You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to start new topics, reply to conversations, privately message other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join civicforums.com today!
DIY: Replacing door lock Assembly and Actuator (UPDATED WITH PICS ON POST 27)
For anyone who is having problems with there door locks, not opening when using the remote and also if you are in the car and you push the lock/unlock button and they don't pop up, then most likely you actautor is dead. This in turn makes you have to use the key to lock/unlock the door, which I hate. Alot of people are having this happen with there car, as I am one of them. I just fixed it and it works great. So don't go running to the dealer for this unless it is under warranty. If it isn't under warranty, I am going to tell you how to fix the problem.
First I would like to say before I do this DIY, here is what you need to check to see what the problem is. First things first, check your fuses, sometimes a fuse might have blown and that is why the locks arent working.
Second, if the fuses are fine, after you have the door panel removed, make sure all the rods are connected. If they are, the last thing you can do is put your ear up to the corner of the door, not the corner with the speaker, the other corner and flip the lock/unlock button and see if you can here your actuator. Usually it should buzz and if it doesnt, then your actuator is dead. 99% of the time it will be your actuator that is dead. If you do hear it, then you need to check the rods and what not to see if the are all connected.
After you figure out it is the actuator, don't panic and go to the dealer. you will just waste your money. I got my part from Majestic Honda, www.hondaautomotiveparts.com and it was $42.14 shipped to my door for the part. That is for the door lock assembly and actuator. Honda charges about $90 something for just the actuator and over $100 for the locking assembly. If you can figure out how to remove the actuator from the locking assembly then you can just order the actuator which I was quoted $17 from majestic honda. I have no idea how to get it apart so I just ordered the locking assembly.
Sorry I have no pictures for this since my family and I can't get our damn digital camera to work, but I am going to explain it as best as I can. This DIY is replacing the drivers side door locking assembly, but is the same for the passanger side.
I would also like to give alot of credit to AzNmikex215 for helping me do this project and he basically walked me through getting out my old locking assembly. Thanks bro.
Parts needed:
New door locking assembly
Phillips head screwdriver
Flat head screwdriver
Socket wrench and 10mm socket
First off you need to remove the door panel, if you don't know how to do that, here is the link:
Next once the door panel is removed, move some of the white sheet out of the way. This job is easier if you have the window rolled up, so just plug the window control unit back in and roll it up and then remove the unit.
Now, looking at the door panel, first thing you want to do is release the locking cable from the top of the door panel from the metal bracket. It justs pops out. you can unscrew the door lock tab ( piece with red stripe on it) from the locking cable.
Next remove the small screw in the middle of the door panel. There is a brown plastic piece behind it that connects to the locking assembly and holds the locking cable in place. After the screw is removed, reach behind and pull out the brown plastic piece. It just snaps out. Then pull the locking cable through the hole so that you can stretch it across the inside of the door panel.
Next remove the 10mm bolt in the corner of the door panel. It holds a metal bracket in place. After you remove the bolt, pull out the metal bracket from the rubber piece it sits in. It will just slide out, it is kinda long, so pull it aside and remove it so it comes out the door panel.
Next, remove the 2 connectors from the actuator.
Next look on the side of the door. There will be 3 big screws. These screws hold the locking assmebly in place. Remove all 3 screws.
Next, look at the long silver rod running across the door panel. This is the rod that you first removed from the clip when remving the door panel. Well the other end of it is connected to the locking assembly. Look inside the door panel and you will see that it is also connected by a clip. Just unhook the clip from the rod and pull out the rod.
Next look up in the top left corner if doing the driver's side and the top right corner if doing the passanger side. You will see 2 more rods connected by clips. Do the one in the far corner first, like the other one, just unhock the clip and pull the rod out of the holder.
Next comes the other rod that connects to the door handle. This rod is sorta hard to get out. For this rod you will need to use your flat head screwdriver because your hands won't be able to pop it out. Now stick your screwdriver under the rod and using the frame as leverage, try and push the rod out. Don't try and pull it straight out with the screwdriver, you have to push the rod away from you while pulling it out, towards the door and it should pop out. It will take some muscle, but it should pop out. Don't get frustrated with this one it took me awhile to get it out, but like I said, use your strength.
After that rod is removed, you are now ready to remove the door locking assembly. Just pull it down and out of the door panel frame. now you should be holding the locking assembly in your hand.
The last thing is your door lock cable will still be attached the the old assembly. All you do is release the clip off the cable and pull it out of the assembly.
Congragulations!!! You just removed the door locking assmbly.
Now grab your new locking assembly and re-connect the lock cable to the assembly.
