So this morning my hood opened with no problem, I closed it and it was fine. Later, I went back out to open it and it won't open. I think the bottom piece of the hood is bidden to the latch. When I pull the latch inside the hood pops slightly but not all the way. It's a tight squeeze but I can reach my hand in and grab the handle but pulling it does nothing. Hitting the hood does nothing and I've tried prying it up with a small pry bar and I've tried going from underneath to hit the latch with a screw driver and it simply pops up but not all the way. It almost feels like it's welded. I cleaned the latch about 6 months ago with WD-40 the last time it was sticking but even then I could get it open by hitting the hood. Any suggestions?

 

Grab the edge of the hood up by the wipers and lift.

Then clean your latch with carb cleaner or degreaser and an old toothbrush, then lube with white lithium, motor oil, or axle grease. WD40 is not a lube, it's a water displacing snake oil.

 

Alright. I'll be some white lithium tomorrow from autozone. I've kept this hood latch alive for the last seven years by once every 6 months or so spraying it down with WD40. I'll try carb or brake cleaner. I've got both.

 

WD40 is an ok cleaner, but the latch really needs a good lube. They work ok if they're clean and dry, as long as nothing binds up. A good grease or oil helps the parts slip and slide, so the hood will unlatch when you pull the release. Banging on the hood sometimes works when the latch sticks, but it's easy to dent the hood. Lifting the back edge shifts the pressure on the latch/striker and often will get a sticky latch to release. The same trick works well when the hinges are a bit worn or the struts are weak.

 

Yeah, went through this during the polar vortex winter with my car. With the freezing temps it just would NOT release. I had been meaning to grease it as it was getting finicky, but had just been lazy. I wanted to pop the hood and test the coolant mix before it went super negative, and add some pure coolant just in case.. I wasn't concerned about 0°F or near there, I was pretty sure I was about 60/40 in waters favor. But they were predicting -20° or more while I thought I was near 50/50, if I was closer to 60/40 I'd have been in trouble. I ended up not being able to get the hood open at all and just had to pray that 60/40 or whatever I had in there was good enough to keep the coolant from solidifying.

Soon as it warmed up I popped that hood, cleaned the hell out of the latch, and greased it up with a synthetic axle grease. Its been like butter ever since. -2 points for being lazy.

 

I have a similar issue, but the cause is the weakenig hood spring. Sometimes I have to go under the car and push the hood up with a screw driver or something to get it to break that friction on the latch release.
No amount of cleaning and greasing fixes it

 

That kinda sounds like an adjustment problem.

 

I've had weak springs f'd up cable, and sticky latches. these are old cars, could be anything. if you fix one thing, next week it's gonna be the other, you my have to fix em all.

 

All 1/4" of it

 

Sounds like your hood struts might be weak as others have mentioned 🙂

 

The hood struts were replaced back in October. It's probably the latch itself or the spring.

 

I was able to get it open. I sprayed some Blaster near the latch when it was part way open and let it settle over night. Next morning I was able to pop the hood no problem. I cleaned the latch off with brake cleaner today and did it several times. Tomorrow if I get the chance I will pick up some white lithium.

 

I used this, no white messy residue left behind.