Search isn't helping... Can't open my hood

[rad-man]

I pull on the release, and the hood wont unlatch. I can hear the assembly moving around if somone pulls the release.

What are my options to get it open? Need to change my oil soon :-/


TIA

 

[X~FACTOR]

Get a flashlight and get under the engine compartment with a long screw driver and try to unlatch it from there.

Or if you could find the cable wire, pull on that hard to pop the hood off.

 

[Alto]

I know that mine has stuck a few times. I get it open shoot some WD-40 in it clears it up for a few months.

I have to open my hood 2-3 times a day for security reasons. So mine always gets a work out.

Maybe if you shoot some wd in there you could open it then!

 

[Mbrooks420]

Did you try pushing down on it while someone worked the latch? I've had to do that before.

 

[Crankcase]

Originally posted by Mbrooks420
Did you try pushing down on it while someone worked the latch? I've had to do that before.

My dads 94 Ex does that too..you have to push the hood down, so the latch will pop....

 

[jsrustad]

On my first '94 Explorer (bought used from a dealership), the latch froze. I had to remove the two machine screws that held the latch assembly to the frame of the radiator. Those suckers are pretty long and there's only enough room to swing a wrench about 1/8 turn at a time. Boy, was that fun!

It looked to me like the entire latch assembly was corroded from the engine compartment being cleaned at the dealer (other unpainted metal parts under the hood looked about the same and the engine was REAL clean).

My second '94 Explorer (bought used from a private party) shows no signs of this kind of corrosion under the hood.

Why two Explorers? Well, my wife wanted a second one after the accident. An idiot with a revoked license pulled out from a stop sign in front of us (on a divided highway, no less!) and we hit him doing about 45mph. What a ride!! (through the cut in the divider for the other road and then back across a curb-height concrete median)

 

[rad-man]

this is a '99. A lot of the stuff i found from the search dosent seem to work.

Anyway, I checked the latch cable, and it's functional all the way to the hood assembly. I even unhooked the spring that puts tension on the lever. With the cable pulled, I've tapped, banged, sat on, jumped on the hood. Nothing seems to work. Does anyone know exactly where to stick something to unlatch the hood?

 

[rad-man]

btt, dont want to have to take it to the dealer :-/

 

[99explorer5.0]

I had this same problem about a month ago. I pulled the latch but it didnt do anything. That same day i was on my way to work on the highway and i hit a bump and the hood unlatched. Thank god it didnt fly open. I sprayed some wd40 on it and now it opens without a problem.

You should have someone pull on the release handle inside the explorer and you put your fingers under your hood and pull and push as violently as humanly possible. I guarentee it will open. There is nothing that you can stick in there to release it. With mine it was the hood latch itself that seemed to be a bit corroded. If you take it to a mechanic they are going to do the same exact thing and then spray it with wd40 and its going to cost you a fortune.

 

[dreamr]

Ypu should be able to get to the latch with the long red extension on the can of wd. Go either through the small gap there or through the grill, give a couple squirts. Now after pulling the hood latch for good measure gently move the hood around as much as possible, the idea being to let the lubricating oil to get disbursed into the sticky regions. May take a bit, but after a few repititions it will open ( at least it did on my vw in similar situation).
Be gentle with your cars/trucks minor repairs are often easier and cheaper than part replacement.
One day I may take my own advice

 

[rad-man]

pist- goin to the dealer....

hope the next person with this prob has better luck than i did

 

[99explorer5.0]

Let us know what it cost for the dealer to do what i suggested!

I have a few friends that work at a local car dealer and a few had the late night shift. You would be surprised at what goes on behind the scenes when you leave your cars there.

 

[rad-man]

i know, it sucks! but I tried everything suggested in this post...

 

[99explorer5.0]

If possible try to hang around the garage and watch them try to fix it. That is the type of problem where extreme violence is going to be the only way to get it open and they are probably going to look like a bunch of wild gorillas jumping on your hood trying to open it.

 

[rad-man]

wow... any idea how much they will charge? Is there a minimum? I'm sure they are going to want to replace the latch as well. parts labor labor labor labor BS!

 

[MONMIX]

That is how some of us put food on the table.

 

[rad-man]

they want $175 to do it...

I'm also pist b/c i've put little dents in the hood from jackin with it so much!

 

[99explorer5.0]

Wow, that sounds a bit steep. I am glad that mine finually popped open on its own while i was driving on the highway and over a rough surface.

One thing you may want to try is find the roughest road you can find and just drive over every pot hole you can find while pulling on your hood release. If it does pop open do not close it until you spray the latch with WD-40. The latch probably doesnt need to be replaced .. after i sprayed mine it has been working perfectly. Now with every oil change i am going to spray that latch to avoid that problem in the future. Good Luck!