Honda Civic Stuck In Accessory Mode? Why It Happens And What You Can Do

Is your Honda Civic stuck in accessory mode? 

We understand how annoying this issue can get, especially when you are about to go to your destination. But it does happen to the Honda Civic, and it helps to understand what to do and how to deal with it.

Today, we will discuss the right way to address this issue and give you a better understanding of why this problem happens in the first place. Let’s jump right into it. 

honda civic stuck in accessory mode

Honda Civic Stuck In Accessory Mode

We have received a number of reports by owners that their Honda Civic is stuck in accessory mode. They also have a hard time to shut it down completely. Moreover, they may notice that the audio unit remains on, then the engine stop/ start button blinks, and there is no “P” options showing in their gear position indicator. 

For the most part, the common cause of this problem is having a poorly adjusted shift cable. This is why if you would like to fix this concern with your Honda Civic, you will need to adjust the cable based on the service information. Usually, this should quickly solve the problem. 

However, there are instances when the issue may continue to persist. This is why performing some normal system troubleshooting methods may be helpful. 

If your vehicle has an ignition system that requires you to push it to start – and there are accessory modes present – it helps to determine how you can resolve your car problems.

When starting the engine, step first on your brake pedal and then push your start button. This is how you normally put into the accessory mode. However, if you do not want to enter the accessory mode, then you should not step on your brake pedal and press on the start button. 

There are some cars with two accessory modes. One operates some low power components in your vehicle such as the radio while the second mode lets you use high-powered components such as the fan and the window motors.

Thus, if you push your start button one time, this puts your car into the first accessory mode. You get into the second accessory mode by stepping on the brake pedal. 

If you wish to turn the accessory mode off on your Honda Civic, you need to start by pressing the power button. Be sure that you shut your car off completely afterwards. Next, press the power button and the brake. This should turn your vehicle on, and then you should be good to go.

You may be able to keep your vehicle in accessory mode for about 30 or even 45 minutes. This depends on a number of factors such as when you are running your lights, fan blower, and your radio. As for the second position, this would be the accessory position, letting you power the windshield wipers, radio, as well as other car accessories while keeping the engine turned off.

Important Points To Keep In Mind

There are some people who experience an issue with their Honda Civic being in the accessory mode and stuck in it. This usually leads to the radio staying on. Even after placing the car in the park position and with the “P” appearing on the dashboard, pushing the buttons back to turn the auxiliaries on places the vehicle back to accessory.

After trying both keys to check which one is broken, there appears to be no success. Hence, leaving the vehicle in accessory mode causes the battery to drain, especially when left overnight.

Now, you may suspect that it is a Wi-Fi issue, or even perhaps a Bluetooth concern with your device. However, even after turning these off, that does not seem to fix the problem. 

This is why the risk of leaving the battery completely dead and being unable to recharge it enough to jump start it can be a real nuisance and inconvenience. 

When this occurs, the only thing left to do is to have your vehicle inspected by a specialist. There is a possible concern with relevant components that cause the vehicle to stay stuck in accessory mode. And as many owners have reported, their battery simply drains because of this concern. 

After trying the possible techniques to put it out of the accessory mode, yet without any success, the next step is to take your vehicle to the mechanic for a closer look and a definitive solution to your problem.

Read More: Honda Civic Metal Plate Under Car – Interesting Things You Should Know

Conclusion

The Honda Civic is a reliable and dependable vehicle. When you want to put it in accessory mode, you simply press the engine start and stop button once and not press the brake pedal. Then when you press it one more time, it turns on. 

However, you may be wondering what you can do if it is stuck in accessory mode. We understand how concerning this is, especially if you just want to turn your car off and park it for a few days.

When the accessory mode stays on, you can simply try the steps we have mentioned above. Consider adjusting the shift cable, which you can do so by following the instructions in the service information in your manual. This usually solves the problem, which can resume the proper operation of your vehicle and prevent further issues with your battery and other components.

But if for some reason, the problem persists, normal system troubleshooting methods may be helpful in resolving the issue once and for all.

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