HowTo: functional switchblade key for your Honda/Acura

HowTo: Make a fully-functional Honda / Acura switchblade / flip key for your 2001-2002 Acura 1.7 EL (aka 2001-2001 Honda Civic)

Note: This should also work well for Acura RSX's, and Acura TSX's ... TSX's are even easier as the immobilizer (I think) is identical to the Acura TL (which is built into the switchblade.)

Note 2: At the very least, the references at the bottom will help those of you with much newer cars to see which cars are compatible with which remotes :)




"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." (Chinese Proverb)

WARNING: Before you begin your quest for this DIY, be sure to understand the 3 key component specifics of your car:
a) FCC ID (remote frequency)
b) key type (standard cut, or laser cut)
c) immobilizer chip type/ID (the RFID)

What?
- Make a functional OEM Honda/Acura switchblade key, to replace OEM key and remote. This DIY was 2 years in the making; I had a cut + programmed key that couldn't start the car for over a year as I put this project on the back burner... This is my story, this is my DIY.

Why read this DIY instead of others? Well, a few reasons:
- I've yet to find a DETAILED DIY with exact instructions.
- The *vast* majority of DIY for this mod requires risk - hacking of an existing key.
- My DIY approach involves off-the-shelf parts, with 0 hacking.

Level of difficulty
The level of difficulty is broken down into 3 sections:
a) finding the specifics to your car - challenging.
b) programming the remote to match your car - fairly easy.
b) disassembling the components using a screwdriver, and putting it back together - super easy.
c) finding a locksmith that can cut and clone car keys - hard to find, but easy when you do.


Why?
- First answer: because it's sexier and more compact than the OEM key!
- Smaller footprint, combining remote with key.
- Stronger RF remote signal compared to OEM remote. (*)

(*) NOTE: This is true, and false. From weakest to strongest, I've found the following:

- OEM remote held in hand.
- switchblade held in hand
- switchblade held to the chin
- OEM remote held to the chin.

If you don't like this mod, at least you learned something! Go ahead, try holding your remote to your chin!

What's so hard about all this mod?
It's not a matter of just cutting a key. The toughest part is the immobilizer chip embedded into the head of the OEM key. Without this RFID chip, the car will not start. And since it's covered in hard plastic, molded from the factory, it's very risky in removing it from the OEM key...

Is it worth it?
- That's for you to decide.

Cost:
- $60 Acura 3-button keyfob (non-laser cut key blank)
- $5 non-laser cut key cutting service
- $10 clonable RFID immobilizer chip blank
- $25 RFID chip cloning service

Parts required

1) Switchblade Key Fob
Requirements:
- the remote's FCC ID must match, otherwise none of the keyless options will work.

2) RFID chip
Requirements:
- must match exactly with what your car is equiped with.
- Must be programmable (most are rewritable)
Note: This is the step most people choose to hack up an existing key. (Plus, it's cheaper)

3) Locksmith / Dealer that can clone and cut your key
Requirements:
- Locksmith must be able to cut the key (standard cut in my case, or laser-cut, if required)
- Machine to CLONE the immobilizer chip. You are not looking to PROGRAM one, but to CLONE an existing RFID chip ...


What other cars are applicable?
- This, is one of the more challenging questions. To be honest, I don't really care :) I can help, but since I don't have every car out there, it will be a bit difficult. However, review the references below and it's all laid out for you to research.

Most difficult part of the typical DIY, and the typical approach:
- Hack up an existing key, dig out the RFID chip, glue it into your new remote.
- Looks easy eh? Well, I wouldn't risk it.

This is an extremely risky task, as the RFID chip is fragile, and you don't know exactly where it is...

How did I do it, and why hasn't anyone else done it?

I bought the fucking RFID chip off the internet. Yup. Simple as that. Why have I *not* seen anyone else do this? I'm guessing because they were unable to SOURCE the chip.

Look around deep enough, and you'll find tidbits of information about the process, the details, including the parts, but no one puts it all together.

What further complicates and confuses the hell out of everyone is you have different cars using different (RF) remotes, using different RFID chips ... This further clouds the research.

So before you go any further and totally fuck up these easy steps, make sure you confirm:
- FCC ID of your car's remote
- RFID chip ID/type
- key type (standard vs laser-cut)

Steps:

1) Do your research
- Research, research, research. I find Google, with the proper key words, will yield everything you need to know, and more.
- You need to determine the following:
- Does your key have an embedded immobilizer chip?
- What is the FCC ID for your remote? (to open/close doors/trunk, panic.)
- What is the immobilizer RFID chip type?

2001 Acura 1.7 EL / Honda Civic specifics:

remote FCC ID: OUCG8D-355H-A, G8D-355G-A, Omron Corporation
immobilizer chip: T5

2) Buy materials
- I bought my TL switchblade key @ http://stores.ebay.com/flipkey ... Note that there are TWO switchblades you can buy. One where the key blade is flush with the side of the remote, and the more 'standard' one.

