23/12/15: Added note: many folks report that getting the key cylinder out is difficult due to some kind of pins. This was not an issue on my 2003 and at least one person with a 2008 said it wasn't a problem for them. I'm not sure why this is a problem for some but not others. Anyway, be aware as the repair might be more difficult than I describe here.


Original description:
The ignition key for my 2003 Honda Pilot has failed to turn every onceinawhile but usually, I would just turn the key over (it goes in either way) and it would work. However, recently it was becoming a bigger problem and would sometimes take 10 or more attempts. I got tired of it and started searching for answers.


The "normal" fix is to replace to entire assembly. This is expensive in a shop. It is doable as DIY but it still costs more than $100 and it has the issue that your ignition key will not be the same as your door key.


In this video I take out the key cylinder to clean it and I remove a couple "wafers" the pins that ride on the ridges of the key. This is not an easy repair but I'm hopeful that my video will give you some good tips if you decide to tackle it. If you do, remember that you need to:


1) Disconnect the battery so the airbag is disabled
2) Use the parking brake because you'll need to move the gear shift lever
3) Be very careful with the key cylinder, wafers, and pins as there are many tiny parts


Here's an example of a "glue dot" that I used in the video:
https://www.amazon.com/GlueDotsRemo...