merberg

hello everyone I normally don't post to forums like this but searching around here I'm fairly confident that I may be able to find some help here I've searched the forums and really haven't found anything helpful so apologies in advance if this has been covered before.

so I bought this car a few weeks ago it was stolen from the seller and when he recovered it the ignition switch was busted out which was fixed and is working fine. however the thieves tried everything they could to get into the trunk failing miserably. the lock on the trunk is gone, as well as the seat lock inside. both lock mechanisms are completely gone. I don't know much about these little cars so I don't want to break anything even more. The manual trunk release inside does not work but the gas tank door lever does work

so, any of the gurus here have any helpful information as to how to get the trunk open so I can replace the lock mechanism and get the manual trunk release working again?

when I bought the car this didn't seem like a big deal getting the trunk open but I'm learning now that Honda does not want people getting into these trunks

thanks for reading!

Jim
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ezone

Fold down the back seat

merberg

as I said the seat lock is also busted. that was the first thing I tried. is there an easy way to get the seat to drop with the lock broke?

ezone

Oops. I think I had pictured a locking floor release lever when I read that line.

Remove door sill trim and whatever as needed to access the cables for the floor mounted release levers, see if you can manually pull the trunk cable to open it?
That might be tricky.

merberg

I know it's been a bastard so far! I got a couple of broomsticks in between the seat today and stuck a flashlight through there. It appears that the cable is disconnected from the brass colored, sort of comma shaped latch part in there. is that the piece I need to manipulate to pop it open?

This is definitely been more of a pain than I thought it would be. Honda certainly did not want people to be able to get into the trunk without a key that's for sure!

Thanks for the replies so far.

ezone

The back seat linkage pieces that run from the lock cylinder to each seatback latch, (nearest items numbered 7 and 17) I believe are steel rod. Push (or pull?) to one side or the other to release the latch
Long needlenose pliers? Long screwdriver?

merberg

hmm looks possible. I'll give it a try here in a few. it's crazy smoky out right now due to half of California burning down. so gotta take a break from being outside for a few

ezone

You could take out the lower seat cushion (hooks at #6, bolt at #18) and see what there is to work with. Remove the upper side bolsters and see if you can unbolt the bottom (pivots) (groups #10-13 and similar) of the seat backs to give some room to get more tools or an arm in to pull on either latch release (#7 or 17)?

RobertD

friends mom parked her civic in the ghetto and they broke into the trunk with no tools. they just yanked upwards and the spotwelds holding the loop for the latch failed. i was impressed. it seemed that nothing else was damaged, although it was kind of hard to tell. the car did have a lot of dents