Lost your car key or need a spare for your 2004 Honda? Programming a new key for your Honda doesn’t always require a trip to the dealership. For 2004 Honda models, particularly those using key fobs for remote entry, you can often program them yourself at home. This guide provides simple, step-by-step instructions on how to program a 2004 Honda key fob to start your car, saving you time and potentially money. Remember that this process is for key fob remote programming and may not cover immobilizer chip programming if your key has one for starting the engine. Always consult your Honda owner’s manual for the most accurate and model-specific instructions.
Step-by-Step Guide to Program Your 2004 Honda Key Fob
Before you begin, ensure you have all the remotes you intend to program with you. This is crucial because entering programming mode will erase all previously programmed remotes. You will need to reprogram all of them, including any that were working before. It’s also important to perform each step relatively quickly, ideally within 5 seconds of the previous one, to prevent the system from exiting programming mode prematurely.
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Turn the Ignition to the ‘ON’ Position (II). Insert your key into the ignition and turn it to the ‘ON’ position. This is the position right before you would start the engine. The dashboard lights should be illuminated.
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Press the ‘LOCK’ or ‘UNLOCK’ Button on a Remote. Take one of your remotes (it can be a new, unprogrammed remote) and press either the ‘LOCK’ or ‘UNLOCK’ button.
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Turn the Ignition to the ‘LOCK’ Position (0). Turn the ignition key back to the ‘LOCK’ or ‘OFF’ position. Do not remove the key from the ignition.
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Repeat Steps 1-3 Two More Times. Continue to cycle the ignition from ‘ON’ (II) to ‘LOCK’ (0) while pressing the ‘LOCK’ or ‘UNLOCK’ button on the same remote each time. You should have now completed this sequence a total of three times.
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Turn the Ignition to ‘ON’ Position (II) Again. For the final time in this sequence, turn the ignition key to the ‘ON’ position (II).
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Press the ‘LOCK’ or ‘UNLOCK’ Button on the Remote (Again). Press the ‘LOCK’ or ‘UNLOCK’ button on the same remote you’ve been using throughout these steps. If you have successfully entered programming mode, the power door locks should cycle (lock and then unlock) automatically. This confirms you are now in programming mode and ready to program your remotes.
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Program Each Remote. Now, take each remote you want to program, one at a time. Press the ‘LOCK’ or ‘UNLOCK’ button on each remote. After pressing a button on each remote, the power door locks should cycle again to confirm that the system has accepted and programmed that specific remote.
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Turn the Ignition to ‘LOCK’ (0) to Exit Programming Mode. Once you have programmed all your remotes, turn the ignition key to the ‘LOCK’ (0) position to exit the programming mode.
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Test Your Remotes. Finally, test each remote to ensure it is working correctly. Press the ‘LOCK’ and ‘UNLOCK’ buttons to verify that they control the door locks as expected.
By following these steps, you should be able to program your 2004 Honda key fob and regain remote access to your vehicle. If you encounter any issues or the programming is unsuccessful, double-check each step and ensure you are completing them within the time limit. For issues beyond remote programming, or if you are having trouble starting your car, it is always recommended to consult with a professional locksmith or your local Honda dealership for further assistance.
