Accord Security Problem

[GoldenAye]

I have a 2002 Accord EX-V6. Took it to midas to remove a nail from my tire. The mechanic mistook an older Accord (maybe 91') for mine, got in that car and started the engine with my key! We both were surprised by this, and it reveals a BIG security breach.

If my key can start that old Accord ignition, then what other key out there can start my ignition? Has anyone else seen this? How common is it, and what should I do about it?

Also, The 2000+ model years of hondas have that little killswitch security sticker on the windows... try to screwdriver the ignition, the engine locks... is that for real? My old car was a 97' which didn't have this feature. Is that why it was broken into so much? Does that mean that my 02' is that much less of an attraction to car thieves?

-GoldenAye

[jeffcoslacker]

Old Hondas ( and other Jap cars) were known to have relatively few key patterns and not very complex key/tumbler designs....as a result, it was easy to steal them with what was known as a shaved key...you just took an old key and wire wheeled it until the teeth were pretty rounded...and it would work in about one outta four or five other cars of the same type.

But even more interesting was the ignition switch wiring, which allows you to simply unplug a connector under the dash, easily accessible, and plug in your own switch that you got from the salvage yard. Now you can start the car with your junkyard bypass. As a result, Accords topped the list for most stolen car in the US for many years.

They got wise to it finally in the late 90's and started implementing passive security features and more complex key patterns and such and it is not really an issue since then.