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Shoot the handle at both ends with as much WD40 as you can afford and let it sit overnight and then try and wiggle it. If it moves at all you are on the right track so keep shooting and wiggling.
If Buff's method works it will save you a lot of trouble and you won't regret it.
I thought the problem was in the lock mechanism since I had already had such a problem with a Civic. That is why I wound up taking the door apart, I didn't understand how the entire mechanism worked. My efforts led me to the handle after I saw how the handle, the lock cylinder and the actual latching mechanism all worked together. You will not have access to the handle from the inside unless you take the trim panel off. The little access from the hole behind the latch is useless if the problem is the handle.
Don't get in a hurry and be generous with the WD40. I did the job in the summer time. You are stuck with the winter, probably doing it outside, so give yourself a break. A good shot of compressed air may blow out the corrosion after the WD40 has had some time to work.
If the handle is not free lubing the key cylinder will not solve the problem.
The handle, the latch and the lock are three separate items that have to work together.
They are tied together by push/pull rods and cables( which only pull ! ).
For the lock to work the handle must be loose. If the handle does not freely return to its neutral, loose, position ( no hand pulling on it) it is pulling on a cable which will stop the rest of the system from working. I repeat: go after the handle first and free it up, then if things still don't work go after the lock.
My first efforts, like yours, were centred on the lock and did not solve the problem.
Last edited by ElanS2; 12-14-2015 at 05:26 PM.
Reason: added coment
so i managed to use the key to "pry" open the hatch back into the "reset' position and sprayed the living shit out of it using liquid wrench product (penetrating oil) because it said it was "safe on the paint" even though after letting it sit for an hour I went to the car wash and sprayed it all manually off.
It still sticks and I can feel the rust, but when i turn the key right and press the handle it opens yay! Although I didn't realize that I can't just press the handle when I press the "UNLOCK" from the driver door as that will get the handle "STUCK" again.... guess I got to use the key.
Looks like I can replace the handle it seems, looking from the outside the rust is looking pretty bad. I'll take pictures soon
Maybe you can get one of those dental flossers into the side of the handle pivot area, to wear down the rust. Or...fold a thin sheet of sandpaper in half so it can go between the handle and the side frame (where the rust has blossomed).
Anyway, be sure to pack it with grease if you have not, already.
Maybe you can get one of those dental flossers into the side of the handle pivot area, to wear down the rust. Or...fold a thin sheet of sandpaper in half so it can go between the handle and the side frame (where the rust has blossomed).
Anyway, be sure to pack it with grease if you have not, already.
GENIUS! will report back! I might be able to save the handle if i just clean the rust and lube the parts, wouldn't mind even taking it all apart just to give it a good clean before the winter really hits here
Great idea Buff, wild imagination, very innovative.
Vap: if you go to the trouble to remove the handle to clean off the rust go the extra step and replace it. They cost about $50 and you will be able to relax after, especially if you grease it up immediately and then once a year before winter after.
If you do get it operating without removing it great . . . for now. I would then recommend that you put changing the handle on your list of things to do next spring otherwise I think it will come back and bite you at the worst possible time.
Between now and when you replace the handle every time you wash the car you will have to go back and re-grease . . . . I doubt if that will happen with the result that you are now dealing with under winter conditions.
Vap3: if you need to borrow tools I recommend that you try Buff's approach first. It will probably save you a lot of trouble. You will have to keep it lubed after, but that should be done anyway even with a new handle. The job wasn't easy and did take some skill and patience to avoid making a real mess. Someone who doesn't have tools to start with may not have enough experience to find their way through the job anyway. Here is a non-exhaustive list of what you may need:screwdrivers both flat and philips, 10mm wrench and socket, small breaker bar for the socket (1/4" drive), needle nose pliers, wiper arm puller to get the arm off the shaft, Neiko tools 20598A kit of no-scratch tools for trim removal, lots of rust breaker WD40 or whatever, a bucket of patience and luck.
