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Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to Kearnstd

Premium Member

to Kearnstd

Re: The price of open ODB

I had an alarm system like that installed mid 90's in my Honda. It sounded great when I was looking into car alarm systems but I found too many folks like you wanted to hear it tell them to back away if they got near the perimeter...I don't recall how many feet from the car that was. I finally had to turn off the alarm (causing too many complaints from neighbors being awakened from the alarm) and then my Honda was stolen out of my parking stall a few months later. It was 8 years old at the time but Hondas, especially back then, were the favorite brand to steal ....for the parts.

I bought a Ford as a replacement. I had a lot of vandalism to the Honda before it was stolen so I figured a Ford no one would vandalize. I replaced that Ford recently with another Honda. It has a key fob/alarm system. I don't like it because I could not get a third key made. I always carry an extra key in my purse but all I could get for this car was a blank that will open the driver's door. So, if I accidentally locked the keys in the car then that would enable me to retrieve them. But if I lose the keys, the blank key will not start the car.

I also hate the programming for the door locks. There are several choices and none are safe except the one that is the most irritating and cumbersome to use. My Honda is not a high tech one...thank goodness! Yet, it is still too "high tech" for me.

aannoonn
@optonline.net

aannoonn

Anon

said by Mele20:

I replaced that Ford recently with another Honda. It has a key fob/alarm system. I don't like it because I could not get a third key made. I always carry an extra key in my purse but all I could get for this car was a blank that will open the driver's door. So, if I accidentally locked the keys in the car then that would enable me to retrieve them. But if I lose the keys, the blank key will not start the car.

You should already have three keys. Your Honda should have come with two complete key-fob keys, plus a valet key that will open the driver's door and start the car.

Check your owner's manual. If you didn't get all three keys, go to the dealer and insist they give them to you. Also note you can use the key number tag (which you should also have) to order additional keys.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

No, I got two Master keys with remote transmitter (two buttons - one for "lock" and a red security light starts blinking on the daskboard) and the other for "unlock". There is also a red panic "bar" button. There is only ONE lock on the vehicle ...driver's door. This is a 5 door hatchback but doesn't have a lock for the back nor is there a lock on the front passenger door. This makes setting the lock security a real hassle. The damn doors all unlock when the engine is killed even though the key is still in the ignition. That is extremely dangerous in some neighborhoods and especially at night anywhere if in the car alone. Someone was murdered in Mexico due to stupid setups like this and auto manufacturers need to be sued to stop them from doing this because it is not just Honda. Doors should NEVER unlock until the driver unlocks them. To key my Honda that way, means that I cannot use the remote to unlock the passenger front door, the rear passenger doors, or the hatchback/trunk door. Any other programming makes the doors unlock automatically (all five) when the engine is killed. So, I have to unlock the driver's door with the remote and then open it and use the panel on the arm rest to open the other doors.

As for a valet key, that is irrelevant for the Fit. It is a hatchback without a trunk but has magic seats and the amount of head room, leg room, and cargo carrying space (after manipulating the magic seats) is amazing. It is a very spacious car (shouldn't be in the small car category ...Ford Fiesta is an example of small... and extremely popular here). There are two glove boxes (one big and one small) but neither have a lock on them.

i didn't get a key number tag. I did have Honda cut me a blank key that works on the one lock on the car but will not work on the ignition. Honda told me that if I need another remote key that I have to order it from them IN PERSON and they cannot make it there. I noticed that Ace Hardware was advertising that they had new blanks for all remotes for all vehicles/manufacturers. So, when I asked about my Honda they told me ONLY Honda they could not make a key for. They said the only way to get another remote for a Honda was from the Honda dealer.

I did get a radio code in case the radio/CD player gets stolen so it can it be found. That's good because Honda's used to constantly have their radios stolen.

DocDrew
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DocDrew

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said by Mele20:

The damn doors all unlock when the engine is killed even though the key is still in the ignition. That is extremely dangerous in some neighborhoods and especially at night anywhere if in the car alone. Someone was murdered in Mexico due to stupid setups like this and auto manufacturers need to be sued to stop them from doing this because it is not just Honda. Doors should NEVER unlock until the driver unlocks them. To key my Honda that way, means that I cannot use the remote to unlock the passenger front door, the rear passenger doors, or the hatchback/trunk door. Any other programming makes the doors unlock automatically (all five) when the engine is killed. So, I have to unlock the driver's door with the remote and then open it and use the panel on the arm rest to open the other doors

The locks have programmable modes, read the manual to change it. You should be able to turn off the auto unlock feature entirely.




