2003-2011 Honda Element - Replace Door Lock Actuator - Girlie Garage
Вставка
- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
- This is a quick way to solve the problem of your door locks not working on your Honda Element. Do your homework and make sure that the actuator is the problem before purchasing parts and starting this project.
If you want to support Girlie Garage: / girliegarage
🧰 TOOLS Used 🧰
Flat head screwdriver
Phillips head screwdriver
Screw gun
Channel locks
Pliers
10mm socket & ratchet
Pick
🛠 PARTS to BUY 🛠
~(amazon affiliate)~
Driver's door actuator: amzn.to/3hcqJuR
Passenger door actuator: amzn.to/3hcCtxu
▶ Helpful Videos! ▶
Remove/Install Metal Lock: • Honda - Remove/Install...
§ Socials §
Website: www.girliegarage.com
Facebook: / girliegarage1
Instagram: / girliegarage
TikTok: / girliegarage
🎧 Song(s) Credit 🎧
Song Credit: Alive by LiQWYD / liqwyd
Creative Commons - Attribution 3.0 Unported - CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/l_alive
Music promoted by Audio Library • Alive - LiQWYD (No Cop...
⧫ Chapters ⧫
0:00 Introduction
0:04 Taking The Door Off
2:40 Taking The Actuator Out
3:08 Replace Old with New Actuator
4:08 Putting The Actuator Back
5:30 Putting The Door Back
8:03 Outro
Due to factors beyond the control of Girlie Garage, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. Girlie Garage assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Girlie Garage recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Girlie Garage, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Girlie Garage. - Авто та транспорт
One of the best tutorials I've ever seen. You cover every conceivable aspect including the little tricks for this and that. Bravo
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful!
Just wanted to drop a note to say this helped me immensely in replacing my door actuator today. Thanks!
So happy to hear good news and congratulations on fixing it yourself!
Thanks for excellent step by step video. I'm 71 years old, had to make my body move ways it hasn't in a few years but successfully changed actuator and everything works prefect.
John thank you so much for sharing your positive experience! I’m proud of you for tackling this job and saving yourself money!
Very well done and demonstrated
Thank you for the video. A little bit of a fight in a confined area... but worth the trouble. Your video helped; appreciate it!
Yes, the inside of the door is always a pain
Excellent video! It made the job a lot easier knowing what to do in what order. Thank you!
Great great great tutorial. Very informative and helpful. The only thing I did differently is I did not remove the door handle. My 2003 Honda Element had an extra bracket that was attached to the door handle which was very difficult to remove. You CAN remove the door actuator and locking mechanism without removing the lock cylinder and door handle. It's not necessary but only if you want more room to work. The spaces are small and tight but it's doable. Thanks again for this video. Great Job!
Totally! Thank you for sharing that Joseph. Yeah, that lock bracket is a pain so if you can get to the actuator without removing it…save the pain!!
Just used your video to change my actuator. Thank you so much for making videos like this.
I put the clip for the door lock cylinder into the grove on the door handle assembly first, before I reinstalled the handle onto the door. Got it all the way up into the groove with the tabs on top where it would sit when fully assembled.
Then I put the handle assembly into the door, lined up the lock cylinder with the metal bracket still attached, and got the two bolts started.
Now, you can push the lock cylinder from the inside into the handle assembly. The barbs on the sides of the lock cylinder will spread the clip and the clip will spring back and catch in the lock cylinder's groove once its in all the way.
Awesome video! Saved me a few hundred bucks and I got to learn more about my Element.
Like a few may have mentioned, I did not have to pull my cylinder to replace the actuator.
Awesome! I'm glad you found the video helpful and that you were able to work around the nasty plate on that lock cylinder.
Great video…. Completely convinced after this that I’m leaving this repair to the professionals!
At least you did your homework! Thank you for the laugh!
Lol
Thanks for making such a clear and easy to follow-along video!
