How to charge keyless remote honda civic

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Home How to Replace a Honda Key Battery

How to Replace a Honda Key Battery


Remote entry systems are a valued part of any vehicle, especially your Honda.  They allow you to lock and unlock your car with ease and can even set off a panic alarm in case of an emergency.

If the battery in your keyless entry remote is running low, you’ll notice a decrease in range and eventually a lack of response.  Replacing your Honda key battery is easy and takes less than five minutes.

Here’s how to replace your Honda remote entry fob battery in five easy steps.

A Quick and Easy Guide to Replacing Your Honda Key Battery


1. Determine Your Battery Type
Flip over your keyless entry remote and look for the battery type written on the back.  If the battery type is illegible, don’t worry.  Once you open the fob, the battery type will be written on the existing battery.

2. Open your Honda Key Fob
If your keyless entry remote has a screw, remove it using a jeweler’s screwdriver.  Separate the two halves of your remote using a small flathead screwdriver.  Exert gentle pressure to avoid damaging the key.

3. Remove the Dead Battery
Note the position of the positive and negative sides of the battery in the remote when you remove it.  This will ensure you install your new battery properly.  Be careful not to touch the battery terminals with your fingers.  The oils in your skin can corrode the terminals and result in a shorten the life of your remote.

4. Insert the New Battery
The new battery should go in the same position as the old.  If you’re unsure, look for the positive (+) and negative (-) marks inside your keyless entry fob.

5. Reconnect the Two Halves of Your Honda Keyless Entry Remote
Align the two halves of the fob and apply gentle pressure until you hear the remote snap together.

Test your remote to ensure it’s working properly.  If you’ve purchased multiple batteries, leave the remaining batteries in the packaging and tape them inside your glovebox.  Do not apply tape directly to the battery, the adhesive will effect its conductivity.  

 

Yes, the 2020 Civic is a good used car. It’s available with several energetic powertrains, it rides smoothly, and it’s easy and enjoyable to drive. It also gets good gas mileage. The Civic comes in coupe, sedan, and hatchback body styles, all of which provide two rows of accommodating seats, with sedan and hatchback models also providing large cargo capacities for the compact car class.

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We don’t base our car reviews on our personal opinions. Instead, we combine the findings of professional test drivers with data such as reliability and safety scores to give you a complete overview of every vehicle we rank. We analyzed 46 reviews while researching this model.

U.S. News & World Report has been ranking the best cars, trucks, and SUVs since 2007, and our staff has more than 75 years’ worth of auto industry experience combined. To keep our reviews unbiased, we don’t accept expensive gifts or trips from car companies, and an outside company manages our advertising.

How Much is the 2020 Honda Civic?

Based on listings for the 2020 Honda Civic, the average list price is $23,795. Prices range from $23,429 to $31,551 and vary depending on the vehicle’s condition, mileage, features, and location.

See the Best Used Car Deals »

How Much Does the 2020 Honda Civic Cost to Own?

The 2020 Civic’s five-year costs for gas, insurance, taxes, fees, repairs, and maintenance are projected to be about $27,324, or $5,465 per year. These ownership costs are about average for the class.

2019 vs. 2020 Honda Civic: What's the Difference?

The 2020 Civic hatchback received updated exterior styling, but other than that, there aren’t any notable differences between the 2019 and 2020 models.

Compare the 2019 and 2020 Civic »

Here are the key changes for the Honda Civic over the last few years:

  • 2017: hatchback body style introduced; Civic Si and Type R performance models debuted
  • 2018: no notable updates
  • 2019: Honda Sensing bundle of active safety features became standard in all trims; gained a volume knob; Sport trim introduced; exterior appearance updated
  • 2020: restyled exterior for hatchback; final model year for coupe body style and Si trim for this generation

If you're considering an older model, be sure to read our 2017 Civic, 2018 Civic, and 2019 Civic reviews to help make your decision. You can learn about savings and discounts on used vehicles on our Best Used Car Deals page. Also, check out our review of the new Honda Civic, and take a look at our Best New Car Deals and Best New Car Lease Deals pages to see how much you can save on a new vehicle.

How Reliable Is the 2020 Honda Civic?

The 2020 Honda Civic has a predicted reliability score of 76 out of 100. A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average, and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.

Read more about Civic reliability »

2020 Honda Civic Recalls

Number of safety recalls issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 1.

See more information on Honda Civic safety recalls »

Which Used Honda Civic Trim Is Right for Me?

The 2020 Honda Civic comes in three body types: a two-door coupe, a four-door sedan, and a four-door hatchback. The hatchback comes in five trim levels: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Sport Touring. The Civic sedan has five main trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring, while coupe models are available in the same trims as the sedan, minus the EX-L. The performance-tuned Civic Si is available as a sedan or coupe. The hatchback is the only body style available in the high-performance Type-R guise.

There are five engine options. The base engine is a 158-horsepower four-cylinder. Four turbocharged four-cylinder engines are available, with horsepower ratings ranging from 174 to 306. Which engine a particular Civic has depends on trim level and body style.

