98 Accord Driver's Front Door Latch TSB
09-26-2007, 04:15 AM
#2
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Hi Richard,
Good luck! When you find someone that will tell you how to get into it please let me know! I have been working on mine for a week now and I haven't gotten it yet! Anyone who knows won't let that very valuable information go. Honda service centers and authorized honda service centers will not tell anyone how to do it correctly. They get between $500,00- 1000.00 to repair the door latch problem. I understand that Honda has known about this problem since the mid 80's and has not issued a TSB. Seems like a serious safety issue. Maybe not enough people have been killed because they are trapped and cannot get out of their cars if it is on fire or in an accident!
Thanks, HarryT
Good luck! When you find someone that will tell you how to get into it please let me know! I have been working on mine for a week now and I haven't gotten it yet! Anyone who knows won't let that very valuable information go. Honda service centers and authorized honda service centers will not tell anyone how to do it correctly. They get between $500,00- 1000.00 to repair the door latch problem. I understand that Honda has known about this problem since the mid 80's and has not issued a TSB. Seems like a serious safety issue. Maybe not enough people have been killed because they are trapped and cannot get out of their cars if it is on fire or in an accident!
Thanks, HarryT
09-26-2007, 03:19 PM
#3
lots and lots of fail
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeetroit
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There is no TSB for the 98-02, but I did mine last year.
1) Remove driver's seat (optional but highly recommended)
2) Remove door panel (1 screw in pocket, 1 behind door handle, lots of strong clips all around)
3) Get a corded drill and a big ass drill bit, along with a hammer and a big screwdriver/crowbar and go to town. The only way to get it open is to drill through the door lock to loosen/damage the latch and pop it open with the screwdriver/crowbar.
It took me an entire weekend to do mine, and I couldn't remove my seat because the welded nut on the floorpan had broken off. It's possible to do but it takes some creativity and patience along with a general understanding of how the mechanism works.
1) Remove driver's seat (optional but highly recommended)
2) Remove door panel (1 screw in pocket, 1 behind door handle, lots of strong clips all around)
3) Get a corded drill and a big ass drill bit, along with a hammer and a big screwdriver/crowbar and go to town. The only way to get it open is to drill through the door lock to loosen/damage the latch and pop it open with the screwdriver/crowbar.
It took me an entire weekend to do mine, and I couldn't remove my seat because the welded nut on the floorpan had broken off. It's possible to do but it takes some creativity and patience along with a general understanding of how the mechanism works.
09-27-2007, 09:28 PM
#4
basically you pull the door panel off , glass ,regulator & motor and track to get as much room as possible and drill or bend the latch to where you can trip the latch to release the door (look into the new latch to get an idea) i've done quite a few 90-93 accords first one took 4 hours and the rest about a hour but charge for 4 it's a pain thats why it cost so much we haven't gotten any 98+ in yet but it's a matter of time...