This series of posts was very helpful, well written and detailed. I have a 2007 Fit as does my daughter. We followed this process yesterday to repair both cars. We replaced the latch handles with new ones as I have been through similar problems with an old Toyota Corolla years ago and the temporary fixes did not last. I am surprised that the replacement parts are not redesigned, Toyota finally ended up using all plastic parts. The only difference in our process was that we did slide a cloth under the left edge of the panel cover starting at the top (which is looser) and that seemed to prevent any scratching of the paint, thanks for the forewarning. We did not remove the rear wiper motor completely as I could not figure out how the electrical connector comes apart and I have broken a number in the past, I am sure it is something simple. However, taking the three bolts off allowed us to move the motor to access the one black and one white connector behind. We did not use a wiper arm puller but just some water pump pliers carefully. After the panel cover was off, the rusted bolt broke easily by just holding the square nut with a wrench while continuing to ratchet off the bolt.
Jeff
JeffW,
Thank-you for the feedback. Glad to see my efforts helped someone and it was another Canadian, great. Good luck with your Fits. So far other than the latch my repairs have been limited to the front anti-roll bar linkage bushing and both front bearings. The bearings are a little hard to accept as I have never, in 50 years of driving, had to replace wheel bearings nor do I remember any friends doing that. A very reliable car and easy to work on. Typical Honda.
2007 Honda Fit Sport I read all the post but I am still confused. I can't open the rear hatch and I tried everything - I removed the small circular rubber plug and see a metal tab - but that is about it - I was able to turn is slightly to the passenger side but I didn't want to break anything ( picture attached) any tips on how to get the hatch open ? I also used a liberal amount of WD40 and locked/unlocked several times. This was happening when I tried to open the hatch when the car was locked. Driving around it seemed to fix itself. But the last time I accidently did it ..it is staying so that I can't open it.
Please help if you have any idea and an expect cost to fix it by Honda.
Use PB blaster not WD 40 ,, PB is a full lubricant, WD is a water displacer and mild lube, the PB will break free rust very well and is a really slick lube.
If your problem is rust, which is probably the case, the handle is the proper suspect so blast it from both left and right sides.
Your problem could also be the key mechanism accumulating road dirt and other crud so blast it too.
Check the owners manual for the proper way to open the hatch from the inside. It can be done.
Once you get the hatch open remove the entire black trim panel so you can see the entire system and understand how it works.
I hope that you have taken the time to read all of the previous posts in this thread.
Thanks to all for having maintained this thread. My handle is due for some attention as I have not followed my own advice to lube it yearly !
I purchased my 2007 Fit Sport and I replaced the rusty latch handle but I continue to have issues.
After further checking I believe it is a combination of the latch handle and the actuator. A rusted handle not returning to the at rest position therefore not pushing the cable it is attached fully out at the other end and as well weakening lock actuators.
The latch cable connects to what I like to call the cable lever in the lock assembly. This cable lever is spring loaded but if the latch handle is rusted and doesn't return to the rest position it prevents the cable lever from returning to its at rest position when the outside handle is released.
As well when the actuator tries to move the white plastic arms which slide inside of the cable lever to engage the cable lever to the mechanical lock release, it is jammed from the cable lever not returning to the rest position and normal wear and tear.
I'm going to try and jury rig it tomorrow at work and see if I can fix it because a new actuator is $130 from Honda and on back order so my suspicion is everyone who is paying for replacing the actuator would solve the issue.
To get at the handle you have to remove : the wiper blade, the wiper motor, and the outside plastic panel. Then the latch handle can be removed. The handle is an example of bad design ( Must not be a Honda design). It is subject to rust and corrosion due to poorly chosen materials and then exposing them to road splash etc. The handle which moves is plastic, it rotates on a steel shaft and is held in place in a steel frame about 3 inches long. There is enough accumulated rust to prevent the handle from fully returning to its normal position. You cannot see the problem as it is hidden just inside the door. The handle must be fully retracted to its normal position to release all tension in the cable to the latch. This is not happening due to rust build-up in several places around the moveable handle: at both ends due to the frame, and the rusty shaft.
