I had someone run into the back of our parked 2010 Fit in an SUV, putting a sizeable dent in the area below the numberplate on the hatchback and pushing the body area in the lock striker plate down slightly.

I got a straightish hatchback from a breakers yard after the insurance wrote the car off, registered it as a salvage title, repaired it, painted the door and put it on. I am currently driving around with it ratchet strapped shut as the striker plate loop is slightly too low to engage the hatchback lock.

I've tried pulling the body area around the striker plate up with a cherry picker with two large guys sitting on the back seat but the wire I threaded through the holes in the body gave away after lifting the car. I've been careful not to distort the striker plate loop in any way by pulling on it.

The two screws holding it on won't budge other wise I could probably shim it up a little. I'm pretty wary of the striker having an inaccessible plate underneath it that could fall. into an inaccessible cavity inside the body.

Anyone worked on similar issues with any recommendations? Fits are vulnerable to hatchback damage from larger SUVs and truck bumper height..

TIA

 

Harbor Freight slide hammer with your very own fabbed out "loop". If that doesn't work, a come along on a hook with your gate sill being held down by a jig.

 

Some things like this are best left to a professional- a body shop. They have the best tools for the job plus the know-how to do it without further damaging your car. Trying to do this yourself has the distinct possibility of further unnecessary damage. Good luck however you decide to repair it.

 

I think I figured out the issue yesterday - I'd used the portapower to pull the body out a little but it looks as though I pulled it about a 1/4 inch too much so I'm going to have to push it in again, while constraining the lip area so the door lock loop also rises slightly.

Not much body shell meat to push on below the lip of the door cavity but I think I can fabricate something that will work.

 

The car was written off by insurance after the bodyshop quotes were close to $6k (They have to use all new oem parts for insurance purposes, new hatchback etc). I got paid out for the car and registered it as a salvage title. I've got most of the tools, this is a good learning process and posting here in case it's of any help to others: Fit tailgates are vulnerable to rear end damage from taller vehicles,

 

Well hell yeah dude! Glad you were able to get something figured out! Cheers!

 

I'm still battling this issue, because there is no adjustability with both the hatchback lock and the body striker plate.
I got a second gen hatch with minor damage and an existing hatchback lock in it and put that on the car, now I'm wondering if the hatch lock is different for different 2nd gen years.
The lock on the replacement hatchback is silver, the one on my damaged hatch is black so maybe I'll swap them over in case there's a difference?

 

I swapped out the lock mechanisms and while I have the plastic rear bumper off to repaint it I used a portapower to push the body back in directly under the lower lock loop. The hatchback lock now lines up and locks but I still have a door open light on the dashboard and can only lock the car with the key, although it does unlock with the key fob.
Assuming I have a sligt adjustment to do to solve that last problem.

 

This is exactly the issue I've been dealing with - have you found a solution?

 

I finally resolved the issue by disconnecting the interior hatch light ( the smaller electrical connector to the lock unit), which then turned off the 'door open' / drain your battery dashboard icon light. (I seem to remember that didn't work with the previous lock).
I made zero progress on trying to loosen the loop, despite applying heat, soaking for months etc. I'd bought some spare screws with the intent of destroying the in situ screws to get them out, but the electrical connector disconnection worked, the door locks with the key fob, and the light is off.
The problem seems to be deep inside the sealed lock mechanism where there is connector/sensor that tells the loom the door is locked.

 

I tried that on mine and the light stays on. I wonder if I need to reset the ecu or something along those lines. This is after I replaced the hatch (hit in accident) and I also replaced the latch mechanism itself in the new hatch.

I've been driving the car with the door light on for almost three years without issue, but lately the battery drains overnight and I don't know how to find a drain if all the doors aren't showing as closed.

Oh well, thank you for reporting back!

 

If you're not concerned about the hatch interior light you might try adapting the light connector so it electrically returns the hatch is closed.
That lock mechanism loom switch appears to be a little delicate internally....I don't think ecu etc will do anything, I tried all that.

 

Today I'm going to try jamming the old latch with a drill bit around the size of the latch strike so it reads closed, then I'll plug that into the white 2 wire plug. If it works I'll tack it down somewhere on the inside of the hatch with some self-tappers. Thanks again for the help!

 

I was thinking you could just try a loop of wire in the interior light connector to close the circuit, see if that works too. Post what works for other unfortunates...