2007 Sport AT, ~120K miles.

Drove home in the Fit and couldn't open my door. All other doors are fine. I pulled the door panel (kind of a feat without opening the door). Key turns in lock and actuates rod. Keyless and electrical switches actuate rod (locks move up and down). Inside and outside handles actuate their rods. Outside handle feels like it's pulling/stretching something and stops without the little pop and opening door.

My feeling is that something is stuck or sticking in the latch. Is there a way to manually actuate the latch from inside the door other than the rods?

I'm tempted to spray it down with contact or brake cleaner and then lube.

Anyone had something similar? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance

-Liam

 

I would suggest pulling the inside handle form the opposite door and measure a travel (stroke) of the rod required to open the door.
If the problem door has the same stroke of the rod but door cannot be open the latch lining is lost or broken.
If rod stops before actuating the latch the rod lever got jammed. Try to disconnect power door lock rod from the latch.
You may also pull the panel of the opposite door and compare both mechanisms in action

 

Thanks for the reply.

I'm about to take the passenger side door apart today. I've been watching youtube videos of how to open locked doors of hondas and accuras. There may be a pin or lever I can manually move to pop the door. Unfortunately the window track that is pushed up against the latch and it's plastic shield is held in place by a bolt whose head is in the door jamb. So I may have to cut the window track to really get at the latch. I'm not sure what you mean by "latch lining". Can you explain/describe?

Fixing this will take force or knowledge (or a bit of both). I'm more than capable of cutting/forcing the latch out but my hope (and faith in honda's engineers) is that there is a way to manipulate the latch to open the door from the inside. Taking apart the other door will let me examine the latch and figure out how to "pick" it from the backside.

I'd love to see a tear down of the latch. I'll post one once I have the part in hand.

-Liam

 

I calling latch lining a plastic lip or tongue (perhaps better word) that is touching a door striker.
I could speculate that the parts of the power lock system attachment broke down preventing latch lever to operate

 

Took out passenger side lock, cleaned it and I can see the pin that triggers the release.

I pulled the door track out of the way of the drivers side and pulled the actuator/motor off.

The lock mechanism itself is jammed. The trigger pin will not move at all.

Ordering a used replacement, a new window track and a set of the plastic clips that attach the rods. Then I'm going to drill/grind/cut the back of the latch until I can force that tongue/lining to rotate out of the way.

I have to say the lightness of the spring that rotates the latch in the passenger side is a little troubling. It's very light and would take very little to jam it.

-Liam