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Hood almost blown off from gust of wind

M

Motoarzan

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 25, 2013
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City, State
Cambridge, Ontario
Year, Model & Trim Level
Explorer Sport 2014
Today, a gust of wind from an oncoming dump truck caused my hood to pop open. the safety latch part caught it so it didn't blow right back as to hit the windshield and rip off...but it blew off from it's fulling closed/locked position to where it normally sits when you pull the latch.

I'm wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else? I assume this latch can be adjustable to hold stronger because if not it could be a safety hazard should an "extra strong" gust of wind completely rips your hood off!!!
 



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I have a feeling yours wasn't closed enough to begin with. If it happens again go to ford, but I'd put money on it not happening again
 






colintrax said:
I have a feeling yours wasn't closed enough to begin with. If it happens again go to ford, but I'd put money on it not happening again
Click to expand...

Yup, my guess as well....most likely not properly closed to begin with...
 






HughCares said:
Yup, my guess as well....most likely not properly closed to begin with...
Click to expand...

Actually, the hood was properly closed. Due to the spring mechanism your hood can only be in 3 positions. Fully hooked and latch (closed), in the 2nd position of unlatched but still held by the safety hook (the position when you pull the cable and pop the hood). And the 3rd position when you manually pull the hook clear with your finger and can then swing the hood freely open.
In other words for government safety reasons you can't have the fully closed position improperly closed. That's why you have to put it down with some extra force. Think of it like your car door where it's fully closed and latch and can also be partially closed in that second position where it's hooked but still about about 1/2" not flush with the rest of the body. It's not physically possible to close it in any other position in between.

I can add that it was a windy day. Not super windy, kind of medium windy like you know a thunderstorm is coming. I was travelling down a country side road 2 lane highway doing only about 90km/hr. What I remember is it was almost like a normal gust of wind came at the same time as the truck passed head on and sort of created a double intensity of gust. The hood almost appeared to "flex slightly" and might of been part of the reason for unlatching.
 






Motoarzan said:
Today, a gust of wind from an oncoming dump truck caused my hood to pop open. the safety latch part caught it so it didn't blow right back as to hit the windshield and rip off...but it blew off from it's fulling closed/locked position to where it normally sits when you pull the latch...
Click to expand...


Allow me to help, Motoarzan. I suggest taking the vehicle to your dealer as they’re in the best position to assist. If you need assistance locating one, click on this link http://www.ford.ca/dealerships/locate/ Also, send me the current odometer reading of your vehicle; I’ll look into it.

Kwasi
 






Motoarzan said:
Actually, the hood was properly closed. Due to the spring mechanism your hood can only be in 3 positions. Fully hooked and latch (closed), in the 2nd position of unlatched but still held by the safety hook (the position when you pull the cable and pop the hood). And the 3rd position when you manually pull the hook clear with your finger and can then swing the hood freely open.
In other words for government safety reasons you can't have the fully closed position improperly closed. That's why you have to put it down with some extra force. Think of it like your car door where it's fully closed and latch and can also be partially closed in that second position where it's hooked but still about about 1/2" not flush with the rest of the body. It's not physically possible to close it in any other position in between.

I can add that it was a windy day. Not super windy, kind of medium windy like you know a thunderstorm is coming. I was travelling down a country side road 2 lane highway doing only about 90km/hr. What I remember is it was almost like a normal gust of wind came at the same time as the truck passed head on and sort of created a double intensity of gust. The hood almost appeared to "flex slightly" and might of been part of the reason for unlatching.
Click to expand...

Your assumption is that you believe you had it properly closed to begin with....I'm suggesting that it likely wasn't and you just didn't notice until the "gust of wind" shook it.
 






The last time I had opened my hood was weeks ago. Since then I have gotten in and out of my vehicle over 100 times as I use it for visiting customers all day every day as an outside sales person.
If the hood wasn't properly closed I would have noticed it long ago sitting up 3" in the 1st position and not flush with the vehicle.
As per the last post when in the closed position it can't be improperly or partially close. It's either fully closed or popped up in that 1st position, cannot be in between.
I imagine the latch simply needs some adjustment and will take it to the dealer.
 






The latch could be bent. But like I said, it wasn't fully closed. Half ****ed if you will
 






Its a rare occurrence, but I've had the same thing happen. Both times it was within hours of me closing the hood. I have seen a hood pop open going down a highway. It is....spectacular.....to watch it fold like a piece of gum wrapper to the shape of the windshield and roof. It wasn't my car. I was just a couple hundred feet behind it. Luckily, the driver didn't freak out. Just slowed down real fast, then pulled off.
 






Many times I tried closing the hood and it's pretty difficult to get it to shut. So to close it properly, I just lift up the hood a bit high and just let it fall down by gravity. It usually gets it nice and snug. I agree with everyone else that the hood was probably not shut properly.
 






From what I recall, it would be hard not to notice that the hood was not closed all the way. Also driving with it not properly latched would likely have popped it up before the incident the OP described.

Peter
 






Mine as done this several times now, usually with wind gusts. Taking it to the dealer very soon as it happened again. Hood also vibrates visibly and noise wise under certain conditions, obviously a hood issue going on here with my 2014 Sport.
 






My 2000 Expedition does this. Close the hood "normally" and it slams shut. Visually it looks closed. But if you drive fast enough, or get a strong gust of wind or simply pull up on it, it'll come up to where the safety latch prevents it from opening further.

Shut it again, this time with a little more vigor, and it shuts properly and can't be pulled up. Good to go.

Maybe the latch needs to be adjusted, but for me, I'll just give it a pull after I shut it to verify.
 






2TimingTom said:
My 2000 Expedition does this. Close the hood "normally" and it slams shut. Visually it looks closed. But if you drive fast enough, or get a strong gust of wind or simply pull up on it, it'll come up to where the safety latch prevents it from opening further.

Shut it again, this time with a little more vigor, and it shuts properly and can't be pulled up. Good to go.

Maybe the latch needs to be adjusted, but for me, I'll just give it a pull after I shut it to verify.
Click to expand...

Soak the latching mechanisms with WD-40, open and close it a bunch of times, hose it down again with WD-40 (or your fav penetrating fluid), let it dry, then hit it with some spray lube.

Almost always, the latch just needs a some attention.
 












Dont push on the hood, drop it closed from 1/3 or higher up.
Pushing it closed at all will end up giving you a hood taco
 






Motoarzan said:
Today, a gust of wind from an oncoming dump truck caused my hood to pop open. the safety latch part caught it so it didn't blow right back as to hit the windshield and rip off...but it blew off from it's fulling closed/locked position to where it normally sits when you pull the latch.

I'm wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else? I assume this latch can be adjustable to hold stronger because if not it could be a safety hazard should an "extra strong" gust of wind completely rips your hood off!!!
Click to expand...
Happened to me a few weeks ago on a narrow two lane country road. I was also pulling a 27 ft camping trailer. The semi was on a cannonball run. Had to be 60+. I had slowed down to about 35 as I saw him coming at me.
 






mthoma said:
Happened to me a few weeks ago on a narrow two lane country road. I was also pulling a 27 ft camping trailer. The semi was on a cannonball run. Had to be 60+. I had slowed down to about 35 as I saw him coming at me.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the Forum. :wave:
I'm guess that happened to your truck and not an Explorer. It has been a very rare occurrence on the Explorer.

Peter
 






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