In Canada our base model is the Fit DX which does not come with power door locks. Is this something that can be easily added from the dealer or aftermarket?

 

I'll give you the pessimistic review, and you can have some stuff to think about, and then someone else can chime in.

Is it possible? Yes. It's involved. You'll need, at a minimum, all the new locking hardware and switch controls. To do this you will want to be sufficiently handy, sufficiently patient, and sufficiently poor. Not because you should just go and buy the next model up next time, actually (I would not be mean enough to suggest this even if I believed it, which I don't). But rather because you will have to have a fairly low opinion of what your time is worth. This is because you'll be taking apart every door and probably some of the dash, and this will take a long time. Hence the patience I mentioned.

All that is for, like, 1989 style power locks. You might also need the receiver and control unit and new key fobs if you want REMOTE power locks; or you might need that anyway if it's completely integral. And that doesn't get into the transmission-controlled locking; you'll have to figure out how that works and if its required to make the system work overall.

That's what I think this could involve for the original equipment. You might have better luck finding an aftermarket system that is sort of optimized for retrofitting; that might only require taking apart the doors and installing four actuators and then wiring them for power.

 

So, the Canadian LX differs from the DX by having a power latch on all 4 doors (and probably the hatch), while the DX only has a power latch on the driver's door.

The power latch is unfortunately a ~300$ part. (the unpowered latch is ~200$)

This could be easier if the US parts are the same as the Canadian parts, and the Canadian LX door latch is a drop-in (with power/controls added) replacement for the DX-A or DX door latch. If both are true, one could pick up a used power door latch.

Does anyone know if the power latch differs over the 2nd generation? Or is it uniform? Is it compatible with other honda power door latches? Is this approach crazy?

I took a quick look at using "universal" actuators, but they seem to work much better with rod-based door locks, and the 2nd gen fit is apparently a cable-based one (as are most new cars?), which makes this far less tempting...

Looking up how to install aftermarket actuators on cable-driven door locks... well, it is a bit of a hack. You strip the protection of the cable, tie down the cable housing, and pretend you are driving a shaft with your aftermarket actuator. That doesn't seem very tempting.

But I am far from an expert. Everything above was scraped from searches of other threads and discussions, and a bit of searching through part databases for the door handle assembly in the 2nd generation fit.

 

So I talked to a local shop.

They don't like doing the cable thing because they find it just dies in a few years. So instead they take your car, remove the unpowered latch, cut into the lock casing, attach a power module, epoxy everything shut, then wait 24 hours for the epoxy to cure.

Then they reinstall the locks.

It takes about a day and they charge ~220$ (plus taxes) per door. For the hatch, another ~120$.

A central starting system (including remote start) is another 500$.

Just thought I'd put more information here, in case someone else finds this thread via internet search.

 

Hum, i wonder... Was Honda lazy, installed the powered actuator, but left them unplugged?

Like how earlier Base Fits in the US can use remotes just by getting a FOB.

Need a Canadian Honda dealer's parts list.

 

So the front door latch has logic attached. In particular, you cannot lock it without also holding the door handle open (it resists).

Possibly that feature is what required them to install the full power actuator in that door -- as far as I can tell, that is the only difference in behavior.

The other doors appear to have unpowered latches based off part lists. Used powered latches go for 50-80$ (plus shipping) at first glance. (new powered latches are 350$ or so?)