Now putting the assembly back in is pretty even easier. Just slip the new assembly back in the door frame and before you re-install the 3 bolts that hold the assembly in place, reconnect the long rod to the assembly and hook it in place. It was the first one you unhooked from the assembly. Doing this gives you room to reinstall that rod. Putting the 3 screws back in first, you cant really see where to connect the rod.
Now re-install the 3 screws that hold the assembly in place. After that, reconnect the 2 rods to there holders and clip them in place. they all just snap back in.
Next, reconnect the 2 connectors to the actuator. Then grab the metal bracket you removed and slide it back up into the rubber piece. Then reconnect the 10mm bolt that holds it in place.
Next pull the lock cable back through the hole and connect it back to the meatal bracket at the top and screw on the lock piece. Make sure you only screw the lock piece on 1 or 2 turns, other wise when you put your door panel back on, it will sit to far down in the panel.
Next put back the brown plastic piece. It just snaps into the locking assembly and holds the cable in place. Then reinstall the screw that holds the brown piece.
Now reinstall your door panel and BAM, your door locks should be working again.
when ordering your parts from majestic honda, the product number for the drivers side lock assembly is 375099 and the product number for the passanger side lock assembly is 375084. If you have any problems using there website, call them.
If I missed anything some one let me know. Or if you have any questions about this DIY please PM me, email me or just post a question on this topic. Peace.
Mods, I am asking if you would sticky this because I know alot of people on this site have had this problem and this will surely help them out. thanks.
To remove this ad, register today for free or log in if already registered!
Last edited by streetglower; 10-20-2005 at 09:50 PM.
Sponsored Links
To avoid seeing this ad in our forum please register at CivicForums.com
By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features.
yay! I'm sure alot of people with 01 civics have this problem. My passenger Actuator died out at 35,700 miles. 300 miles before warrenty was up. If i ever get a free Minute i will take pictures to add to the DIY. Hope this helps!
Great DIY streetglower. I just finished up replacing the assembly and actuator. It's not only the 01's with this problem though..My car is an 02 with 46k miles. Looks like as you get higher in mileage the actuator will eventually die, at least the driver side actuator.
Ok my problem sounds like the actuator, but the question is because when I use the switch, it locks and unlocks the passenger side door just fine, while it does nothing on the driver's side. Could this still be the actuator or should I check for disconnected rods before ordering a new actuator?
Also, from hondaautomotiveparts.com, which is the actual part that I need for the actuator replacement? You said you paid 42 somethin' for the entire assembly, but I can't see where you're looking for that. When I did a part search on the side, I show the Left side door lock assemply for 80 somethin' dollars.
2976 LOCK ASSY., L. DOOR NO COLOR 82.56
I also see for actuator
27662 ACTUATOR ASSY., L. FR. DOOR LOCK NO COLOR 31.60
27696 ACTUATOR ASSY., L. SLIDE DOOR LOCK NO COLOR 46.97
I would still check to see if any rods are disconnected. But most likely it is the actuator. But get the part off www.hondaautomotiveparts.com Order the door lock assembly, it comes with the actuator. It is Somewhere like $40. Unless you know how to get the actuator away from the locking assembly, then just buy the actuator.
I would still check to see if any rods are disconnected. But most likely it is the actuator. But get the part off www.hondaautomotiveparts.com Order the door lock assembly, it comes with the actuator. It is Somewhere like $40. Unless you know how to get the actuator away from the locking assembly, then just buy the actuator.
Sorry! I had to edit my post for more information. You were too quick! Please read the above post ^
you need illustration number 31. Lock assembly for L. front door.
Weirdest thing. Without even thinking about it, when I went out to my car in the morning, I used my remote to unlock the car. I got in and thought nothing of it. Then I remembered that it quit working. So now I'm like "WTF?" So I got out and tried to relock it. It worked also. All of a sudden, the lock works fine. Weird eh? It's been working fine ever since. Well I'm going to keep this thread bookmarked just in case. You've been very helpful. Thanks.
I have a similar problem. I have a coupe and the passenger side door won't lock/unlock by using the remote or the power lock. As stated above, it may be the actuator. If it is, my question is...
^^^ Thanks. Wierd, the right assembly cost more than the left. Hahah. I already checked the fuses inside and out and they were all fine. Tomorrow, I'll need to remove the door panel to check all the rods and check if the actuator is still werking. If not, then I'm off to your DIY.
Btw, thanks fer the well detailed DIY. Everything is well put.
DIY: Replacing door lock Assembly and Actuator (UPDATED WITH PICS ON POST 27) 