Double clicking the unlock button on the remote will unlock all the other doors and hatch not unlocked by the first click.


These are pretty standard operations on most cars with security systems for the last decade or so.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

I read the manual when I got the car. I could see no way to program it to keep the doors locked when the engine was killed. So, I drove down to Honda and spoke with my salesperson. He is not some newbie dragged in off the street. He has worked there many years and knows Hondas upside down and inside out. He bought this same Honda for his elderly mother (the 2011 model...mine is 2012). He told me it could not be programmed the way I want it. It is still possible he is wrong about this so I will ask someoine else at Honda...well, maybe not, because I don't want to offend him as he handles everything for the car like coming out to the house to pick it up for servicing, etc.

All doors unlock when the ignition is killed. At least Honda was not as stupid as many auto manufacturers about it. Other manufacturers have it so that when the vehicle is not moving for x number of seconds the doors all unlock even though the engine is still running! That is even more dangerous and people have been murdered because of it.

As an aside, I hate that the doors lock automatically after the car has been moving for a few seconds and that also cannot be turned off. I only want the doors locked when driving at night. My previous car was much better in this regard. It had remote control with four buttons and I thought that is what I was getting on this Honda.

A non
@151.190.0.x

A non

Anon

Follow the instructions above for "To turn off the Auto Door Unlock modes". Afterwards, you should still be able to use your keyfob to unlock the doors. And the auto door locking should still work when you shift out of Park.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave to Mele20

Premium Member

to Mele20
Why don't you try the 2011 manual's procedure for disabling the auto-door-locking?

My guess, based on a sample of 2, is that no car vendor implements automatic locking without having a way to disable it.

Locked doors do slightly increase safety in the event of a crash.

»www.cartalk.com/content/ ··· accident
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to Mele20

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to Mele20
interesting about the honda method. I know my 2012 Cruze unlocks them when I put the transmission into park. But I think I have an option to change that to disabled or manual unlock.

DocDrew
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4 edits

DocDrew to Mele20

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to Mele20
said by Mele20:

I read the manual when I got the car. I could see no way to program it to keep the doors locked when the engine was killed.

Again from the manual:

page from 2012 Honda Fit manual

From the 2012 Honda Fit Owner's Manual, to turn off auto-unlock mode:

1. Set the parking brake.
2. Open the driver's door.
3. Turn the Ignition switch to ON.
4. Press and hold the rear of the master door lock switch on the drivers door for more than five seconds. You will hear a click twice.
5. Release the door lock switch.
6. Turn the ignition switch to ACCESSORY within 20 seconds.
7. Done.

See pages 84-89 of the manuals, that's where the lock mode configuration info was in the PDF manuals for 2010, 2011, and 2012 Honda Fit.
said by Mele20:

So, I drove down to Honda and spoke with my salesperson. He is not some newbie dragged in off the street. He has worked there many years and knows Hondas upside down and inside out. He bought this same Honda for his elderly mother (the 2011 model...mine is 2012). He told me it could not be programmed the way I want it. It is still possible he is wrong about this so I will ask someoine else at Honda...well, maybe not, because I don't want to offend him as he handles everything for the car like coming out to the house to pick it up for servicing, etc.

I linked to the 2011 in my previous post, the 2012 one in this post. Read it again and then show it to the Honda Salesman. The salesman should know how to do this since he should be setting up and signing off on some basic car settings for the customer he's selling cars to. You should be offended he doesn't know the car he's selling, so teach him and if he's offended, oh well.



said by Mele20:

As an aside, I hate that the doors lock automatically after the car has been moving for a few seconds and that also cannot be turned off.

It can be turned off. See the manual again. It's a very similar process to the auto-unlock diable, but you push the front of the lock button instead of the back during the configuration.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave

Premium Member

Aside: you gotta laugh at these insane user interfaces. Would a couple of push-buttons and a tiny display have really blown the cost of materials? Or surely there's something already on the dashboard that they could re-purpose for 'config mode'.

1. Set the parking brake
2. Open the driver's door
3. Put your left(*) foot in
4. Put your left(*) foot out
5. Do the hokey-pokey(#) and you wave it all about

UK models:
* use right foot
# do the hokey-cokey

DocDrew
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DocDrew

Premium Member

said by dave:

Aside: you gotta laugh at these insane user interfaces. Would a couple of push-buttons and a tiny display have really blown the cost of materials?

Things like that seem to be SOP for configuring rarely changed options like lock modes or clearing change oil/check engine/low tire indicators, i.e. stuff the dealer or mechanic usually deals with.

