2008 Vue Hood Latch won't latch

see if you can tighten the cable.

Have someone push down on the hood over the hood latch area while you pull the release, that may work. Once it is open lube everything up with white Lithium grease also known as "LUBRIPLATE:"

Raise hood,have some one go pull hood latch and you look at latch and see if it releases,if it doesn't then cable may need replacing,I would'nt completely shut hood cause you may not get back open,also check hood latches bolts and latch for something bent or broken.

Hood latch or cable is frozen up (rusted). These can be a challenge to get fixed, because you don't have access. You can try to see if you have access through the front grille or go under the car and look up for the latch. Hopefully you can get to the latch and release it. My worst one was a mid 70s Corvette with the latch by the windshield (hood opens forward). This latch was above the cowl assembly and you had to work around the engine. Good luck...

it will be difficult to gain access to the hood release latch but you can get to it.you need to find were cable connects to the latch arm either through the grill or under the car looking up at the latch.then you will have to get something that you can use to get to the release arm to move it in the correct direction to unlatch the hood to open.you will need alot of patience for this.good luck.

While someone is pulling the thing inside the cars have someone outside the push down in the center front (where the latch is underneath) down. You may have to kind of push and release quickly. If the cable is still attached there it should release.

because of safety dangers, it is very hard to open with out pulling the latch. you will have to take it to a body shop or dealer to have them fix the latch

Your hood latch probably isn't returning to the right position for it to catch. This is commonly caused by one of two problems: (1) too much hardened grease and crud on the latch itself is keeping it from operating freely; or (2) the hood release cable has gotten rusty or kinked over time and is no longer releasing completely.
I would suggest testing the hood release cable before doing anything else. It's an easy test and it only takes a minute. Enlist the help of a second person to pull the hood release lever while you look at the hood latch. When your helper pull on the release, you should see the cable pull part of the hood latch. When they let go, that part should swing back to its prior position. Using a long-shafted screwdriver, see whether you can "help" that moving part move any further on its return path. If you can push the latch any significant amount, it's not returning all the way to its proper position, and your hood release cable is probably binding.
In the short term, if you manually push the hood latch back into position, you should be able to close your hood again. However, you'll have to do this each time you open the hood. In addition, you run the risk that, not too far in the future, your hood release cable will actually completely bind or snap, and then you'll have a much harder time opening your hood to replace the cable (or do anything else, like add oil or washer fluid).

Saturn Vue hood release can be opened (if the cable is not broken) by disconnecting the cable from the back of the release lever, grabbing the ball on the end of the cable with some large pliers ("channel locks") and pulling hard. A metal "wire keeper" bracket clamped to the cable end under the hood to serve as a spacer and the release lever works.
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide a procedure for opening the hood on the Saturn VUE and ION vehicles should the hood latch release cable mechanism become inoperative.

VUE Hood Opening Procedure Modify the Saturn radio antenna by bending the antenna mast 1 in. (2.54 cm) above the antenna base to a 25 degree angle

Open hood of similar vehicle to locate hood latch release cable to hood latch attachment point.

Using modified antenna, note approximate location that antenna will have to enter in between fascia and hood to access the hood latch cable attachment point. This should be toward the left edge of the Saturn emblem. Also note position of the modified antenna base. It should be angled downward.

Note: Use protective tape on the hood and fascia where the antenna will be inserted to protect the surfaces from scratches
On vehicle with inoperative latch, insert antenna between hood and fascia and depress the hood latch cable until the hood is opened.

Good luck and thank you for using fixya

Hi JP,

Unfortunately no. There are two things to try though.

If when you pull the release it feels as though the latch is releasing (without the hood rising), try pushing the hood down (relatching), giving it a sharp rap right above the latch or prying the hood up.

If when you pull the release nothing happens:
Get a flashlight and a long set of needlenose pliers.
Look through the front grill and locate the latch. You should be able to find the release cable. Grab it with the needle nose and pull it away from the latch. You'll hear it release.

Be patient, you'll get it.


Mike