1990 Honda Accord door won't open or unlock

My girlfriend recently bought a used 1990 Accord and now the driver's side
door won't open. It has power locks, but no matter how you unlock/lock it
(power, with key, manually) the locking mechanism doesn't seem to disengage
on the driver's side door even though the button moves up and down on the
door panel. Neither handle (inside or outside) seems to make any
difference, but both have some resistance, which tells me the linkage is
all still intact. It sounds like it is a faulty locking/latching
mechanism, which I think can be replaced, but how in the world can I get
the door open now? Is there a way to disengage the lock or something from
the inside so I can open the door? To make matters worse, her father is a
Ford man and was opposed to buying a used Honda but I argued how good
their quality was and all that stuff and she bought it against his will
and now this happens.

Anyway, any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance,

Fred.

 

Are you engaging the door latch when you try to lock or unlock? You have
to do this on my '91 Civic on the driver's side door.

 

The news wasn't good for me. I have a 1991 accord LX with that exact
problem about 6 months ago. The replacement part was $130.00 or $230.00,
can't remember. You have to remove the door panel with the door closed.
This is real hard to do without tearing the panel because of a fastener
between the dash and door. The local Honda mechanic told me to drill a
1/4" hole in the latch/lock mechanism from inside of the door, just above
the star shaped rivet.

I ended up drilling 3 holes in that piece before I got it to release the
door. once it is open you can replace the whole thing. Try not to mess up
the window track.. I did and my window doesn't stay in the track when i
close it.

good luck

 

Thanks, I was afraid of that. I guess I can try to get that panel off. I
know what you mean about that one clip between the dash and the door
panel. I looked inside the door on my 93 and it looks pretty crowded in
there for a drill, but I have to try, I suppose.

Thanks for the help, where did you get your part? Even $230 looks cheaper
than what my first search on the internet showed me. Maybe I'll just look
for used door.

thanks again,

Fred.

 

The replacement part came from a local Honda dealer

 

Hi,
I also had the exact same problem with my drivers door lock mechanism
a few months after I purchased it. I'm not exactly sure how the part
was replaced and how the shop replaced it but was an expensive repair
bill, around $600-$650 parts and labor. As for your girlfriends father
being opposed to buying used Honda's ask him how many Fords can still
run like new with 215,000 miles on the original engine/transmission.
Let's put things in perspective; that new door lock sounds much better
than a engine rebuild on a sh*t domestic Ford.
Jeremy
91' Accord Ex
215,000 and counting

 

I have the same exact problem with a 1990 Honda. I will try to get the
panel off and drill that hole you talk about. Thanks.

 

Does it take a lot of work for a diy job to put the window back on its
track? I have a 1994 Accord with a window that is slightly off track
and ends up on the outer edge of the weatherstripping. I still can
roll the window up and down but it goes v-e-r-y s-l-o-w once it touches
the weatherstripping. If it is not a diy job, how much you figure it
would cost to fix it? Old car I know, might not be worthwhile.