Honda Accord key replacement in Los Angeles

Honda Accord keys by year

Why does an Accord key job vary so much by year?

The Accord has been built for so long that 'I need an Accord key' can mean four different jobs. A 2001 sedan takes a chipped blade key and a separate remote. A 2010 uses a remote-head key with the blade, chip and buttons in one shell. A 2014 might be a bladed key or a push-button fob depending on trim. A 2021 is push-button start on every trim. The year-by-year table on this page lists the chip family and key type for each model year; the text around it explains what those entries mean when your key is gone, cracked or no longer starting the car.

Our data covers 2000 through 2026. The sixth generation actually began in 1998, and our records cover only 2000–2002 of it, so if you drive a 1998 or 1999 Accord we confirm the exact setup in person by reading the chip instead of assuming.

One thing holds across every year in the data: each Accord has a mechanical backup key. Even a dead push-button fob has a hidden emergency blade that opens the door. That matters, because a dead battery is a very different problem from a lost key. If you want the wider picture of what we do for vehicles, start at our car key services page.

What do 2000–2007 Accord owners need?

The 2000–2002 cars are the tail end of the sixth generation. They use a Megamos 13 fixed chip on the HD106 blank, with a separate remote fob for the locks. US key vendors consistently list the HD106-PT for these years. European catalogs, however, list Megamos Crypto 48 for the same years. That is conflicting information, so when someone hands us an unusual key we read the chip rather than trust a catalog entry.

Three problems show up again and again on these early Accords. Worn ignition lock wafers on high-mileage cars make the key stick or stop turning. Worn key blades no longer turn the locks even though the chip inside still works. And hardware-store copies cut without a chip open the doors but will not start the engine, which surprises people because the copy looks perfect and turns the door lock just fine.

The 2003–2007 seventh-generation cars moved to an ID46 (PCF7936, Hitag 2) chip. It is still a key plus a separate remote fob, with a HON66 blade. The trouble list is similar: worn ignition wafers on high-mileage cars, lost or broken separate remote fobs, and non-transponder copies that will not start the car. Because the fob is separate from the key, losing only the fob does not strand you as long as you still have a working key. Replacing a fob alone is simply a different job from replacing a key.

If your key sticks in the ignition, stop forcing it. A worn ignition cylinder and a worn key are two separate problems, and a new key will not cure a tired cylinder. We look at both at the car so you are not paying for a key that cannot solve what is actually wrong.

What about 2008–2012 Accords?

The eighth generation brought remote-head keys, listed as MLBHLIK-1T, carrying an ID46 chip (PCF7936/7961, Hitag 2). The blade, the transponder and the remote buttons all live in one head. Programming is done through the OBD port, and our data shows all-keys-lost is possible for every year in this run.

The detail that trips up owners is on EX-L trims. Those cars use Driver 1 and Driver 2 memory-linked keys, and a replacement has to match the memory slot of the key it replaces. So if yours is an EX-L, tell us which key went missing, if you know. A key set up for the wrong slot will start the car but will not behave the way the original did.

The common failures here are cracked remote-head shells, worn buttons and plain remote battery failure. Worn ignition lock wafers still appear on high-mileage cars, and non-transponder hardware-store copies will not start the car. Before assuming the whole key is finished, try a fresh battery. A remote that has gone quiet may need nothing more, and a cracked shell is worth a look before anyone declares the key dead. Whether a shell can be saved depends on what is damaged inside it, which we check by hand.

How do 2013–2017 Accords differ?

The ninth generation is Honda's first application of the G chip (ID47, Hitag 3), and the Accord got it a year ahead of most of the line, starting in 2013. If you have worked on other Hondas from the same period, do not assume an Accord of the same year matches them.

This generation also splits by trim. Base keyed trims use MLBHLIK6-1T bladed remote-head keys. EX and above use a push-button smart fob on the ID47 chip. In the facelift years, 2016 and 2017, keyed trims use the 433 MHz MLBHLIK6-1TA remote-head key, while smart-key trims continue on ID47 fobs with push-button start.

The table on this page reports push-to-start as 'no' for these years because it reflects the keyed base trims. If your EX has a start button, you are on the smart-fob side of the split no matter what that row says. This is why we ask, on the phone, whether you turn a key or press a button. It changes the part, the programming and the cost.

Problems here are cracked remote-head shells, worn buttons and battery failure on keyed trims. On push-button trims the classic symptom is a dead smart-fob battery, where the dash reports 'key not detected.' Swap the battery before you decide the fob has failed. Non-transponder hardware-store copies will not start these cars either. Programming is through the OBD port, and all-keys-lost is possible across the whole generation.

What do 2018–2026 Accord owners need?

The tenth generation, 2018–2022, makes push-button start standard on every trim, using the CWTWB1G0090 fob. The chip is where catalogs disagree. US vendor listings identify it as Hitag AES 4A (NCF29A3M), and OEM listings describe NXP AES (128-bit), which is consistent with 4A. Some overview catalogs label this fob ID47. We treat 4A as controlling, because that is what the tool menus follow, and we confirm on the car.

