QuestionQUESTION: Roland,
My hood cable release, inside the car, has broken off (several feet of wire came out) and the hood will not open. I have been able to push up the hood just enough (with my son's help) to take out 2 bolts, but that just loosened the hood a tiny bit more. We are at our wit's end and very frustrated. This is our only vehicle, so its so important to us. Please tell me what to look for, as I can't find a service manual online (that's free to look at).
Thank you so much.
ANSWER: Hi Joe,
Get under the front end of the car and using a light source look up in the area in front of the radiator (I believe) where you will see the latch mechanism with a lever pointed toward the front of the car. The lever is just above the return spring so look carefully above the spring for it. Use a stick to reach up and push that lever toward the driver side of the car and that will release the latch. Then you can replace the cable which normally attaches to that lever by removing one from a wreck or getting a replacement at a dealer.
If the under edge of the bumper fascia blocks the view, you may have to remove the bumper fascia to see what I am describing.
Roland
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Possible Latch-Picture
QUESTION: Roland,
Here is an even better picture. Looks like a small wire to the top-left of the picture, but I'm not sure.
ANSWER: Hi Joe,
Because I don't have the '97 manual I can only infer from the '94 and '98 manuals I have and which differ. I would suggest that you look for the release cable's outer shell "housing" that is routed from the cabin to the latch and which ends at the latch mechanism. The cable itself is gone, but imagine it sticking out of the housing end and was attached to a pawl/lever which is spring-loaded so as to return it to the locked position. If you can identify that pawl/lever, then move that pawl/lever in the direction which strectches the return spring (move it toward the housing) you will be replicating what the cable wire does to release the latch. Unfortunately I can't relate your photo to the drawings which I have which are from a different persepective. I hope this is helpful.
Roland
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Is this what I'm looki
QUESTION: Roland,
I am desperate for your help. I took another picture and have placed a little black box around what I think you MIGHT be talking about, that I should push towards the driver-side of the car. Can you tell me if this looks like what you are referring too? I'm fortunate to have a job, but if I can't open the hood, I will lose my job. Believe I'm having a transmission problem, but it might just need more fluid. If I can't open the hood, I can't check the fluid level. Thank you.
AnswerHi Joe,
I couldn't make out what the picture was showing me, sorry. But I was able to copy page from the '98 manual that show the latch and how it is worked by the cable.
Send me a follow-up question (private option) telling me your email address and I will send you a drawing of the latch from the '98 manual. I can't be sure if it is like your '97, let me know if not and we can talk some more about the '94 design which I don't have in digital format so I can't send that to you.
Roland
PS If the site won't let you send a follow-up question, then send a new question.
