If your Honda or Acura car alarm, when armed, is randomly and intermittently going off, or the dash lights are flashing or flickering or the headlights are intermittently turning on when the engine is off you are encountering a commonly reported failure and defect with Honda Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Pilot and Acura MDX and RDX models with keyless start. This video will show the Honda Motors manufacturing defect in the Keyless Access Control Unit (a.k.a. Smart Power Control Unit) that is causing this intermittent, battery draining behavior. It will show exactly what is failing, what is the Honda manufacturing defect, and how to fix it yourself (saving you $1000 in the process).
In a subsequent video (Part 2 link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_UONy-TNDQ&t=19s) I will show you how to access the Keyless Access Control Unit located up in the dashboard above the glove box of a 2018 Acura MDX. I will show you how to disassemble and repair the control unit. It is a very simple fix and saves you from having to have a dealer or mechanic to register or pair the key fob to work with a new Keyless Access Control Unit.
Note that the key fob and Keyless Access Control Unit must be programmed to work together. Replacing, rather than repairing, the control unit does require this reprogramming.
A shout out to all of the Honda Odyssey, Ridgeline, and Pilot and Acura MDX and RDX Forums that made this video possible because of all of the questions, complaints, symptom descriptions, contributions, and shared experiences with dealing with this issue. Without you I would not have figured out, diagnosed, and repaired this issue to create and share this video.
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Thanks, Regina. This is exactly the problem with my 2016 Odyssey. Removed the board and clean the chip at the exact location on your video. Fixed all the problems. You are a genius for figuring this out.
So glad a found this. 2016 Honday Odyssey had this exact problem. Took board apart cleaned all the chip prongs with rubbing alcohol and a qtip. Didn't have a microscope to see but saw one chip with no coating on it. Super glued over that. Put back together and haven't had the issue since. Thank you so much for sharing this. Once I found the board it was less than an hour fix. saved me a ton of money for sure. The board on a 2016 Odyssey is under the dash above the brake pedal.
I have a 2017 honda pilot and had these issuesand part is back ordered for months. I took my unit apart and scraped the sides and BAM! it hasnt flickered or killed my battery….i literally just did this 1 hour ago and so far so good. I hope this fixed it.
I spent two hours searching where is that module located on my Odyssey 2016 and had no luck, anybody done this job specifically on Odysseys?
Ohhhh, Thank you much, I got this problem today on my Odyssey 2016 and was ready to cry, as from what I could read these modules are discontinued, so hopefully your method will help. !
So where is the second video?
I have a 2019 Acura ILX. It does not have remote start, however it is acting exactly as you describe. I took it to an Acura dealer and they said that the Keyless Access module needs replaced and there is none to be had anywhere at the moment. In the meantime, I have to use a battery kill switch each time I turn off the car or the battery will die while it sits. Thanks so much for this video, I will be attempting this fix as soon as I get home. I'll update once I am finished.
We are in the middle of this exact issue with our 2017 Honda Pilot. The replacement part is on backorder for an undetermined amount of time, and the issue deteriorated to the point that the car is no longer operable. We're working with Honda customer service to see if they'll offer support given this was a manufacturing defect identified and acknowledged on the ridgeline.
I'd encourage others to do the same!
Your video is super helpful in sorting through this thank you!
This is exactly what is happening to my Pilot. I’m looking forward to the next video showing how to access the board!!!
Do you have a video how to access that panel board?
What material do you recommend to cover the area after cleaning?