Defeating dummy locks (don't have to lift handle to lock door)

[6011]

I really hate how on many Japanese cars you have to lift the handle to lock the doors. I recently had my doors apart and figured out an easy way to remedy this situation. You have to remove the door latch assembly but it is not as hard as it looks.

step 1: remove the large Phillips screw holding the bottom window track, then fold it forward out of the way

step 2: remove the three 1/8 rods from the little green clips, don't brake these.

step 3: use a flat screw driver to disconnect the outer door handle linkage. (see pick 1 at this stage)

step 4: remove the three large Phillips screws that hold the latch assy. in.

After removing the latch assy., you may want to clean and re-grease it. Now to the hart of this mod. Use a cut off wheel to remove the little tab of metal indicated by the red arrow in pic 2. Easy as that. If you don't have a cut off wheel you may be able to just bend it back with some pliers. The rivet indicated by the green arrow was loose on my door. I just used a hammer and punch to peen it a bit tighter.

If you take the one small Phillips screw, you can split the assy open to clean and re-grease it. Pic 3 show where the springs and such go in case you drop it like i did 

[1stzuki]

I dont even lock my doors!

I would rather have someone just get in my sammy than cut the top open to get into it, so i just leave my doors unlocked. There isnt anything to steal in there anyways!

Good mod tho!

[jacks11]

I feel the sam way.  I just hope if some wants to steal something they try the door before they break the window or cut the top.

[Big Pig]

Great mod post and idea.  I may do that on my Honda 'cause you're right about it being a pain.

Ditto on not locking my doors on my Zuk when I have the soft top on.  That is also why I have a cassette player in my 'Kick, maybe they'll feel sorry for me and leave my rig alone.