jmai86

For some reason the latch cable came off the latch. Now the hood won't open.

Is there some way I can reach up there and unlatch it? I tried feeling around but it's late and I can't see ****.


for minor annoyances

prelude1897

did it come undone under the hood or inside the car?

jmai86

When feeling around under the hood (put my arm through the grill area) I felt the end of the cable dangling next to the latch.

prelude1897

damn...Maybe, just maybe you can use a flat head screw driver to pop it open. Find where the latch attaches to, then use your screw driver to push back that same piece

jmai86

I hardly have very much room for my hand in there, let alone a screwdriver! I don't even know what I'm supposed to be feeling for -_-

Anyone have a pic of the latch so I can have a visual on its mechanism?

prelude1897

what year Prelude do you have

jmai86

94

prelude1897

Does this help any? Kind of show's where things are placed

jmai86

Yeah I have the full service manual and that diagram is in it, but there's only one diagram of the latch itself and neither one helps much.

But thanks


EDIT - When the hood is latched down properly, is there a lock on the latch that opens only with the cable? Or could you just somehow pull the tab up that you'd normally use when the hood is popped?

h23vtecpowered

damn dude i dont know what to tell you. it doesnt pop up any..you may have to take that rubber weather stripping off...

prelude1897

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jmai86 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah I have the full service manual and that diagram is in it, but there's only one diagram of the latch itself and neither one helps much.

But thanks


EDIT - When the hood is latched down properly, is there a lock on the latch that opens only with the cable? Or could you just somehow pull the tab up that you'd normally use when the hood is popped?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yea, I'm pretty sure there's some type of lock mechanism so that it doesn't come unlatched while driving around....Damn, I wish I had a 4th gen sitting around so that I could really look at the whole latch to see how it's put together and what can be done

jmai86

Well I found an image of a 4th gen latch:



Anyone know where the cable connects to so I can pull it manually? I know for certain the cable came off cleanly because I can feel the balled end of it.

Sigh I really don't want to wrench it out completely.

BlackCatt

Fairly sure cable attachs to point just east of the central pivot point. Goodluck with it.

BlackCatt

UPDATE: i just went out and checked out my latch mechanism. The only way i can see that you will be able to unlatch the hood is to use a screwdriver like prelude1897 suggested. There is a cowling blocking access from the left hand side otherwise you could have slid the cable into its housing. IF you get a small flat head screwdriver and try to get it behind the large spring then under the small spring you will be able to push the cable housing to unlatch the hood. Its just going to take some patience and a torch and some poking around to do it. Hope this helps, Goodluck.

boostedh22lude1

reach up and grab the cable and pull it, it will pop

jmai86

Update - So I skipped the entire feeling around and just went for the ratchet and 10mm deep socket. 3 bolts and 10 min later the latch is off with the hood

If you have small hands it's pretty easy to just unbolt the latch. If not you could raise the car up high.

I looked at the mechanism and the only way I see to unlatch it without unbolting the latch is to go in from the left side and using a hook, grabbing hold of where the cable would connect to and pulling. The left side is really the only side with enough access to it.

The tiny plastic piece that keeps the cable in place broke so it allowed to ball end to come loose from the mechanism. Zip Ties FTMFWW. But my hood doesn't make that pop anymore when I unlatch it from the inside.


Thanks for all the help ppls!