My in-laws are overwhelmed enough by the standard controls, let alone the switches for fog lights, seat heaters, electric mirrors, and other options. More switches for this is just useless crap that'll confuse them more. They'll wind up locking themselves out with flat tires and no oil in the car...

No_Strings

join:2001-11-22
The OC

No_Strings

said by DocDrew:

They'll wind up locking themselves out with flat tires and no oil in the car...

Sounds like the roads would be a safer place that way.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

said by No_Strings:

said by DocDrew:

They'll wind up locking themselves out with flat tires and no oil in the car...

Sounds like the roads would be a safer place that way.

So anyone over 30 should not drive, right? If you are older than that you didn't grow up on computers. The fact that tons of mostly irrelevant options confuse them doesn't mean they are unsafe drivers. One reason I bought this Fit was because it is NOT a high tech car.

I had a strange icon come on the dashboard when I started the engine one day. It looked sort of like a sailboat with a small "c" next to it. I had no idea what it was for. I kept looking at it instead of looking at the road and was about to pull over and get out the manual to look up what it was as I didn't know if it was trying to say it was unsafe to drive the car or something. But then it disappeared before I could pull over. So, when I got home I took the manual out of the car and into my home and looked the symbol up. It is the symbol for "cold engine". Geez...whatever happened to the gauge for that? I'd far prefer a gauge. A gauge gives MUCH MORE information regarding the temp of the engine at ALL TIMES.

Lex Brodie's has an ad about the low tire pressure icon. They want you to come in so they can disconnect it as people say they have checked their tire pressure and it is ok but that stupid icon remains and in the ad the gal says "should I use a black magic marker to get rid of it?" and then Lex Brody says "No, bring it in and we will get rid of it". (Something like that...that is not an exact quote from the ad). I have driven for over 50 years and done just fine regarding keeping the tire pressure correct without any tire pressure sensor. (Although that harder these days when it is not easy to find a service station that doesn't charge a lot more for full service at a gas pump).

There is one sensor I like. The oil one. Honda sent me a letter a few weeks ago with a coupon saying it was time for an oil change. BS. The sensor says remaining oil life is at 80%.

No_Strings

join:2001-11-22
The OC

No_Strings

Hyperbole much?
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to DocDrew

Premium Member

to DocDrew
said by DocDrew:

Double clicking the unlock button on the remote will unlock all the other doors and hatch not unlocked by the first click.

These are pretty standard operations on most cars with security systems for the last decade or so.

Thank you! I missed that completely when I read the manual. With my previous auto, the remote only locked/unlocked the driver's door (it was a two door sports coupe) and a second button unlocked/locked the trunk. No clicking twice for unlocking the other door/trunk.

It is wonderful to be able to unlock the hatch with the two clicks (and the back door on the driver side where I put packages many times instead of in the hatch).

I think I need to read the entire manual again. Who knows what else useful I missed or read and then forgot because there was a lot to remember?

My salesman told me to not bother reading the manual ....that most folks hate them and don't read them. He said to call him (gave me cell and landline numbers) or stop by (dealer is right by the main shopping centers here) and ask him instead of reading the "confusing" (his word) manual.
Mele20

Mele20 to DocDrew

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to DocDrew
OK. I got the manual tonight and read that section again. Now I recall what I hated about that section and why I didn't want to look at it. It has those extremely confusing, hard to follow flow charts! I have always HATED flow charts and usually can't make heads or tails of them. I see no point in flow charts when if the instructions were just written like you did in your post it would be so easy to follow ....but, no, the manual writers have to make it very hard to follow by using flow charts instead of a simple list of, in this case, seven steps to follow.

I remember now that the reason I went down and asked the salesman about it was because I got so confused by those flow charts and how to read them. Extremely difficult to follow. My brain doesn't work that way. I have always been an outstanding reader (scored at sophomore college reading level in the fifth grade on the Stanford Reading Test...highest score ever at the time in my home state) but I can't do flow charts worth shit.

Evidently, the salesman just turned off the auto unlocking settings entirely. I'll turn off the auto locking settings tomorrow. I remember now that the salesman said that should not be turned off because it was a safety thing in case of accident so the door would not come open. I wish I had told him to turn them off anyway as now I have to remember to lock the driver's door (and other doors if I had them unlocked) manually at night. I've had seven months now to get used to not doing that.
Mele20

Mele20 to aannoonn

Premium Member

to aannoonn
said by aannoonn :

[
You should already have three keys. Your Honda should have come with two complete key-fob keys, plus a valet key that will open the driver's door and start the car.

