2003 Mazda Mazda6 Logo
Posted on Sep 06, 2010
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Hood latch will not open - 2003 Mazda Mazda6

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Anonymous

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  • Master 385 Answers
  • Posted on Sep 10, 2010
Anonymous
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Joined: Aug 29, 2010
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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.

  • Anonymous Feb 10, 2011

    I am going to give you a solution that is actually specific to your car. It will allow you to open the hood without destroying anything. You have to remove the front grill to access the latch. Here's how. At either side of the grill there is a 10mm bolt that points down through the bumper cover and the headlight assembly. Use a pry tool to gently lift the hood and you can slip a 10mm flat wrench onto the head of the bolt to loosen it and remove it. With both bolts removed, you have to pry between the grill bottom and the bumper cover to disengage the three posts that protrude from the bumper cover into the grill. Now, the grill is held only by the two clips that go back into the top frame member, at either side of the grill. A firm yank will get them out, You can now access the latch mechanism to pull the cable, or, if worse comes to worse, you can even unbolt the latch mechanism from the frame member, it's easy.

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