Hood release cable will not work, Possibly broken. How can I get the hood open?

Hi,

you might have move through the bottom of the car to open the hood. Or possibly by removing a tiring and use a long pole of some sort to unleash the latch that holds the hood down while someone else raises the hood.

Thank you.

If the plastic hood release handle inside is broken, can you reach the steel cable, if so, use a pair of vice grips to grab the cable and pull. Sometimes it helps to have a helper standing at the end of the hood and pop the hood with palm of hand, in the area of under hood release mechanism, at the same time your pulling the cable.

If cable is broken, some makes and models, you can remove front grille and get at under hood release mechanism.

There is usually a primary hood release, inside vehicle, and a secondary release under the hood, you have to slide your hand under the hood to release, sometimes you have to press down on the hood a little to move release. Trying to shut the hood with secondary release engaged can be difficult, you don't have the distance and the weight of hood to swing down.

Opening Hood with Broken Release Cable

Watch these youtube videos about issue how to open hood from outside when cable breaks

Opening Hood with Broken Release Cable

Broken Hood Latch Cable How do open my hood now Potentially easy fix Ford...


how do open the hood on car when cable or latch is broken

You may need a professional to get this hood open, and it will likely need to be on a car lift. Try this if you are handy, try removing the driver side fender well liner for access to the latch.

first, try smacking the hood at one of the front corners while someone else pulls the release handle. or even after you've pulled on it. if that works, once open, adjust and lubricate the hood latch assembly. if it still won't open, and it's the cable and not the latch you'll have to replace it anyway, so instead of removing the grill, cut the cable behind the pull lever under the dash where you can reach it. then skin the outer cable insulation away from the actual steel cable exposing an inch or two of it. then holding the insulation and plastic housing with pliers, grab the steel cable itself with pliers and pull it to open the hood. then replace the cable. the further you can reach up under the panel the better your chances of getting past the broken part of the cable and avoid removing the grill. you might also be able to gain access from up under the car if you're lucky.

depending on where the cable is broken your can still release and open the hood. if it is broken inside the van in the footwell is the easiest...locate the end of the cable and with a set of visegrips pull the cable to release the hood.

The cable is held in place by a metal bracket. If it cam off the bracket it won't work.

Look behind the part you pull and you will see the wire and the outer part of the cable. The end of the outer part of the cable has a groove neer the end. This groove slides onto a slot that is located just behind the pull latch. Once you see it it will make since on how it should go.

You can also grab the outer part of the cable and pull the inner wire. If you can pull the wire almost out, then it is broken. But the chances of that are very low.

you can often release the hood latch from under the car, or through the grille, by reaching up to the hood latch mechanism with a long screwdriver or pliers, or a piece of coat hanger, whichever works in your particular case. G/L

Have one person pull the hood release inside cab while the other person pushes down on front center of hood.  One might have to push down a few times before it releases.  This only works for stretched cable not broken cable.