Check your owner's manual. If you didn't get all three keys, go to the dealer and insist they give them to you. Also note you can use the key number tag (which you should also have) to order additional keys.

I checked the manual tonight and the Fit comes with either 2 ignition keys with remote transmitter OR two ignition keys with no remote transmitter. There is no valet key and if your Fit comes with keys that have the remote transmitter you cannot also get just an ignition key.

You are right though that I should have gotten a key number tag. I don't recall getting it but I will look for it. I was there for over four hours (4PM-8PM) and was hungry and tired by the time I finally left so maybe it was given to me and I just don't remember. I was given the radio code tag and thought I lost it and went down and got it again...then I found it in a safe place at home. Honda was hell bent on not letting me leave until the deal was completed that evening. (They are one of the old fashioned, nasty dealers...Ford is by far the best dealer to work with...better than any other dealer I have ever dealt with, but the Fiesta was so tiny...it sort of forced me to Honda even though they are horrible to deal with---my previous two Hondas were deliberately purchased in Honolulu and shipped over because of the attitude of the local dealer...that attitude is better now than when I bought those two cars, but still awful compared to the local Ford dealer which is wonderful to work with.
dave
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join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave to Mele20

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to Mele20
said by Mele20:

If you are older than that you didn't grow up on computers.

I am and I did.
dave

dave to Mele20

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to Mele20
All this says is that you don't read instructions.

I'm kind of fond of the tyre pressure monitor myself, being a forgetful sort of person where trivial tasks are concerned (i.e., I want equipment to remind me that something needs doing to it). And my car manual clearly tells you the reset action needed. As for patronizing a place that thinks the best way to deal with electronic sensors is to disconnect them.... well, they hardly sound like the brightest LEDs in the array.

Did Honda really send you the oil-change letter, or your Honda dealer? There's usually a difference. The car manual (there's that word again) will tell you like it's good for something like 10,000 miles but some dealers will try and persuade you that you need to change it every 3,000, like they did when you learned to drive.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County

CylonRed to Mele20

MVM

to Mele20
Honda America has NO idea when you need an oil change so don't take a coupon as such (even if it does say that in print). Don't buy the marketing - makes like a lot easier and less frustrating.

A non
@151.190.0.x

A non to Mele20

Anon

to Mele20
Don't ask the salesman questions, ask us instead.

I have an Accord. If I double-click and hold the unlock button, all the windows and the sunroof open.

I understand that you don't want the doors to automatically unlock, but you might want to consider the auto locking setting where the doors automatically lock when the car reaches 10 mph.

DocDrew
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DocDrew to Mele20

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to Mele20
said by Mele20:

Thank you! I missed that completely when I read the manual.

...

I think I need to read the entire manual again. Who knows what else useful I missed or read and then forgot because there was a lot to remember?

My salesman told me to not bother reading the manual ....that most folks hate them and don't read them. He said to call him (gave me cell and landline numbers) or stop by (dealer is right by the main shopping centers here) and ask him instead of reading the "confusing" (his word) manual.

You're welcome.

It's amazing that I can know more and provide detailed information about a product in Hawaii than the owner and company reps, supposedly trained and thoroughly experienced with the product.

Wonder if that's happened before??? nah... that's not possible.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to dave

Premium Member

to dave
said by dave:

said by Mele20:

If you are older than that you didn't grow up on computers.

I am and I did.

Well, yeah,....but you are hardly the norm.
Mele20

Mele20 to dave

Premium Member

to dave
said by dave:

All this says is that you don't read instructions.

I'm kind of fond of the tyre pressure monitor myself, being a forgetful sort of person where trivial tasks are concerned (i.e., I want equipment to remind me that something needs doing to it). And my car manual clearly tells you the reset action needed. As for patronizing a place that thinks the best way to deal with electronic sensors is to disconnect them.... well, they hardly sound like the brightest LEDs in the array.

Did Honda really send you the oil-change letter, or your Honda dealer? There's usually a difference. The car manual (there's that word again) will tell you like it's good for something like 10,000 miles but some dealers will try and persuade you that you need to change it every 3,000, like they did when you learned to drive.

No, I can read and follow instructions quite well. But instructions are properly written like DocDrew See Profile wrote them...not in confusing flow chart form where you must read down in some columns but across in those that have nothing down to read and then also read the very tiny information under the flow chart.

