Ok - so I have been searching on here for a good 45 mins and am still not sure whats up..

Basically, I have a 2002 UK car with an OEM alarm.

My fob doesnt seem to want to disarm or unlock/lock the doors, so my car is effectively stuck.

I have tried a spare fob and a new battery and it still wonr play...

SOooooo - I sent the request to a local Honda dealer whjo sent me a new fob - but its a different style to the one I have (I have a small black unit with 2 buttons) - and they insist its the right one, despite me taking mine in!!

So what alarm system do I have - it looks like an old style Cobra - but it has the Honda logo etc on it?

Also - where is the main control unit located? I know the 'other' system (with the different fob) is under the driver's seat - so is mine the same?

Anyone else had the same issue?

 

Sounds like you have the Hamilton and Palmer unit which is located under the drivers seat. Search for Hamilton Palmer and you'll find contact details. They aren't great alarms and it's not uncommon for them to die, however their customer service is very good so I would recommend calling them. Sometimes a low vehicle battery can cause alarm issues.

EDIT - Link to their website HERE

 

Ahh - OK, thanks.

Is there any way I can tell if I def have this alarm?

I am assuming that Honda bought and fitted them from the factory then?

Or are they an 'add-on'?

Are they common on UK cars?

 

When the S's were imported into this country, the standard Honda alarm was ripped out and replaced with the H & P Cat 1 alarm. I would imagine that the replacement fob that Honda sent you has 3 buttons which is the original Honda factory unit. The H & P fob is a small black rectangular shaped unit with 2 buttons, with Honda in silver above the buttons and Security System underneath.

I believe that the H & P alarm is standard on all UK cars, however Jap/Euro imports will not, although I stand to be corrected on this.

Repairing the H & P alarm can be expensive, and I would suggest that a brand new alarm from a better known company would be the better option. Give them a ring first though for piece of mind.

 

Just done that and they quoted 35 for a fob and 191 for a new unit...

Unfortunately though to enable a new unit, I need to de-activate the immobiliser, which I dont think I can do!

What confused me is that I had 3 spare long slim rectangular fobs with the car that open and close the C/L, but not the immobiliser - so these are useless I guess!

Thanks for you help Wobbly - hopefully its just the fob - I will have a poke around with the unit itself - under the drivers seat you say?

 

I'm getting to the limit of my technical knowledge now If the spare fob isn't working either, then I can't really see that a new fob will fix the issue. The batteries in the fobs are definately OK? The range on the fobs is very poor so I guss you have tried sitting in the car and podging the button?

I believe that the alarm is under the drivers seat beneath the carpet. I seem to remember a post from a while ago when water had got into someones alarm unit and corroded the connectors causing the alarm to fail.

£191 for a new unit plus faffing about getting it re-programmed? I would spend a little more and get a new Toad or similar fitted.

 

This is not exactly true .....

The cars left the factory with an immobiliser that is built into the ECU. Honda UK decided, in their wisdom, to have the POS, H&P alarms fitted after the cars were imported into the UK and passed the cost onto the customers.

Rule of thumb with the H&P alarm .... if it hasn't failed, it will soon.

The 3 button fob is the standard OEM key fob that would have been imported into the UK with the car. It will work with the OEM immobiliser but not the H&P alarm. On the plus side using this fob your boot will open 1st time, every time.

 

Happy to stand corrected

 

Thanks both - I have fitted a few Toads (Ai606) before - so dont mind tacking another...

To be fair it hasnt missed a beat in the 2 years I have had it, although I seem to remember an invoice for some alarm work in the S/H!

The current fob slowly stopped working - (I had to press it 5, 10, then 20+ times to work it) so I assumed it was batteries...

I may be able to get it to work once or twice more if I get a new fob, it just might take 100+ presses!

I am guessing the drivers seat needs to come out? No biggie I guess!