YACT: Problem with my hood latch.

[blurredvision]

Holy hell! I can't pop my hood! I drive a 95 Pontiac Grand Prix SE 2-door, and my coolant light has been coming on for a couple weeks now. I'm kind of a procrastinator, but finally got some coolant from my local Wal-Mart. When I got home to fill 'er up, I went to pop the hood, but nothing happened when I pulled the lever. I pull it, and it just doesn't do anything.

What I'm looking for from you guys is maybe some suggestions on what might be wrong, and maybe someway to circumvent the whole lever pulling process to pop the hood. I will get it to a shop soon to look at it, but my schedule at work doesn't favor doing anything during the daytime on weekdays.

Thanks for any suggestions you guys can give.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

last time that happened to me, the metal that the latch was supposed to latch against had been twisted out of shape (yeah, even though it was 1/4" steel).

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

Cut a hole in the hood where the coolant tank is and pour it in there.


OR......


Pay $24.95 and get your oil changed at Jiffy Lube or comparable place, and let them screw with it. (Plus they top off fluids)

 

[JC]

To get it open for now, have a second person pull the lever whilst you thump on the hood over the latch area....it may pop up. For longer term, perhaps the latch needs some lubrication.


JC

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

Originally posted by: JC
To get it open for now, have a second person pull the lever whilst you thump on the hood over the latch area....it may pop up. For longer term, perhaps the latch needs some lubrication.

JC

Who in the HELL uses words like "whilst"?

 

[DrPizza]

Hint: if the latch is a little on the rusty side, and needs lubricant... after you get it open, it's possible it may not relatch completely, yet look like it's completely relatched. If the hood pops open on the highway... well, imagine life at 90 frames per second... in one frame, the hood is closed. in the next frame, the hood is smashed against your windshield... It sucks.

 

[JC]

Originally posted by: Monel Funkawitz

Originally posted by: JC
To get it open for now, have a second person pull the lever whilst you thump on the hood over the latch area....it may pop up. For longer term, perhaps the latch needs some lubrication.

JC

Who in the HELL uses words like "whilst"?

 

[blurredvision]

Thanks for the responses guys. When I pull the lever, it's like it's not hooked to anything, as it does nothing. No sound, no possible popping of the hood, nothing.