1997 Explorer Hood release malfunction

[Frank Starr]

the interior hood release mechanism will not release the hood latch. Any thoughts on how to access the hood release mechanism?

Thank you

 

[my white eddie]

Just went through this last month. I went through the grill with a pair of
small vice grips and grabbed the cable just to the right of the latch assembly
(toward driver side,so actually left) and tugged on the vise grips till it popped.
I used that method till my new cable from Rock Auto arrived. My hands are
fat but once you get through the grill opening there is a fair amount of room.
Hope this helps!

 

[Robman]

On an Explorer I just bought, the hood only releases at the very end of the cable pull, so much as you need to flex the little handle inside past it's usual stopping point, I guess what I'm saying is if the cable is still attached, pull on it harder

At the same time have someone else kinda push/pull up and down on the hood where the latch is.

If the cable is broken, you have to get the lever that it pulls on up front to move to the drivers side of the truck(that's the way the cable pulls it.) This would probably be done with a long screwdriver or punch + hammer from behind the grill and would no doubt be tricky. + What Eddie said.

 

[Turdle]

On an Explorer I just bought, the hood only releases at the very end of the cable pull, so much as you need to flex the little handle inside past it's usual stopping point, I guess what I'm saying is if the cable is still attached, pull on it harder

At the same time have someone else kinda push/pull up and down on the hood where the latch is.

If the cable is broken, you have to get the lever that it pulls on up front to move to the drivers side of the truck(that's the way the cable pulls it.) This would probably be done with a long screwdriver or punch + hammer from behind the grill and would no doubt be tricky. + What Eddie said.

The angle bracket part of the handle bracket which the cable runs through is bent from years of stress.

Take a large pair of pliers. Working on each end of this bracket, bend it back toward the firewall. Don't go too far, just try a little at a time. 1/4" of "adjusment" will make a lot of difference. This will increase cable pull.

It's worth a shot and worked for me.

 

[koda2000]

The part Turdle is referring to gets bent because people don't lubricate their hood latches and/or the hood's stops are adjusted to high. Yanking on the handle bends the metal bracket. It helps to have someone push down on the hood while you pull the handle (after straightening the metal bracket behind the handle). Once the hood is open lube the latch and try turning the stops in a few turns. The hood should open easily when adjusted correctly and lubed.

 

[gatzdon]

If the cable is not broken, but just stretched, you can crawl underneath the console and see the bare cable. Grab it with a pair of vice grips and pull.

Two things when doing this, you need someone to lift up on the hood because the spring may not be able to overcome the corrosion (hence the cable getting pulled too hard)... and two, your cable will be extra stretched after opening it this way.

 

[Robman]

I just saw this sticky in the above section, lol
I guess there's a manual release thingy.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251799