HELP - BOTH Door handles broken? Door won't open!

[Newman]

HELP - Door won't open! --- Got It Open Now (pics)

Don't know what happenned. Everything has been working fine for the past year now and all of a sudden just now I got out of the car to get the mail and jumped back in and parked it into the garage. Next thing I know is that my driver side door won't open with the door unlocked. So I think it might be the door handle thingy that normally breaks (yet I felt resistance and a spring still) but to my luck, the outside door handle doesn't even open the damn door! Had to climb over the console and exit the passenger side and being 6'4
" it isn't an easy task .

I have power door locks from the alarm and that works fine still, unlocking and locking the door. And there's resistance still from both door handles, inside the car and outside of the driver side door. But the damn door will not open up. If I could get it open, I could pull the door panel off but I can't even get that far.

Anyone ever heard of this problem or know what I can try? I did a search and only found people with problems with only one handle, whether it be on the inside or the outside, but not BOTH handles and not being able to open the door.

 

[Newman]

I'm going to try some MacGyver methods on the door tomorrow after looking at the Helms, and I found one thread to another Prime member who had it happen to (sent him a PM but I didn't see what was final solution). If all else fails, I'll post my results back up on here :smile:

 

[Dave Hardy]

Sounds like the door handles are fine and the mechanism that connects them is fine, but that the link to the door latch broke / fell off / got bent. I'd imagine that if you pull the door panel it should be fairly obvious what is up.

 

[Newman]

I talked to a friend of mine who works at Acura and he said it's most likely the lock actuator (which is a common problem of going out in Honda & Acura cars). Getting a new one and replacing it won't be a problem. The current problem I'm having is trying to get the door open. With the acuator busted (possibly bent rods), I can't get the door to open up. And to remove the door panel, I need to open the door. If I really have to, I can roll the window down and pry off the panel from the top so I can reach into the door and try to manually pop open the door. But by doing that, I may bend/break the panel itself and definetely break off the tabs that are used to hold the panel onto the door :frown:

I'll mess with it more in the morning.

 

[prova4re]

You can remove the door handle by sliding the pleather plastic piece off, then unscrew the bolts and the handle will come free.
You should be able to pull on the cable with your hand, hopefully it will open.

 

[CokerRat]

Unfortunately that won't work if the problem is at the "far" end of that cable. Have you asked your Acura service dept if they know a way to deal with this?

 

[1TITENSX]

If you pull off the rear sash panel cover and roll the window all the way down, I think there is some room to work with to get something in there between the rear sash and door panel to get to the lock mechanism. Page 20-8 and 20-9 shows pics of the lock mechanism. Good luck on getting the door open :redface:

 

[NSXrunner]

Dukes of Hazard style baby. In and out thru the window. :tongue:
Best of luck with fixing the windows. :smile:

 

[Newman]

I pulled the door handle off (handle is fine, cable still pulls just fine but door doesn't open). Cable is pulling fine, door locks from both the alarm and they key hole works fine. The door lock seems to be locking and unlocking just fine when I use my remote or put the key in, and I can hear it in the door. Just can't get the door to open. It seems that the door is just stuck and won't release from the jam but everything else is working right (and I can see & hear the lock & handle working)

If you pull off the rear sash panel cover and roll the window all the way down, I think there is some room to work with to get something in there between the rear sash and door panel to get to the lock mechanism. Page 20-8 and 20-9 shows pics of the lock mechanism. Good luck on getting the door open :redface:

I removed the sash panel and tried to look down there and even use a slimjim-type tool but couldn't get the door to pop open. Anyone have any specific tips on some how getting the door to release and open up? Or have any tips on taking apart the door panel while still on the door (with the door closed) w/out having to cut it all up? I called up 2 dealerships around here and the service guys at each place were idiots and didn't know how or what to do. They just said "bring it in and we'll take a look at it" (like any place would) but didn't know how to go about opening up the NSX door. But also said that the door panel might get destroyed in the process :frown:

 

[drew]

What a cool problem, I mean it sucks...but what a challenge!

I would work on the passenger door, you can always jury that one in event of a failure. Used parts are cheaper for the passenger side, since it gets less use and things break less often.

I think removing the panels without damaging them, with the door closed is going to be impossible.

Slim jim isn't going to help if you can get to the interior handle cable and it doesn't work.

I recommend getting a used door lock assembly so you can see how it works.

