Driver door lock inoperative, 97 CRV

[ViCap]

I have a 97 CRV and I'm experiencing problems with the drivers door lock switch. My son took it for a drive and when he returned home he was unable to open the drivers' door. The lock switch will unlock all the doors except the drivers. Using a key does not work either. I'm unable to take the door panel off to see what's wrong because I can't open the door. I am able to take the door handle off and expose the lock/unlock switch and can change this easily enough.

Does anyone out there know what the problem is and can I fix it myself or do I need to bring it to the dealer?

[lorunner]

sounds like a rod came off inside the door on the latch. Either way your gonna have to pull the panel off. Wether you do it or the dealer somethings gonna break.

[ViCap]

Do you think a slim jim can get the door open?

[lorunner]

Might if you can get it to move the lock lever.

[ViCap]

Thanks for the help 'lorunner' you were right about having to break the door panel to find the problem.
The Honda dealer didn't want to break any thing and felt that the cold weather might of frozen the mechanism so they told me to wait untill it warmed up and try it later before spending $600-$700 if I left it with them to repair. That didn't work.
So I managed to cut a horizontal slot in the plastic of the door panel large enough to contort my arm into and reach the mechanism to open the door. Once the door was open I removed the panel and found a small broken spring that keeps a small sliding clip in an up position. Once replaced , problem solved.

[lorunner]

Great glad to help.