Car help: Cannot open my hood

[Metalloid]

Pulling the latch inside the car does not pop it up so i can get my fingers in to trip the latch. The spring is broken or something. I cannot pry it open with a screwdriver or anything. The problem is that the metal piece that locks your hood in place is bent, and doesnt move like it is supposed to anymore. I hope you know what I am talking about, because I suck at describing cars.

Anyone have a similar problem and know how to get it open?

 

[Shockwave]

YAY! You get to crawl under your car and reach up throught he bottom and try to pop it open that way!
Are you sure thats your problem? Mine is similiar, I have to have osmeone hold the hood latch open (The one in the car) then go bang on the hood to get it to pop up. The opening mechansim works, its just the hood doesnt POP open when you release it.

 

[loup garou]

Sawzall. :evil:

 

[Metalloid]

Yeah I originally tried the banging method and it worked a few times, but then the actual latch got bent and it wont open at all now.

And I tried reaching from under the car, but there is too much in the way to get my hands up there.

 

[virtueixi]

Try using like a broom to push it up from underneath the car.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: Metalloid
Yeah I originally tried the banging method and it worked a few times, but then the actual latch got bent and it wont open at all now.

And I tried reaching from under the car, but there is too much in the way to get my hands up there.

Hate to tell ya bud, but this is your only option. You might try finding the cable and see if you can pull it from under the hood, but if you can pull the latch open from inside the car then its not a cable problem. Your gonna have to do it from under the car, or take it to a mechanic and have him do it and charge ya.

 

[bigalt]

i know nothing about cars in general, but on my dad's old escort he had to have me hold the latch pulled while he went and lifted up the hood.

 

[Evadman]

You are going to have to go under the car, and turn into a contortionist. You don't say what kind of car, so I can't guess on how it latches. the GM s-10's and s-15's used 2 bolts to hold the latching mechanism to the radiator support. They can be losened without crawling under, as the bolts are accessable from the front.

It seems that you knew this was a problem, but you didn't fix it right away. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[TGregg]

I had a car with a broken latch cable. Just cut the cable, ran it thru the grille and would open it from the front.

 

[Metalloid]

Hey hey so I hit the hood in the right spot and heard a click.....

got it open.....

hehe thanks everyone

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Metalloid
Hey hey so I hit the hood in the right spot and heard a click.....

got it open.....

hehe thanks everyone

Fix the problem before it gets worse