Remove the fender? Take the front door hinges off? Remove the fender Naww, I think there is a bolt that has to be removed from inside the _open door_...maybe though.

You might try cutting the body side latch with a cable saw, it is graphite...don't know if it has a metal skeleton. Might be able to get to it from inside the car. Long shot.

Unless there is some secret way of activating the latch from an open window (thats why you should get an actuator), you are probably going to have to sacrifice your door panel

Keep us posted. This is really interesting. Why it would happen to both doors at the same time is really unlikely...unless somebody doesn't like you?

Drew

 

[Newman]

Well, after talking to a few buddies who have dealt with this problem, looks like I'm going to have to cut the door panel up in order to access the door lock actuator (the locking rods to the door jam part). Once I access that, I'll either need to drill it out or use an air-hammer and bust the rod out in order to pop the door open. Once I get the door open, then I can get the rest of the panel off and replace the broken parts, but the problem is getting the door open w/out damaging the door panel (which now looks like no other way around it).

I'll be cutting it up later this afternoon unless somebody here has some miraculous way of openning up the door w/out damanging the door panel :frown:

 

[drew]

Have they dealt with this problem on an NSX??

I just went out and looked: it is awfully tight even if you do remove the door panel.

The latching parts are all plastic. The cable saw won't work because of the obtuse angles.

Are you SURE you can't disable the door side of the latch through the window base? Something like a long chisel or a drill? It is only 8-10 inches away from the top of the window sill. There has to be some sort of "safe crack" that will cause the thing to break open.

Again, I recommend getting a door lock mechanism before you start. You're gonna need it aways before the door will close, so why not wait until you can investigate it fully???

Drew

 

[speed400]

Newman,

before you go cutting up your door, it might be worthwhile to try to get in touch with one of the better NSX techs that are always floating around on here. I know Barney down in Nashville TN is very highly reguarded and was a big help to me when I was looking at car down that way that he had inspected. Plus he is a really great guy. I'm sure if you got in touch with him he would try his best to give you some ideas. His user name is "Barn Man" here on prime. I know there are other guys out there too that have a ton of experiance working on NSX's, FWIW I just thought that might be an option before you have to cut up your door pannel.

Bill

 

[Newman]

Well, I was able to pull my door panel off enough to get my hands in there to see what was going on. My panel is still in one piece, but I had to break the tabs off of the side but no worries since I found another Prime member who's selling me another door panel tomorrow.

After looking at it and trying a few things, what I think happened is that the latch on the door (in the jam section) is stuck on the door jam bracket that affixed to the frame.... if that makes any sense. Now I just need to figure out now which part on the lock actuator that I need to "bust" off in order to open the door. Check the picture below...... some guys said I needed to drill out, or use an air-chisel, part #1 in order to release the door. At this point, I know I'll have to replace parts so my only goal at this time is to just get the damn door open (it's still closed). I don't think I've ever heard of any other Prime member running into this from the searches I did.

Anyone have any suggestions at this point before I do more damage than good?

 

[smoore]

hey there i did get your pm but just got back in town today.

Anyway you have the same problem i had and this is what i did to resolve it:

i took out the driver seat through the window for better accress

removed the door panel (it did break the plastic piece but it stays on fine with a washer around each screw until the dealer got that part in ($55- for the piece that broke no need to buy a whole door panel)

with the door panel off there really wasn't anything jumping out saying i'm broke so i came to the conclusion that something failed inside and would have to break it off so i tried breaking it off with no look as room with tools in the door is tight so i got a torch and melted the white plasitic that the three screws go into until it just melted and fell apart and once it fell apart there was nothing to keep it latch which meant eventually the door just opened.

I kept water on the outside of the door in order no to burn the paint.

i ordered another door latch and hook from my friends at ERZ in Brooklyn NY and 3 days later i installed it and it worked fine and has been for the last 6 months.

It was a pain in the ass and the dealer just kinda looked at me as if we didn't want anything to do with that project and if they did i'm sure it would have cost a small fortune.

if you need further help call me on my cell phone i will give it to you in your PM if you request it

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!!!!!! :biggrin:

 

[Newman]

Anyway you have the same problem i had and this is what i did to resolve it:

with the door panel off there really wasn't anything jumping out saying i'm broke so i came to the conclusion that something failed inside and would have to break it off so i tried breaking it off with no look as room with tools in the door is tight so i got a torch and melted the white plasitic that the three screws go into until it just melted and fell apart and once it fell apart there was nothing to keep it latch which meant eventually the door just opened.

