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I wanted to post this in hopes I can help someone who has a similar problem.
The left rear door of my 1998 Honda Civic would not open from the outside or inside. The power door lock functioned properly. The outside handle felt disengaged as did the inside.
My 1st suspicion was the child safety lock inside the door jamb was engaged not allowing the inside door handle to function. I studied the location of the safety lock on the other rear door and then took a length of 12 gauge single conductor wire and made a hook on the end. I fished the wire down
from the rear top of the door so it rode along the body and the jamb. With a little bit of patients and same finagling I managed to hook the safety lock and pulled it up. The inside door handle now functioned and I got the door open.
Next I removed the inside door panel, 3 screws, 1 at the the door handle and 2 buried in the arm rest. The arm rest cover can be removed by pressing in on a small clip in the front and then prying off the cover. Once the 3 screws are removed the door panel clips can be carefully pulled away from the door. Underneath the panel is a plastic barrier that is held by clips and caulk, this can be pealed back.
Looking inside I could see the linkage from the outside door handle to the door latch had fallen out of its connection at the door handle. The end of the linkage had a plastic cap the press fit into a hole on the outside door latch. The plastic cap had cracked and this allowed it to slip out of the hole.
Now for the the fix; I needed an extra long pair of needle nose pliers to grab the link arm and pull it back through the hole on the door latch. I then used a long screw driver to jamb the linkage at the door latch end so it would not fall back out of the door latch side again. Next I needed some way to keep the linkage connected on the outside door latch side. At the end of the metal linkage rod, where the plastic cap once was, there was a groove around its circumference, the perfect place to put some type a C clip. For the C clip I used a electrical spade lug, the end looks like a 2 pronged fork. Using the long nose pliers I held the spade lug by the barrel and I manged to slide the forks of the lug onto the end of the linkage on the groove. Then I squeezed it closed on the groove around the linkage.
Kind of Micky Mouse I know but it appears to be working OK for now. I reassembled everything and the door is back in business.
Sorry no pictures, I didn't think of it until after everything was re-assembled. Hopefully this may help anyone with a similar problem.
Hi, I am posting on this very old thread because something similar happened to me and I managed to get the door open within a couple of mins! Sharing the info for the betterment of all Honda lovers
My ride is a 2000 Civic Ferio VI-RS (JDM EK3 - RHD) sedan. Poverplant is D15B two stage Vtec. Although this trim is not very common the doors and stuff should be similar for all EK3s.
This started when the door handle of left rear door ceased functioning one day. However it could be opened from inside. I thought child lock has to do something with this so I opened the door from inside, pushed the child lock down and closed the door to check if it could be opened from out side. Then only I found out now it is locked from both sides
Next few days I spent searching what to do but could find any "2 minutes" solutions (BDW, shutter of the same door was not functioning so that was not an option for me). It forced me to think something of my own and it worked. Here's what I did...
I've cut out a stripe of plastic can which was very flexible. length is about 6-7 inches. Notice how flexible this is.
Then a small notch was made at the edge of one end which is large enough to hold the child lock ****. Notice I've left the middle part bent outside.
That's it! tool making is done. Now all you have to do is patiently sliding the piece of plastic in to the gap between the door and the frame, notch in and upwards. Your "tool" should be inserted somewhat below the childe lock. Take measurements from the other door.
Then carefully work it up along the door panel. If you have inserted the tool long enough, you should hear a click. That means you are good to go! I got it sorted at the second go Did not take me more than 15mins including tool making time.
04-01-2015, 09:29 AM
Solutions for "Civic Rear Door Won't Open"
re: Solutions for "Civic Rear Door Won't Open"
Did not take me more than 15mins including tool making time.
re: Solutions for "Civic Rear Door Won't Open"
