Hood Latch Issues

daharleyrdr · Post by **daharleyrdr** » 12 Jan 2009, 18:38

MIJ Can U help? My 2000 XC hood latch sometimes doesn't work not the safety latch, the side hood latch mechanism on the drivers side when I pull the under dash hood latch the cable seems to be opening only the passengers side latch the drivers side wont release, I thought It was the extreme cold then I let the car warm up and it opened wella!! I sprayed it with grese and all seem OK then tonight I try again as the car was parked all day again it wont open the drivers side pass side does, again I run the car for about 5 ms and it opens, I checked the drivers side and there is a wire with a plug attached to the latch but none on the passengers side, Duh!! am I missing something is this an electrical powered latch? Please

any help would be appreciated Thanks Bill

Post by **holler1** » 12 Jan 2009, 19:43

The electrical connection is a switch for the alarm system. The two latches can get out of adjustment with each other since there are two cables involved, and some people have found a small rubber bumper missing on one side or the other near the front of the hood. It's sort of a spacer between the hood and the front end of the engine compartment. As a check, try having someone pull up on the driver's side of the hood while you pull the cable. That is an indication that the latch is lacking some tension to release it. If you don't have a bumper missing, try loosening the driver's side latch and moving it down a little to put more "up" pressure on that latch. Be careful not to pull too hard and break the cable. I did that last year and got into a mess because it's hard to get the hood open on my AWD from below the engine, and it's probably the same on the XC. I ended up putting in an extra cable from the latch out the front of the car.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 12 Jan 2009, 20:24

I've had this happen before too but pulling the lever under the driver's side dash would get it loose for me. I really have not messed with the latches on my car. The only thing I've done is beef up the rubber bumpers (they do seem to become thinner after several years) so that the hood doesn't rattle over bumps (which first I thought was some type of strut or front end suspension issue).

daharleyrdr · Post by **daharleyrdr** » 13 Jan 2009, 05:20

Dear "Made In Japan" and "Holler1"
Thanks for the reply when I get home Ill check out the rubber bumpers and see what I can do I thought it was the Electric Micro Switch going bad. I sometimes prefer to take the car to the selling dealer as Im not a mechanic and dont pretend to be one as these cars sometimes you can do more harm then good and it winds up osting more in the end LOL Im sure the dealer would say its the switch and or the latch I looked switch and latch about $60 then $85 hr labor it id be over $150 so Ill try top save myself some money and look at the bumper issue and or adjusting the latch Im just afraid of doing something and then not being able to open the hood when I need it so you guys believe its the latch adj or the bumpers couldnt be the Micro Switch what is its function I know its something with the alarm what if I disconnect the swich what happens will the hood not open? Its a great car and I love it our second car for the bad weather 200 V70Xc 106K all dealer serviced by previous one owner car!! One other thing MIJ do you have the parts reader breakdown for the rubber bumpers on the front section and the part numbers I found one that you posted previously on the forum that showed the cables and locks. thanks again Bill

Post by **holler1** » 13 Jan 2009, 05:35

The electrical switch has nothing to do with whether the latch opens or not. If someone opens the hood when the car is locked and the alarm system is on, it triggers the alarm. You have a purely mechanical latch problem, not a switch problem.

daharleyrdr · Post by **daharleyrdr** » 13 Jan 2009, 05:40

Holler1
Thanks for the reply Ill see if MIJ can post a parts diagram for the hood bumpers and their location and parts numbers. Glad its a mech issue instead of electrical! I see your car has 148K man these things run forever only thing is little stuff keeps popping up here and there but i guess parts wear out eventually!! I love this car I think its built beytter and rides better in all conditions then the wifes 07 Dodge Caliber LOL Bill

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 13 Jan 2009, 16:49

I guess I was in a hurry when I posted earlier. I meant to say that when one side catches, I pull the lever in the car again and it comes loose. I have looked for a parts diagram for the rubber bumpers but have come up empty handed. If you'll open your hood and look straight up on the hood you'll see 2 rubber pieces on the under side of the hood that meet the hard plastic threshold when the hood closes. All I did was use some weather stripping glue and glued some small lengths of rubber hose (not garden hose- some I clear stuff I bought to do my transmission flush) onto these...it made the hood fit more firmly and helped when I pulled the cable to release the hood- in fact when I do this now the hood actually pops up some.

Post by **holler1** » 13 Jan 2009, 18:20

Yeah, these cars are a lot of fun to drive. After 100K a lot of parts seem to wear out. Here are a couple of pictures of the hood showing the small rectangular rubber bumpers on either side, and my jury-rigged latch cable.http://picasaweb.google.com/wvholler1/2 ... 5tNkqQlUk#

daharleyrdr · Post by **daharleyrdr** » 13 Jan 2009, 19:20

MIJ and Holler1
Guys thanks so much I appreciate it Ill check out the rubber bumpers this Sat I take the bus to work I work in the city so the car is my "Harley when it rains" LOL so I only use it in the winter and when I need to run errands. I was at the dealer the other day and they had an 06 V70R Wagon Maroon Red with the basketball color interior man was that sweet, $24K little out of my league now, thanks again Bill

instarx · Post by **instarx** » 15 Jan 2009, 11:40

MIJ, thanks for the hood bumper idea. I had the typical problem that only half the hood would unlatch and I would have to walk to the front, pull up on the hood and then walk back to the door and pull the lever again.

I had adjusted the latch down and that helped (at least it didn't take two people to open the hood anymore) but adding some thickness to the hood bumper fixed the problem totally. I used hot glue to glue a piece of rubber about 1.5 mm thick onto the pad's surface.

In fact, I used a rubber piece I cut from an old oil cap gasket - so the car is still 100% Volvo!