My driver's side door lock was not engaging when I either pressed the key fob lock, or the lock button on the inside of the door. Hoping it was the actuator, I bought the part on Amazon, then followed your wonderful video. Took a couple hours, but hey it works good as new now! Thank you very much for making this walk-through!!
So happy to hear the good news that you have your door locks back! Thank you for sharing the good news!
Wow fascinating to see the insides of the door!!!
Just used your video and it was a breeze thanks to you! Much appreciated.
Clearest photography and instructions of any videos I’ve watched. I’m working my way through your videos since I subscribed, and wish I’d had this as a reference when I worked on the actuator a few years back. 2003 EX, now over 300,000 miles and still going strong, but definitely now showing it’s age (like its owner!)
Aww! Thank you! I ❤️ that you treat your element with so much love!!!
It’s nice to see women out there fixing cars my hat off to you 👍🏽🙌🏽🙋🏽♂️
Thank you! We do exist. If you ever want to connect with more of them, there are quite a few on my Instagram.
I did ball joints, tie rod ends, front and rear sway bar links and front control arms 2 days ago on my '08 Element. Yesterday, I replaced the rear propeller shaft. This job is next. Thanks for the great video! I would have a hard time figuring this one out... 🤔
Congrats! That is a big job!! I hope this video helps you with your door locks. Sounds like you’re going to have a happy car when you’re finished :-)
Thanks so much for this video! I changed mine out yesterday. Seems to have done the trick and now I don’t have to climb through the back to unlock the front door. Not a good look if you’re on a first date.
Read through a lot of other comments for tips, too. Very helpful. I will say that most of my plastic clips were not as cooperative as the ones if you’re video and I MIGHT have forgotten to put some metal bracket back when putting it all back together. Your door didn’t seem to have it and it was dark out so I didn’t see it sitting on the ground. :)
Haha! Thank you so much for leaving this comment. Totally envisioned you climbing through the back for a date 😂
If you didn't put the metal bracket back on for the back of the door handle (this one: ua-cam.com/video/zZ2l0K7i2h4/v-deo.html) that should be fine, it's just an added security feature so that people can't break into your car through your door handle as easy. It's also a pita, so I don't blame you for not putting it back on.
Glad you found the video helpful!
Great job ! Very helpful
Thank you Alan! So glad you found this video helpful!
Thanks for sharing your informative video ..it helped me out..👍👍👍👍👍
So happy to hear that!!!
Great video. I kept it with me on my phone for reference while working. I got everything apart, but couldn't get the 3 screws that hold the actuator out, so I had to just put it back together and leave it for another day. I did, however, notice that a wire on one of the plugs conncted to the actuator was pulled out, so I shoved it back in there. Now the remote, which I recently installed, works sometimes on the drivers door.
One other thing. I did not remove the lock cylinder. It had been replaced by a previous owner, I assume, as it has a different key. The retainer clip looked different than the one in your video, and apoeares to be broken. I figured I should just leave it alone. I was able to complete the job with it in place. I imagine that the wire getting pulled out was from when the lock cylinder was replaced. I may revisit this later when I find my screw extractor set, and get new screws fot the actuator.
You may be able to remove the connector to the actuator in order to repair the wiring, then your remote may work 100% of the time :-)
Great videos. Love my element! Thx
Awesome video!
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. They take a really long time to put together so they are decent enough for UA-cam!
Excellent! Girl Power!
My comment section is experiencing some weird restrictions from UA-cam. A UA-camr named cj Coombes left a helpful comment that was deleted so I want to share it here:
I applaud you for a very well done video. However, there is a very serious issue that needs to be addressed. Your title says thru 2011. After watching your video and building up enough confidence to tear apart my door, I was stopped dead in the job when I arrived at a securing bracket that encompasses the exterior door handle. The bracket made removing the door lock cylinder ring pin nearly impossible and I don't want to think about the trouble I am going to have getting it back in place when nothing is visible. I suspect this is the reason I cannot find any videos on this subject for 08,09,10,11. Also the door access hole are smaller on my 2010, or else the hassle make them seem that way. I wished you had offered some still pics on the power connectors so we would know how to release the connections we cannot see. I have watched the video many times and it was very helpful to understand most of what I was getting myself into. Thanks.
