Hood release cable replacement

[tailor]

The hood release cable just broke, here are the pearls of wisdom that graced me in my unheated garage on Saturday.
Tools that you will need( some for subzero temps)
New cable(cable pictured here is for catch to catch)
Pliers
Extra vacuum tube( only because I broke some)
Vino(optional)
A good deal of patience and perseverance .

See pic:

P1000378.jpg (60.23 KiB) Viewed 24284 times

There are two cables that are needed to open the hoods on 850's and 70's, this may apply be for other models as well. One cable runs from the inside handle, drivers side, through the fire wall to the left hand hood release catch and another that runs from the left hand release catch to the right hand side release catch.
If you drive on the "correct" side of the road, like Bill of Durham then it would be the opposite way....right to left.
I would think that the vast majority of cable replacements will be for the first cable, mine broke where the pin is crimped, this pin slides into the hood release handle in the cabin.

See pic:

P1000418.jpg (83.75 KiB) Viewed 24284 times

I removed the three screws to access the kick panel on the drivers side, it allows better access to the cable, and opened the hood by grabbing the end of the wire with a pair of pliers and pulling.

See pics:

P1000384.jpg (114.46 KiB) Viewed 24284 times

P1000391.jpg (115.92 KiB) Viewed 24284 times

If the break is at the hood release catch in the engine compartment.......... a trip to the Dealer or Indy might be in order, unless someone here can add a "How to open" in this circumstance .

Maybe I went a little too far in removal of below items, but here goes anyway as I could not see any other way around it.

1) Disconnect and remove battery and battery tray(make sure you have radio code)
Once the tray is removed, check out the vacuum pipes, I broke some in the area of the tray and it is a pain to get too anyway so you may as well replace now.

See pics:

P1000401.jpg (121.87 KiB) Viewed 24284 times

P1000402.jpg (85.32 KiB) Viewed 24284 times

2) Remove air box cover, filter and base, place base of airbox out of the way.

3) Disconnect the cable from the hood latch cable ties and other ties, remove the retaining clip in the cabin from drivers side bracket, white metal attachment point, as the cable has broken here, you can slide the retaining clip off the wire, you will not be able to pull it through the fire wall grommet anyway!

4) Tape, very well, joining end to end, the old cable and new cable before you pull it through the firewall, towards the engine compartment. Now..."mui importante" , this is really when you need help, get someone to feed the cable through the firewall while you gently pull and encourage the progress from the engine compartment.
You do not want to have the cables separate from one another at this stage, it is not a pleasant task to be fishing for the new cable in a very limited space. If it goes "pear shaped" at this stage it is a real "Biatch" to get it through.

5) I took off the left hand hood catch in the engine compartment, to make it easier to insert the cable, height adjustment of the catch may necessary when you re-attach. This is to ensure the hood is level.

See pics:

P1000409.jpg (125.75 KiB) Viewed 24284 times

P1000410.jpg (230.95 KiB) Viewed 24284 times

Thread the new cable along the previous path to the hood release catch and insert into the catch, from the cabin re-attach the retaining clip and insert the cable crimped end in the hood release handle.

6) You will have to re-adjust the cable which is done at the retaining clip in the cabin to either take up the slack or ease it off.

7) I did not replace the second cable which runs across the front of the car from catch to catch, it may have been a good idea

All back together and adjusted.

[MadeInJapan]

Fantastic!
Great write-up.
It's now in the repair database!
-MIJ

[matthew1]

^^^ agreed! I'll probably need this one day. The hood release pull is so hard that I know the parts aren't going to take it forever.

[holler1]

Excellent writeup. I broke mine last year and bought a new one but haven't replaced it yet. With this guidance I will be able to do it. Thanks, Tailor.

Regarding breaking the cable off inside the engine compartment; this is what happened to me. It's hard to get the hood open from below the engine (I believe it is impossible on an AWD w/o a mirror and some kind of extensible grabber). Because of this, I recommend that everyone install an extra "emergency" cable from the drivers' side latch straight down to a place that is reachable from below the engine. I used a bare cable connected through the closed hole in the latch handle, and tied it off near the air pump. I also have an "everyday" cable coming out above the headlight, but plan to replace this one with the new cable into the cabin (with the great pictures by Tailor).

IMG_1587.JPG (143.87 KiB) Viewed 31555 times

Img_1588.jpg (137.4 KiB) Viewed 31548 times

[ImaNoob]

Thank you for this information. I've searched all over and found this repair. We just purchased a 98' S70 GLT, and the hood latches were not working. Found that the lock cable was missing, will be ordered tomorrow, and that the cable was not attached to the LH latch. These pictures helped me out tremendously. Big thumbs up!

[98T5]

I'm in the process of undoing the latches altogether and use the front latch and some zip ties to keep the hood closed until I'm able to do the repair myself. I don't trust the indie mechanics in my city, they are too destructive and have no care for foreign cars

[cn90]

I have to replace the cable soon (the cable from cockpit to L-side latch).

Questions for the hood gurus:


1. Does anyone have the PN for this cable?

2. Brand: Volvo vs generic stuff ("Dorman" brand) at local autoparts store?

3. The latch is OK, so I will leave it alone.
But has anyone had any issue with the latch? This is what I refer to:
http://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/10665/H ... e-9133172/

[cn90]

I did a bit more research, the cable is called "Push Pull Control".

Volvo PN 9444027 (can someone confirm for me this is the one because this looks different the the picture posted by the O.P. for his 1994 850 car?

This is what I draw, when you pull the release latch, the pull goes from YELLOW to the "Push Pull Control" area, then goes to GREEN dots to the engine-area latch.

hoodcable.JPG (38.39 KiB) Viewed 23713 times

[BlackThunder]

Alright, my hood release cable broke at the hood release latch inside the passenger compartment. Any idea where I can purchase one of these cables? I haven't been able to find one on FCP Groton.

Searching eBay found the cable that is shown above. Will that work in my '97 850? According to the e-bay listing it will work for the '98 S70.
Ebay Link to Hood Release Cable

Dustin

[cn90]

Dustin,

It is Volvo Only dealer part.
1998 S70 is Volvo PN 9444027, $36 at dealer.

Options:

1. Use Volvo Dealer Cable for $36.

2. Only after I did mine, I realized this can be done using bicycle gear cable, just make sure it is 1mm type.
About $3 at bicycle store but you have to crimp the other side.
If you do it this way (bicycle cable), it is very very easy, leave the sheathing alone, simply slide the new bicycle cable into the existing sheathing.

I just wrote it up here. All details are below.

DIY: 1998 S70 Hood Cable Replacement (The Easy Way)
https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=53430