How can I get my hood open? I had a low-speed (20 m.p.h.) head on collision and now the hood won’t open. I have tried pulling on the release cable with pliers but that did not help. It looks like the mechanical latch under the lip of the hood is free, so that is why I suspected the cable. But to no avail, it won’t open. Help!
There are two latches under the front of the hood. The big latch holds the hood all the way down, and has the cable that runs into the cabin to release it. The other latch is a safety latch that is released from the front once the main latch is popped.
I think the main latch is damaged, and not going to release the hood. If the grille is damaged, you may be able to trip the latch if you can get a screw driver on the lever the cable attaches to under the hood. Otherwise, more desperate measures, like the use of a crowbar ot cutting tool may be needed.