How to attach front door striker

GSAUS

MEMBER
2001 HONDA CIVIC
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
150,000 MILES

The front door would not open. Striker was loose. Tried to tighten, bottom screw would not stay. So with some kind of seemingly intelligent thought I decided to unscrew the top screw to see, I do not know, maybe what is behind it? I then heard a bolt or whatever keeps the striker in place fall down into the body between the front and back doors which is largely inaccessible (Argh! ). I pried off the plastic cover, and see that I could probably remove what seems like the seat belt tension-er (?) To access the area and retrieve the keeper(s) that have fallen. So, to keep the striker in place do the screws just screw into independent bolts or is there a custom part that holds both screws, and what would be the best way to secure the striker at this point? (Like just get a couple bolts and struggle to hold them in place in order to screw the screws)

1 Reply

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,443 POSTS

There is a plate in there that retains the nuts for the striker. You do not want to rig up something to replace that as the door striker is a hard point in the safety of that car. It holds against a lot of force in a collision or similar event. The plate keeps the striker from pulling free from the pillar.

Probably the easiest solution would be to hit a salvage yard and get a replacement part and use it. That would give you the ability to see how it comes apart and goes together before working on the good vehicle.

Or if you can get a magnetic part retriever down in the hole the plate went you might be able to fish out the old one.