I loaned my prelude to my girlfriend (now my fiance) and she lost them. It was the only key I had to my 2000 prelude. Unfortunately for me I find out today, the honda dealer told me it would be $1500 bucks to replace the immobilizer unit, new keys, etc.

I'm less than happy.

Any way around this?

I looked up bypass modules on eBay... but didn't really have much success.

If you question my honesty, please, feel free to e-mail me instead of posting and I'll be glad to fax or e-mail you my drivers license and title to show you i'm not a car thief

my e-mail is mad.at.gravity@gmail.com, I appreciate any and all help, I'm even willing to pay for a decent solution.

 

The immobilizer function in the ecu can be bypassed.
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1864293

Another option would be to find someone parting out their prelude, and buy their immobilizer and red key.
http://forums.ntpog.org/showthread.php?t=34

I know there's another 5th gen part-out on honda-tech too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vinuneuro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The immobilizer function in the ecu can be bypassed.
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1864293</TD></TR></TABLE>

You'd also probably have to bypass the immobilizer unit in the steering column. Then you'd be set.

 

That sucks dude you should make her pay half

 

Get a new girlfriend/fiance.

J/K......Don't we all wish it were that simple. Ta, he, he.

Let me guess. After she screwed up, she tried to make it look like your fault.

Hope things work out man.

 

Well, in all reality she did this cute I'm sorry thing, and it's a bit like buying reverse brownie points. I now have $1500 worth of get out of jail free.

"Remember that time you lost my car keys baby?"

Yeah, that's what I thought.

 

As for disabling the ECU... in the engine & on the column....

No, I'd first have to know how to do that. My knowledge is limited to trucks. I can fix diesel motors (pre- computer ****) and put a kick *** 4x4 drive train together but can't fix jack on a computer controlled engine...

Maybe I can hand some of this info to the honda guys and see if they can do it


Modified by 00prelude44 at 4:32 AM 1/22/2008

 

Do you have a "helms manual"?

Check into what "Vin" is talking about. He's one of the men among many, that knows his ludes here on the site.

This one is a little to much for me to grasp.

Good luck.

 

Actually, I think you can have the key carved. You just have to find the special unmodified key for it, though you may have to find out what the original cut is like (I don't know about that, maybe there's some honda database).

Oh, here's the thread with the uncut keys: http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=437110

Hope that helps man. Sucks to lose your key like that.

 

Your dealer is trying to play you. I've had plenty of cars towed in because of lost keys. We cut it by the VIN, and then program it to the car. Doesn't cost more than $100 (hour's labor plus parts)

 

yea, i work at a ford dealer and we can cut any key 1996 and newer per the vin number, we just type in the vin and this machine cuts the key perfectly every time, and i'm pretty sure honda does it too. ask the mechanics there if they do it with the vin.

good luck

 

hey the last two posts seems like really great info. I think I've lost my keys somewhere in the garage too. I'm saying think cause i havent tried looking for them yet lol. but yeah. thanks a lot for the great info!

my suggestion is to either ask your honda dealership if they can do that for you. or go to another one instead lol

 

Yeah, I told them that basically. They said the problem is with the 2000 prelude that it was the first year of the immobilizer system, and in order to program any new keys, you had to have the "red key", otherwise it required you to replace the whole immobilizer system.

Needless to say I don't have the red key, I bought my car at auction and it didn't come with one. I feel like they're ripping me off too, I guess i need to call other dealerships

 

BS, the immobilizer started in 97.<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 00prelude44 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, I told them that basically. They said the problem is with the 2000 prelude that it was the first year of the immobilizer system, and in order to program any new keys, you had to have the "red key", otherwise it required you to replace the whole immobilizer system.

Needless to say I don't have the red key, I bought my car at auction and it didn't come with one. I feel like they're ripping me off too, I guess i need to call other dealerships</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Yeah, I smelled BS from the start.

I finally got around to calling Locksmiths today, and got a guy who says he can flash the ECM with new immobilizer codes.

I see so many of these posts where peoples issues are there, but nobody ever posts a solution.

So here it is: CALL A LOCKSMITH NOT HONDA

Hah, but seriously it's still expensive, not as bad. $300 for three new keys, he flashes the chip on the ECM board, and we're homefree (in theory) I'll let you know if he fails at accomplishing it.

 

Good deal, let us know.

 

nice, damn stealerships

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 00prelude44 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, I told them that basically. They said the problem is with the 2000 prelude that it was the first year of the immobilizer system, and in order to program any new keys, you had to have the "red key", otherwise it required you to replace the whole immobilizer system.

Needless to say I don't have the red key, I bought my car at auction and it didn't come with one. I feel like they're ripping me off too, I guess i need to call other dealerships</TD></TR></TABLE>

yea the immobalizer came out in 97 because i have a 97 and i have the red key.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by InvaderTrax &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Your dealer is trying to play you. I've had plenty of cars towed in because of lost keys. We cut it by the VIN, and then program it to the car. Doesn't cost more than $100 (hour's labor plus parts)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Do those fords come with immobilizers? cause i've called several dealerships and they all said i need a new immobilizer and they cant cut a key from my vin!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by InvaderTrax &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Your dealer is trying to play you. I've had plenty of cars towed in because of lost keys. We cut it by the VIN, and then program it to the car. Doesn't cost more than $100 (hour's labor plus parts)</TD></TR></TABLE>
dang they said they can cut a key for me, but that could open and unlock doors but they cant program it without the red key

 

you should try majestic honda. idk just a thought

And i better not lose my key cause i only have one. Also if you bought a lude new does that mean they came with 3 keys.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 00prelude44 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, I smelled BS from the start.

I finally got around to calling Locksmiths today, and got a guy who says he can flash the ECM with new immobilizer codes.

I see so many of these posts where peoples issues are there, but nobody ever posts a solution.

So here it is: CALL A LOCKSMITH NOT HONDA

Hah, but seriously it's still expensive, not as bad. $300 for three new keys, he flashes the chip on the ECM board, and we're homefree (in theory) I'll let you know if he fails at accomplishing it. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Yeah I have posted this on here so many times I have almost gotten tired of answering the same question. I am a locksmith and yes you are correct it is not nearly as expensive to get it done by a locksmith. I personally have flashed several ecus to fix this problem.

 

you will need to change the Mobiliezer Unite, it is around $300 pluse programing. unless you bought that car brand new then all you have is visit the orgenal dealer and ask for the"RED" key and that will have the programing code to program new key
FYI if you have the red key DONT use it to start the car

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slamdlude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Yeah I have posted this on here so many times I have almost gotten tired of answering the same question. I am a locksmith and yes you are correct it is not nearly as expensive to get it done by a locksmith. I personally have flashed several ecus to fix this problem.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i asked a locksmith today and he said he couldn't do it and that i need to get a new immobilizer control unit. He said if it was an accord or something then he could've flashed the ecu and gotten me new keys. I guess I'll try calling some other locksmiths today. slamdlude have you ever done it on a 97+ prelude? he took out his binder full of papers and it says the prelude has a type 1 immobilizer or something (i was curious lol)

 

Yes, I have done it multiple times to a 97+ prelude. It can be done. You just have to find the right locksmith, that knows what he is doing.