Has anyone had a problem with the diver side door locking sticking, I can manually push and pull the door lock with no problems, but when I use the master lock swich the driver side door lock seems to stick and does not retact to lock the door. I just got the car two days ago, I'm sure I'll be heading back to the dealer to get it fix.

No problems with the driver's door lock on mine, but there is a situation where the driver's dor lock will not go down all the way: If you exit the car and push down the lock button BEFORE closing the door in order to lock up the car, the lock button will NOT depress in order to avoid having you lock your keys in the car. This may be your situation, check closely.

It's actually a safety measure and it works whether you try to push down the button or use the power locks. You can lock the driver's door with a key from the outside, which locks all locks in the car. Or you can hold open either the inside or outside door handle and then push down the lock button and close the door.

Honda had this same feature on my 1975 Civic CVCC. Odd, but nice in an overly cautious way.

It is done to prevent you from locking your keys in the car.

My mom's acura is the same way....while I understand the measure I wish there was a way to disable it....because it is hard getting used to....my old car didn't have this measure in place.

Well ain't that some ****!! You've answered my very question. I was horrified to learn that I'd "locked" the vehicle but somehow left a few thousand dollars worth of optics available for immediate possesion just by opening the driver's side door due to Honda's extreme negligence.

I just logged on, to ask this group about this exact defect. I figured I had a warantee issue right off the bat, after just 2days. I thought that I had a lock solenoid defect since it locks, but bounces right back up unlocked when the door is closed. But, it turns out to be a known design flaw. If the power locks don't actually work the way that most folks know power locks to work, then it is in fact an extreme example of a true design flaw. Forget talk of "safety feature". It took me two days to realize that the vehicle that I thought was locked, really was quite open due to Honda's assumption that I needed reassurance that the keys weren't in the switch. Screw that. How about if Honda just assumes that people depressing an automatic lock switch can logically assume that the factory provided locks will actually lock? Is that so much to ask?

Well, here's a clue. If Honda would provide a normal flat profile key for keeping in one's wallet, (the way keys used to be, and the way Toyota provides), then they wouldn't have to go overboard "protecting the end user" by insuring that a significant quanity of Elements are unlocked when the owners think they're really locked.

This is really a law suit waiting to happen. The dealer didn't even mention this (ahem) "feature". I wonder how many E's are really unlocked when the owners think they are locked? I'd bet that the number is quite significant.

I'm enthusiastic about my SOP AWD Element in a way that I've never been happy about any other vehicle. It literally makes me happy. But this lock **** needs to be called out for public scrutiny. That's just total bull. To say that I'm pissed is to understate the issue.

The whole concept behind the E, leads purchasers to want to be comfortable leaving valuble items in the vehicle. If those items are subject to theft due to Honda's negligence in providing proper and standard door locks, for the ridiculous fear that Honda customers will routinely lock their keys in the car, then Honda leadership needs to get a very clear signal. That message is that this is an intorelable situation, and an extreme insult to Element buyer's intelligence.

This "design flaw" has been a standard feature on Hondas for years, not to mention most vehciles destined for non-US markets. It's clearly documented in the owners manual, as is the method for overriding it by pulling either the interior or exterior drivers door handle while pressing down on the lock tab or the lock button before shutting the door.

"design flaw"? This is no flaw. I love it. I admit at first I was confused but I read my manual and found out that it was intentional. I have locked my self out of my car before because I was rushing and hit the auto lock by habit and left the keys behind so I am very happy that the E auto lock does this.

i am afraid i am going to have to agree with the people who say this is a feature and not a flaw. i have owned numerous cars with this feature and got used to it rather quickly...

mind you i now have the keyless entry and all is mute as i just walk away and press a button...voila!...locked E! :o)

sooooo, let's not all get lathered up about something as simple as this...long live the 'e' !

I can understand frustration with this ...uh... eccentricity... if you are unaware of it, but that's why they write owners manuals. I personally come down on the side of this being an okay thing. Now that I have keyless entry, it's a total non-issue for me.

