Car Hood Won’t Open

You’re about to do some fixing on your car’s engine when the car hood suddenly refuses to open. How amazingly convenient. But what exactly can you do when your car’s hood won’t open?

There are many factors when it comes to car hoods not popping open. In this article, we’ll figure out what exactly went wrong and how to fix the problem in the most hassle-free way possible.

⚠️ Also, remember to practice caution in performing the solutions listed below.

What to do when your car hood won’t open?

If your car hood won’t open, the first step is to find out the exact problem. Check for issues such as;

1. Stuck hood latch
2. Broken release handle
3. Broken hood release cable

The most common solution is having someone press down the car hood while you repeatedly pull the release handle, and searching for the latch under the grille to pop the latch open with a long tool.

Listed below are the possible problems, how to determine if you have those problems, and how to solve those problems.

Possible Problems and how to fix

1. Stuck hood latch

You must pull a release handle inside the car to open the hood. This handle is usually located on the driver’s side, under the dashboard. It is also usually indicated with the picture of a car with an open hood.

Upon pulling the release handle, the car hood should open slightly. From here, you can exit the car to fully open the hood. If you pull the release handle and the hood does not slightly open, this may indicate a stuck hood latch.

To fix a stuck hood latch;

• Have someone press down the car hood while you repeatedly pull the release handle. Pressing down the car hood will help un-stuck the hood latch. With this, you can then proceed to open it with the handle as you normally would. Practice caution in pressing down the car hood as some car models can easily dent.
• Use a screwdriver or a hanger to reach inside the grille and pop the latch. Shine a flashlight inside the grille and locate the latch. Once you locate it, reach inside with a screwdriver, hanger, or any long-and-thin-enough tool. Be careful if you’ve just recently turned off the engine. It might still be hot and you might accidentally hurt yourself. Let it cool down first.

2. Broken release handle

To open the hood, you must pull a certain release handle. It is usually indicated with a small picture of a car with an open hood. The location of this handle differs between car models, but it is usually located on the driver’s side under the dashboard. If the handle is stuck or has broken off, one can follow the next steps.

• If the release handle has broken off, tug on the release cable with the help of a hanger. You might be able to see the release cable if the release handle has broken off. Try tugging on the release cable by intertwining it with a hanger. This might successfully pop the hood. Be careful if you feel that the release cable is brittle, it might accidentally snap off and break.
• Use a screwdriver or a hanger to reach inside the grille and pop the latch. This same solution for a stuck latch can also be used if you can not locate the release cable, or tugging on the release cable isn’t popping the hood open. Shine a flashlight inside the grille and locate the latch. Once you locate it, reach inside with a screwdriver, hanger, or any long-and-thin-enough tool. Be careful if you’ve just recently turned off the engine. It might still be hot and you might accidentally hurt yourself. Let it cool down first.

3. Broken release cable

The release handle (a handle inside the car, usually with the picture of a car with an open hood) is connected to a release cable. You should feel a certain tension while pulling the release handle. If you feel no tension upon pulling the hood release handle, you might be dealing with a broken release cable.

• If the broken release cable is within sight, tug on the remaining parts with the help of a hanger. Intertwine the cable with the hanger and tug on it. Do this for a few times to see if it successfully opens the hood. If the cable seems to be brittle, be careful in tugging it as it may break even more.
• Use a screwdriver or a hanger to reach inside the grille and pop the latch. This is also the same solution for the first two items listed above. Shine a flashlight inside the grille and locate the latch. Once you locate it, reach inside with a screwdriver, hanger, or any long-and-thin-enough tool. Be careful if you’ve just recently turned off the engine. It might still be hot and you might accidentally hurt yourself. Let it cool down first.

Once you have successfully opened the hood and finished your business with it, don’t close it just yet! Be sure to fix the problem before you close the hood again. A stuck hood latch may just require some spraying, but more serious problems may require you to invest in some parts.

Conclusion

Buying a new hood cable may cost you from as low as 5 dollars to 100. Having a mechanic fix your broken hood release may also cost you a hundred or more dollars, depending on your car model, and which mechanic you go to.

Unexpected problems with your car can turn out to be really troublesome. But, with the solutions listed above, you might save yourself some time.  If you have any questions, be sure to leave a comment.

In conclusion, you might be able to have an easy fix with some fiddling around the latch with a screwdriver, but more complex issues such as broken cables would require you to buy new parts, or go to a mechanic.