Hey guys. My brother sold me a nice condition 2002 Civic EX. I've been maintaining it and using it to commute, which is good.

The last few months, it's seemed like the key fob I was using had issues. The range kept shrinking, and sometimes I was sure I locked the car, but when I got back, it wasn't locked. I changed the battery a couple times. This last weekend, it stopped working entirely. I figured the fob died. Luckily, I have a spare. The spare even has a little red light on it when it's transmitting, but the car doesn't respond to either. What's the first thing I should check when it comes to this?

Thanks!

PS I have the 8v v-tec b(?)17a2 engine and have a brand new pair of O2 sensors for a different engine (B17a1?) that I bought by mistake. They're both NTK or Denso. Anyone want to buy them on the cheap? They are not for the 16v v-tec "lean burn", which I think is a wideband.

 

Start using the key like people did before key fobs were created. This will still lock and unlock the door. It is just a commuter... not a Cadillac.

 

Why reply if you have no help to offer?

I'm going to sell it soon.

 

You have the d series 16 valve sohc vtec. The HX has a similar ultra high fuel mileage version with a wide band O2. Doing the keyless entry fobs up should be no big deal. There are refurbished ones available. They basically pop them open, shoot some compressed air in there, and slap in a new battery. You can do that yourself. Even a fob from another car (or a generic one) can be made to work. I'd get two new energizer batteries off ebay or amazon and try to get one or both fobs going. I doubt it's the car, I'd blame the fobs. It's easy to program the fobs to the car. You can google the process, I can't remember the exact steps, but you just sit in the car and press the button with the key in the ignition a couple times.

 

Ah, yes. Thanks, it's a D17a2 with the SOHC 16v single-stage vtec in an EX model.

I first suspected the fob had died, but I have a spare one, also programmed to the car, and it isn't working on the car either. I took it to an o'reilly fob tester, and both are transmitting. One has a new battery 2 weeks ago, one has one from <12 months ago. I doubt that both died the same month, and I smelled burning wiring/plastic a few days ago around when this started happening. Do you know where the module is? I am betting it's crispy on the inside.

 

It's under the dash on the drivers side. I think you will be able to take one out of another civic and make that work. Though I've never done it and I'm not sure what all is required. I'd imagine you would just program the fob, just like the box was still in the original car. But I'd still try to program a 3rd fob before you go to all the trouble.