Pat Quadlander wrote:
> Just purchased a low mileage 2001 Civic 5 speed for daughter near
> graduating. Car did not have owner manual or service manual, but I spoke
> with previous owner and verified regular service at her Honda dealership.
> Also received positive report from an independent Honda garage at
> pre-purchase inspection.
>
> Car has manual locks and manual windows, no remote lock.
>
> Driver and passenger windows have stickers "Immobilizer Anti Theft System"
> with an icon of a padlock over the engine, and the rear seat windows both
> have stickers "Vehicle Equipped with Traceable Identification Codes" and an
> No-Theft icon. I don't know if these stickers are from factory, dealer, or
> aftermarket. I don't see any immobilizer system, so it may have been
> removed, or is so transparent that I don't see it.
>
> The radio is the base am/fm/cassette, with a CD button, but no CD player or
> changer.
>
> This is our family's first Honda, so I don't have any expertise with this
> model. I've ordered an owner's manual, and watching ebay auctions for a
> good price on the expensive Dealer Service Manual. After these arrive, I
> should have a little more knowledge (sometimes a good thing, sometimes a
> dangerous thing .
>
> Questions:
> 1. Is the immobilizer a factory feature, a dealer option, or aftermarket?
> 2. What security add-ons do you recommend (remember, this car does not have
> keyless entry, just plain old manual locks)? If you have specific
> brand/product name and where to buy, please include, and whether it needs
> professional install or not. Since this car is in the top 3 most popular
> theft targets, it will make sense for me to protect it as much as possible.
> 3. Does it make better sense to buy a used Honda CD player that fits in the
> pocket right below the radio, or just completely remove the Honda radio and
> replace it with a standard sized radio/CD player. I'm not looking for a
> super sound system, just the easiest to install with basically decent
> ability, but daughter has to have a CD player. We are not very fond of the
> mega CD cartridge gadgets that usually are mounted in the trunk.
> 4. I believe this is a DX model, since it is no frills. The instrument
> cluster has a 5 inch speedometer/odometer gauge, and a small temp gauge and
> small fuel gauge, both bunched inside the 5 inch gauge outline just left of
> the speedo gauge. Both of the far left and far right 2 inch gauge outlines
> are empty. No tachometer or other gauge. Can I pull an instrument cluster
> from another junked Honda that includes a tach and install on this '01
> Civic? Does this Civic have the wire leads/plug to drive the tach, or will
> I need to run new wiring? What other models/years are interchangeable?
>
> Thanks in advance for any and all recommendations and answers.
>
> Proud Dad
>
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When you turn the key to position II, your Honda performs the 'lamp
check' You'll see a little icon of the KEY on the dash, which confirms
the lamp is working, and that the immobilizer chip is in your key.

If you just wanted to hide a key somewhere, any locksmith can cut you
one, but it won't start the car because there's no chip in the 'noname'
blank. It will get you in, and turn the ignition lock to the ON
position, and engine (may) crank, but not start.

Ask that dealer to print all those work orders, for your file. . . most
dealers are very helpful that way.

Just get the CD add-on from eBay, and install it yourself, with
instructions that are included. Here's a typical example, w/ warranty.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...735492724&rd=1

'Curly'