If this happens to you try pushing the handle so that it returns its normal position. If that doesn't work try again. If you are still stuck open it from the inside by the access hole and then get the handle replaced. Once you have the handle exposed in your hands the obstruction offered by the rust will become obvious.
This job can be done DIY but go slow. The most difficult part is removing the outside plastic panel. It is held in place by plastic pins (three white ones and 2 black ones) which are all accessible from the inside once the wiper motor is out of the way. The pins can be pinched to allow the panel to become free, however there is a bolt and a special nut which you must remove working from the inside of the door to liberate the panel....
Rod
The following are directions for what I did to replace the rear hatch handle on my 2009 Honda Fit Sport, ***however these directions are specific to models having a horizontal exterior trim piece that runs across the hatch under/abutting the rear windshield seam.****
Quick Summary: You'll have to pop off the large plastic INTERIOR "trim" cover that covers the inside mechanics of the hatch and also remove the EXTERNAL rear windshield wiper and INTERNAL wiper motor, which allows you to then remove the EXTERNAL horizontal trim that runs just below the rear windshield seam on the exterior part of the hatch.
The horizontal trim piece covers the hatch handle. Figure out if it's relevant to your model. If so, you have to remove this horizontal trim piece, because once everything is detached, you have to lift that exterior horizontal trim up in order to pull the handle out and TWIST the handle to get the notch of it out of the hole and then to insert the new handle before putting the trim back in place.
If you are handy, you can do this on your own. I used a 10mm socket wrench.
1. order a new handle from a Honda dealership
2. Remove the EXTERIOR rear wiper:
- to remove the rear windshield wiper, look for the black cap located at the end of the wiper where the wiper pivots up and down from. Pull off the cap by gently pulling out on each side of the narrower (non-round) part of the cap; the cap should then come right off
- note the location of the mark on the metal circle that is now exposed; mine had a small blue dot at 3 o'clock. Wherever the dot is, that's where you want it to be when you put it back on so the wiper is in the correct position.
- use a 10mm wrench to remove nut on the wiper, then gently twist the wiper and it should slide right off
3. Remove components from the INSIDE part of the hatch:
- Remove the interior plastic hatch cover by popping out the ~2x4 rectangular piece at the bottom center and then gently pulling/popping off the large plastic cover; all the mechanisms and some wires will then be exposed
- Detach the wiper blade mechanism as a unit; it is on the internal side from where the exterior wiper blade attaches. Look for three nuts that hold the unit to the hatch. Use a 10mm socket wrench to remove the nuts; let the unit hang gently down
4. Start detaching the handle from the INSIDE part of the hatch:
- slide the cable (that is attached to internal part of the handle) out of the slot and then twist it so the teeny metal cylindrical end of the cable slides out
- remove the two nuts (that are holding the hatch handle in place) that are on either side of the cable
- you'll notice now that the handle is free and deceitfully feels like it can be removed, but, remember that black horizontal exterior trim piece under the windshield? Notice that it gets in the way. Now is when we start removing it.
5. Detach the horizontal exterior trim piece that covers the handle
NOTE: Once I loosened it, I didn't pull it all the way off; I removed enough of it to allow enough space to TWIST the handle out from under it
- from the INTERIOR side of the hatch, look up into the crevices of the metal hatch and you'll see white/yellow/green plastic cone shaped-looking things about 1 cm long. You'll need to pop this up into where they're coming from - to pop them, put pressure on the CENTER tip. I used the flat surface of my linesman pliers to push firmly up on the center tip and with enough umph, the center pops up and releases the tension and loosens that area of the external trim
- you'll need to look around and even reach your tool pretty deep inside the metal area to pop all the cones up (I think I popped five of them?)