- I bought my cloneable chip @ http://keysrus.info/

3) Program remote
- Program your new remote. Make sure all of the buttons function as designed. Note that you will not be able to start the car (even after you cut the key), as you're still missing the programmed immobilizer chip :)
- This may differ from remote to remote. Instructions for TSX/TL remote are here:


- Note: you can program a max of 3 remotes per car, and you must have all 3 when programming.
- Do not proceed any further with the DIY until you're able to program the remote. If you bought the wrong remote, you're screwed anyway.

4) Swap out immobilizer chip
- I won't go into too many details here, other than it's fairly straight forward. Just slowly take the remote apart without snapping/breaking any pieces.
- You'll see a chip shoved into a slot into the back of the head of the key. Use a small flathead screwdriver, and gently 'pry' out one side. It will come out just fine.
- Replace with the virgin immobilizer chip.

Figure: My remote taken apart. Note the slot in the head of the key.

5) Program chip, then cut.
- Call around, and find a place that can cut your key, and also CLONE the key. Don't ask or complicate it by saying you need the key 'programmed', or that you're doing a hack/mod. You just need the immobilizer information CLONED. The RFID will send out an identical response as your OEM key. This, is where my DIY differs greatly from others...

- Without this part of the puzzle, your car would not start...
- And of course, this is where it costs more than if you had chopped out the immobilizer chip from your OEM key...

6) Enjoy
- Once all the parts are together, you're done. Voila, and enjoy.
- There are variations in the above, such as:

- Some cars have the immobilizer chip in a tiny compartment, so you can easily take it out and put it into a switchblade. I think the Honda Fit's have this? i.e. it's a VERY EASY DIY.
- You can ignore all the immobilizer chip nonsense if you bypassed the immobilizer, by using an immobilizer bypass box, etc...

WHERE TO GET PARTS
Switchblades (appears to be non-OEM): http://stores.ebay.com/flipkey
- I bought my switchblade here. There are 2 types: Acura TL/TSX switchblade, and the Honda (??) key where the key blade is flush with the side of the remote (looks like a VW key)
- UPDATE: They don't seem to carry the Acura TL keys anymore ... Either buy the ones from him, or search eBay for 'acura switchblade' and get one there.

http://americankeysupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=50&products_id=384
This is the exact immobilizer chip that I need, however they do not sell to consumers. The nice sales guys there called around and found a local locksmith:

http://keysrus.info/
- I bought my immobilizer chip from Vlad. Why Vlad? American Key Supply helped me find the closest locksmith they had in their database that carried the chip I needed :) They are located in
Quebec, Canada.


http://www.lockshopltd.com/
- Nice small shop that's 30 minutes from Toronto, Ontario. They did the cutting and programming. They were surprised that it worked - I'm sure they have had many young people come in and try this mod with no success :)

http://www.autokeys.us
- I did not buy from here. Though, they seem to have quite a selection.

RFID chips: http://stores.ebay.com/esldomino-OBD-shop
- I did not buy from here. Sample eBay store selling the T5 chip.


REFERENCE LINKS
- FULL list of clonable chips, by manufacturer, car
http://www.armorlock.com/cloning_application_chart.pdf

- FULL list of transponder chips. NOTE: This company will *not* sell to consumers, only to locksmiths.
http://americankeysupply.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=50


- This site lists RFID chips for some cars.
http://www.keylessremotes4u.com/Acura-C1.aspx



This is way too much work!
- Then don't do it. Simple as that.
- There have been various 'services' out there that have tried to do this DIY as a one-off, but each has their disadvantages. I've found the following:

1) www.flipusa.com. This guy no longer does it.

2) HeelToeAuto.com
http://www.heeltoeauto.com/heeltoe-automotive-fastline-performance-milled-switchblade-key-info-page.html
- If you read the details, you will notice they will not return your key! i.e. it appears they hack up your key

3) a user ClubRSX(?) showed that he was able to do it, even swapping out a laser-cut key blank, and milling it to a standard key-blank. Turns out someone hacked that account and it was all a fake.

I have not used any of the above services, so my opinions above are based on research I did online.


NOTE for TSX/TL remotes: For the RSX [and/or cars without memory seating], to program the remote, you first have to disable the memory feature. Hold the lock and unlock buttons together, until the LED on the remote blinks twice. This will mean that it's disabled. If you don't do this first, the remote will only be able to lock the car, and unlock will not work. Acura TL and Accord programming are the same as TSX

Shout Outs
- ClubSI:Ontario & OT idiots :)
- ClubEL (now tunedImports.net)
- Telly @ ClubEL, the first modder I met