To address this concern, I have heard from a couple people that some of their elements have a guard over the lock cylinder. There should be a release "tab" on the guard that you need to get a small flat-head screwdriver to push sideways while simultaneously pulling the whole metal guard toward you (toward the inside of the door). On other Hondas I have used two flat head screwdrivers instead of hands to make this work. I hope this is at least kind of helpful for those of you who have to deal with this lock guard. If anyone has better insight please share!!!
got this done in a few hours. Thanks for showing how it's done. I didn't remove the lock and worked around it, which may have caused more headache than needed. But I just couldn't convince myself I'd be able to get that clamp back on the lock.
once I got it all back together, I notice my window rolls down about 80% of the way and then slows/stops. When I completely removed the bolt from holding the window guide it rolls up and down just fine. Of course I didn't leave it like that and now just have a window that won't roll down. Do you know what it might be catching on? I can't see anything.
Great job completing this on your own! When replacing the actuator there shouldn't be anything that messed with the window. I would look around the window run channel (the one near the actuator) to see if there is extra pressure on the channel. If there is pressure, it could be causing the window not to run smoothly or all the way down.
I have used this video to replace the door lock actuator but once all together I can’t open the door from inside the car on the driver’s side any suggestions on making sure we have the rods in correctly so that the door opens properly. Thanks in advance.
You probably missed one of the plastic clips that goes over one of the metal rods, or you also have to put the metal rod back into the inside door handle
I finally got this job done today. Your video was very helpful! This job was frustrating _with_ instruction, it would have been a big mistake to go into it without some sort of guide... A couple of points worth mentioning:
My 2008 Element has an additional bracket behind the door handle assembly, which is not there on your vehicle. It makes it even more difficult to get to the lock cylinder retaining clip. I used this guy's method to remove the assembly:
ua-cam.com/video/Q_ryU2bwYFk/v-deo.html I couldn't pop the door handle linkage out when working inside the door, but could pull the assembly out far enough to get at it from the outside and pop it out.
Having done that, which enabled me to remove the clip and cylinder, I realized that the lock cylinder did not need to come out at all. On reassembly of the door, I put it into the handle assembly and bracket first, clipped it, and kind of reversed the way I took it out. Then I installed the bolts, popped the linkages in and put the clips back on. It took a lot of manipulating of the handle/lock assembly, but I finally got it... Popping the linkage back in was easy from inside the door, especially since I put a bit of silicone grease on it.
While the lock and actuator assembly was out, I took the opportunity to lubricate any rotating or sliding parts with silicone grease. You can see where it was applied at the factory, so I replenished it.
It would be good to briefly explain how door/trim panel retaining clips work. Invariably, when removing a door panel, a couple of the clips stay in the door and pop out of the panel. An average DIY person might not know to pry them out of the door and put them back in the panel. Your door will not go back together correctly otherwise.
Also, I was working outside in approx. 40ºF temps. Used a heat gun on medium setting when re-applying the plastic sheet inside the door. It kept the plastic flexible, and softened the bead of adhesive a bit.
When I (finally!) finished, and was testing the remote lock system, I thought something was wrong until I realized that it won't lock the doors when one is open. Worth mentioning...
Thanks again for the help!
Thank you so much for taking the time to give great feedback. I think you're talking about the lock cylinder protector (metal bracket) and I made a video specifically for that here: ua-cam.com/video/zZ2l0K7i2h4/v-deo.html If you can manage to do this job without removing the lock cylinder and just moving everything to the side, kudos!
Definitely a good tip about the clips on the inner door panel. Sometimes they get stuck on the wrong side and it's impossible to get the door panel back on. They should be on the door panel and press into the door for the easiest installation.
