Cold Weather - Hood Won't Latch

Post by **BlackBart** » 29 Dec 2021, 12:41

('04 XC70)
On a recent very cold highway trip, I stopped for gas and checked the oil. Below zero F temps. The release handle felt very stiff, and I should have just skipped the oil check. I pulled a bit harder and heard a "click" just forward of the handle (not a pop or a snap noise, and not the normal latch release noise). The hood released.

When shutting the hood, it doesn't catch now. I pushed down on the grab hooks (both sides) and they are spring loaded and rotate freely, but didn't click like they would grabbing the steel hoops on the hood. They are pointed up, not down, and seem fine.

The release handle isn't broken, and I can feel the cable coming out of it on the backside. It pivots, but seems fairly loose now.

So, maybe the cable end snapped off, maybe the cable snapped inside the sheath....not sure. Too cold to check it yet, but I'll get it inside the garage and warm it up. Very unlikely both latches failed.

Here are the bits -

: 1diagram.jpg (95.32 KiB) Viewed 1443 times

Cable runs through a rubber plug in this "grommet" assembly. I see a ball end on the cable that fits in a slot in the (all?) plastic handle.

: grommet.jpeg (28.55 KiB) Viewed 1443 times

: latch.jpg (9.85 KiB) Viewed 1443 times

Post by **jonesg** » 29 Dec 2021, 22:26

its a good time to research how to get the hood open if the cable mechanism fails.

Post by **- Pete -** » 30 Dec 2021, 05:32

In my experience with these, the break usually happens at one of these two places.

: 0BCAAB7A-E63A-40F1-AEF6-26720750F260.jpeg (66.43 KiB) Viewed 1410 times

Stiff release/cable pull (especially in winter) is a good sign the liner on yours has accumulated some accumulation. You could remove the plastic hood release handle to see what broke, but I’d be ready with both a new cable & a new (junkyard/eBay) plastic handle. Last I bought one (as a spare to be used in the exact situation you’re experiencing) they were around $36. Not hard to replace by any means but time consuming; not something to do outdoors on a cold day.

What I’ve learned (by making the mistake) is to never try my hood releases when it’s bitterly cold, unless the car has been running for a good amount of time & has radiated some heat into its surroundings. Obviously if it’s an emergency and you have to get under the hood you have to get under the hood.

Best of luck.

Post by **- Pete -** » 30 Dec 2021, 14:44

I forgot to mention, I would probably refrain from trying to get your hood latched closed all the way…at least until you can verify that you can still open it. One time when I had this happen the ball end had snapped off the wire rope. You can’t see this until after you’ve removed the plastic hood release handle though. In my situation, I could still grab onto the end of the wire rope with a vice grips so I figured I was ok to close the hood, at least for a few times until my new cable arrived. The wire rope does disintegrate pretty quickly once the ball snaps off, so be aware of that! Once it’s gone, you you can trim back the liner to access more wire rope if need be.

Post by **BlackBart** » 30 Dec 2021, 16:16

YOW, noted! She's back in the garage where she can warm up a bit and I can investigate.

Post by **vtl** » 01 Jan 2022, 09:37

Also, just in case, never lubricate these locks. You may wash them with PB Blaster or WD-40, which are not lubricants, but quite the opposite: they wash lube/grease out.

Post by **BlackBart** » 02 Jan 2022, 12:26

Interesting - is that because dust and grit stick to the lubricant and gum up the latch? So they should have no silicone spray or anything on them?

It’s going to be in the upper 20s today so I may heat up the garage and put a small electric heater in the drivers footwell to warm up the plastic, then take a look with a light and mirror.

Post by **vtl** » 02 Jan 2022, 13:12

BlackBart wrote: ↑02 Jan 2022, 12:26 Interesting - is that because dust and grit stick to the lubricant and gum up the latch? So they should have no silicone spray or anything on them?

Right. Just keep'em dry and clean.

Post by **cn90** » 02 Jan 2022, 13:52

Once a year before winter, I do maintenance:

1. Clean the underhood locks x 2 with WD-40, then spray a bit of sicione grease to these 2 locks.

2. Also, spray a bit of sicone grease to BOTH ends of the cable (in the cabin and underhood).

If you do this routine maintenance, the system should last the life of the car.

Most of the time, when the cable/handle breaks, it is bc of 2 factors:

#1. Poor maintenance.

#2. COLD weather such as < 20 deg F, everything is stiff and when you try to open a poorly-maintained system, something has to break: either the cable ends or the handle itself.

True for any cars out there...

Post by **BlackBart** » 02 Jan 2022, 21:54

They promised high 20’s (F) but it only got to 16. Oh well. Got some heat in the garage and footwell and took a look. The handle is not broken, and the cable still feeds out the back of the handle. Mrs helper verified there was movement at both latches when I pulled the handle wide open.

Both latches have frozen dry white gunk, which I think is a PO’s grease. Did some scraping on the sides of the hooks, and sprayed some brake cleaner. Massaged the hooks with a screwdriver.

The hood shuts, latches, and comes back open with the handle! Handle seems less stiff as well. How far up the cable sheath are you really getting any lube spray from the ends?

vtl says no lube, cn90 says he adds silicone spray....any consensus?