Bald Wonder
Member
- First Name
- Jason
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2025
- Threads
- 2
- Messages
- 32
- Reaction score
- 33
- Location
- Cleveland, OH
- Vehicle(s)
- 2024 Honda Civic Si
- Thread starter
- #1
My last car had door handles that unlocked the car when you grabbed them from any door, and I was sorely missing that in my '24 Si. Yes, it exists in the front doors, but I often open the back door first to let one of my little ones in (still in a carseat, so he can't buckle himself), and I kept performing this dance of annoyance:
I searched around to see if anyone had changed the rear handles to be touch-sensitive, and I came across a thread from the 10th gen forums where someone had done exactly that (Thank you LuvLetter!).
I knew our cars hadn't changed much between 10 and 11, so I started digging. I got close enough in theory that I was ready to start placing orders for supplies. The most expensive part was the new door handles themselves. Each handle is about $200. The good news is it was all worth it, because it worked!
Proof of concept test.
So here's what you need:
Tools
I can only confirm the Platinum White Pearl numbers for sure, as that's the color I have. The rest are assumptions based on the description and the part number naming convention. Purchase at your own risk, and save your receipts in case you need to return or exchange!
So the main gist of the install is that you'll be tapping the sensor wires from the front handles and running an extension to the rear handles. I opted to splice in the extension using a custom-made splitter so that it's removeable, without any permanent changes to the original wiring harnesses. Here's the wiring diagram of the front handles with the wires you're tapping inside the red box. Don't tap the other two wires, or it'll cause an error with the whole system and you'll lose passive entry entirely until you undo it.
You'll need to wire up one male and one female connector to become a splicer in the front like so:
Don't pay too close attention to the wire colors you see in my example. The connectors I bought were pre-wired, and I got what I got (and I didn't throw a fit). Just make sure you're connecting the correct pin to the correct pin. Keep in mind that as you go from male to female, the order reverses (i.e. 1234-5678 becomes 8765-4321) because it's mirrored. Note above that I have two sets covered up, and the other four sets have exposed solder. I did this so I could tap my new wire after I fished lines through the doors and trim. I didn't know how much length I'd need, so I opted to solder the final bit in the door later. The second female connector will be on the end of the fished-through wires, connecting to the new handle in the rear.
Fishing the wires:
This was the hardest part. It took some time to find the easiest path with the fewest modifications and keep the wires protected and looking like a factory-level installation. A picture is only worth 1000 words, so here's a video!
Swapping the door handle is pretty simple, just unclip and slide back. Installation is the reverse. See clip...
After all that, start connecting wires and wrap it all up. I took a bunch more pictures, so let me know if you want to see how something was done.
And lastly, here's the proof!
Unlock
Lock
Enjoy!
I searched around to see if anyone had changed the rear handles to be touch-sensitive, and I came across a thread from the 10th gen forums where someone had done exactly that (Thank you LuvLetter!).
I knew our cars hadn't changed much between 10 and 11, so I started digging. I got close enough in theory that I was ready to start placing orders for supplies. The most expensive part was the new door handles themselves. Each handle is about $200. The good news is it was all worth it, because it worked!
Proof of concept test.
So here's what you need:
Tools
- Soldering iron and soldering station with clips -OR- solder-free, crimp-fit wire connectors
- Wire stripper
- Wire clipper
- Loom sleeving tool
- Utility knife
- Body panel plastic clip popper tool
- Spudger (for getting the door panels off)
- Screwdriver (or drill with Phillips bit)
- Heat gun or lighter (for heating the heat shrink, or just re-use the already hot soldering iron)
- Razor blade (for cutting vapor seal away)
- Steel cable (for fishing wires through cavities)
- Two F42B8 Male Connectors with pigtailed wires
- Four F42A8 Female Connectors with pigtailed wires
- Wire loom, corrugated plastic or woven
- Various zip ties
- Several feet of 24 gauge wire, times four different colors
- Heat shrink tubing
- Electrical tape
- Silver solder
- 1 Left "Smart Entry" (or "Passive"?) Handle - see chart for exact number
- 1 Right "Smart Entry" (or "Passive"?) Handle - see chart for exact number
| Paint Color | Right Handle | Left Handle |
| Blazing Orange | 72141-T20-A11YD | 72181-T20-A11YD |
| Gray Metallic | 72141-T20-A11ZA | 72181-T20-A11ZA |
| Platinum White Pearl | 72141-T20-A11ZB | 72181-T20-A11ZB |
| Lunar Silver | 72141-T20-A11ZC | 72181-T20-A11ZC |
| Crystal Black Pearl | 72141-T20-A11ZD | 72181-T20-A11ZD |
| Sonic Gray | 72141-T20-A11ZE | 72181-T20-A11ZE |
| Rallye Red | 72141-T20-A11ZF | 72181-T20-A11ZF |
| Morning Mist | 72141-T20-A11ZG | 72181-T20-A11ZG |
| Aegean Blue | 72141-T20-A11ZH | 72181-T20-A11ZH |
I can only confirm the Platinum White Pearl numbers for sure, as that's the color I have. The rest are assumptions based on the description and the part number naming convention. Purchase at your own risk, and save your receipts in case you need to return or exchange!
So the main gist of the install is that you'll be tapping the sensor wires from the front handles and running an extension to the rear handles. I opted to splice in the extension using a custom-made splitter so that it's removeable, without any permanent changes to the original wiring harnesses. Here's the wiring diagram of the front handles with the wires you're tapping inside the red box. Don't tap the other two wires, or it'll cause an error with the whole system and you'll lose passive entry entirely until you undo it.
You'll need to wire up one male and one female connector to become a splicer in the front like so:
Don't pay too close attention to the wire colors you see in my example. The connectors I bought were pre-wired, and I got what I got (and I didn't throw a fit). Just make sure you're connecting the correct pin to the correct pin. Keep in mind that as you go from male to female, the order reverses (i.e. 1234-5678 becomes 8765-4321) because it's mirrored. Note above that I have two sets covered up, and the other four sets have exposed solder. I did this so I could tap my new wire after I fished lines through the doors and trim. I didn't know how much length I'd need, so I opted to solder the final bit in the door later. The second female connector will be on the end of the fished-through wires, connecting to the new handle in the rear.
Fishing the wires:
This was the hardest part. It took some time to find the easiest path with the fewest modifications and keep the wires protected and looking like a factory-level installation. A picture is only worth 1000 words, so here's a video!
Swapping the door handle is pretty simple, just unclip and slide back. Installation is the reverse. See clip...
After all that, start connecting wires and wrap it all up. I took a bunch more pictures, so let me know if you want to see how something was done.
And lastly, here's the proof!
Unlock
Lock
Enjoy!
Last edited:
