Hood Won't Open! Help!

ExplorerDMB · November 20, 2004

Today I went to open my hood to use some Simple Green degreaser, but the hood lever pulled all the way up and nothing happened. I am use to pulling it about half way and then pulling it kind of hard to open the hood. I then looked at the lever and it looked fine/normal. I then took it to a friend from the shop, and we found that the lever is working and the latch is working (you can hear it when you pull the lever). So what else can I do to open my hood? I can't get to it. Has anyone ever had this problem? Thanks for any help. I've tried pulling the lever all the way up and then taking some pliers and pulling on the cable some more, but it won't do anything. Think a spring could be stuck?

-Drew

shaggsta · November 20, 2004

Did you try having a bud lift the hood while you pull the handle? Sorry I couldn't give any better technical advice...

ExplorerDMB · November 20, 2004

Yup - We've tried banging, pulling - everything. I might spray some wd40 in there and see if something needs to break free or what.

-Drew

DeRocha · November 20, 2004

I would try the WD-40 first.. There have been several other thread on this... I recall people had to unbolt the latch mechanism if the couldn't get if working.

EBInterceptor · November 20, 2004

Been there! I tried everything too. If you push down on the hood while someone pulls the latch, that may get it to work. But I went as far as going up underneathe and using a hook, snagging the cable and try to pull it from there, but that didn't work either, it's a very tight fit and hard to do. I even went to a family friend's body shop and had some people there try and pop it open, went to the dealership and saw if they could get it open, but nothing. Ended up having to order a new latch and cables. Total job was about $170. I had it worse though, my oil needed changing.

Edit: Forgot to add that they also replaced one of my hood bumpstops. I guess it all depends on how much time you're willing to spend on it or how much money you're willing to shell out.

ExplorerDMB · November 20, 2004

Thanks DeRocha - We'll have to see what happens. I'm gonna spray the WD-40 now and let it set for a an hour or so, and if that doesn't work - i'm going to unbolt the lever see what happens. I'm thinking the cable is just stretched real bad.

-Drew

ExplorerDMB · November 20, 2004

EBInterceptor said:
Been there! I tried everything too. If you push down on the hood while someone pulls the latch, that may get it to work. But I went as far as going up underneathe and using a hook, snagging the cable and try to pull it from there, but that didn't work either, it's a very tight fit and hard to do. I even went to a family friend's body shop and had some people there try and pop it open, went to the dealership and saw if they could get it open, but nothing. Ended up having to order a new latch and cables. Total job was about $170. I had it worse though, my oil needed changing.

Edit: Forgot to add that they also replaced one of my hood bumpstops. I guess it all depends on how much time you're willing to spend on it or how much money you're willing to shell out.

I am just wondering how I am even going to get the hood up. Do you know how they got the hood to pop up? I also wonder if this is covered under warranty? I still have my truck under warranty. If anyone has any advice on how to open my hood - please tell me. I put WD40 on it and I also removed the lever and tried pulling it without it bolted to the dash, but no lug - it bottoms out and you can still hear the latch trying to let go!

-Drew

EBInterceptor · November 20, 2004

If you have a warranty on it, try it. I don't what they did, I just quickly changed my oil right after it. So you unhooked it from the handle, and pulled on it using pliers? Mine was really corroded and that was part of my problem. I'm not sure if I threw away my original parts, I could find out, but it wouldn't be until next Wednesday. If you reach up between the radiator and the grill, you can actually reach up to the latch, but it's all by feel, you won't be able to see what you're doing. There I used a hook and tried pulling on the cable that way, but couldn't pull it hard enough to get it to pop. So the easier way is to try inside the cabin, unhook the handle, get a really good grip on the cable and pull. I wonder if you could also pop it with a screwdriver reaching up from outside. I eventually gave up since I needed my oil changed so badly and went to the dealer. The parts will need to be ordered ahead of time, so if you plan on replacing them yourself or having the dealer do it, you may want to do that soon. Unless your dealer happens to have a few in stock.

If you look in this picture, you'll notice the brand new latch, but they reused the original bolts, they look like hell. The operation on my new one is super smooth, it pops up really quickly and if it wasn't bolted down it would fly away.

Edit: Also if you look in the picture, you'll notice the exposed cable on the lower right side, that's what I was hooking and trying to pull. I forgot about the part about there not even being enough room to get a screwdriver up there. Bad for crooks, bad for us.

ExplorerDMB · November 20, 2004

Thanks for the help! I will have to try all of this tomorrow. If I do get it fixed, it will be at the shop I work at. They do all my warranty work.

