Hood hard to open

[88LTDCV351]

Hi, what part is broken and needs fixed? I pop the hood but I think it doesn't pop up enough in order to get anything in there to undue the latch. The hood is barely not flush with the header panel so looks a lot of times like it didn't even pop but I push down and do hear the click. So it did unlatch but doesn't allow pop up enough to be able to push on the release. This has been going on now for sometime. Sometimes I can get lucky and get it open.

[jstevens]

What about lubricating it?

[Papillon]

As per Blackened300a = "Try replacing the hood struts. I'm going through the same thing with my car. I went though it once before and it's time again for another change."

[Pat]

soak the latch and cable assembly in WD-40, worked for me. Repeat when necessary.

[mgmsleeper]

same here i would pull the latch in the car and it wont budge. but i've learned to give the latch one good swift straight pull and it will open it right up. i guess we need new hood struts ...thanks for the post and info

[Peter]

Check to see if the hood rubs against the fender or header panel.

[screamn]

but i've learned to give the latch one good swift straight pull and it will open it right up.

Careful....careful cause you just might be holding the plastic hood release handle in your hand on the next pull and then you gotta replace the entire hood release cable plus the shocks. :bigcry:

Persuasion almost always works but the consequences sometimes are drastic.

Take it easy & hope replacing the shocks solves the problem.

[myrodr]

oiled the hood hinge when i had that happen to mine. still working great 4 months now.

[Macon Marauder]

Mine started doing that about a year ago. Lubed everything and no change. So I replaced the struts. That took care of it... for awhile. Started again after a few months. Oh well.

I've found that if I pull the latch and the hood doesn't open, it'll usually pop up if I slam the driver's door.

[fastblackmerc]

Mine started doing that about a year ago. Lubed everything and no change. So I replaced the struts. That took care of it... for awhile. Started again after a few months. Oh well.

I've found that if I pull the latch and the hood doesn't open, it'll usually pop up if I slam the driver's door.

That means the latch is not adjusted properly.

[ctrlraven]

soak the latch and cable assembly in WD-40, worked for me. Repeat when necessary.
I do this once every 6 months now cause mine would stick a few times a year. To get it open I just a thin wide flat tip screwdriver and gentle applied pressure. I really don't have the problem anymore 1. cause I lube the latch and 2. I have the lightweight cowl hood. Most of the time if it sticks I just shut my front drivers door hard and it pops right up which is also another trick to get it to pop up if you don't want to use a screwdriver.

[88LTDCV351]

I recently got an oil change at Wal-mart and I think they wedged something under there to pop the hood. I see two small imperfections now on my header panel on the very edge. :-(

[tbone]

Maybe the hood is out of alignment.

[MM2004]

Happened to me years ago, and I raised the hood stops and all is well.

;)

Mike.

[fastblackmerc]

I recently got an oil change at Wal-mart and I think they wedged something under there to pop the hood. I see two small imperfections now on my header panel on the very edge. :-(

WalMart?????

The closest my Marauder gets to WalMart is the parking lot.... about 10 - 20 rows back from the building.

Why di they have to prop the hood open? Does it stay up by it self?

[MM2004]

WalMart?????

The closest my Marauder gets to WalMart is the parking lot.... about 10 - 20 rows back from the building.

Why di they have to prop the hood open? Does it stay up by it self?

Jim,

I believe he meant they had to use something to pry the hood up so they could open it?

;)

Mike.

[bradical]

I had the same problem. Purchased replacement struts at Advance Auto Parts for $19.99 each. Part number 4550. Fit perfectly and took less than 5 minutes to replace. Now the hood opens perfectly, just like new. Best part is the struts come with a lifetime warranty, and were an in-stock part at my store. Good luck!

[88LTDCV351]

WD-40 seems to do the trick for awhile. Then it becomes hard to open again. I manage to use the tip of the tire iron to get it open for some more WD-40

[tbone]

My hood wouldn't pop up from the weight of ice on it. Solution? I used a spatula to wedge it up. No scratchy!:beer:

[tbone]

WD-40 seems to do the trick for awhile. Then it becomes hard to open again. I manage to use the tip of the tire iron to get it open for some more WD-40

:depress::depress::depress:

[88LTDCV351]

Went ahead and bought new hood struts. Little confused how they go on?

[88LTDCV351]

Seems like my new hood struts only lasted a year. They were Ford brand. What gives?

[Marauderjack]

Wooden paint stir stick to pry it open......no marks!!:beer:

WD-40 will clean the latch but you need to lubricate it with some light spray oil for the cleaning to last more than a few month!!:cool:

I have used spray silicone lately with good and long lasting results...give it a whirl!!:D

[88LTDCV351]

What about the hood latch? Should it also be replaced or re-lubricated?

