[psschmied]

Thanks.

I took the screws out before I posted. The plastics in my car are hard and brittle, so I didn't feel like experimenting.

I found official directions on removing the covers - not intuitive in any way until after the cover is off - in Honda's installation directions for the security system accessory for the 2011 model.

The front of the bottom half, on the right side, is the last of 3 places that Honda says to press.

https://www.bernardiparts.com/Images/Install/2011_Element_SecuritySystem_AII43499.pdf

 

[Locksmith]

It's far from the worst, trust me.

 

[zinguy]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Ignition failed on Saturday. Back up running 2pm Monday the 4th of July. Will need to fashion a threaded replacement for the blind roll pin. Had to drill into the housing to get it out but all else went as you so kindly described.

 

[nephipolder]

Locksmith, thank you for your posts, and thank you to everyone else's posts on this thread and others. I was about to give up with the whole roll pin extraction. Then I saw a post elsewhere that said the roll pin fell out. My 04 with 240,000 miles and bad suspension (vibrations?) may have been the trick I needed as the ignition cylinder came right out after the four screw removal. Not sure what implications that has on re-assembly. The battery died during the week that car was idle, maybe that's a bad sign, but with an hour of charge I could turn the ignition to accessories with a screwdriver. The car died, luckily, in the driveway, but with the windows down. Not a high crime area but not ideal. This car is always one further repair away from me scrapping it. It lives to fight another day now. I wonder if others struggled with the two screws that were hard to reach. I had to put a lot of pressure on a low profile right angle screwdriver/ratchet from Harbor freight. I feared stripping the Phillips head from failing to break the screw loose. Maybe I have desk-jockey forearm strength.

I'm curious how some got the whole assembly off the steering column. I errantly took off some screws, seems I only loosened the unit that holds the turn signals. Not sure how I would remove the ignition housing unit. Again, lucky I didn't have to work to get the cylinder out from the steering column. And again, thank you to all those who faced this before and shared their experience.

 

[mkcchicago]

I recently had the dealership replace the ignition cylinder and immobilizer on my 2007 LX after they were totally trashed during an attempted theft of the car. Luckily insurance covered that, which is why I let Honda take care of it. But now the ignition and door keys don't match, and I'd really like them to. Should I have asked to get the new ignition cylinder rekeyed to match the doors while it was at the dealer? They didn't offer this as an option and seemed pretty confused in general about what to do about the big pile of keys and transponders that they handed back to me at the end. The solution they offered was to order new cylinders for me, let me take the cylinders to a locksmith to get them rekeyed, and then bring them back for installation...somehow this is $1100 plus the locksmith's fees.

My preferred locksmith quoted $30/lock to just rekey the current locks (or new ones) but said they would need to be removed from the car first by a body shop (or me, if I can figure it out).

Another locksmith would handle the whole process but would charge $200 per door. If I go this route I might skip the hatch and the glove box since I've maybe only ever had a valet key anyway - the hatch has never worked with my keys.

I'm kind of confused about these different approaches. Is there a reason I should be getting new cylinders instead of getting the older ones rekeyed? Either way, is it smartest to just go with the more expensive locksmith service that will handle the installation too, as a one-stop fix?

I feel like the best option would be for me to remove the cylinders myself and take them to my usual locksmith, but I'm not sure how successful that will be. I want to try and do it but am nervous to mess up my doors, plus I live in a big city and don't have a garage.

Silly question - if I was able to get the cylinders out, is there any reason I couldnt drive the car, sans locks, across town to the shop? After the recent theft attempt I just do not want to let it out of my sight while it's unable to be locked.

thanks for any input!

 

[Locksmith]

I would suggest to re-key the ignition to match the original key?

1: You have to remove only one lock. If the dealer didn't break the heads off of the break-away bolts, it will be very easy to remove the ignition lock assembly.

2: It keeps the vehicle on the original key code. This is important because if you ever lose your keys and call a locksmith to make keys, if they don't match it could be an absolute nightmare.

Re-keying the existing cylinders is fine but it also depends on how much wear and tear they already have.

Yes, you can drive without the door lock cylinders in place.

 

[mkcchicago]

I would suggest to re-key the ignition to match the original key?

1: You have to remove only one lock. If the dealer didn't break the heads off of the break-away bolts, it will be very easy to remove the ignition lock assembly.

2: It keeps the vehicle on the original key code. This is important because if you ever lose your keys and call a locksmith to make keys, if they don't match it could be an absolute nightmare.

Re-keying the existing cylinders is fine but it also depends on how much wear and tear they already have.

Yes, you can drive without the door lock cylinders in place.

thanks for the response. That does make sense to just do one lock instead of (at least) two. I do currently have 5 ignition keys (somehow) and 2 of the door keys, but that shouldnt be the deciding factor.

I didn’t think about the key code issue. Is there a new code that comes with the new ignition & keys that I could just keep track of? or is the original one tied to the VIN forever and that just keeps everything much simpler?

