Crazy Hood Latch Ideas (or not so crazy) 1998 v70

[abscate]

You just pry out the side lights so you can access the latches that way. If you pry them forward, they don’t even break too badly and can be reinstalled with a zip tie.

It will be easier and cheaper just to clean amd adjust your latches than installing all that backup

The under car piece is called an air guide and is held on with two M6 or M4 lag screws, it’s part 30655783

[RickHaleParker]

Here is a crazy idea that might actually work: Drive the car 40 - 50 mph. The wind will catch and push up on the hood. Reach down and pull the latch. The hood catch should keep the hood from flying all the open. How stop and finish opening the hood.

[Sveedy]

I put a little piece of wire with a doohickey on it so I can reach up and find the latch from underneath. it's a little tighter in my case because I have an oil catch can there between the battery and the latch. But I still have 0 trouble opening the hood this way. I wrapped the " tab " on the latch with tape so it was more comfortable to push. If you play with that tab you will see that it operates both latches.

[Sveedy]

Another bonus to opening the hood this way is that you can have a hide-key hidden somewhere in your engine compartment which you can get to with the car locked. So in an emergency, if you were locked out of the car or lost your key, you could still get in.

[RickHaleParker]

Another bonus to opening the hood this way is that you can have a hide-key hidden somewhere in your engine compartment which you can get to with the car locked. So in an emergency, if you were locked out of the car or lost your key, you could still get in.

I once locked myself out of the 97 S90 I had. After that I installed a hidden switch I could get to from outside the car and wired in in parallel with the door unlock switch. On the first generation S90 the door unlock switch worked when the key was removed. Does it work that way on your 850?

[Sveedy]

I think so, but not sure. I rarely use that switch.
I'd go check but the battery is removed, along with everything else, since I'm waiting for my engine to get back from the machine shop.

[erikv11]

Here is a crazy idea that might actually work: Drive the car 40 - 50 mph. The wind will catch and push up on the hood. Reach down and pull the latch. The hood catch should keep the hood from flying all the open. How stop and finish opening the hood.

[erikv11]

Or once you have cleaned and lubed, then adjust the latch so it works?

Neil.

Yes that would work, but i was afraid to mess with those latches in case i get it into the wrong position and then cant open the hood.

Just use the piece of cardboard.

Best backup is something like Sveedy posted. On my P80 cars I used bicycle brake cables so the cable runs further down than in Sveedy's pics and you can just reach under the car and pull it. One cable on each side.

[MrAl]

You just pry out the side lights so you can access the latches that way. If you pry them forward, they don’t even break too badly and can be reinstalled with a zip tie.

It will be easier and cheaper just to clean amd adjust your latches than installing all that backup

The under car piece is called an air guide and is held on with two M6 or M4 lag screws, it’s part 30655783

Hi again,

Well i am not even sure i can handle that. If i had the wires attached to the mechanism it would be simple. But in case i did do it that way, can you see the latch lever well enough to pull on it? Any pic on the web of a view into the engine compartment through the light area when it is removed?
If it is not too hard maybe i could do it.

Alternately, how much you want to come and open it for me if i find one day i cant open it?

[MrAl]

Or once you have cleaned and lubed, then adjust the latch so it works?

Neil.

Yes that would work, but i was afraid to mess with those latches in case i get it into the wrong position and then cant open the hood.

Hi,

Oh yes, but i was thinking about what to do about total failure of the cable or something like that.
I would need wires preinstalled or do one of the other body work suggestions which i really dont want to do and not sure if i could do it anyway.

Just use the piece of cardboard.

Best backup is something like Sveedy posted. On my P80 cars I used bicycle brake cables so the cable runs further down than in Sveedy's pics and you can just reach under the car and pull it. One cable on each side.