I am not forgetful about when to do oil change and tire rotation (and you are not reminded about the latter). I know almost exactly how many miles per year I put on a car and I never forget when it is time for oil change and tire rotation. What I might forget would be when it is time for oil filter (air filter I remember) change (because that is seldom) and you are not reminded about that either.

It was the dealer that sent the letter. If I had meant Honda itself I would have said Honda Mainland...that is how we in Hawaii differentiate between them. I got a phone call from Honda Mainland thanking me for purchasing a Honda and I got a letter from them also thanking me. That is all I have gotten from them. I got a ton of letters and emails from the local dealer and Christmas cards, etc. I made a mistake in giving the dealer an email address. So, I got the emails turned off. I know I don't need an oil change at 3,000 miles (I did that with my other Hondas though because the manual for them said if you did mostly in town only driving the change should be every 3.000 miles or six months whichever came first), but if I went 10,000 that might be once ever 3.5 years! Almost all my driving is in town so start and stop constantly and I change the oil once a year and have the tires rotated at the same time.

I don't know how you can say disconnecting sensors is dumb. What is dumb is the CHOICES. If auto manufacturers are going to have dumb stuff like the auto lock/unlock crap then they need to have REASONABLE choices and they don't! When you enter your car at night you want the door to lock immediately upon closing it ....not after you put the key in the ignition or start to drive it and it reaches 10 mph and locks. You could be dead, raped, etc. by then or have the car hijacked. Really stupid choices so I turned off both auto locking and unlocking today. When I went to do it, I was driven nuts by the loud beeping because I had to open the driver's door with the key in the ignition. The stupid manual says the beeping is so you remember to take the key out of the ignition so you don't end up locking it in the car. But what actually happens is the beeping drives you instantly insane so you jerk the key out to stop the beeping and lay it on the seat. Then by the time you have gathered everything up and actually get out the car with your hands full...you have forgotten the key and you lock it in the car.

If you leave the lights on at night and open the driver's door you hear very pleasant, soft music. Why not the same when you leave the key in the ignition and open the driver's door? And why drive me nuts if the seat belt is not fastened? I hate that beeping also. I can see the icon on the instrument panel. I don't need the beeping as that assumes I am unable to see the icon! If I can't see the icon, I can't see well enough to be driving a car! If I want to move the car a few feet, I should not have to put on the seat belt and I should not be treated like a stupid idiot who is deaf so the beeps have to be extremely loud besides that I am not so stupid that I am unaware the seatbelt is unattached! I hate all the assumptions that I am a blithering idiot and the cars that have a lot more of the computer crap are much worse...some irritating too high pitched, falsely sweet and syrupy female voice talking to you about something you don't need a lecture about? I can't believe the ads on TV that show people so thrilled that they can now "talk" to their cars. The people look like they have the IQ of a chicken so excited to be talking to their cars when there is no need for that!

aannoonn
@optonline.net

aannoonn

Anon

Just curious -- Why did you buy a Fit instead of a Civic?
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

I never see Civics anymore. My observation was confirmed when the local dealer told me that the Fit has taken over as the most popular smaller sized Honda. He said they sell 10 Fits to 1 Civic. I can believe that as I see them everywhere but seldom see a recent Civic. When the Fit Hybrid hits Hawaii next year I think sales will enter the stratosphere. (I wish I could have waited another year so I could get one). Plus, the Fit reminds me of my two Civic SI Hatchbacks from the 80's and 90's.

Then there is the color factor....Blue Raspberry (new color for 2012) is the prettiest color for an auto that I have seen...ever. I have been stopped over a dozen times by strangers asking me the name of the color of my new car...men, women...both just love it. I told my dealer they should order more in Blue Raspberry. They did and sold them almost instantly while the usual popular colors silver, dark gray and white sat on their lot. It was seeing this gorgeous color (two of them sitting side by side) as I drove by that initially got me to go in and look at one as I was about to buy a Fiesta.

aannoonn
@optonline.net

aannoonn

Anon

Click for full size
Interesting color.
Expand your moderator at work

A non
@151.190.0.x

A non to Mele20

Anon

to Mele20

Re: The price of open ODB

said by Mele20:

I never see Civics anymore. My observation was confirmed when the local dealer told me that the Fit has taken over as the most popular smaller sized Honda. He said they sell 10 Fits to 1 Civic.

Either it's a Hawaii thing, or the salesman was lying. Civics outsell Fits 8 to 1 in the US. See - »9thcivic.com/forum/threa ··· 12.4619/

For the month of May 2012:
Fit: 3,879
Civic: 33,490