ucsdtriton

I took delivery of my TSX on Friday evening 8/29, and that night I grabbed the spare master key, valet key, and keyless remote (wife's keys )... none of them worked!!!

The next morning when I went into the dealer for them to go over the car's features with me (night before, wifey was starving so no time to go over the details), I told my salesperson. He told me the service manager needed the whole car for an hour to program the keyless remote and get the keys done, so while he showed me the features on a red TSX like mine with AT/Navi (anyone notice that Red TSX's have been sitting on the lots a little longer, I notice because I drive past the dealer almost everyday on my way to work?), the service guys took my car. After going over the features, I waited about an additional 30 minutes. For my time, they gave me a free oil change/carwash coupon.

My salesperson apologized for the inconvenience endlessly, and gave me the reason, was that the car had recently come off the truck from a dealer swap, and the remote had not been programmed yet and the spares were not done yet.

I have NEVER heard of this, I would think that all keys and remotes are done and checked at the factory. Basically, I've been told that the cars only come with one set, and that the spares are done at the dealer. Something smells fishy. I think the original dealer gave them the wrong keys, or they were lost in transit and they just had to reprogram the other remote and recut the keys.

This just begs the question, which car were those keys for if they actually were not blanks, maybe I should have checked all the other cars on the lot late that night and drove off with another car!

Have I been had?!... I hope they're telling the truth. Anyone work for Acura, that would know the inside deal with keys? (I won't tell )

At least they threw me a free oil change and other than that the cars been great.

TinkySD

Welcome to the board! Sorry to say I don't know about the key thing...in fact this post is giving me the urge to go check out my spare set! Good to see another UCSD'r on the board. I was class of 2001! We have quit a few sales people that frequent this board so I'm sure someone will have an answer for you before too long.

MSB128

Naptown reporting....

That reminds me, I've never used the spare or valet key. I might want to go try that out.

It does seem like an odd explanation, though, but I doubt there's anything to worry about. I had the same paranoia when I was getting my car at first, thinking the worst of everything. I'm sure your guys are pretty good, but it's always best to be safe.

Naptown out.

captainjack

My spare remote and key both work. I'm sure your case was just a fluke

The valet key, however, is a misnomer. It OPENS the car but won't start it. The "valet" key doesn't have the embedded chip needed to start the TSX. So what's the point?

Since I can't do much with the valet key, I thought I'd just get an extra regular key for emergencies. Not so fast: they cost over $100. Ouch.

fdl

Really? Are you sure? I thought the valet key just couldnt open the trunk and glove box? You're right it wouldnt really be a "valet" key if it couldnt start the car...but it would still be usefull.

e_lectro

My dealer did something even better... They gave me all of my keys plus the keys to the other black TSX on the lot

bheywow

My valet key starts the car but will not open the the trunk when the truck is locked or the glovebox

bbbuzzy

Hi,

Keys from the dealer have an embedded chip that in conjunction with the ignition system "rolls" or randomizes the ignitions code so that "copied" keys can't be used, only an original. Your valet key will start the car (what good would it be to a valet if he/she could onlu open the door?), it just won't open the trunk (if locked on the release lever) or the glovebox). If you have a key "cut" at a hardware store, it will open the door, it just won't start the car as it doesn't have the embedded chip. Your faulty valet key just needed to be programmed.

majormojo

Both of my regular keys work. Haven't tried the valet key yet, I guess I should. I have a small problem with one of the key fobs. It doesn't do the auto window rolldown thing when you press unlock twice and hold. The other works fine. My dealer also told me they'd need the car for about an hour for reprogramming. I'll wait till it goes in for its first service, it's such a minor issue.

Does anyone know if the Accord keys with the remote buttons built in can be cut / programmed to work with the TSX?

ucsdtriton

I want to know too! I would pay to switch to the Accord key/remote!

Spud

I think that programming the keys is part of dealer prep. My soon-to-be-traded-for-a-TSX Jetta VR6 has had to have the keys re-programmed a couple of time (because the button-laden fob broke) and they need to re-program at that time. It may be a security feature that cars aren't shipped with keys programmed.

captainjack

Sorry about the bad info on the valet key. That's what I was told by some tool at the dealership.

I'm also dying to know about the Accord fob-on-key thing. If that doesn't happen, I'd like to at least replace our scratch-prone fob with a simple black Honda version.

I assume they're all programmable. Right?

e_lectro

Someone has looked into the Accord key before, it will not work. It has something to do with the coding of the alarm, but I don't remember exactly.

jackspat2

Looks like a job for e_lectro

e_lectro

lol, sorry, I don't have an Accord to experiment on Just a TSX and an RSX

tehCOW

There's an 03 accord in our garage. The accord key with the FOB cannot be cut to fit the acura's key holes... reason being is that the accord key is laser cut where as the TSX keys are still machine cut. For some reason, i have no idea why.... most luxury car brands have laser cut keys, but not acura. Even honda civics have laser cut keyes now. As for the transmitter, i'm think it could be reprogramed to be read in the TSX. After all, acura parts are really honda parts.

I think if you have an 02 accord transmitter, you could easily move the 04 TSX circuit board for the trasmiter to the 02 accord transimiter housing. I have an 01 civic transmitter and i can move the TSX transmitter circuit board over to the civic's transimitter's housing, the only thing is that the trunk button will not work because there is no button on the civic housing. If the housing is interchangable, i'd like to think that the circuit boards are similar.