Hood jammed
- Thread starter sparty116
- Start date
Rizzo
Enthusiast
It's jammed as in it wont open any more or won't close? I wouldnt want to put much pressre on it pushing it down as you will get spider cracks in the paint if you push it too hard and the hood bends a bit. I know mine can be sticky getting it open but I just have to get my fingers in there and wiggle the latch a little bit. Get a flashlight out and look in there and see whats going on or if you can see anything hooking it.
viper spray
Enthusiast
Open it by grabbing the edge closest to the windshield................
kcobean
Enthusiast
So just to clarify, position zero is fully closed. Position one is the position after you pop the first latch and pull the hood up to around 2" above the front bumper. Position two is after the second release and the hood pulled all the way up at the front. Position three is hood all the way open / up at the rear.
You said it stuck in position 1 when you were closing it, does that mean that the front went part way down (from position 2 to position 1) before it stopped, and now you can't get back to position 2 or to position zero?
Did you leave something under the hood when you were closing it, so now the hood is wedged between the position 2 latch and whatever object is pushing up from underneath?
You said it stuck in position 1 when you were closing it, does that mean that the front went part way down (from position 2 to position 1) before it stopped, and now you can't get back to position 2 or to position zero?
Did you leave something under the hood when you were closing it, so now the hood is wedged between the position 2 latch and whatever object is pushing up from underneath?
Ok, I think it is in position one, right before you make the final "push" to fully close teh hood. That is where it is stuck. I went to push it and nothing, won't budge. Can't lift it back up either.
The handle you pull to release pulls normally, so I have no idea what the problem is. I definately did not leave anything under the hood. I'll go check with a flashlight and see if I can see anything.
The handle you pull to release pulls normally, so I have no idea what the problem is. I definately did not leave anything under the hood. I'll go check with a flashlight and see if I can see anything.
twinturbo3150
Enthusiast
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maybe squirt some wd-40 on the front coiled hindges, maybe they are stuck
kcobean
Enthusiast
The position the hood is in immediately after you lower the back down is position 2, or hood in the full nose-up/forward position. If it didn't lower at all from there, it should not be latched at the rear. It's the downward/rearward motion of the front of the hood from P2 through P1 to P0 that locks the rear guides in place. Since the rear of the hood is in the down position, can you check to see if the rear guides/rollers have started to lock into place yet? If they have and you're really in P2, then something is definitely whacked. If the rollers/guides are engaged and the hood is in position 1, then that is correct and something else is up. Perhaps the linkage for the position 2 release has disconnected, but the spring is still in place so it feels normal to you?
AviP
Enthusiast
Thinking from a removal perspective, the hood attaches to the hood mount with only 4 screws. I don't know how hard it is to access it from underneath the car (or if it's even possible or helpful) but someone else might chime in.
Sparty116, you say it's jammed in position#1. So, what's the precise clearance between the top of the front bumper and the bottom of the hood at the centerline of the car.
P.S. I will examine the locking mechanism in detail after work today and post anything useful.
Sparty116, you say it's jammed in position#1. So, what's the precise clearance between the top of the front bumper and the bottom of the hood at the centerline of the car.
P.S. I will examine the locking mechanism in detail after work today and post anything useful.
C O D Y
Enthusiast
Is there a chance that when you were closing the hood that the 2 pieces that keep the hood straight (the bottom plates near the side sills) were not lined up and they are what is holding you up. It happened to me once many many years ago.
pdmracing
Enthusiast
This happened to me, I couldnt get it close or opened after the initial pop out, The WD didnt do it , but white lithium spray grease, worked , It took a couple of tries but It worked.
There is about a 2" gap between the two. It is in the position right after you pill the handle through the front grill. The release under the hood does nothing, but feels like it is working. This all happened while I was closing the hood.
I keep the car at the lake house, so I will have to wait until the weekend to go up and take another look at it.
Thanks for all the helpful hints, I'll give it a better look.
I keep the car at the lake house, so I will have to wait until the weekend to go up and take another look at it.
Thanks for all the helpful hints, I'll give it a better look.
AviP
Enthusiast
Ok Sparty116, I opened and closed my hood about 10 times in 20-degree weather and now I'm typing with frostbitten fingers. 
Since you are from Michigan, I think it might just be the cold spell causing this binding and not a broken latch.
Since you have a 2" gap, shine a flashlight into the upper hood release handle (under the recessed area of the hood). See how much motion you are getting when you slide the lever to the car's right. The upper hood release handle locks only the left side of the hood and hooks over the hood catch(?).
If you are not getting sufficient motion of the hook with the upper hood release lever, then try 3 things:
1. Press hood down over the upper hood release latch, slide lever to the car's right, and then lift hood from this side. You might need another set of hands to help.
