# Broken hood release **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** isuzu, trooper\ **Created:** [September 19, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/broken-hood-release/55308 "2010-09-19T02:13:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kolichmj93](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/kolichmj93/32/2025_2.png) [@kolichmj93](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kolichmj93)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/broken-hood-release/55308/1 "2010-09-19T02:13:54Z")
The hood release pull cable is not releasing the hood to the safety latch. I can’t reach the safety latch through the grill. How can I release the hood? Model year is 1995. ---
**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/broken-hood-release/55308/2 "2010-09-19T05:23:35Z")
Find a similar vehicle and look at it carefully to see how it’s made, then use your new knowledge to operate on your own vehicle. Or take it to a body shop and see if they have any bright ideas. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 10:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/broken-hood-release/55308/3 "2010-09-19T10:52:23Z")
You may be able to trip the hood release through the grill. The hood release is dead center of the radiator support on the grill side. It’s tricky, though, because it requires a bit of twisting to see it. ---
**Author:** ![FreddyBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@FreddyBaby](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FreddyBaby)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/broken-hood-release/55308/4 "2010-09-19T12:23:06Z")
Sometimes you can hit the hood right above where the latch is. Be careful in case you have a fiberglass header panel. Hit the hood itself right above the latch, hard. Like this BLAM. If you can get through the grille at all, use a long something and manipulate the latch that way. You can do it, just takes some patience. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/broken-hood-release/55308/5 "2010-09-19T16:46:54Z")
Have someone pull on the hood release lever when you hit it. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/broken-hood-release/55308/6 "2010-09-19T17:48:30Z")
The hood release is likely working but the buttons that hold an upward pressure on the hood and cause it to lift when the release is pulled are likely missing or broken. A desperate effort to make the hood open when the buttons don’t throw the hood off the latch is the most common cause for the cable breaking. If someone lifts on the hood while the cable is pulled it will likely open. I hook a bungy cord to the hood and a shop jack handle to open such hoods without a helper. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/broken-hood-release/55308/7 "2010-09-22T01:55:51Z")
If you can see the bolts that attach the latch to the radiator support or center support try using long extensions and a rachet. Or lay down on the ground and look between the grille and radiator support to see if you can trip the latch with a screwdriver or some other tool.