The eleventh generation, 2023–2026, uses the KR5TP-4 smart fob on the same Hitag AES 4A platform, push-button standard on every trim.

A note on history: early in the 2018 run, aftermarket all-keys-lost coverage lagged behind the car. Current professional tools handle it. That is a good example of why we do not quote newer cars from memory.

For 2025 and 2026, the honest version is this. These look like a carryover of the 4A smart-key platform, but we have not verified those model years against a catalog. Aftermarket all-keys-lost coverage for the newest production can lag tool releases. So for those two years we confirm the exact chip and tool coverage by VIN before quoting, and we will tell you what we find before any work begins.

The usual problems on these cars are a dead fob battery, water-damaged or crushed fobs, and the cost of replacing a lost fob, which is higher than for older bladed keys. If the battery is the issue, the hidden emergency blade still opens the door.

Duplicate key or all keys lost: what is the difference on an Accord?

Our data lists a working original key as needed for duplication on every year. Adding a key from one you still have is the simpler situation. All keys lost means we create a key with nothing to copy from, which is possible on every year from 2000 through 2024 in our data, with caveats noted below. For 2025 and 2026 that answer is not confirmed, so we check by VIN.

Here is how it breaks down by era:

• 2000–2002: all-keys-lost is usually doable through the OBD port, but the earliest immobilizer units can need bench or dealer work. We find out at the car.
• 2003–2012: OBD programming, all-keys-lost possible, on both the separate-fob cars and the remote-head cars.
• 2013–2017: OBD programming, all-keys-lost possible on both keyed trims and smart-fob trims.
• 2018–2024: all-keys-lost possible. Early aftermarket coverage on the 2018 cars lagged, but current professional tools handle it.
• 2025–2026: unverified, so chip and tool coverage get confirmed by VIN before we quote.

Is Accord key programming done at the OBD port, or is it dealer-only?

For every model year in our data, the programming method is OBD. That means a programming tool connects to the car's diagnostic port under the dash and the key is introduced to the immobilizer right where the car sits. On these years, that is also why mobile service is realistic and a tow is not part of the plan.

There are honest exceptions. The earliest 2000–2002 immobilizer units can need bench or dealer work on an all-keys-lost job. And the 2025–2026 model years are unverified, so we will not promise an outcome until we have the VIN in hand.

One more detail on registry access. For 2000 through 2017, our data lists no NASTF Secure Data Release Model (SDRM) requirement. For 2018 and newer, our data does not mark that either way, so we confirm what applies to your specific car before starting.

If your Accord turns out to be a case that truly needs the dealer, we will say so plainly, before you have paid for anything. A hardware-store or online blank is another trap: the chip family and the frequency have to match the car, and a part that merely looks right will not program.

What affects the cost of an Accord key replacement?

There is no honest flat answer, and we do not publish numbers here. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost:

• Key type: a bladed key, a remote-head key and a push-button smart fob are very different parts, and the smart fob is the costliest to replace.
• Situation: adding a spare from a working key is usually the more economical route. All keys lost is a more involved job.
• Model year and chip family: Megamos 13, ID46, G (ID47) and Hitag AES 4A each need different parts and tool coverage.
• Trim: EX-L memory-linked keys, and the smart-fob versus keyed split on 2013–2017 cars, change what we order and how we set it up.
• How many keys you want: making two at once is generally smarter than coming back for a second visit.
• Remote functions: whether you need only a key that starts the car, or a full remote that also locks and unlocks.
• Ignition and lock condition: if worn wafers are the real problem, that is separate work from the key.
• Where you are and when: a mobile van visit differs from bringing the car or key to our Westwood storefront, and the hour of the call can matter.

What should you do right now if your Accord key is lost or broken?

The first half hour matters more for the information you gather than for speed. A few quick checks can save you from paying for a replacement you did not need.

1. Look for a spare, and try a fresh battery in any fob that has just stopped working.
2. If the car has a start button, use the hidden emergency blade in the fob to open the door.
3. Note the year, whether you press a button or turn a key, and the trim if you know it (EX, EX-L and so on).
4. Find your VIN on the dash at the windshield or on your registration, and have proof of ownership handy.
5. If a key is sticking in the ignition, stop forcing it.
6. Call (213) 577-1366. We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.
7. Tell us where the car is. We can come to you in a mobile van, or you can bring the car or key to our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood.

When should you call us instead of the dealer?

For most Accords in our data, programming happens at the OBD port, at the car, so there is no reason to tow. We are one company, in business since 1987, with a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024 and mobile service vans, serving 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. When you call, you reach us, not a dispatch middleman. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work.

The dealer can be the right call in a few cases: an early 2000–2002 car whose immobilizer needs bench work, or a brand-new 2025–2026 Accord whose coverage we cannot yet confirm. We would tell you that directly, rather than start a job we cannot finish.

Whoever you hire, ask for their license. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and any legitimate locksmith can give you the number.

If you drive another Honda, our Honda key pages cover the other models. You can learn more about the company on our home page, or contact us to describe your situation.

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