1999 Honda CR-V Latches/Locks

The contact owns a 1999 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the vehicle would lock the doors automatically without warning. The contact stated that she was concerned that they would not be able to open the doors manually during an emergency event. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and suggested that the vehicle be taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

OWN A 1999 HONDA CRV ORIGINAL OWNER, THE BACK REAR LATCH FREEZES ALMOST YEARLY USUALLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. NEED TO TAKE A SCREWDRIVER AND TRY TO LOOSEN THE LOCK LATCH REPEATEDLY AND SPRAY WITH W40 SOMETIMES IT WORKS, VERY FUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS IF IT WONT CLOSE. IF THE LOCK DOESN'T MOVE, I MUST TIE THE DOOR CLOSED FROM INSIDE THE CAR WITH A ROPE TIED TO THE BACK SEAT. *TR

I PURCHASED A USED CR-V MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO N AND UP UNTIL THIS SUMMER HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY PLEASED WITH THE VEHICLE. MY COMPLAINT IS REGARDING THE REAR DOOR LATCH, WHICH IS NOW FROZEN AND INOPERABLE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS SITUATION OCCURRED AT THE TIME THE REAR DOOR WAS OPEN, AND TOOK MUCH TIME AND MUSCLING TO EVEN GET THE DOOR LATCH TO CLOSE. NOW IT IS PERMANENTLY FROZEN IN THE CLOSED POSITION, ALLOWING ME TO TRAVEL, BUT NOT TO USE THE REAR DOOR. MY SISTER ALSO PURCHASED A CR-V, AFTER RIDING IN MINE. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE EXACT SAME SITUATION HAS HAPPENED TO HER, WITH A COMPLETE LATCH FAILURE ON THE REAR DOOR. HER SON, AN AUTO MECHANIC, HAS DETERMINED THE LATCH IS COMPLETELY CORRODED, AND MUST BE REPLACED.*AK

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, I HAVE GONE TO WARM UP THE CAR AND THE AUTOMATIC LOCKS ON THE VEHICLE HAVE ENGAGED AFTER I HAVE EXITED THE VEHICLE. ON TWO OF THOSE OCCASIONS, A CHILD HAS BEEN IN THE VEHICLE, LOCKING THE CHILD IN THE CAR WITH THE CAR RUNNING. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE TO BE IN DRIVE, OR HAVE BEEN MOVING FOR THE LOCKS TO ENGAGE. THE DOORS LOCK WITHIN SECONDS OF THE CAR DOOR BEING SHUT AND ONCE THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION, THE REMOTE SENSOR CAN NOT BE USED TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. *JB

THE BACK DOOR LATCH IS NO GOOD. IT NO LONGER WORKS TO OPEN AND SHUT DOOR. I HAVE HAD ANOTHER HONDA CRV OWNER APPROACH ME TO TELL ME THAT HERS IS THE SAME WAY. THE DOOR BECOMES INOPERABLE BECAUSE THIS DOOR LATCH ROTS. *JB

1999 CRV. MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW FROM ANDERSON HONDA (NOW BLOOMFIELD HONDA; BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI). MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR TO AND FROM HER OFFICE. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS PERFORMED MOSTLY PERFECTLY. ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, THE REAR DOOR LATCH WOULD NOT CLOSE SECURELY. I WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY SET THE LATCH MECHANISM PRIOR TO SLAMMING IT SHUT TO SECURE IT. I MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE DEALER CHECK AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM THIS WEEK. THEY REPLACED THE MECHANISM AND CHARGED ME $173 ($40 FOR THE PART AND $133 LABOR). THEY GAVE ME THE "OLD" PART TO EXAMINE. I AM A GRADUATE MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND EXPERIENCED IN AUTOMOTIVE CORROSION ISSUES. I WAS SHOCKED AT THE CONDITION OF THE HANDLE ASSEMBLY THEY REPLACED. IT WAS IN AN ADVANCED STATE OF CORROSION TO THE EXTENT IT WAS "FROZEN" SHUT DUE TO CORROSION. I HAVE TWO ISSUES WITH THIS: 1. THE LOCATION OF THE LATCH IS MOSTLY PROTECTED FROM THE EXTERNAL ELEMENTS AND SHOULD NOT HAVE CORRODED THIS MUCH. I KEEP THE CAR GARAGED. IN THE WINTER, I TAKE IT THROUGH A CAR WASH PERHAPS TWICE/MONTH. IN OTHER SEASONS I WASH THE CAR BY HAND ALSO ABOUT TWICE/MONTH. 2. THIS IS EITHER A DESIGN PROBLEM OR A QUALITY PROBLEM. THE REASON I AM CALLING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THAT A SAFETY ISSUE MAY RESULT DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE BACK DOOR TO LATCH SECURELY. THINGS AND KIDS MIGHT FALL FROM THE REAR DOOR SUDDENLY OPENING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO THIS. *NM

REAR DOOR LOCK MECHANISM ON MY CAR RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT LOCKS/ DOORS BECAME INOPERABLE AND THEY DO NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. PROBLEM OCCURRED IN BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR DOOR. SINCE CHILDREN RIDE IN THE BACK SEATS I THINK THIS SITUATION IS DANGEROUS IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITING CHANCE TO QUICKLY LEAVE VEHICLE. DOOR LOCKS BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE APPROXIMATELY IN 2001 AND FAILED COMPLETELY IN 2003. I CONTACTED HONDA IN FALL 2003 ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT HONDA REP DID NOT SHOW ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ADVICE. I DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM AND I CAN PROVIDE PHOTOS OF THE RUSTED LOCK MECHANISM. CURRENTLY THE DOOR LOCKS OPERATE OK AFTER REGULAR HEAVY LUBRICATION. CAR IS NOT EXPOSED TO A EXTREME CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT, MY RESIDENCE IS NOT BY OCEAN AND CAR IS PARKED IN A GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME. *JB

LATCHES ON THREE DOORS AS WELL AS THE TAILGATE HAVE LOCKED UP SUCH THAT THE DOORS EITHER CANNOT BE OPENED OR CANNOT BE CLOSED. WE HAD THE FIRST ONE FIXED BY THE DEALER FOR $400! AND SINCE THEN TWO OTHERS AND THE TAILGATE HAVE SLOWLY BECOME PROBLEMATIC. THIS DEFECT POSES A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM, SINCE IF THE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE, IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY. *LA

ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK PASSENGER'S DOOR IS BY USING DRIVER'S SIDE BUTTON. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IF IN AN ACCIDENT AND PASSENGER WAS UNCONSCIOUS HOW WOULD THEY GET OUT. *AK CONSUMER STATES PASSENGER NOT ABLE TO USE HANDLE TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. *JB