- after you've popped them, you'll notice the exterior trim loosens. Gently pull at it to see where it still feels snug and attached; look on the internal side at that area to see if there's another cone to pop
6. Remove the handle
**PAY ATTENTION to the ORIENTATION OF the handle so when you install the new one, you know how it goes!**
- once the external trim is loose enough, you'll be able to TWIST the already detached handle out of the hole
7. Install the new handle
- install the new handle by TWISTING it into the hole; MAKE SURE IT IS ORIENTED THE CORRECT WAY!
- attach the two nuts on the inside to secure the handle
- attach the black cable to the inside part of the handle
8. TEST the handle
- close the hatch and test the handle; if it works, you're good to go!
- if it doesn't work... check that you attached the cable correctly
- if it still doesn't work, follow the black cable down to where it attaches to the lock assy/solenoid. The little round part of the plastic white assy and the black metal lever have to both be in the correct position for them to properly work together. In the unlocked position, the white plastic part should be pushed down and the black metal lever should be pushed to the left. Make sure the lock is in the unlocked position before you test the handle! (In the locked position, the white round plastic part is up higher and the black metal lever is pulled almost underneath it)
8. If the test worked, reattach the exterior trim
**It is very important to PAY ATTENTION to the rear windshield seal a you reattach the exterior trim; make sure it is flat and flush; if it is twisted, you'll need to detach the trim to fix the seal**
**I reattached the trim from left to right, paying attention to the windshield seal as I went
- once you've taken note of the windshield seal, position the trim where it should be and firmly hit the trip with a hard pop to pop it back into place
- move your hand 6" to the right and give it another firm hit to pop the next cone back into its seat; if the trim feels snug, you know it's re-attached properly
- ensure all areas of that horizontal trim piece are firmly back in place with a nice smooth windshield seal
9. Retrace your steps for the rest of it:
- attach the interior wiper unit back to the interior side of the hatch by feeding the cylindrical pin up through the wiper hole; then attach the unit in place with three nuts
- set the wiper blade on the pin making sure it is positioned correctly (remember the dot?) and attach it with a nut
- put the cap back on the bottom part of the wiper to cover the nut
- firmly pop the large interior plastic cover back in place
- attach the small 2x4 plastic piece in the bottom center of the large plastic trim
The problem is the rusty exterior latch but also I believe the trunk latch actuator OEM Part Number: 74896SAA003
the actuator has 2 little plastic arms rotated by a motor when unlocked. These arms allow a lever attached to the end of the exterior latch to engage with the lock mechanism. Basically the arms do not complete their full intended movement and due to the supple plastic they move out of the "unlock" position when attempting to use the exterior latch.
It's a pain in the butt I've tried to jury rig it with springs, grease, and filling excess material but all without success. I haven't replaced mine as I don't know if the new part comes complete with the arms as well as the actuator itself. It's also pricey even from aftermarket sources.
I read through all these posts and could not believe it was this hard.
Mine was rusted badly and the latch was stuck partially open, so the actuator could not do its job. In order to get my hatch to work I had to push the latch into the closed position.
I fixed my problem with Lithium Grease Spray. Just put tons of it on each side where the pin was rusted in the hole (the pin in the hole is the hinge for the latch) and worked it back and forth manually. Sometime with the hatch up, sometime with it down.
Total time was about 10 minutes for me to fix it. Has been fine all winter (this is a minnesota car, so about as rusty as they get).
Before you go buying parts and taking that outside wiper molding off...I blew my handle out with compressed air. A cloud of dust came out. Then I sprayed lube in there (heck, WD-40 would work fine.) and blew it out again. The lube goes everywhere so you want to clean that off the paint. Then you lightly lube it again. It fixed mine. I used CLP for the final lube but that stuff is too expensive to use as a cleaner that's why I used WD-40 for that. Also, If you undo the two nuts/bolts that anchor the handle you can move it around to get better access for cleaning it, without actually removing it. I also took off the interior plastic trim. That comes off easy enough and it lets you clean out any dirt that gets inside. Plenty of Youtube videos show how to do it.
12-14-2015 | 03:57 PM
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