It can be a little annoying, kind of like a computer asking if you really want to do something, but this clearly works as it is designed and it is documented, so I don't believe legal action would get very far. On the other hand, it can save a call to AAA and a lot of time and aggravation. Who hasn't had the "Oh sh*t" realization that you've done something really dumb?

Intuitive is in the mind of the beholder. I guess it's been awhile since US automakers have done this, but I remember well the days where you had to hold the handle while closing *any* door to get it to lock (GM vehicles, at least).

peace,
-jdef (a feature is simply a bug with seniority) :roll: :lol:

While it might be a feature, my salesman also neglected to explain it to me when he went over the car. That's a wetware flaw that Honda needs to address. :(

[quote:64af27e94b="Cameraman"]While it might be a feature, my salesman also neglected to explain it to me when he went over the car. That's a wetware flaw that Honda needs to address. :([/quote:64af27e94b]

Absolutely. Mine did mention it.

peace,

-jdef

Our salesman went over all the features and things of the E....both interior and exterior as well as under the hood.

We were very lucky to have such a great salesman and to have an exact duplicate of our E (down to the color) in the showroom....so he actually took myself and my husband to the E and went through the user's manual section by section.

(this is another example of how great customer service makes all the difference!)

I freely admit that my first post on door locks was reactionary and very overblown. I was irritated to find out that a vehicle that I thought was locked up and safe, really wasn't. But I'm over it now. Learning to hold up the door handle isn't that steep a learning curve. It just took me completely by surprise. I also admit that I'm guilty of not reading the owner's manual cover-to-cover. I hit the high spots, but now I'm going to go back and read it thoroughly.

If the salescritter had spent even a few seconds going over this feature, it wouldn't have even been an issue for me. Thinking about it, my salescritter was really pretty lame. I got the distinct impression that I knew a lot more about the E just from researching it online and from test driving a couple of others at other dealerships, than he did. It does seem to me that Honda could make a point of alerting new Honda owners to this feature. That's really all it would take.

Interestingly, the salesguy called me this morning to ask me how I liked my new ride, and to again ask me to rate him highly with Honda when they call. (This, I find very annoying, but that's a whole separate thread. This makes the second time this guy has begged for ratings, for what amounts to minimal service. ) When I mentioned the door lock issue, he said that they'd had such a problem with their own sales staff not locking up E's properly, that they'd had a mini-group demonstration on how to properly lock an E. So, it's really odd that he didn't mention it when he was droning on about the cupholders, the ceiling cubby hole and the little change tray. He said that some Honda models come with this feature and some don't. I confirmed this by asking coworkers who have various makes of Hondas if their models had it. Some do, some don't, but all E's do.

Anyway, I'm back to being completely and totally thrilled with my SOP AWD EX, even if the salescritter could've used improvement.

As it should be Natural Wonder :)

Love your car....it can't help it that some/most salescritters are more interested in their paycheck than properly selling and servicing their customers.

??? Thoughts re how we (those with "remote keyless entry") can make the move over to whatever that Honda model is which already does have the
key with the electonic micro-circuitry built in that makes that key do what
takes us two 'elements' to do the job: it's quite a little handful and pocket full to wrassle several times per day with these two separate hardware bits!
A couple months ago someone talked about this upgrade to "one key does
it all" - maybe the Honda parts counter gang can put this together; if so,
I'm pretty sure I'd bite the bullet (key?) and snag one or two.
Cheers... beepbeep

This feature sucks! I didn't understand what you all were saying till I picked up my E tonight. I was planing on getting the keyless remote anyway but now I am going to get it much sooner! I'm sorry but when I shut the door to my car I want to be able to walk away, not have to stick the key in the door.

Doesn't anybody read the owners manual? Explains this feature plain as day- I love the little easy reference flip-book thingy they give you on delivery, Lots of useful info on it too- Like how to use door locks :roll:

The can't lock the door feature was standard with my wife's Accord. You also cannot lock the door if the key is in the ignition even if you have another key. I tried one morning when the Accord was iced over and I wanted to leave it running in the driveway.

I also had the problem of finding the door unlocked at times because the lock will not engage if one of the doors is in the process of closing when you click the lock button on the remote.

