I was kinda sleepy getting in my car and I did not notice right away if someone had tampered with my car, trying to steal it halloween night, or I am at fault.

The problem is, I can't put the key all the way in, only half way. The locking tumbler mechanism is in the locked position.

I can't turn the car to 0 (off). It only goes to position I (acc) and makes the idiot reminder go off for keys still in ignition. There are no key pieces stuck in the ignition switch.

Is there a way to get the switch back to 0 so I can use my key as intended? Can I pull it out and rebuild it to fix it? Did someone try to start my car with a screw driver and break my switch?

As the car sits ANYTHING can start it. I've even used my lightning plug to start my car. I'm guessing if someone had actually tried to steal my car that night, the faulty starter itself kept them from trying a few times to take off with my car and ~$1000 in tools I had in the hatch (in the process of moving, don't judge me lol).

 

Well, you can remove the key cylinder and tumbler thing and take it apart and reset it. I'm not sure how hard that is, but I've done it for a different make/model of car before. It's the same as rekeying the ignition, except you just use all the same stuff. Pretty easy, might take a couple hours if it's your first time though.

 

your tumbler is damaged. without seeing it, it sounds broken beyond repair if a screw driver can start it. all your wafers are bent. you could possibly get a rekey kit depending on the damage and your technical skills. I've done one on a EG and a prelude not a EF but my prelude was a 88 so it shouldn't be to much different if any

 

I doubt they changed the key very much since the Honda used the D-series motor for a decade. They seem to keep a lot of their stuff backwards compatible.

 

Awesome, I'll try it this weekend if the car isn't stolen by then.
Yup, if they are bent, I guess it's time to make a new key so its all crisp and new. Hopefully it's just that interlock device.
ftfy

thanks guys. hopefully its easily repaired...

 

haha! The fact that I got corrected. Hilarious.

Anyways, why not lock the car? You can take the ECU and battery out. That's a pretty good way to keep it in the drive way.

 

I do lock it, but it has been jimmied once, window was broken after, and probably jimmied a second time. idk why they target my car in my neighborhood (it really is a nice place, higher end cars with more valuable stuff in it to steal) besides that it is an ED/EF, they haven't stolen anything other than a dirty gym bag full of dirty gym clothes, and the FACE PLATE for my deck, which i replaced with a $30 Dual unit. It is my work horse/part hauler/dd, all stock, all factory, unmolested beater with a heater. plenty of cars parked on the street but mine gets broken into. So i guess it might just be punk kids. idk.

soo physically taking the battery and ecu out is out of the question. I DO have an aftermarket kill switch module thingy that was probably the biggest scam of the 90's when this car was brand new, which i'm more or less forced to use right now LOL. I have full coverage incase it gets stolen and I try not to put anything in there over night or anything like that. The tools are no longer in the car either, they were there for the night, and also insured. But like I said, I dont know for sure if someone tried to steal the car, or I magic'd the tumbler into my current problem myself. I've lived here a long time and smash and grabs are rare, the only 2 times it happened in 15 years.

anywho, sorry for the life story. I just want to get this key thing fixed so it is 1 step less hoopty than it is now. I'll chime back once I figure out if the tumbler is broken-broken or fixable.