[Plant_Dad]

I am having problems with the latch on my Odyssey driver's side door. 2009 EX. I misaligned or damaged something when I installed a new actuator (which is working great!). Inner door handle opens the door but then the door will not catch the latch and just bonks when you try to close it. Outer handle works normally.

I want to line up some replacement parts from the junkyard. Will disassemble/reassemble first, but just in case there's a bad cable, I don't want to be stuck waiting on parts with a door that is stuck open (or would get stuck closed)

Which models/years will have the same innards as my door? Is it all 2005-10 or just 2008-10? Thanks.

 

[kernel]

Are the gaps around the door even? Verify that the lower roller is on the metal plate that it rolls on. When I swapped out my sliding door it's easy to get it off of that. The only adjustments that I'm aware of are the 3 bolts holding the center roller assembly to the door, and three bolts that can adjust the bottom roller height.
And verify that the cable is properly routed through the plastic piece at the end of the track.
Could also be an issue with the cable from the inner door handle or a clip holding the cables not being in place.

 

[thscott]

I assume he’s talking about his front driver’s door, not the sliding door. I could be mistaken.

 

[kernel]

Good point. If the latch 'bonks' closing the driver's door, may have to open the latch with a screwdriver or similar. I had similar issue swapping the passenger door on my '99 to the '02. If it's not aligned right, may have to loosen the hinges and raise/lower the door as needed.
Are you saying @Plant_Dad that if you open with the outer handle- it closes properly? And using the inner handle it doesn't close? Then check the inner handle cable- might not be clipped in place properly. After 'bonk'- does opening with outer handle reset the door so that it closes?
Yes, I messed with both front and sliders swapping doors. Several times, but it's been a while!

 

[Plant_Dad]

Thank you for the responses. Yes, front driver's door not sliding door.

The behavior is: inner handle opens door but latch does not latch correctly afterwards. Outer handle resets door and seems to be operating normally. Outer handle opens door, and door will close and latch after outer handle has been pulled.

There is no visible difference in the latch when pulled with the inner vs outer handle, but the behavior is consistent. It won't catch after being opened with the inner handle. The outer handle must be pulled before the door will close and latch.

Honestly I wonder if I stretched or tugged the inner handle cable and it's not quiiiiiite pulling the latch enough.

 

[kernel]

Sounds like an issue with the linkage from the inner handle to the latch. You could compare with the passenger door. Remove both panels and compare left with right.
When you reassembled- did you hook the inner door handle back into the door before securing it with the screw?

 

[Bear3412]

I will assume things were fine till your disassemble, except for the bad actuator.

You disassembled and installed a new actuator.
Was actuator installed OEM?

After reassemble, issues arose. Yes?

Solution is to dissemble, and try again.
Perhaps you missed a connection?
Or something is just askew.
These doors are tricky with all the linkages and whatnot.

Often, 3rd time is the charm, yes ?

 

[Bear3412]

Inner door handle opens the door but then the door will not catch the latch and just bonks when you try to close it. Outer handle works normally.

So when using outer handle to open and close door it works, w/o a bonk? But not if opened from inside?

That is odd.

If these issues only arose after your new actuator install,
then you need to redo that work.

Sounds like a link or two is not connected, or whole unit is misaligned.

Did you pull the whole latch assembly out of door to replace actuator?
As most have to to fix anything with the latch assembly?

I would look in door panel for loose rods, clips, etc.
Or, as mentioned, just pull it all and redo.

.

 

[Plant_Dad]

Thank you for the responses. Yes, my plan is to redo the work. I did the "shortcut" actuator install guide from these forums, but I am going to pull everything out this time.

Answering my own question in the top post, I grabbed the actuator and latch assemblies from an '06 at the junkyard and afaik it will fit just fine in my 2009. Everything looks the same.

So if in fact I have a bad part in there, I have a backup now to install without losing door function for any extended period of time.

 

[Plant_Dad]

Post-op for this repair.

I removed the driver's door latch assembly (the white part with metal arms) along with the lock actuator (the black part) from a 2006 Odyssey (touring I believe), to transfer to my 2009 Odyssey EX.

The 2006 latch assembly fit normally in my 2009 Odyssey. It's working great.

The 2006 actuator has a slightly different (narrower) power plug than the 2009. I believe you could cut/trim it if you absolutely had to.

I had purchased a new Amazon lock actuator when I did my original repair. The generic actuator fit just fine in the 2006 latch assembly and connected to the 2009 power plugs. I had previously had it in a 2009 latch assembly. It fit and worked there as well.