You can obtain a flat profile key from your friendly locksmith. I keep one in my wallet just in case. You cannot drive the car, but you can get in. That helps if I show up at the car before she does and I don't have my key.

My first car was a Honda (85 Accord) and I remember it working that way... didn't even think about it for the E, but it's good to know in advance! I plan to use the keyless all the time anyway...

Drew

i think the first car i came across with this 'feature' was a '75/'76 vw rabbit...

I noticed the same thing the first day I had it, so I read the manual, which seems to be something totally appropriate for everybody to do if they want a thorough explanation of all the features and quirks of their new Element.

If you had taken the time to read the manual, then you would certainly have noted that the manual tells you that all you have to do to get the driver's side door to lock properly is either use the key when the door is shut, or, while the door is open, hold open the outside handle, and depress the lock tab....

It ensures that you have your key in your hand when you close the door - voila - no key locked in car!!

Having had several instances of key left in locked car, I love it!! Worst case was when my husband was out hunting in Montana. It was freezing, the middle of nowhere and he had a deer. Keys were in the car, no phones or people for miles, not to mention that he might freeze if he tried to walkt too far. He ended up breaking a window to get the keys.

of this country, blaming the salesman, dealerships, anybody else, etc. instead of taking responsibility for themselves. It is up to the buyer to know and understand what he/she is about to pay a large sum of money for, not the seller. Many cars have the same locking feature, it's not something new. The owners manual is written for a purpose and anyone who does not become familiar with its contents is taking a risk IMHO. :?

Although the manual tells you that you have to hold open the outside handle, and depress the lock tab to lock the door, you can also do this by holding open the inside door handle. It has gotten to be a habit for me to pull on the door hand handle with my left hand while simultaneously pushing the lock button with a finger while still sitting in the car. Then just get out and close the door. No problem! :idea:

My gawd natural...read the manual..it clearly explains why things are as they are..as far as that flat key in your wallet, the high security stuff requires the larger format(I am a locksmith and know what i be speaking about here)..The locks in your element are far superior to stuff that was available only 6 years ago, and you are seeing them on more vehicles even down in the entry stuff. I'm glad you simmered down..don't need any firebreathing when you're out and about in the element, Ruins the drive of a neat little car..

I need to have a key that can be submurged under water for long periods of time. Can these be duplicated to just open the door so I can get in to get my real key?

I was just going to use the vallet key, but thought it was too expensive to screw up.

I thought the valet key didn't have a chip so could, I'd imagine, be submerged... but I'm not an expert. My husband used to be a locksmith so maybe he might know. I can ask him if he knows about chips and stuff. He hasn't done it in a few years.

As someone who has a large keyring (I have a small can of pepper spray attached to it, plus work keys and house keys in addition to car keys), I found that the best way to carry a key around with me when I'm going out dancing or something and don't want to carry a purse is to take my spare key and put it on a rope chain and tuck it into my shirt. I haven't tried it with these keys yet and they're a little bigger and heavier than my last car's key so I'm hoping this works out well. Remembering to lock with the key isn't that big of a deal since I always double check my door before I walk away anyway just in case.

The valet key does have a chip, otherwise it wouldn't be able to start the car. I'm not sure how a key would react to being submerged for long periods of time, but I'm not going to be the one that tests it out... :lol: You should be able to get a pouch or container that will keep things dry at a sporting goods store, and/or boating store, and/or dive shop.

peace,
-jdef

Gotta ask. Why under water :?:

I scuba dive. I have to take a key with me to get back in. The pouch idea is a good one, but won't work for me because the pressures at depth will cause leakage.

:shock: I think the holding the handle out while pushing the lock button is GREAT! I am a scatterbrain, so I am happy about the car not locking the driver door or I would have keys in the car and be locked out! :oops:

One caveat... when I had my Hyundai in college, I got so into the habit of pulling up the handle with one hand while locking the door with the other, that I locked my keys in the car twice! Personally, I think the flat spare key in the wallet supplied by some other manufacturers is a much better method.

Drew