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Your Honda’s Ignition is About to Fail

Honda Ignition Failures
Honda Ignition Wafer System
Honda Vehicle Wafer System
Bad Honda Ignition
Bad Wafer Example

Honda Key in Ignition

Honda vehicles are known for their popularity and durability. On the other hand, their ignition systems are not so reliable. Undoubtedly, Honda built a reputation of designing and building highly reliable cars. Unfortunately, they really phoned it in when it comes to their ignition systems.

Unbeknownst to most Honda owners, all Honda vehicles that were made after approximately 2002, have a design flaw in their keyed ignition systems. However, push to start owners need not worry about this because their is no ignition key.

Inside of keyed Honda ignitions there are tiny pieces of metal called wafers. Wafers are used to provide a unique key cut combination to each vehicle. Unfortunately, these wafers are so delicate that after about 180,000 miles, they can fail stranding the vehicle owner.

Read on to see how Honda high security ignition systems work and why they fail.

Honda Keyed Ignition Operation

Honda vehicles use what is called a high security ignition. This means that the key used to operate the vehicle ignition is milled on a special key machine. The key will then move the tiny metal wafers within the ignition lock.

Furthermore, when the key is inserted into the vehicle’s ignition the milling (cuts), on the key position the wafers to a shearline. The shearline allows the ignition to turn and the vehicle to start.

Honda Keyed Ignition Wafers

Honda keyed ignition vehicles use something called a split wafer design. This means that the wafer combination are not a single piece of metal but rather two smaller pieces (see images above). Clearly, this design means that the wafers can wear our and cause the key not to turn.

Looking at the image above called the “Honda Wafer System”, you’ll see the tiny wafers with shelves for the key. The top left image shows the difference between the Honda wafer system at the bottom of the image and a conventional system that uses a full wafer.

Honda Keyed Ignition Failure

When the tiny wafer shelf wears to a point that it can no longer ride on the milled key the vehicle ignition will no longer turn. Typically this can happen if the number of miles on the vehicle is over 180,000.

Looking at the image above on the left, you’ll see a comparison of a worn and a new wafer. Notice that the shelf on the worn wafer is gone.

Once the shelf is worn, the corresponding wafer will protrude from the lock and cause the ignition not to turn (see image above). When the tiny wafer shelf wears to a point that it can no longer ride on the milled key the vehicle ignition will no longer turn. Typically this can happen if the vehicle will not be drivable and require it to be repaired or towed.

What Can You Do?

When your Honda vehicle’s key no longer turns you have two options: 1. Have your car towed to the Honda dealer. or 2. Have a locksmith go to the car and fix it on site.

Undoubtedly, a trip to the dealer will cost you the price of a tow truck and then the repair prices usually start at about $600.00 and up. Obviously, there is the risk of having the vehicle towed and damaged in the process.

Unfortunately, some have tried to replace the entire ignition themselves by purchasing one on line and discovered issues with that method. First the ignitions sold on line are made in China and are not made to Honda specifications.

Secondly, the ignitions come with keys that have to be programmed to your vehicle and will require a locksmith to visit the vehicle location and charge for programming. Thirdly, the on line ignitions often come with the wrong keys so the locksmith will have to provide new keys anyway.

Fourthly, if you buy and install your own ignition, your ignition key will no longer operate the door locks so you will have to carry around two keys. Lastly, replacing the ignition is not as easy as what the videos on YouTube say it is. Often times problems will occur and the ignition will be very difficult to remove.

Clearly, the more reasonable option is to have a locksmith come to the vehicle and rebuild the ignition on site. Local Locksmith will rebuild your ignition at a price that is roughly half of what the dealer charges. We also re-cut your existing keys so that they are like the manufacturer versions and you won’t need a tow truck.

Rebuild Honda Ignitions

Call Local Locksmith TODAY!

Honda Wafer Operation
Wafer Type Comparison
Honda Wafers
Wafer Comparison
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