99 civic ex coupe lock problem; can't lock the driver side door.

[stonehenson]

The lock at the driver side door has been acting strange. Basically I can't lock it by any means from outside: can't lock by key, can't lock it by power master switch and can't lock it by the inside manual lock tab either. And when I push the inside manual lock tab, I feel that it doesn't move much as if it is stuck somewhere. One more funny twist is that sometimes after driving a bit, the driver side door seems suddenly to wake up and being locked automatically and I can't opened it. At that time, I might unlock it by pushing/pulling the inside power master swtich repeatedly and after a few times, I might then open the door. At times it doesn't work, then I have to get out of the car from the passenger side door, walk around and strangely I can open the driver side door easily by simply pulling the outside door handle (if that it means it is not locked, right?! but I can't open it from inside by pulling the inside door handle). Anyway, seems to me it is all messed up. When you are inside, it can lock you up and when you go outside, you can't lock it. There is also a minor issue with the passenger side door. When I pull the inside door handle to open the door, the inside door handle can't go back to its original position automatically. I have to push it firmly back to its original location. Compared to the driver side door, this issue is minor. Any ideas how to fix the door problems?

 

['Curly Q. Links']

The lock at the driver side door has been acting strange. Basically I can't lock it by any means from outside: can't lock by key, can't lock it by power master switch and can't lock it by the inside manual lock tab either. And when I push the inside manual lock tab, I feel that it doesn't move much as if it is stuck somewhere. One more funny twist is that sometimes after driving a bit, the driver side door seems suddenly to wake up and being locked automatically and I can't opened it. At that time, I might unlock it by pushing/pulling the inside power master swtich repeatedly and after a few times, I might then open the door. At times it doesn't work, then I have to get out of the car from the passenger side door, walk around and strangely I can open the driver side door easily by simply pulling the outside door handle (if that it means it is not locked, right?! but I can't open it from inside by pulling the inside door handle). Anyway, seems to me it is all messed up. When you are inside, it can lock you up and when you go outside, you can't lock it. There is also a minor issue with the passenger side door. When I pull the inside door handle to open the door, the inside door handle can't go back to its original position automatically. I have to push it firmly back to its original location. Compared to the driver side door, this issue is minor. Any ideas how to fix the door problems?

For starters, you may have damaged it if you've been trying to lock it by pushing down the plunger with the door open. When door is OPEN, you have to hold the outside handle out a bit before it will lock with the power switch, or by pushing the plunger down. It's to prevent locking the keys inside, and it's in your Owner's Manual. Forcing the plunger down will BEND components in the mechanism, or BREAK some of the plastic parts.

Your dealer can get you an owner's manual in a couple of days.

'Curly'