Thanks a lot! I'll look for those white plastic clips and see how I can go about getting them "broken up" or whatever and try to get the door to pop open that way. I might just be able to use a longer drill bit and see if I can just drill them out, otherwise I guess the torch method is always an option.

 

[smoore]

it's not so much as clips but a complete housing that is pretty tough

 

[Newman]

Got The Door Open!

Well, after a lot of cutting with a dremel, trying out the torch (which wasn't such a good idea for a couple of reasons), drilling out parts on the latch assembly, and using a pry bar, I finally got the door open. After trying it first the 'technical' way by seeing if we could take it apart w/out breaking everything up by using a drill and some tools, we tried the torch next and that didn't work as the plastic would melt all over, catch fire, and harden up afterwards. I was finally fed up and took the pry bar and started to go semi-nuts on it and break up most of the latch assembly.... and that worked wonderfully :biggrin:

If anyone runs into this in the future, here's some pics to show you exactly what lever you need to release in order to open the door.

This picture shows that the part that you need to cut/break in order to "lift up" to access the lever to open the door. The door lock assembly looks worse that it is because of the torch melting the plastic.

The finger is pointing at one of the mounting screws for the door lock assembly in the jam area..... the bottom screw.

To break that apart, we tried to drill it out, use a dremel with a cutting blade to saw it off, and finally used a pry bar to just break the damn thing (since the whole assembly needed to be replaced to begin with). Once you lift that part you, you will see a circular lever (which locks the door in place) and a lever underneath it as shown here:

To open up the door, just use a screw driver and push down on the lever as shown here:

Once I figured that out after hours of tearing into it (since I saw that nobody really encountered this before except for a couple of Prime members, and not having any technical explanation for me on how the latch mechanism worked to open the door -- but I thank those guys for their replies & PMs :smile: ), it's not too difficult to release the door.... just a huge pain the ass to get to that lever WITH THE DOOR STILL CLOSED. Thanks to another Prime member, I was able to pick up another door panel since I had to cut mine up in order to access, along with cut the door itself a bit (which can easily be fixed by bending the pieces back into place and tacking it with the welder).

Here are some extra pics from the aftermath:

Ordered up the new door lock assembly ($360) and after buying the panel and misc parts, this was a nice $500 fix-it project

 

[amgnsx]

Ouch!!!
Man that looks CRAZY.. poor door :frown:
and poor u, u could have used that $500 for some NSX goodies.
but then again it's a learning experience for ALL NSX owners

 

[1TITENSX]

Well I am glad you got the door open and all. Man I hope this doesn't happen to me...think it's about time for someone to make another fix-it thingy for this one.

 

[Newman]

think it's about time for someone to make another fix-it thingy for this one.

After tearing it apart and figuring out what parts were working and how they worked, I really don't think that anyone can make a 'fix-it thingy' for it as it's apart of the Power Door Lock assembly. I think a pin or spring finally just gave out over time (rare, but it happens) causing the handles to still work but not attached to the release lever, which is what I have pictured above with the screw driver.

 

[smoore]

wow with all due respect you did it the hard and expensive way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ofcoarse the plastic would catch fire that is the point just don't let it get out of hand so you use aspray water bottle.
you cut the door also this wouldn't of been need either as the flame would have reach unlike the dremmel.
also you completely cut the door panel you could have just broke the taps along the bottom that screw it into the door and you can order just that peice brand new from the dealer for $55-
Also ERZ out of Brooklyn NY will sell what you need for only $150- and it worked fine and you could test it before you put it in the door just to make sure.
but anyhow it's done now so the hard part is done.

 

[Simons2k]

Crap! I think I have this problem too. Same exact story as above. I tried pushing in the door from the outside near the latch and at the same time, pulling on the handle hoping the latch would catch and free itself. No luck!

Has anyone currently dealt with this problem? I'm hoping not to tear apart my door panel. :frown:

 

[ediddynsx]

Yikes....good luck.....I am knocking on wood that this does not happen to me but you never know.

Good luck to both of you guys.

 

[Simons2k]

Bro I'd swap out the old latches just for preventative measures. They are made of plastic that will eventually wear and someday you my friend will suffer the same ordeal.