Hood latch squeekyness

[blackf0rk]

There's a deaded mouse under my hood when I'm driving down the road. What's odd is that large bumps do not make whatever is squeeking squeek. It only happnes when I'm going like 30Mph or less over very very light bumps, more like long humps in the road and/or random tar filled cracks, things like that; NOT speed bump sized things. So as you can imagine, when crusing through a parking lot, everyone's starring at your ride and you have a little squeeky squeeky going on - very embarassing :(

Now, I've checked out my hood, and can duplicate the squeek a little by lifting up on the fender, making the car rock back and forth. When the hood is open and I do this it doesn't squeek.

I've tried elevating my hood-bump-stops a little, and even elevating them drastically. By elevating them drastically, my hood is not 100% flush with the fnders, but the squeek did go away, but is now back like before.

So by now I'm thinking it's the hood latch.

Any auggestions or tips?

[fastblackmerc]

There's a deaded mouse under my hood when I'm driving down the road. What's odd is that large bumps do not make whatever is squeeking squeek. It only happnes when I'm going like 30Mph or less over very very light bumps, more like long humps in the road and/or random tar filled cracks, things like that; NOT speed bump sized things. So as you can imagine, when crusing through a parking lot, everyone's starring at your ride and you have a little squeeky squeeky going on - very embarassing :(

Now, I've checked out my hood, and can duplicate the squeek a little by lifting up on the fender, making the car rock back and forth. When the hood is open and I do this it doesn't squeek.

I've tried elevating my hood-bump-stops a little, and even elevating them drastically. By elevating them drastically, my hood is not 100% flush with the fnders, but the squeek did go away, but is now back like before.

So by now I'm thinking it's the hood latch.

Any auggestions or tips?
Drop the bump stops back to where they were and lower the latch a little bit until the squeak goes away. You can also try a little dab of grease on the bump stops and lube the latch.

[torinodan]

try removing your radiator cover for a bit and try it again. mine is rubbing on the lower side of the hood on both ends. other than that see if you can get the hood latch and hood stops adjusted at the same time.

[duhtroll]

It's the hood latch, metal on metal squeaking - give it a glob of the heaviest grease you can find (that won't all wash away in car washes as easily).

Works great. It fixes mine for a month or two each time.

-A

[ckadiddle]

I get a bit of that squeaking sometimes, I was attributing it to the front end suspension. I am gonna grease the hood latch soon and see if it goes away. Cool if it is such an easy fix.

[Sactown]

Ditto on the grease idea, it helped quiet mine.

[blackf0rk]

Thanks guys! I don't have any grease on hand, but I'll pick some up and give'r a try!

[BillyGman]

I had to adjust the hood latch as well as the bumper stops as it's already been suggested. That stopped the noise. the hood latch receiver has slotted bolt holes, so it can be slid up or down once the bolts have ben loosened. You have to adjust that and the bumper stops so that the hood can just be barely closed with a swift downward push, and it isn't sticking up. And once it's closed, you shouldn't be able to move it at all while pushing down firmly on it. if it moves up and down when you do that, then the bumpers either need to be adjusted higher, or the hood latch receiver needs to be adjusted lower by loosening the bolts again.

[Directedby]

I had the dreae squeek.

Drove me nuts. Though it was front suspension, but wasn't.

Put a dab of grease on bump stops and it is gone.

Need to re-grease every 6 months or it dries and comes back.

[rookie1]

This site is awesome! I was just getting ready to make an appt with the dealer for front suspension squeaking.
I read this thread and sure as ***** it was the hood latch which a little spray-on white lithium grease on the latch and stops cured in a second.
unbelievable!

[blackf0rk]

As I said before, I didn't have any heavy grease at the time, so I sprayed a little WD40 on the latch and on the latch mechanism and it's not squeeking. Thanks again guys!

[BillyGman]

As I said before, I didn't have any heavy grease at the time, so I sprayed a little WD40 on the latch and on the latch mechanism and it's not squeeking. Thanks again guys! I'm glad that you resolved the problem. if it acts up again in the next few weeks, then take a look at your hood on a sunny day while you're cruising down the highway. If it's dancing around all over the place like mine was, then that's a definate indication that you'll need to do what I described in my previous post to fix this problem. ;)

[TechHeavy]

I had to adjust the hood latch as well as the bumper stops as it's already been suggested. That stopped the noise. the hood latch receiver has slotted bolt holes, so it can be slid up or down once the bolts have ben loosened. You have to adjust that and the bumper stops so that the hood can just be barely closed with a swift downward push, and it isn't sticking up. And once it's closed, you shouldn't be able to move it at all while pushing down firmly on it. if it moves up and down when you do that, then the bumpers either need to be adjusted higher, or the hood latch receiver needs to be adjusted lower by loosening the bolts again.
I had to adjust my hood latch as well, (as mentioned here). Now the hood works properly, and with no quarterly greasing.

[BillyGman]

I hear ya Dave. If you can push down on your hood when it's already closed, and it moves, then the bumpers, and/or the hood latch receiver need to be adjusted. Once the hood is closed, you shouldn't be able to move it at all.