Does Civic Valet Key Disable Ignition?
filed in 2000 Honda Civic, 2000 Honda Civic SI
Question: I recently purchased a new 2000 Honda Civic EX (Canadian).
The car came with a normal key which fits all locks and the ignition.
It also came with a valet key which will unlock the doors and start the car, but will not unlock the trunk exterior lock, the trunk remote release, or the lock on the split rear seat backs.
I know all the above is true because I personally verified it.
My question is the salesman told me that another feature of the valet key is that it will automatically kill the ignition after 100 KM of driving and the car will coast to the side of the road.
I find this hard to believe because the key does not seem to have any type of device built into the head as I have seen in other keys, nor does it have any resistors built into the shaft as I have seen in yet other keys.
The salesman tells me it works because the key has an extra notch in it that tells the computer that it is a valet key.
Is this true about the Civic?. Is it true on any of the Honda models? (perhaps the salesman is confused with another model). How about any models period?
An answers one way or another would be appreciated.
Thanks
Answer: Unless they have some new anti-theft system on 2000 models, I dont think he knew what he was talking about. I have driven my 98 civic ex using only the valet key for the last 2 years and nothing of the sort has happened. I think its too much of a risk for companies to install kill switches that activate while the car is in motion the risk is too high of causing a accident and getting sued.
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