Bravo for doing this job in the cold. The heat gun (or a hair dryer) would definitely be helpful. You can always use duct tape to get the vapor barrier back into place. If you want to be fancy, you can purchase butyl tape (Amazon affiliate): amzn.to/3ETNRVE to replace the goo that should be there for the vapor barrier.
Glad there was a happy ending (considering you thought you went through all that work, then the doors wouldn't lock because one was open)!!
Is there a trick to getting the bracket back on?
@@claudiabixler3083 - It's been a while since I did the repair... IIRC, I put it together with the outer part (handle & plate) then manipulated it into the opening in the door. Kind of the reverse of this:
ua-cam.com/video/F7VuLI7X59k/v-deo.html
My memory is a bit hazy at this point... Let us know how it worked out!
It seems my door lock actuator on the passenger of my 2010 is broken because it makes a loud click noise when the door unlock. Thank you for sharing this video! Very helpful.
Kimbarry, does the door still unlock or does it only make the nose and it doesn’t unlock?
@@GirlieGarage mine was the same until it just completely stop working. It’s been two years and I have yet to fix it.
@@brandyag It’s a pretty simple fix considering how much you use your car. The convenience of having your locks work correctly is important.
@@GirlieGarage thanks for a great video. My key fob still unlocks my drivers side door but I do here the loud buzzing sound along with it. Must be the actuator on the outs? This process looks like agony but I wouldn’t think of doing it without this!
@@jasonaston9035 the loud buzzing is probably the actuator. The best bet is to take the interior door off and have a look at what’s going on inside the door when you hit the button (must reconnect the switches from the door panel for that to work). Or you can just wait until it stops working to replace it 😂
My lock was working fine then I took of the panel to tint my window and now it won’t go down. I can hear the actuator trying to lock but it won’t. If I pull the interior handle open and then press down on the door lock by the window it’ll lock. Really weird. I just had that actuator replaced also about a year ago. Any idea what might be happening?
There are multiple levers that move to make the actuator work. I would take your door panel off and look to see if anything fell inside the door or if something is disconnected.
@@GirlieGarage Super weird. I started the car and shut the doors and now is working again. But now for some reason when I turn the car off and grab the driver door handle it won’t automatically unlock like it usually does. I have to press the unlock button to get out.
@@Brisk1219 Yeah, it sounds like something was jarred loose. I would recommend taking the door panel off and taking a peek
Awesome vid! If the door lock button (inside element by the door handle) does not lock or unlock the drivers side door itself but locks/unlocks the rest, would you diagnose that as the driver’s side actuator needs replaced(2003 Element)? You can manually lock it though from inside.
You really have to get in there and have a look at it. There’s like 6 different little levers (metal rod things). If any of those are off their tracks, that could be causing the problem as well
@@GirlieGarage That make sense. Will take a look today. Thanks so much!
@@ejlima what was your result of looking? I have the same problem
@@ericprieto9387 it was the door lock actuator.
Im having trouble getting the metal piece back on (at 3:54). What exactly is being lined up on the backside? The screw hole and the little dangly metal piece going into the piece of plastic?
I thought i had it lined up but the two plastic clips went in before the back side and I didn't want to push too hard and break something
Hey Dylan, the video is really as clear as I can get. You have to hook the metal edges over the front first, then everything snaps together at once. Don't force it but have courage to snap it into place.
@@GirlieGarage got it on, thanks
Wow, you make it look so easy. May I ask, how long did this actually take? Amazing. I'm not handy and would never be able to do this.
Thank you, I bet you that you could do it. It probably took me 1-1.5 hours, some of my bolts and levers were very stubborn and even I barely fit (my hands) inside the door.
WOW, There are so many steps, Not sure I can do all the steps
I've seen this video at least 7 times and still haven't done my Element!!!
Bought keyless entry and it works for every door except the driver's. The driver's door lock is also broken, the key won't go in all the way. The bracket that is connect to the lock cylinder is covering the clip, how do I get that off? I can see the top of the clip behind it but i cant see the bottom of it
This video includes a piece on how to remove the lock cylinder. I am not 100% sure I understand your question. I do offer 1:1 consulting so if you’re still having difficulty you can call me and send me pictures so we can figure it out together.
