SUMBODY (kid related), yanked the cable that opens this engine hood too hard, I'm guessing, and pulled the cable off the latch and out of its housing. Anybody know a trick to get the thing open now? I doubt reattaching the cable is a big deal...just need to get the hood open first.

Thanks

RJ bytch

If your arm is long enough, you can reach up thru the bottom and release the latch directly, or by pulling on the cable (if it is still attached to the latch). Otherwise, you'll have to remove the grill for access.

 

When it comes time to repair the cable, you may find that routing the new one is a little more involved than you realized. You can rig up a short cable attached to the latch that can be accessed by reaching up behind the grill. This also some security since a potential thief (or child) would not know how to release the latch.

 

good luck, John

this has happeded to me a few times...

 

its not all that hard to fix. pull the front grill off. by poping the two pins that hold it on and you can get it off without popping the hood. now reach behind the latch and find where the cable attaches. pull it. now your hood is open.

 

now tape the end of your "new" cable to the back end of the old cable in the car. (you will have to cut the old cable so it no longer has the mounting hardware on it) this way all you will have to do is pull the old cable out and it will pull the new cable into place...

 

and just like that its all done...

 

-=Suberdave=-

http://www.suberdave.com

On my own '93 Loyale, with a working hood cable, the grill has two screws that hold it down from the top besides the plugs on the bottom. I can pull the grill outward, slightly, on the kid Loyale but figure going any further means damage is sure to happen. I tried briefly to slip my arm up from under but gave up.

How do you remove the grill if those two screws are holding the grill down from under the hood?

Thanks for the info.

RJ bytch

There are several ways to get to the latch. A pair of long needle-nose pliers may be all you need to pull on the cable. A long screwdriver thru the grill can also be used to push on the spring loaded part of the latch.

The screws actually thread into square-shaped plastic retainers, that snap into the stampings on the header panel. If you cant get to the screws with an off-set phillips screwdriver, you can probably pop the plastic retainers off the header panel (screw and all) with a long flat head screwdriver. Then you'll be able to get your hand in there. Just be careful not to crack the grill trying to remove it.

good luck, John

Last year I broke the ball end of the cable where it connects to the latch. I could reach up from underneath to release the hood w/o too much trouble. The cable was still intact thought, so I ended up bolting it to the latch and it's held up for a year now and it gets used often lol!

 

-Doug