Most shoppers should look to the Sport and EX trims. Both are available in all three body styles, and they have several comfort, convenience, and driver assistance features that aren’t standard in the base model.

Note that below, we list the standard features for each model when the 2020 Civic was new. You may be able to find models with additional features that were optional at the time of the original purchase.

  • Honda Civic LX: The Honda Civic LX sedan and coupe come with the 158-horsepower four-cylinder engine. The hatchback has the 174-horsepower turbo-four. The sedan features a manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic (CVT), while the coupe and hatch come with the CVT. Standard features include a 5-inch infotainment screen, Bluetooth, a four-speaker stereo, a USB port, automatic climate control, cloth seats, and a rearview camera. It also comes with the Honda Sensing Suite of safety features, which bundles together forward collision warning, a collision mitigation braking system, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, road departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.
  • Honda Civic Sport: The Honda Civic Sport comes with a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, an eight-speaker stereo, a second USB port, push-button start, and proximity keyless entry. The sedan and coupe come with the base engine, while the hatchback features the turbo-four. Each Sport body style is available with the manual transmission or the CVT.
  • Honda Civic EX: EX models come with satellite radio, HD Radio, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a moonroof, and Honda LaneWatch blind spot monitoring. The sedan and hatchback also have an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and the coupe gets a premium 10-speaker sound system. The sedan and coupe feature the 174-horsepower turbo-four engine, while the hatchback comes with the 180-horsepower turbo-four. All three body types get the CVT.
  • Honda Civic EX-L: The Civic EX-L only comes in sedan and hatchback body types. Both have leather-trimmed seats and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The sedan comes with the 174-horsepower engine and the CVT, while the hatch gets the 180-horsepower engine mated to the CVT.
  • Honda Civic Touring and Sport Touring: The Civic Touring comes in coupe and sedan body styles, while the Sport Touring is a hatchback. These models gain navigation, upgraded stereos (10 speakers in the coupe and sedan, 12 speakers in the hatchback), and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The sedan and hatchback also get a power-adjustable front passenger seat and heated rear outboard seats.

See 2020 Honda Civic trims and specs »

What Does Honda's Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?

Honda offers two levels of certification for its certified pre-owned vehicles: HondaTrue Certified and HondaTrue Certified+. Both levels come with a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, roadside assistance, up to two oil changes within the first year of ownership, and a 90-day SiriusXM satellite radio trial subscription.

The vehicle’s model year determines which program and repair coverage it qualifies for. HondaTrue Certified covers vehicles from the 2017 through 2022 model years. For vehicles still under the new-car warranty, Honda extends coverage to four years from the original sale date or 48,000 miles. For vehicles outside the new-car warranty, Honda offers a one-year/12,000-mile limited warranty. HondaTrue Certified+ is for select model years that are still under the new-car warranty. Honda extends these warranties to five years from the original sale date or 86,000 miles. Additional benefits may be available. 

According to our analysis, Honda’s CPO program is better than that offered by many other affordable carmakers. 

See the best CPO programs »

Extended Warranties for Honda Cars, Trucks and SUVs

Not every used Honda will qualify for a certified pre-owned warranty. However, there are options available if you want additional coverage after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired. 

Read more about extended car warranties »

2020 Honda Civic Safety

Score: 10/10

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2020 Honda Civic the highest rating of Good in all six crash tests and named it a Top Safety Pick.

Touring and Si models built after November of 2019 received the highest rating of Good for how well the headlights illuminate the road ahead. All other models (including Touring and Si models built during or before November 2019) received the lowest rating of Poor for their headlights.

The IIHS uses a different scale for grading collision avoidance features. The Civic received the highest rating of Superior for its standard vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Civic an overall safety rating of five out of five stars. It earned five stars in the side crash and rollover tests. Coupe models earned four stars in the frontal crash test, while other models earned five stars.

Standard driver assistance features:

  • Lane departure warning
  • Lane keep assist
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Forward collision warning
  • Automatic emergency braking
  • Rearview camera

Available driver assistance features:

2020 Honda Civic Versus the Competition

2020 Honda Civic vs. 2020 Toyota Corolla

The 2020 Toyota Corolla comes with a lot of standard driver aids, and it has a more intuitive touch screen than the Civic’s, as well as more standard features, such as Apple CarPlay. In most other aspects, however, the Honda is the superior vehicle. It has stronger engines, sportier handling, more cargo space, and nicer cabin materials. It’s also available in three body styles, compared to two for the Corolla. Both of these models were finalists for our 2020 Best Compact Car for the Money award.

Compare the Civic and Corolla »

2020 Honda Civic vs. 2020 Mazda3

The 2020 Mazda3 is another great compact car. Like the Honda, it comes as a sedan or hatchback, but it lacks a coupe option to match the Civic. Regardless of body style, the Mazda has a serene ride and thrilling driving dynamics, making it one of the most fun-to-drive cars in the class. The Mazda has an upscale interior and more standard infotainment features than the Civic. However, the Honda has more rear-seat room and cargo space.

