Hood will not open

Question:

Had a similar problem with my 97, though it was a case of corrosion in the latch mechanism. The cable was releasing, but the "jaws" wouldn’t slip by each other. On my 97, if you shine a flashlight in through the front of the grill near the latch, you can see a lever there you can pry sideways with a screwdriver. I guess it is the bottom of one of the jaws. At any rate, that opened the latch and I got the hood open. A healthy dose of WD-40 in the latch mechanism and everything is working fine again. If your cable is intact, this might be your problem. Since you posted on the 1st, your daughter may have already returned, but if not, give it a whirl if nothing else has worked. Dave

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am in a jam right now. My daughter is going back to school tomorrow, out > of state. I was going to check the oil and water before the trip. She has > a 1995 Ford Explorer( 4.0 V6 engine). But to my frustration, I can not get > the hood to open. I pull on the dashboard release and nothing happens. The > interior release lever entends out all the way when pulled, but I do not > detect the partial release of the hood. The hood does not move upward. I > go to the front of the vehicle and try the secondary catch. The secondary > hood release does not open the hood. I believe this is because the interior > release did not accomplish the first stage of the release. I am hoping > someone my have a solution or work around. I tried to examine the release > mechanism from the limited area through the front grill work with no > success. I appreciate any help. > Regards, > Bill

Response:

On my 88 Bronco II, it was the release spring in the latch… it didn’t push the latch to the first release stage. I had someone pull AND HOLD the release inside the truck, while I pulled up on the hood. This worked, and once the first release stage was achieved I was able to open the hood with the secondary release lever. Anyway, hope you have luck…

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am in a jam right now. My daughter is going back to school tomorrow, > out > of state. I was going to check the oil and water before the trip. She > has > a 1995 Ford Explorer( 4.0 V6 engine). But to my frustration, I can not > get > the hood to open. I pull on the dashboard release and nothing happens. > The > interior release lever entends out all the way when pulled, but I do not > detect the partial release of the hood. The hood does not move upward. I > go to the front of the vehicle and try the secondary catch. The secondary > hood release does not open the hood. I believe this is because the > interior > release did not accomplish the first stage of the release. I am hoping > someone my have a solution or work around. I tried to examine the release > mechanism from the limited area through the front grill work with no > success. I appreciate any help. > Regards, > Bill > Thanks for responding so soon. I ran out to the garage and grapped the vice > grips. I pulled out the interior release lever and then grabbed hold of the > bare cable closest to the firewall and pulled and then pulled again with all > my strength. No Luck. I had even spray the entire locking mechanism within > sight with WD-40 and tried again. This is one stuck hood. If it was my car, > I would have taken a four foot pry bar to it. > Thanks again, > Bill

Response:

Have similar problem on my 96, I can get the hood open by first pulling the release cable handle. Then I pull up on the hood, I am then able to release the secondary latch to open the hood.

Response:

You might try having one person pull on the cable while another person pushes DOWN smartly on the hood over the latch area. It might let it pop loose on the down stroke. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am in a jam right now. My daughter is going back to school tomorrow, >out > of state. I was going to check the oil and water before the trip. She >has > a 1995 Ford Explorer( 4.0 V6 engine). But to my frustration, I can not >get > the hood to open. I pull on the dashboard release and nothing happens. >The > interior release lever entends out all the way when pulled, but I do not > detect the partial release of the hood. The hood does not move upward. I > go to the front of the vehicle and try the secondary catch. The secondary > hood release does not open the hood. I believe this is because the >interior > release did not accomplish the first stage of the release. I am hoping > someone my have a solution or work around. I tried to examine the release > mechanism from the limited area through the front grill work with no > success. I appreciate any help. > Regards, > Bill >Thanks for responding so soon. I ran out to the garage and grapped the vice >grips. I pulled out the interior release lever and then grabbed hold of the >bare cable closest to the firewall and pulled and then pulled again with all >my strength. No Luck. I had even spray the entire locking mechanism within >sight with WD-40 and tried again. This is one stuck hood. If it was my car, >I would have taken a four foot pry bar to it. >Thanks again, >Bill

Response:

Bill, I had the same problem with my 95. The outer jacket of the cable was worn through at the point where the cable passes by the battery. The exposed cable corroded to the jacket and no amount of pulling on the end would loosen it. I recall that I was able to get the hood open two ways. Neither one was very easy and I don’t recall the exact details (it was about 3 years ago). The first time I opened the hood I removed the two bolts holding the latch on the car. It was difficult because there is not much room to get a wrench and your hands in there. Once I had the latch apart, I was able to see where to get a thin screw driver into the latch and pop it open. In hindsight, once I had it open, I should have left it unlatched until I got the replacement cable. Hope this helps. Jay

Response:

I am in a jam right now. My daughter is going back to school tomorrow, out of state. I was going to check the oil and water before the trip. She has a 1995 Ford Explorer( 4.0 V6 engine). But to my frustration, I can not get the hood to open. I pull on the dashboard release and nothing happens. The interior release lever entends out all the way when pulled, but I do not detect the partial release of the hood. The hood does not move upward. I go to the front of the vehicle and try the secondary catch. The secondary hood release does not open the hood. I believe this is because the interior release did not accomplish the first stage of the release. I am hoping someone my have a solution or work around. I tried to examine the release mechanism from the limited area through the front grill work with no success. I appreciate any help. Regards, Bill

Response:

Well, it sounds likt the cable has been stretched out running from the latch to the handle inside the car. You’ll probably have to locate the cable where it exits the black sheath leading to the lever, and grab it by the actual cable itself (not the black plastic) and trip it manually by pulling on it. I had to do this with my Mustang a few weeks back, and that was the only way for me to get into the engine compartment. Not sure if it’ll be accessible on the Explorer, but thought I’d chip in my .02 Good luck! JD

Response:

Thanks for responding so soon. I ran out to the garage and grapped the vice grips. I pulled out the interior release lever and then grabbed hold of the bare cable closest to the firewall and pulled and then pulled again with all my strength. No Luck. I had even spray the entire locking mechanism within sight with WD-40 and tried again. This is one stuck hood. If it was my car, I would have taken a four foot pry bar to it. Thanks again, Bill

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