Does Honda Civic Have Anti Theft Device? (Explained)

Nothing is more guaranteed to ruin your day than walking out of a place you visited and realizing that your car is gone.

All car users take this risk, and if you own a Honda, you have every reason to worry.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau ranked the top ten cars that thieves find the most attractive, and Honda Accord took the Number One spot, with the Honda Civic coming at a close second.

Since autos are very likely to be stolen, anti-theft systems are in place to prevent auto theft. Some vehicles come equipped with anti-theft systems.

However, some cars do not come with anti-theft systems, so the systems are installed after you purchase the car. Either way, each car needs to have a device in place to prevent theft.

So, does Honda Civic have anti-theft systems?

Honda Civic has an anti-theft device. The Honda Civic anti-theft device is the Immobilizer Theft Deterrent System, commonly known as the Immobilizer. The system is built into both the Honda Civic and the Honda Accord. It is the standard Anti Theft Device for most Honda Vehicles.

What Is Honda Anti Theft System?

Both the Honda Accord and Honda Civic use the Immobilizer Theft-Deterrent System. This system is the inbuilt anti-theft device built into most Honda Vehicles, including the Honda Civic.

With this system in place, Honda Cars remain in their owner’s possession.

The anti-theft system usually comprises the immobilizer and the RFID keys. Since 2003, Honda autos have had a chip in the key fob and another chip in the car.

If the two “chips” don’t send matching codes, the vehicle will be Immobilized, which is a fancy way of saying that the vehicle will not start.

The Immobilizer system works so that the vehicle’s ignition key has a built-in transponder. The key has a transponder code, and unless the transponder code matches the code in the vehicle’s computer, the car’s engine will not start.

The Honda ignition key has an electronic code. The presence of the electronic code makes it impossible to duplicate the key.

And the Immobilizer system will only allow the fuel injection system and the ignition system to activate upon recognition of the electronic code.

But how does the system prevent auto theft? It simply prevents anyone who does not have the coded key from starting the car.

If a thief tries to duplicate the car key, it still won’t work because the duplicate key wouldn’t have that unique code required to start the engine. As such, the engine will not start.

How Do I Know If My Car Has an Immobilizer?

All autos manufactured after 1998 have factory-fitted immobilizers. So, if your car was manufactured after 1998, you can rest assured that it has an immobilizer.

However, if you’re using a vehicle manufactured before 1998, likely, it did not have an immobilizer fitted during production.

And, if you bought your car second-hand, maybe it was repaired and no longer has a functional immobilizer. Either way, you can easily check to confirm if your vehicle has an immobilizer.

Just check your vehicle handbook to find out if an immobilizer has been fitted.

So, if you find that it hasn’t been installed, you can buy one for yourself and get it fitted in your car.

Getting an immobilizer fitted is an easier and less expensive venture than purchasing a new car after they stole your car simply because it didn’t have an immobilizer. 

The intricate mechanisms of immobilizers aren’t known. This information is withheld to prevent car thieves from using the information to defeat the purpose of the immobilizer.

However, an immobilizer is a device installed in the vehicle that stops it from starting if someone uses the wrong key.

Simply put, a car has various parts that you must activate before the vehicle starts, especially the starter motor, the fuel system, and the ignition.

Once you insert the key into the ignition, it sends a code to the vehicle’s Electronic Control Unit. If the code is a match, all is good and well. The car’s systems co-operate without further problems. Read more about Why Does Honda Civics Get Stolen?

But, if a thief uses the wrong key, the immobilizer kicks in. It disables two of the three main components of the vehicle, and the car will not function.

However, you should be careful; sometimes, your car can fly into a fit and decide to activate this feature itself.

How Do I Turn On Anti-theft Honda Civic?

The anti-theft system does not have a switch; it does not go on and off. The anti-theft system is built into a key and works with the key’s rotation.

As such, the system does not go in and off. However, there is a way to reset it if you bypass it or lose your key.

All you have to do if you want to reset it is to: 

• Insert the key into the ignition turn it into the accessory position but do not put it on.

• Press the security reset button for a few seconds.

• The security reset button is close to the driver’s kick panel, next to the hood release lever.

• Press the key lock button while you’re still holding the reset button.

• Once you’ve done that, release the security switch. The security light will stop blinking and remain steady instead.

How To Disable Anti Theft System On Honda

First of all, you’ll need your ignition key. While you can’t turn off your anti-theft system, you still need to disable it at certain times.

For instance, when you get your battery changed, you’ll need to disable the alarm. Otherwise, it will go off, and you’ll end up locked out of your car. As such, you’ll need to reset the system.

• Once you have your key, you need to insert it in your Honda driver’s side door lock.
  
• Rotate the key gently and turn it to the unlock position.
  
• Again, rotate gently and turn it back to the locked position.
  
• Then turn the key back to the unlocked position. Most likely, the vehicle should unlock the anti-theft system by now. 
  
• Afterward, turn on your Honda and let the engine run for at least ten minutes. Within this time, the Honda will be able to reset the alarm.
  
  Afterward, you can lock your car and engage the anti-theft system as usual. And voila! Easy.

However, you should be very careful with this. And if you aren’t able to disable the system, get your mechanic to take a look at the vehicle if you’re not able to disable or reset the anti-theft device yourself.

How to 100% Theft-Proof Your Car!

Conclusion

All vehicles manufactured after 1998 have anti-theft devices. The installation of the device in vehicles was made compulsory in 1998, so Honda Civic has an anti-theft system.

The Civic anti-theft is called the immobilizer. Simply put, with the immobilizer system, once someone uses the wrong key to open a car, the car shuts down completely.

If your car was manufactured after 1998, you could rest assured it has an immobilizer. But you can still check just to be sure.