Compare the Civic and Mazda3 »

Compare the Civic, Corolla, and Mazda3 »

2020 Civic Performance

How Does the 2020 Honda Civic Drive?

You have plenty of engine options with the Civic. The base four-cylinder gets the job done and won’t leave you stuck in the slow lane, but the available turbocharged engines are peppier and provide better acceleration. The Type R is the most athletic Civic, and it’s a lot of fun to drive. Each gearbox (the manual and the CVT) is good, so it just depends on whether you want to row your own gears or not.

The Civic is pretty fun to drive. It has engaging handling and can tackle winding roads with ease. And this Honda’s agility doesn’t come at the expense of ride quality; its suspension does a good job absorbing road imperfections.

  • Base engine: 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque (standard in Civic sedan and coupe LX and Sport trims)
  • Available engines:
    • 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque (standard in Civic sedan EX, EX-L, and Touring; Civic coupe EX and Touring; Civic hatchback LX, EX, and EX-L)
    • 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque (standard in Civic hatchback Sport and Sport Touring)
    • 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 205 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque (standard in Civic Si)
    • 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque (standard in Civic Type R)
  • Drivetrain: front-wheel drive
  • Transmission: standard six-speed manual; available continuously variable automatic (CVT)
2020 Honda Civic Gas Mileage

Fuel economy ratings vary somewhat depending on body style, engine, and transmission, but in almost every setup, the Civic gets great fuel economy for a compact car. The lone exception is the Type R, which gets significantly worse gas mileage than the rest of the Civic lineup.

  • 2.0-liter four-cylinder w/manual in coupe body style: 25/35 mpg city/highway
  • 2.0-liter four-cylinder w/manual in sedan body style: 25/36 mpg
  • 2.0-liter four-cylinder w/CVT: 30/38 mpg
  • 1.5-liter turbo-four w/manual in hatchback body style: 29/37 mpg
  • 1.5-liter turbo-four w/CVT in coupe or hatchback body style: 31/40 mpg
  • 1.5-liter turbo-four w/CVT in sedan body style: 32/42 mpg
  • 1.5-liter turbo-four w/manual Si: 26/36 mpg
  • 2.0-liter turbo-four w/manual Type R: 22/28 mpg

Read more about Civic performance »

2020 Civic Interior

2020 Civic Interior Quality

This Honda features a modern, attractive interior. There are soft-touch materials sprinkled throughout the cabin, making it feel more upscale than many competitors.

How Many People Does the 2020 Civic Seat?

The 2020 Civic seats five people in two rows, except for the Type R, which only seats four people. Both rows of seats provide enough legroom for adults. Most will find headroom acceptable as well, though there’s not quite as much in the back as up front. Large doors make it easy to climb in and out of the car.

Standard seating features:

Available seating features:

  • Leather upholstery
  • Heated front seats
  • Power-adjustable front seats
  • Heated rear outboard seats
How Many Child Car Seats Fit in the 2020 Honda Civic?

There are two complete sets of LATCH car-seat connectors for the Civic’s rear outboard seats, as well as a single tether anchor for the middle seat. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Civic's LATCH system the second-highest rating of Acceptable for its ease of use. It’s a relatively user-friendly setup, but the lower anchors are set deeply in the seats.

2020 Honda Civic Features

The Civic’s standard infotainment features are the same in every body style, and there aren’t too many of them. You’ll have to upgrade if you want features such as a touch screen and smartphone connectivity options like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The screen is easy to see and reach, as are the physical controls, but not everyone finds the interface intuitive.

  • Standard infotainment features: a 5-inch display, a USB port, Bluetooth, and a four-speaker stereo
  • Available infotainment features : a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, wireless device charging, two more USB ports, HD Radio, satellite radio, and an upgraded stereo with eight, 10, or 12 speakers
  • Additional standard features: automatic climate control
  • Other available features: push-button start, remote start, proximity keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a moonroof

See 2020 Honda Civic specs »

Read more about Civic interior »

2020 Honda Civic Dimensions

Honda Civic Cargo Space

This Honda’s cargo capacity varies significantly from one body style to the next. The smallest trunk belongs to the Civic coupe, which has an 11.9- or 12.1-cubic-foot trunk, depending on trim level.

The sedan has a good amount of space compared to other compact cars with its 15.1-cubic-foot trunk (the Touring and Si trims each has a slightly smaller 14.7-cubic-foot trunk). Hatchback models are the most spacious and have either 22.6 or 25.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and a total of 46.2 cubic feet with those seats folded down.

How do you change the battery in a Honda keyless remote?

How to Replace Car Key Battery.
Hold your thumb right above where the battery is located..
Using your other hand, carefully pry the dead battery out and replace it with a fresh one..
Line the back of the key fob up with the front half and gently press the pieces back together. Once secured, you will hear a snap..