind if I have two keys for the car. I don't necessarily mind if the immobilizer/transceiver is immobilized. I just need the ignition to work properly. From what I have gathered:

1) I want to use my old transceiver (immobilizer) so I don't have to have the new one coded to the car.
2) I can immobilize the transceiver/immobilizer in some hack-fashion and not have to worry about programming keys. Is that accurate?
3) I can have a locksmith with the right knowledge and equipment program the new keys to the old transceiver. This seems to be the most secure option and least hacky. How much does the locksmith charge for this, usually?

Is it worth going to the trouble of pulling out the cylinder from the old and new locks, or should I try to swap out the entire unit?
a) I've seen some videos where folks manage to get those headless screws turning w/ some chisel action so you can get the whole thing removed without removing the column.
b) It also looks like a chore to get that 1st pin out in order to be able to pull the cylinder out of the housing. Is it as bad as it looks?

edit: What about this cylinder @ Amazon? Too good to be true?

Amazon.com

Update: I swapped out the ignition and for the time being have immobilized the immobilizer. Will program keys at some later date if the mood strikes.

 

[Locksmith]

This is a pic from a while back when I was helping someone else with a similar problem. Showing how you can start it when you have replaced the lock cylinder but haven't programmed the new key yet. You can tuck that transceiver module/key anywhere it'll fit and drive it that way forever.

 

[wjrmonkey]

So I just had the issue of key won't turn in the ignition. Thanks to Mr. Locksmith and some YouTube videos I learned to remove the roll pin and the lock from the ignition and I took apart the lock. I found one wafer/tumbler is worn something like this

It's the "tooth" part of the tumbler /wafer that's worn out and as a result even after the key is fully inserted this one wafer still sticks out and does not retract and fit flush with the rest. However I was clumsy and lost one of the tiny springs (each wafer has one spring adjacent to it in the slot to push it up when the key is removed). Anyone has idea about where I can order a replacement spring or the Honda part number please? Many thanks!

 

[wjrmonkey]

I found the Honda Lock Wafer kit on Chirid.com and the set comes with x1-6 replacement wafers and I also found set of replacement roll pins by LockVoy on clksupplies.com. but I could not find the tiny wafer spring yet. Many thanks.

 

[Locksmith]

... lost one of the tiny springs ...

Just leave it out, it won't matter at all. I mean the wafer and the spring. There are enough in there that missing one won't make a bit of difference.

 

[wjrmonkey]

Hello Thanks Mr. Locksmith. I probably will just do that. It's the most practical approach. Quick fix too. but I noticed like someone earlier had mentioned it is often the first or second wafer that's gone bad. In my case I looked carefully and noticed the previous owner had one of the two first wafers removed already. That means the car had the issues before. I never knew. This is a 2008 Element with just 39k miles that I got. currently it has 45k miles. Now it is one of the second wafers that has worn and refuses to retract. So I think it is likely the first or second wafers often bear the brunt of the impact and wear/ tear every time the key is inserted (impact). that's why if I just remove the first or second wafers then the third row wafers will bear the impact and wear / tear. And so forth. so maybe it's better to replace the wafers as much as I can in the first place? that's just my theory. Thanks!

 

[Locksmith]

Think about it like milage. The wafers at the front of the lock get the most milage. Every time the key is inserted and removed, the first wafer travels the entire length of the key and back. Less and less, per wafer, the further you go into the lock. Up to the one at the back of the lock that goes almost nowhere and will last the longest. That is also mirrored to the tip of the key. The tip of the key makes contact with every wafer, every time. Combine that and you have a perfect storm. Worn down first wafer/s and worn down key tip. Removing the first few wafers will buy you time but eventually the worn down key will continue to miss picking up a wafer and crush it. Replacing them with new wafers also buys time but the previous crushing of the old wafers widens the gap of the wafer chamber in the lock core. The new wafer will already be further away from the key right from the start. The only real solution I've found is new everything. A half ass solution is gutting the lock entirely.

 

[psschmied]

On a 14 years old car the step that should be the easiest isn't. Any tips on getting the bottom plastic shroud off the steering column without damaging it?

 

[Locksmith]

After the three screws are removed, pressing forward on the front of the shroud, closest to the steering wheel, where the two halves meet, will help.

 

[psschmied]

duplicate post