@@GirlieGarage the inside of our door handles looks a little different. I have a 2003 element, idk if that is why. But at 1:32, i have a metal bracket the the lock cylinder goes through, and it is covering the retaining clip
Edit: I got it out, just had to do it half blind behind that bracket, but once the clip came out the bracket and lock cylinder did too.
@@dylanhough7068 If that’s the case, there should be a little tab on the bracket that you press down with a flat head screwdriver while you pull the bracket toward you (off the lock cylinder). I hope that helps!!
I noticed in the video that Girlie Garage did not have the metal bracket on the interior of door handle assembly holding the cylinder....wonder where that went? Prob thrown away prior to the last actuator being replaced.
You are correct, this vehicle didn’t have the metal bracket because someone had previously removed it. If you look in the video description I have another video about the metal bracket: ua-cam.com/video/zZ2l0K7i2h4/v-deo.html
@@GirlieGarage Thanks for posting this video...helped so much with my fix! Much appreciated!!
My auto locks and key fob don't affect my front driver's door--I'm hoping replacing the actuator fixes it. This video will hopefully help with what looks like kind of a pain of a job.
Ben, does your driver’s door lock/unlock with the button on the door (drivers or passenger side)?
@@GirlieGarage No, just the key and manually lifting/depressing the door lock latch thing work for the driver side door.
@@taterhamster When you get in there, look to see if anything appears broken and otherwise I agree that it also sounds like the actuator. Sometimes it can be wiring but that is a lot less likely
@@GirlieGarage Will do. It's possible there's something broken in there, the manual door lock is pretty loose and wiggly in there.
Ben, did you attempt this?!?
What year is this Element? My 2003 does not have the access you're showing. I can't put my hand in and reach the lock cylinder the way you are doing.
Matt, I would be happy to help you with your personal project. You can send me pictures and we can even video chat. My consulting fee is $25/30 minutes, just let me know if that would be helpful for your project!
@@GirlieGarage You're gonna charge me to tell me what year your Element is?
@@mattfoley6082 it was a 2003 EX
@@GirlieGarage Hmm, must be your camera angle or something because that's what I have. Looks like you have more room but that can't be.
Anyway, I just got my driver door lock cylinder out. Key was sticking and it was stuck at 45 degrees. Took the cylinder apart and cleaned moving parts and contact surfaces with brake cleaner and qtip. Now the key and lock work just fine. I thought I'd have to replace the worn out tumblers but I don't. Yay! Now I just have reassembly to look forward too...yuck.
My situation is rather strange. My drivers side door wont lock, with the key or with the lock button in the car or with the key fob. My passenger side will unlock and lock with the button inside the car but wont lock with the key fob, only unlock with the key fob. Should i just start by opening the drivers side door panel open and replacing the actuator?
You definitely want to take the door panel off and see what is going on in there. It kinda sounds like maybe the little lever that is attached to the lock cylinder fell off. Could be an easy fix for you!
@@GirlieGarage thanks! Ill give that a go.
Just wanted to say thanks, it ended up being a broken actuator, replaced it and I have working door locks again.
@@TheBmarshall15 So glad to hear you were able to fix it! Having working door locks is something we definitely take for granted! 🤣
My driver side lock doesn’t work when I unlock the alarm just the passenger side. Would that be the actuator or something else that would need replacement?
Does it lock/unlock with the button on the door or the key?
@@GirlieGarage no. I have to manually use the key to unlock the door
@@lixsajoe if you can lock/unlock manually with the key, the lock cylinder is fine and the likelihood of it being the actuator is very high. There are other smaller possibilities (wiring or other unforeseen complications) but the actuator is a known issue with these cars. If you purchase the part of Amazon and follow the video and it doesn’t fix you’d problem, you can always return the part to Amazon and walk away with more knowledge (you’re not leaving the experience empty handed). Please let me know how it goes!