 

[Locksmith]

Yes, the original key code is stored in a database by VIN. Dealers can get them and locksmiths with the right credentials can buy them. The key codes are also stamped on the lock cylinders. That replacement ignition lock cylinder, that the dealer installed, has its own key code. If they used an OEM lock assembly, the code should also be stamped on the lock cylinder.

It's safe to assume that the transponders in your original keys are no longer programmed to the car. Only the new keys. If you rekey the new lock back to your old keys, you will have to have them programmed to the car again.

If you rekey any/all of the original locks to the new key you will not have to deal with programming but if you ever have to have a key made by VIN, it won't turn the lock.

 

[Fairfur]

For the DIY'ers... first thing is to take the lock out. The door panel is pretty much like any other with one exception, that little black triangle shaped piece of sh... um... trim at the top rear of the panel. First time I tried to remove it I almost broke it. Then I figured out the trick, push from the back. Here's some pics.

 

[nephipolder]

I ordered a cheap $20 ignition/key set, obviously it doesn't work due to the chip in the original key. I learned a little more by reading online and decided to follow locksmith's approach of pulling all the wafers out of the original ignition. Charged battery last night and this morning it started right up. Maybe I can squeeze a few more thousand miles out of my jalopy. I'm curious if there's a market for Elements for the parts. I'd prefer this car go to good use rather than a random scrapyard.

 

[justindeanross]

I ordered a cheap $20 ignition/key set, obviously it doesn't work due to the chip in the original key. I learned a little more by reading online and decided to follow locksmith's approach of pulling all the wafers out of the original ignition. Charged battery last night and this morning it started right up. Maybe I can squeeze a few more thousand miles out of my jalopy. I'm curious if there's a market for Elements for the parts. I'd prefer this car go to good use rather than a random scrapyard.

I need a parts Honda badly

 

[Mrselfdestruct]

Want to thank Locksmith again, used this thread today to gut my Mdx.

 

[vatedome04]

• Try pulling the key out slightly before turning it. Sometimes pulling the key out just 1/6 of an inch is enough to get it to turn.
• Alternatively, gently wiggle the key back and forth as you turn it.
• You can also try sliding the key in and out a few times to clear away any debris stuck in the ignition cylinder.
• If your key is bent, use a wooden or rubber mallet to hammer it until it's straight again.

myfiosgateway.one

mobdro

 

[sailracer_98]

Great thread and info here. My driver side door lock has been flaky for years and has now gotten to the point where I can't insert the key at all. I guess it's time to do something about it. I see this product on Amazon. Is this all I would need to build up a new lock to match my old key? It seems a lot easier than trying to find a locksmith who will sell me the plates.

 

[sailracer_98]

I see this product on Amazon. Is this all I would need to build up a new lock to match my old key? It seems a lot easier than trying to find a locksmith who will sell me the plates.

I ordered it and can answer my own question now. The new parts from Amazon sort of worked, but the core seemed to have some quality problems- metal flash from the casting was blocking one of the wafers from fully seating, so I had to use a needle file to clean that up. Even after that, the operation wasn't smooth and sometimes the key wouldn't fully go in. I ended up re-using the original core and just using the new wafers from the purchased part, and that seems to be working fine for now.

 

[wmedernach]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU @Locksmith

I have done a lot of DIY maintenance on everything from our MDX to washers and dryers, and this was by far one of the best write-ups and descriptions of how to fix something. You saved me a TON of money, thank you!

 

[Eli1]

the steering wheel lock mechanism has failed you'll need to break that apart and remove the springs and pawls

do you have or can you link to any visual aid to help understand this? I pulled the bad wafer off my cylinder (thanks Locksmith) but the key won’t turn now that I reinstalled the lock.
Did I break something while rattling the roll pin out?

 

[Eli1]

Hey Timmy, sorry it took so long for me to notice your question.

The brass rocker arm has to do with the steering column lock. I'm not certain how it interacts down inside the column but it has very little to do with a non turning key. On a side note, if your steering wheel is locked up tightly, on any car, the key won't be easy to turn. Pressure must be released on the column locking pin so the cam that the lock turns can retract the pin.

There is a little piece between the key and the rocker arm that can get worn down, that might be part of the problem. Also look very closely at this spot on your ignition, where the tip of the screw driver is touching. If that part is bent or broken in any way at all, the lock may be toast. That must be smooth and unbroken for the core of the lock to follow the ridges that push the core in while turning.

Hi Locksmith, thank you for your detailed directions for taking apart the lock cylinder, I was able to remove a wafer from mine that was not moving.
I reassembled it and the key enters effortlessly now, a huge improvement from
before, but the key still won’t turn.
It seems from what people are saying that it may be something broke in the steering wheel lock, but I’m trying to cover all my bases before I remove anything else.
Which part were you describing and had pictured in this post?