Experiencing issues starting your Honda Accord when your key fob seems out of reach? You might be surprised to learn that it could be related to a specific scenario involving the car’s “POWER ON” or accessory mode. This article explores a potential explanation for how your Honda Accord might start without the key fob being physically present, focusing on a user-discovered method.
A Honda Accord owner reported an instance where they could restart their vehicle even after the key fob was far away. This initially perplexing situation might be explained by inadvertently leaving the car in accessory mode during a previous shutdown. Let’s delve into a test that recreates this possibility.
To understand this, consider the “shift button start button trick.” This technique allows you to switch off your Honda Accord and leave it in POWER ON or accessory mode. Imagine a scenario: you start your car with the fob nearby, then move the fob far out of range (over 100ft). Next, you shut off the engine using the start button followed by the shift button, effectively putting the car into accessory mode. The dashboard indicates “POWER ON,” and the car might beep and blink its headlights. At this point, attempting to lock the doors using the handle button will likely fail, confirming the fob is out of range for normal operations.
Now, here’s the crucial part. If you re-enter the car, step on the brake pedal, and press the start button again, the engine might start as if the key fob were still in your pocket! This happens even though the fob remains out of range, verified by the inability to lock the doors via the handle button. Bringing the fob back into range restores normal functionality, allowing door locking with the handle button.
This test suggests a plausible explanation for starting a Honda Accord without the key fob immediately present. If your car was previously left in accessory mode using the “shift button start button trick,” it seems it might retain the ability to restart once without needing the fob for a subsequent start attempt.
This scenario also raises a related point. If your journey begins from home, where the fob is initially present for starting, but your destination is far enough away to move the fob out of range during your activities there, a similar situation could occur. You might be able to start the car at your destination without the fob being immediately present if the car was previously placed in accessory mode.
In conclusion, understanding the interaction between the Honda Accord’s keyless start system, accessory mode, and the “shift button start button trick” provides valuable insight. It highlights a specific condition where starting your Honda Accord without the key fob being immediately present becomes possible, potentially explaining unexpected car starting behavior.