@@GirlieGarage thank you for all your help. You are very gifted at what you do 🙌🏼
@@GirlieGarage got my drivers side actuator fixed 🙌🏼. Does the trunk have an actuator that unlocks with the alarm? I’ve been opening the trunk with the key but have no idea if there’s an actuator there. Can you let me know if there is please? I don’t want to open it up without knowing for sure. Thanks for your time
I sure wish I knew how to get the barrier of in tact and that I should leave the window up firing the whole process...
Maybe this will help? ua-cam.com/video/zZ2l0K7i2h4/v-deo.html
1:30 You don't show how to disengage the lock lever from the lock cylinder.
Matt, this car, like many other Hondas, did not have a lock cylinder protector (my theory is that mechanics remove them and don't replace them during service). I have just made a video to help with that step. Hopefully you were able to complete your project! ua-cam.com/video/zZ2l0K7i2h4/v-deo.html
holly fuck this is 10x more complicated than it should be...
Do you make house calls?!?
I am a mobile mechanic based in Southern California
@@GirlieGarage I am in Mexico, do you want to work on my Honda Element 2003, It needs a few repairs. hahaha... 😄 That maintenance light has been on for years... I got your video about it... ua-cam.com/video/EKrW1dHYCxY/v-deo.html
@@JuanMoreno-wo5yb If you can bring it to San Diego I can help but I won’t cross the border for house calls
@@GirlieGarage
That’s ok. I used to live in California and I swore I would never go back. Now I am south of Texas and I have a cheap Mexican mechanic and many other car services. Thanks for the invite nonetheless! Maybe someday we can meet at the border by Tijuana but right now it is really crazy over there and I am better off here 30 minutes from my empty house in Texas. I am bilingual so I can get along fine here during this pandemic stuff. When I can travel freely who know where I’ll go?!? Thanks for your kindness and videos.
@@JuanMoreno-wo5yb sounds like you have a good plan! Good luck!
You completely left out the bracket that covers the whole mechanism. I can barely even see the clip much less remove it. How do I get the bracket off? Your video shows everything completely accessible but I can't get at anything until I get the metal bracket off. I'm stuck right there.
There wasn’t a bracket on this car so I made a separate video. The link is in the description of this video but here it is for easy access for you: ua-cam.com/video/zZ2l0K7i2h4/v-deo.html
I needy to do this to my passenger side. My guess would be same process.
Maybe you’ll get lucky and someone already took the metal bracket off: ua-cam.com/video/zZ2l0K7i2h4/v-deo.htmlsi=BKU_Pb-C3WdVyb1A
Oh hell naw....im not doing this.
I appreciate the honesty....and the laugh 😂 I bet you could do it with the right tools and some patience!
Real talk
You titally forgot to sgow how to remove the braket holding the cilender and the cap BEFORE removing the clip
Where's the white plastic on the door???
This vehicle didn’t have a vapor barrier due to a previous person working on it and removing it
You forgot to put the metal bracket back on before the lock cylinder.
Dat, I understand that you are referring to the lock cylinder protector. This Honda, like many other Hondas, did not have that protection plate. I have since made a video to help with removal/installation of this piece: ua-cam.com/video/zZ2l0K7i2h4/v-deo.html
@@GirlieGarage I'm pretty sure you showed on video it coming off earlier in the vid. You just didn't put it back. Maybe we are referring to different parts.
@@dattran6372 Oh! Maybe you're talking about the lock cylinder retaining clip...Well I hope you were able to complete the job, and that clip is shown in great detail in the the video :-)
Thanks for an excellent step by step video. I followed the video except when I removed and reinstalled the lock cylinder retainer clip. I did that from the outside of the car door and it seemed much easier. Check out the video link below for that procedure.
ua-cam.com/video/Q_ryU2bwYFk/v-deo.html
Thank you so much for sharing!!!
May need to start and stop vedio a few times,