Honda Civic key fob problems

Filed Oct 9, 2026 · Electrical · CA

On September 27, 2026, at approximately 90,800 miles, the body control module (BCM) in my 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback failed. Symptoms included the alarm sounding on its own, warning lights illuminating on the dash, the vehicle turning its accessories on unprompted while parked (key fob was present), the battery draining, and the key fob intermittently not being recognized.

Filed Aug 17, 2026 · Body · CA

The mechanical backup keys on my "key fobs" do not work. When the key fob battery failed on 8/12/26 due to a dead key fob 2032 battery or a loose connection in the fob, I was locked out of my car with no ability to unlock the car. This happened in a garage, however it could happen again on the road or a highway and I would be left stranded with no way to get into my vehicle. When I was able to get the fob working again with new battery, I went to the dealer -San Francisco Honda -and two service representatives confirmed that the vehicle's manual mechanical emergency override fails to unlock the driver's door despite giving an internal "click." They refuse to fix it because the car is out of its general 36 month warranty. They stated I need to pay approximately $300 for the issue to be diagnosed, and then I would have to pay an unknown amount for the repair. I believe this issue has existed since I purchased the car and it should be handled as a safety defect under warranty.

Filed May 27, 2026 · AL

I am reporting a serious ongoing issue with my 2019 Honda Civic Sport involving the trunk repeatedly opening on its own both while driving and while parked. The issue is also causing the vehicle alarm to activate unexpectedly. The trunk has opened while the vehicle was in motion, creating a major safety concern. It also randomly opens while parked, sometimes triggering the alarm system for no apparent reason. The problem appears to happen intermittently but has become frequent enough that I no longer feel safe leaving the vehicle unattended or driving it normally. I attempted to clean the trunk latch area, but the issue continues. I believe there may be a malfunction involving the trunk latch, actuator, key fob system, electrical wiring, sensor, or alarm system. This situation is dangerous because the trunk can unexpectedly unlatch while driving, potentially blocking visibility or causing damage. The repeated alarm activations and trunk openings while parked are also causing concern about battery drain, security, and reliability. Vehicle Information: 2019 Honda Civic Sport Symptoms: • Trunk opens while driving • Trunk opens while parked • Alarm randomly activates • Trunk may not remain securely latched • Ongoing intermittent electrical or latch-related issue I am requesting that this issue be documented and inspected as soon as possible due to the safety risk involved.

Filed Mar 26, 2026 · Electrical · 167,842 miles · MA

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the alarm indicator sounded off intermittently without cause. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who informed the contact that the alarm was a factory-made system and then suggested pressing the key fob twice to stop the alarm from sounding off. The vehicle was not officially diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 167,842.

Filed Dec 9, 2025 · Electrical · CA

I have reported this to American Honda - My driver car lock has been not working properly since 2024. It will intermittently not work to unlock the driver's door. Also, it will intermittently not lock my car automatically when I leave the vehicle with the key fob. The first time I took the vehicle in - they replaced the front door power latch. Since then, I took it in on May 2025 - they said since the car does it intermittently, they cannot fix it. Well, I just took the car back today, 12/09/25 - and I am leaving it there until they can find out what is the problem. In a emergency, if I needed to open my driver's door, to avoid a dangerous situation, and could not, I would be harmed. I have taken videos, and showed the dealer to help identify the issue. American Honda said to take it back to the dealer and have them fix it. I would like my vehicle fixed or bought back from me.

Filed Nov 30, 2025 · Electrical · FL

Both door handles need to be replaced at 800.00 a piece. Key fob to door handles causing parasitic draw to the battery and car goes dead. Risk - have to lift that 47 lb hood to jumpstart while putting my back out. Steroid injects on 12/2/2025. My Honda advisor and pain doctor are aware. Problem has been reproduced by my Honda advisor and mechanic at Crown Honda Florida. No warning lamps in this Honda Civic 2018 shows no low battery capability. Google search door handles causing parasitic draw. 1600.00 is a lot of money to pay so I hope there will be a recall.

Filed Aug 17, 2025 · Electrical · FL

Honda Civic 2018 EX keyless with BCM failure. Alarm won’t deactivate, engine won’t shut off. Only solution is battery disconnection. Issue reported in 2016+ models, Honda charges $1,000+. Full Complaint: My 2018 Honda Civic EX keyless has a serious electrical problem. The alarm activates and cannot be turned off with the key fob. I have to use the physical key to silence the horn, but the vehicle stays in accessory mode. If I start the car, I cannot turn off the engine. The only way is by disconnecting the battery cables, which is very dangerous since the ignition stays hot and could cause an electrical short. Honda knows about this defect but has not issued a recall. They are charging customers $1,000+ to replace the BCM. This problem has been reported in multiple Honda models from 2016 and newer, including the Honda Civic. In my opinion, this is a clear safety issue because if the vehicle cannot be turned off in an emergency, it could cause a serious accident or tragedy. I ask the federal safety agency to investigate and hold Honda accountable.

Filed Jul 29, 2025 · Electrical · FL

The Body Control Module (BCM) is faulty and causes the alarm to go off on its own, lights inside the cluster glitch turning on by itself and drains the battery even with the key fob nowhere near its vicinity when off. Sometimes does not recognize the key fob.

Filed Apr 11, 2025 · Electrical · NM

I drove home from work today like normal. Pushed the engine start/stop button before getting out of the car. The radio was still on, and the dash was still on, with Accessory Mode, push "start/stop" twice to turn off, or something similar to that. I pushed the button twice. It went to accessory mode. I started the engine, drove the car out of the drive way, came back, pushed the button to turn off the car... accessory mode. turned the car on, turned the car off.... accessory mode. Moved the keys all away from the car. Started the car (which i could do because it WAS STILL IN ACCESSORY MODE) and drove the car, meanwhile there was a big warning saying there was no key fob in the proximity. Parked the car, pushed the on/off button.... accessory mode. I have tried everything I can think of, the car wont lock. It wont exit accessory mode unless its in full on start. Someone could come along and steal my car because I cant turn it off. all i can do is disconnect the battery and after 2-3 days i connect it and it works just temporarily. This is not ok and unsafe especially when i have a new born and stranded in the middle of the wors place due to this issue.

Filed Dec 17, 2024 · Electrical · CA

The standard OEM key fobs for Honda Civics, for several model years, and possibly for other Honda models, have a "feature" that seriously affects driver and passenger safety, and that cannot be disabled. If two buttons are depressed simultaneously on the key fob for a period of time, all of the windows go down and the doors unlock. I have encountered dozens and dozens, perhaps hundreds, of owner complaints about this "feature" on various Internet bulletin boards. Typically, the stories go, "I parked downtown in an unsafe area and I came back to my car and found that it was unlocked with all of the windows open and someone stole everything from my car," or "I parked outside just before a rain storm and I returned to my car to find all of the windows open without my knowledge and the interior of my car was soaked." Single women could encounter this problem and be attacked by people hiding in the back seat. Apparently, if anything in one's pocket depresses the keys on the fob, without one's knowledge, this occurs. It has happened to me, where I'll bend down to tie my shoe and walk away and I'll return hours later to find all the windows open during a rain storm or in a bad part of town. I've asked American Honda numerous times for a way to disable this unwanted "feature" and they've said that they've not interested in addressing it unless they're forced to do so by the government. This is a serious safety issue, not only implicating potential crime, but a wet soaked car interior could affect electrical and navigation systems in a life-threatening way. If you respond, I can upload several Internet pages with owner comments and complaints about this problem.