[Shornaday]

From the 2004 Owners Manual

Item: Hinges, latches, striker plates, fuel filler door hinge and seat tracks.
Ford part name: Multi-Purpose Grease
Ford part number: XG-4 or XL-5
Ford specification: ESB-M1C93-B

[camelgrundle]

Grease is way better then Wd-40 for this application. Mine had that trouble I greased the latch last spring and have not had the problem since. Sitting over the winter my struts did not work till I propped the hood open for a couple hours and they worked good all year after that.

[lifespeed]

What about the hood latch? Should it also be replaced or re-lubricated?

If the striker is worn replace it. The latch seems to last longer than the struts and striker.

[fastblackmerc]

The latch will probably never wear out.


Get the hood open
Make sure the latch is aligned with the striker
Spray some WD-40 to loosen up the latch
Clean the latch with some brake clean
Spray some white grease on the latch assembly
Once or twice a year spray the latch assembly with the white grease

[fordnut02]

WD-40 LATCH ASSY, mine was doing same thing , barely had enough room to get fingers under it to pull hood up

[88LTDCV351]

Great information guys. Thanks!

[lifespeed]

Lots of grease and WD-40 comments. But I found that replacing the striker bar (that had a noticeable groove worn in it) really helped smooth operation. And then there are the gas struts that weaken over time.

The hood latch was not regularly greased by Marauder owners for the first 80K miles, was it? I have not put any grease on mine for a couple years and it works perfectly. I'm not saying they shouldn't be greased occasionally, just that grease doesn't substitute for replacing worn parts.

[lifespeed]

once or twice a year spray the latch assembly with the white grease



No way you should have to grease it this often, something else is wrong.

[fastblackmerc]

No way you should have to grease it this often, something else is wrong.

It's called "preventative maintenance". I do the door hinges and the trunk latch too. Never a problem.

[88LTDCV351]

I'll take a look at the striker also and see if it looks worn. I'm sure it is.

[lifespeed]

I'll take a look at the striker also and see if it looks worn. I'm sure it is.

They usually are. But it's a generic panther part and cheap. Nothing quite like being able to open the hood when you need to.

[88LTDCV351]

But I found that replacing the striker bar (that had a noticeable groove worn in it) really helped smooth operation.

Replaced the striker bar today but no effect. Hood will still not open. Might try the latch next. The hood struts were new and barely used when this started happening again so I'm going to assume they are not worn out again already.

[EricGrain]

Happened to me when I purchased the car... The hood struts just get weaker over time and are no longer able to 'pop' up the weight of the hood as well. $40 for a new pair with lifetime warranty, and the hood pops up right away every time.

$90 or so each for Ford struts was the quote I got which is ridiculous. But it probably isn't serious like a good alignment problem. WD-40 the latch helps also

[lifespeed]

Replaced the striker bar today but no effect. Hood will still not open. Might try the latch next. The hood struts were new and barely used when this started happening again so I'm going to assume they are not worn out again already.

Does your hood spring up with alacrity? Gas struts are often part of the problem, new or otherwise.

[88LTDCV351]

Well, when I pull on the release the first time, it does unlatch. Although the hood doesn't move. So maybe the latch is ok. So maybe I need to get new gas struts annually, lol. I think the Ford ones I got last time didn't even last a year so maybe they were defective. I'll try the struts again.

[Marauderjack]

Lubricate the latch and it'll pop up!!:eek:

I usually lubricate mine twice a year!!:beer:

[vegasmarauder]

This is the diagnostic order I use.

Lubricate the latch.

Check striker alignment for binding. it may hit the top of the latch slot correctly but if the latch is not in straight alignment as you push it closed the striker binds on the bottom of the latch. usually you can see the slot is not set straight up and down and readjust.

Replace the hood struts. even if they hold the hood up, they use the upward pressure to lift the hood out of the latch. Just changed a set on my MM for same reason.

[lifespeed]

Every time I have changed the hood gas struts the impetus has been the hood not popping up when I pulled the release cable. Twice so far on a 13 year old car. I found the striker bar helped also, the latch definitely doesn't release as easily when it is worn out of round. It is cheap, just like the struts.

[88LTDCV351]

OK, I tried lubricating everything and maybe I didn't wait long enough to let it penetrate, but I went ahead and replaced the latch. Works great now. Pops right up.

[SOSA03]

Use a little spit it won't hurt

[justbob]

Use a little spit it won't hurt



THATS WHAT SHE SAID!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk