The Honda Fit is a highly esteemed subcompact car.
Despite a reputation for reliability, it can be affected by door locking issues.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the Fit’s most common locking problems and how to fix them.
Table of Contents
1. Honda Fit Central Locking Not Working
A commonly reported problem from Fit owners is the central locking does not work when using the key fob – only some of the doors will unlock/lock or none at all.
Key Fob Battery
The first thing you should do is change the battery in your fob and give the inside of the fob a clean.
A low key fob battery can cause a wide range of issues, especially with central locking.
It is also possible the fob is faulty or may need reprogramming.
Check The Fuses
A blown fuse can cause issues with the door locks.
You can find a list of fuses online for your model year Fit and test across the fuses with a voltmeter on the continuity setting – it should beep showing that the fuse is still intact.
“The first thing I would do is the check the fuses and key battery” – FitFreak.net
Clean & Lubricate The Door Locks & Latches
Try cleaning and lubricating the door locks and latches.
Make sure all the doors all open and shut properly and there is nothing obstructing them e.g. bits of dirt, leaves, grime etc.
“Had this problem. On inspection, I found that the trunk light was continuously on even when the trunk lid was closed (this wasnt showing up on the dashboard lights as being open). Took the rear lock off, cleaned and oiled it with wd40, reinstalled it and light went out when closed and no problem locking or unlocking with the remote since. Obviously the micro switch was sticking or poor contact sending a bad signal back to the ecu.” – FirFreak.net
Faulty Door Lock Actuator
Its not uncommon on any car for the door actuator to fail as it is subject to a lot of wear and tear from continually being used.
If you are mechanically inclined and you can pinpoint the faulty actuator you can replace these without too much trouble, otherwise it might be best to leave it to the professionals.
“I had the same problem on my 2010 Fit. It was the drivers side power lock actuator. It’s not too difficult to remove (a few good videos on youtube) and the part was $175 (us). Did the swap out and it’s all fixed. Hope this helps.” – FitFreak.net
Faulty Door Switch
The door switch (sensor) is designed to detect whether the car door is open or closed. If these are broken o faulty they can relay incorrect signals and affect the locking of doors.
2. Honda Fit Unlocking Itself
Some Fit owners have reported problems with one or more of the doors unlocking on their own when they shouldn’t.
Key Fob In Car
If you’re Fit is unlocking itself when leaving the vehicle then one possible cause is that you have a spare key fob left in the vehicle.
This feature is designed so that you don’t inadvertently lock yourself out.
Faulty Door Lock Actuator / Door Switch
Another common cause is simply a faulty door lock actuator or door switch (sensor).
Over time these can fail due to simple wear and tear and in some cases these parts have recalls issued on them so its always a good idea to run a VIN check on your vehicle.
Similarly if the wiring is damaged or faulty, this can cause the car to unlock itself too.
The best thing to do is visit your dealer and ask them to inspect your door latches and actuators and run some diagnostic tests.
Electrical Issues
There is a wide range of electrical issues that could cause your Fit to unlock unwarranted, such as:
- Damaged wiring
- Faulty Body Control Module
- Faulty Keyless Access Module
Ask your dealer to run some diagnostic tests.
Faulty Key Fob
A faulty key fob can cause a wide range of issues including unlocking the vehicle when it shouldn’t.
It may just need a new battery or need the inside cleaned.
You can also try removing the battery and using your spare fob to see if the problem persists, although it is possible that both the fobs are broken and/or low on battery.
Auto Door Unlocking
The Fit has a feature that can be enabled/disabled called “Auto Door Locking/Unlocking”.
All doors will unlock when the driver’s door is opened when this setting is enabled.
You can turn off or change to another auto door locking/unlocking setting using the multi-information display.
Signal Hacking By Thieves
It is not completely uncommon for thieves to use an electronic signal relay device to infiltrate keyless entry systems. Reportedly, the Fit is vulnerable to this gadget.
The signal can be retrieved through walls so even in your home it’s not safe – the solution is to keep the key fob in a metal container.
Related: 9 Common Honda Fit Problems (Explained)
3. Honda Fit Keeps Locking Itself
If you’re Fit keeps locking itself it could be caused by a number of reasons
Auto Door Locking Feature
The Fit can automatically lock the doors every time the vehicle’s speed reaches about 10 mph. This is part of a feature that can be enabled/disabled called “Auto Door Locking/Unlocking”.
On newer models you can turn off or change to another auto door locking/unlocking setting using the multi-information display.
On older models its not quite as easy and you’ll need to consult the manual for your specific model year Fit.
“I had the same issue, I got rid of the problem by programming the doors to not automatically lock when you are driving. If you look in the owners manual there is a sequence you do with your keys to turn the auto lock feature off” – reddit.com/r/HondaFit
Water Damage
Some Fit owners have reported water damage as a cause of locking issues.
“My 09 sport had the same issue. Apparently the seals on the outside of the window had deteriorated so much that water had gotten inside of the locking mech on the driver’s side. Was causing a fuse or something to short out. Ended up replacing the window seal in the lock actuator.” – reddit.com/r/HondaFit
Other Common Causes
- Defective door lock actuator
- Key fob issues – “Same problem with 2016 LX. I took the battery out of the fob to solve it. Now no remote entry or locking, but at least it stopped.”
- Faulty wiring harness
- Defective tailgate switch
- Issues with aftermarket alarms
4. Honda Fit Not Locking With Key Fob
A Honda Fit that does not lock with the key fob is often caused by a depleted key fob battery, or by excess dust/dirt buildup inside the fob. It’s also possible that your key fob is not working properly.
The lock button may have worn out over time or the key might have to be reprogrammed.
You’ll also want to check for broken, disconnected or frayed wires in the wiring harness under the door panels and going into the body.
The part where the wiring harness goes into the door gets stressed repeatedly and can deteriorate over time.
Trace the wiring back to the Body Control Module or fuse box and inspect for possible issues.
5. Honda Fit Not Unlocking With Key Fob
If you’re unable to unlock your Honda Fit using the key fob, try holding down the unlock button for a few seconds. Otherwise, the car’s 12-volt battery or the key fob battery itself might be weak or the fob might be faulty/dirty.
In older Fits, you can simply unlock the car using the physical key, on newer models there is a physical key inside the fob.
- There should be a switch on the fob that you can press so you can get the key out from the top.
- To start the car, place the key fob right next to the start/stop button and push the button down.
From the manual:
“The built-in key can be used to lock/unlock the doors when the smart entry remote battery becomes weak and the power door lock/ unlock operation is disabled.”
If it’s only one of the doors that doesn’t unlock, then you might have a bad door lock actuator or a wiring issue.
6. Honda Fit Door Not Locking
If your Honda Fit door locks don’t work at all, you might have an issue with the door lock actuator or the locking mechanism.
Before you take off the door panel though, check if you can lock the car using either the key, the door switch or the fob. If only one of these methods doesn’t work, just focus on troubleshooting that first.
The key cylinder can go bad over time which would prevent you from locking the door using the key. If you can still lock the door using the key, it might just be the door actuator that needs to be replaced. If the door switch doesn’t work, the switch itself or its wiring might be bad.
Signs of a bad door actuator include:
- Strange electric motor noises
- Keeps unlocking on its own
- Becomes harder to move by hand
- Door doesn’t latch closed properly
Over time, the locking mechanism’s linkages can also get caught on something or just get disconnected, which would prevent the door from locking properly. Once you take off the door panel, check if the locking mechanism still works smoothly.
Door locking issues can also be caused by a faulty BCM (Body Control Module) or what Honda calls a MICU (Multiplex Integrated Control Unit).
The BCM controls the car’s electrical accessories and can cause strange electrical gremlins if it’s shorted. Your dealer or mechanic should be able to diagnose this properly.
Related: Honda Fit Alarm Going Off? (13 Causes & Solutions)
7. Honda Fit Tailgate Not Locking
If you’re having issues locking your Honda Fit’s rear tailgate, it’s usually caused by a faulty tailgate switch.
Some Honda models are known to have issues with the tailgate switch not properly detecting that the hatch is closed because it’s slightly out of position. If the car thinks that the tailgate is still open, it won’t trigger the tailgate actuator.
Typically, you’ll also notice a warning on the dash and the dome lights turning on indicating that the tailgate is still open.
In most cases, the switch itself is still working properly, but it’s just not being moved far back enough when the tailgate is closed. You can pull back the switch, loosen the screw a little bit, and move the switch closer to the tailgate.
Many people also just wrap some tape or a rubber band around the ends of the tailgate switch which allows it to get pushed back far enough.
“Well my Pops and me finally got around to working on this and the conclusion on this is the electrical switch is shot. My Pops is great at working electrical problems and I’m behind him on this.” – FitFreak.net
Other Common Causes
- Bad actuator
- Something caught in the latch
- Misaligned hatch.
- Power connector not connected
“I had the same problem with mine. I had had some body work done due to having been rear ended. What it turned out to be was the tech who worked on my car never plugged the power connector back in. I pulled the panel off and found the power connector just hanging there. Plugged it on and problem fixed.” FitFreak.net
8. Honda Fit Tailgate Not Unlocking
Some Fit owners have had issues with their tailgate not unlocking or opening properly.
It’s usually caused by either a faulty tailgate or door actuator.
The tailgate actuator itself may be broken and not locking properly, but it also won’t work if one of the other door actuators is broken and the car thinks that it’s still locked.
You also won’t be able to open up the tailgate if the tailgate handle/switch is broken.
To quickly open the tailgate, go in through the back seats and pop off the plastic cover on the bottom of the tailgate. This will reveal the latching mechanism which you can slide free with a screwdriver.
9. Honda Fit Not Beeping When Locked
If your Honda Fit does not beep when you lock the doors, this means that the Keyless Lock Answer Back feature is turned off or it may also be caused by not closing your hood, rear hatch or a door properly.
When you exit your Fit and lock it using the fob, you have the option of having beeping ‘on’ or ‘off’. This can be adjusted using the Keyless Lock Answer Back feature.
This can be set from the display unit.
- Go to menu
- Using the scrolling wheel, go down to ‘Settings’
- Then scroll down to ‘Vehicle Settings’
- Then scroll down to ‘Door/Window Setup’
- Then scroll down to ‘Keyless Lock Answer Back’
If it’s on ‘Off’ the car will make no sound when you lock it.
If its ‘On’ it will beep when you lock it
Then just use the return / back button to get back to the main screen.
Related: Honda Fit Beeping Problems? (7 Causes & Solutions)
Resources
https://owners.honda.com/vehicle-information/manuals
https://owners.honda.com/help/customer-relations
https://owners.honda.com/vehicle-information/information/2020/Fit/manuals
https://owners.honda.com/service-maintenance/recalls