-Drew

spindlecone · November 20, 2004

Sorry drew no can help (good Luck) but looking at the bolts and washers on EBIs latch made me think this item is subjected to water and road salt during winter.
Being very ****, just went out and lubed mine with permitex anti-seize.
Have seen a few posts on your problem but who ever lubes the hoodlatch?

ExplorerDMB · November 20, 2004

I am accually going to try and resoak it with WD-40 and see what happens. I tried the lever again, but it was just pulling all the way out and bottoming out.

-Drew

spindlecone · November 20, 2004

Drew
If the cable is pulling all the way out, the hookend on the latch is most likely broken off or the cable has parted between the latch and the interior lever
do not think WD40 will help, good luck

ExplorerDMB · November 20, 2004

Well I went back outside, tried to look at it (can't see anything cause the gap is about 1/4 inch tall) and well I can see the latch and all, but I can't see if the cable is stil there or not. I am going to do more research tomorrow when its somewhat dry and brighter. Thanks everyone

-Drew

DeRocha · November 20, 2004

spindlecone said:
...Have seen a few posts on your problem but who ever lubes the hoodlatch?

Me and the rest of the people that get frozen hood latches. I lube mine about 3 times per year. I will shoot some PB blaster or WD-40 in the latch and manually open and close it 30+ times. I outlined EBInterceptor's pic to show the manual release. You just keep the hood opend and move the latch down; as you do this the manual release will move into it's locked position. To manual open the latch you take a flat blade screwdriver and push the manual release down slightly and then to the right; the latch will pop open. I then dry it out with my air gun and lube it it with some spray lithium grease.

When my latch was stuck I thought it was the cable. I was lucky to get it open by spraying in som PB blaster and pulling the Hood release from inside the cab. After popping the hood I found the cable to be working 100%, but that the latch was almost frozen in position. I then worked the latch through many open and close cycles until it was smooth as when new...

00sport4x4 · November 20, 2004

Try taking a flathead screwdriver and put it directly on the latch ( going between the hood and grill) then smack the other end with a hammer. A friends Blazer had the same problem maybe it'll work.

ExplorerDMB · November 21, 2004

00sport4x4 said:
Try taking a flathead screwdriver and put it directly on the latch ( going between the hood and grill) then smack the other end with a hammer. A friends Blazer had the same problem maybe it'll work.

That is funny that you said that. I almost tried it but Didn't want to just yet. I will work on it tomorrow for sure. I will update you all on what I find out.

DeRocha- That manual release, I think I can see it through the gap between the hood and the grill shell - think I could pry it open like that? I dont think I can get enough leverage with a screwdriver - so what culd I use. I am starting to draw blanks. Thanks! But one thing I'm thinking - isn't it a little soon for mine to be freezing up? Its a 2000 and it hasn't even gotten extremely cold yet (lowest has been maybe 35). Think I should try a blow dryer on it to kind of free it up?

DeRocha · November 21, 2004

Sorry for confussion... its not frozen as cold rather Frozen as Stuck in postion . The latch menchanism can get all kinds of crud and or rust in it which will prevent the parts from moving.. Thats why I spray in WD-50 and work in around until its smooth and works prefectly. I spray more in to wash the crud away..

00sport4x4 has good advice...If you pull the hood release from inside the cab it may have fully released, but the latch parts that normally get sprung open by the force of the spring fail to move because they are frozen in place by the crud... So have someone pull the hood release from the cab and then tapp the latch mechanism like 00sport4x4 said.. It could be enough to jar the parts loose.

ExplorerDMB · November 21, 2004

DeRocha - Well, tonight I tried again...took a screw driver and tried hammering on the actual latch. I tried the manual switch, but I can't tell which way you have push it - up or down? It didn't seem to want to move either way. The thing that gets me confused is that the cable between the lever and latch seems to be stretched. Like I use to pull it up half way, and then it'd get hard and I'd pull and the hood would pop. Now it is really loose and bottoms out and also, even when I pull on it now - you can still hear the latch doing something. It's one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. I sprayed some more WD40 on it and it still makes noise like it's trying to work but something isn't right. And I tried pulling on the cable with some pliers, but it's really tight and hard to pull on. I will first take it to work tomorrow and see if anyone is willing to stay after and help me - if not....I will put it in for Tuesday at the shop and hope to God they can get it open quick. I need an oil change in about 200 miles. So hopefuly we'll get it open before then.

-Drew

ExplorerDMB · November 21, 2004

Oops - I just looked at the picture above and I accidently got the Latch and Manual release mixed up. I am just going to wait til tomorrow to mess with it though. No sense in wasting time tonight.

-Drew

TPLYNCH · November 22, 2004

Is the hood still aligned properly, not scewed to one side or the other? If it's out of line, have friend try straightening the hood while you pull the release.

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