AutoXer

Hey all. I'm having a problem opening my hood. I pull the handle, and it doesn't 'pop' up. It used to still unlatch, and I would just have to pull it up myself; but now it doesn't even do that. I need to pull the handle while someone else pulls up the hood to get it open.

What is the mechanism that makes the hood 'pop'? How can I fix this? It's a real PITA to need two people to open a hood.

JDM-EJ1

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AutoXer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hey all. I'm having a problem opening my hood. I pull the handle, and it doesn't 'pop' up. It used to still unlatch, and I would just have to pull it up myself; but now it doesn't even do that. I need to pull the handle while someone else pulls up the hood to get it open.

What is the mechanism that makes the hood 'pop'? How can I fix this? It's a real PITA to need two people to open a hood.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I would suggest going to a junkyard and just getting a new latch to replace it.

AutoXer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM-EJ1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I would suggest going to a junkyard and just getting a new latch to replace it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You think it's the latch that is the actual problem? I'm just not sure how it works on this car; every other car I've owned had a spring on the hood to push it up after it was unlatched, and this one doesn't...

snatch

I'm just taking a guess here since I don't have a latch to look at.

Maybe the latch is kind of u-shaped, turned 90 degrees counter-clockwise and pivots at the base of the "U". When the latch is closed the top part of the "U" holds the hood down. When you pull the release cable, the latch pivots and the bottom part of the "U" pushes the hood up.

I notice that the hood doesn't "pop" up like on some other cars, it just kind of comes up slowly, likely because it doesn't have a spring like you said. There's the U-shaped channel that is welded to the hood that the latch holds on to, and maybe the latch is messed up and not functioning properly.

My guess would be a new latch.

I hope that made sense.

AutoXer

Looking at the helms, it seems as though you are right; there is a 'cam' type latch that looks like it should push the hood up. I'm not sure why it doesn't work properly anymore.

Should I adjust the latch, or maybe the side cusions?

SE7EN3S

Do you think it's the cable that runs from the handle to the latch?... This happened on my 93 accord.

Luserkid

This is what i would do.

Take off your front bumper and close your hood. Have someone in the car and have them pull the latch and see what happens. If you see it not pulling then your hood latch cable might have came loose. If you see its not even on the latch put it back. But once you take off your bumper youll see it all.

AutoXer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SE7EN3S &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you think it's the cable that runs from the handle to the latch?... This happened on my 93 accord.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I was wondering if it might have to do with that. Since the hood still opens if someone pulls on it while I pull the cable, I figured it was fine. What should I check for? Could this happen if the cable is stretched out or something?

AutoXer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Luserkid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you see it not pulling then your hood latch cable might have came loose. </TD></TR></TABLE>

It's still attached, and still unlatches the hood. The problem is that it doesn't pop up when the cable is pulled.

Instead of the latch moving out of the way of the stiker when I pull the cable, the hood just sits there. So when I let go of the cable, it's latched again, so I need someone to pull on it when I pull the cable to get it open.

Luserkid

Yea i understand the problem. Im telling you that if you take off your bumper youll see exactly where the problem lies instead of thinking itll be something like the whole latch. Could be something as simple as it got to dirty that you need to spray WD40 on it.

AutoXer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Luserkid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yea i understand the problem. Im telling you that if you take off your bumper youll see exactly where the problem lies instead of thinking itll be something like the whole latch. Could be something as simple as it got to dirty that you need to spray WD40 on it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, thanks; that was going to be my next step. I was going to do it last night when I found the problem, but it was cold, dark and snowing.

I was just hoping someone else might have had the problem, or know what to look for.

snatch

CAM type latch. Wish I could have found the words earlier in the day to describe it that way.

I've heard and seen this happen a lot, not only on Hondas but lots of cars so I'll be interested to see what you find out.

Good luck.

Nocturnal

You're going to have to pull on the cable from under the hood and or from under your driver side fender, really really hard.

JasonGhostz

It sounds like the cable may have loosened (gained slack).

I don't know what you drive, but...
USDM 1999 Civic 2DR EX MT: Body|Hood
http://www.slhondaparts.com/im...1.jpg

If you follow Luserkid's advice, check to see if there's something in the latch that's preventing it from disengaging properly (use your finger). Make sure that the part inside the Hood (don't know what it's called) that actually latches to the latch is "working properly" (firmly bolted and properly aligned).

Finally, If the latch/hood is OK, try to follow the cable along the chassis to see if any of the clips came loose, or have detached. Follow it all the way back to the interior end, and make sure the assembly is firmly bolted in place. AFIK, there aren't any other components involved.

GL and let us know...
JasonGhostz

SuperSlow

If you live in the snow belt, there is a big possibility that the latch is rusted and starting to sieze. Mine was behaving like that in the spring, where I could pop it open if I released it while someone else pulled on the hood. Then about 1 month ago it siezed completely, and I had to go in through the grille and get it open manually. Very much a pain.

If this is your situation, I say replace the latch asap, or take it apart, clean off rust, grease it again, and good to go.

bow tie

bring this up for me

i have the opposite problem. i cant get it to close fully. i push down but the hood never fully locks. the cable is relocated and shortened (for thieves), so i have to pull the cable from under the bumper to release the latch. but now i have to ghetto tie the hood down so that nothnig happens when i'm driving. anyone have any idea what's causing my hood to not close fully? nothing under the hood is blocking it too...

boysnightout

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Luserkid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yea i understand the problem. Im telling you that if you take off your bumper youll see exactly where the problem lies instead of thinking itll be something like the whole latch. Could be something as simple as it got to dirty that you need to spray WD40 on it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

^^Victor fixed my problem