2. Spray some WD-40 on the locking mechanism (hook, latch, catch, etc) on the left side only. Repeat all of the above.
3. Use a long-handled screwdriver and try to pry up the hook while sliding lever to the car's right.
If all of the above does not work, then right side hood mounting bolts might be accessible from underneath the car. But it's a PITA. Left side mounting bolts seem to have too many obstructions and the only way I could get there seemed to be by removing the left side mudguard. It's riveted and a PITA too. I don't think this will be necessary.
Hope this helps.
Since you are from Michigan, I think it might just be the cold spell causing this binding and not a broken latch.
Since you have a 2" gap, shine a flashlight into the upper hood release handle (under the recessed area of the hood). See how much motion you are getting when you slide the lever to the car's right. The upper hood release handle locks only the left side of the hood and hooks over the hood catch(?).
If you are not getting sufficient motion of the hook with the upper hood release lever, then try 3 things:
1. Press hood down over the upper hood release latch, slide lever to the car's right, and then lift hood from this side. You might need another set of hands to help.
2. Spray some WD-40 on the locking mechanism (hook, latch, catch, etc) on the left side only. Repeat all of the above.
3. Use a long-handled screwdriver and try to pry up the hook while sliding lever to the car's right.
If all of the above does not work, then right side hood mounting bolts might be accessible from underneath the car. But it's a PITA. Left side mounting bolts seem to have too many obstructions and the only way I could get there seemed to be by removing the left side mudguard. It's riveted and a PITA too. I don't think this will be necessary.
Hope this helps.
Thanks a bunch for braving the cold for me. I'll be sure to try all this out. The back of the hood is locked down, so I will try to release that somehow.
The lever under the hood will not move at all, which is means that I cannot release the rear bracket that hold the back of the hood down.
Now, go get yourself some Bailey's and warm up!!!
The lever under the hood will not move at all, which is means that I cannot release the rear bracket that hold the back of the hood down.
Now, go get yourself some Bailey's and warm up!!!
AviP
Enthusiast
I don't think the problem is on the back of the hood. It's on the front of the hood. Position #1 is the front of the hood. Unless of course, your hood didn't line up correctly in the first place when you locked it down. But you should be able to figure that out with a flashlight.
And yes, I'm already working on the Bailey's.
STL RT/10
Enthusiast
They roll into position on the back. I doubt that is the problem. Try some side to side movement with the front. Carefully. Clearance between the hood and headlights is tight. It may be binding.
The hood is square. I have been describing the hood being in P1, but the more I think about it, it actually is between P1 and P2, but looks like it's in P1. I can barely get my fingers under the hood to grab the lever. Like I said above, what little pressure I can put on the lever, it doesn't want to move. The best way I can describe the feel of the hood is it almost feels like it's fused in place. It will not move.
The main problem is I'm afraid to push/pull on the hood too much. When I do push, it is with both hands squarely in the middle of the hood. I'll spray some WD40 in there and see what happens.
I'll keep everyone posted.
Thanks
The main problem is I'm afraid to push/pull on the hood too much. When I do push, it is with both hands squarely in the middle of the hood. I'll spray some WD40 in there and see what happens.
I'll keep everyone posted.
Thanks
Sounds to me like the latch on the passenger side (on the front of the hood) is caught and the drivers side is not. I was warned about this when purchased mine. Perhaps maybe the screws for one of the latches came loose. Try pushing down on the front of the hood at the latches while someone else pulls the release. Good luck.
pdmracing
Enthusiast
when i had this problem my hood was in the same spot, I couldnt open it nor close it, I pushed down very hard & I almost creacked it. After the panic stopped
, I started spraying everything with wd, to no avail. I left it overnight figuring I was screwed, Then as a lst ditch with a flaslight & a ling tub on the crc white lithium spray grease(sprays on like wd & turns to grease) I managed to squirt the 4 coil spring things , it eventually worked loose. when I finally got it opened, they were all caked in sand & grime, I had just came back from a beach vacation & it was raining on the way home. apparently the sand & what ever grease/lube that was on there fused & jamed it solid.Good luck
AviP
Enthusiast
sparty116, were you able to open the hood?
" quote"I don't think the problem is on the back of the hood. It's on the front of the hood. Position #1 is the front of the hood. Unless of course, your hood didn't line up correctly in the first place when you locked it down. But you should be able to figure that out with a flashlight."
I've had the same problem with my RT. The DS latch won't release at the front because it gets bent and the safety catch won't release. If it pops tp 1 position you can use a skinny long screwdriver ti push it away from the hood loop. This problem has Nothing to do with latches by the windshield because they aren't lathes just slides and guides. The latches are at the front, no lathes at rear at all. It's going to be a bent safety catch.
I've had the same problem with my RT. The DS latch won't release at the front because it gets bent and the safety catch won't release. If it pops tp 1 position you can use a skinny long screwdriver ti push it away from the hood loop. This problem has Nothing to do with latches by the windshield because they aren't lathes just slides and guides. The latches are at the front, no lathes at rear at all. It's going to be a bent safety catch.
