The hood isn't releasing when I pull the lever. How do I release the hood manually.  Thanks

I'd fist check and see if the cable is on the lever attached inside the car.  If so, have someone push down on the hood when you pull the lever and then pull up the hood.

If the cable ball end is not attached to the lever under the dash, you could just pull it with a vice grips.

If neither of those work you will have to get into the grill area to pull on the cable or unbolt the latch 12mm bolts.

smartin,

What will work for one person's situation on this issue, may not work for another. I've been where you're at more than once and I can tell you that it often requires a lot of different techniques.

Sometimes you can get the front grill out and get a hold on the hood unlock cable and pull it.

Sometimes spraying the daylights out of the latch assembly through a grill opening with WD40, waiting a while and then pushing down on the front of the hood while someone pulls hard on the cable from inside the car will do the trick.

Sometimes you can get at the latch assembly from underneath the car and unbolt it, or if its visible from through the grill unbolt the latch assembly and raise the hood enough to be able to pry the moving parts to release.

A last resort may be to use a hacksaw blade held by its end in vice grips to cut through the latch and then replace parts from a wrecking yard.

Basically you're going to have to get inventive, short of destroying the hood to get it open. Good Luck!

I haven't had time to get into it yet but it looks tricky.  If the problem is at the pull lever it will be easy if it is any where else ouch.  If you look at the picture this is a hood latch from a 2006 outback I am willing to bet they are basically the same. The problem is the cable protector on the right side. It prevents reaching in through the grill and just pulling the cable    

outback hood latch _.html

The cable runs under the radiator support from the drivers side.  Could pull front wheel and inner fender and you'd see it.  Last resort.

Inner fender sounds ugly. Do you think the latch bolts can be removed  through the grill?

if you can get a socket up in there & access thru the grill, it doesn't hurt to try.

I feel for ya, either way.

Mine is the opposite, tho - have a hard time getting it to latch properly sometimes.. have to spray it down good and manually work the latch a few times when it starts acting up

 

 

What did you find at the latch tab inside the car under the dash?

Shoot a pic.

I won't have time to really get to it until sat.  Not urgent yet.  Thanks  hoping it's a latch tab issue thanks.

Sorry this update took so long. When I finally got to it I had some one hold the latch release up while I played with the hood. Had to actually pry up slightly  with a screw driver but it popped up.  All gunked up and just stuck. cleaned lubed now seems to be working fine.Thanks to every one that commented.  if that cable had broken or come unhooked this would have been a night mare.  

Glad you got it!

glad you got it sorted out.

mine will periodically gunk up as well - i live on a gravel road, so lots of dust - but i usually have the opposite problem - it wont close properly!