Ford Explorer: Hood will not open

"Bill W" <net> wrote in message
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out 
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Thanks for responding so soon. I ran out to the garage and grapped the vice
grips. I pulled out the interior release lever and then grabbed hold of the
bare cable closest to the firewall and pulled and then pulled again with all
my strength. No Luck. I had even spray the entire locking mechanism within
sight with WD-40 and tried again. This is one stuck hood. If it was my car,
I would have taken a four foot pry bar to it.

Thanks again,
Bill

"Bill W" <net> wrote in message
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Bill,
I had the same problem with my 95. The outer jacket of the cable was worn
through at the point where the cable passes by the battery. The exposed
cable corroded to the jacket and no amount of pulling on the end would
loosen it. I recall that I was able to get the hood open two ways. Neither
one was very easy and I don't recall the exact details (it was about 3 years
ago). The first time I opened the hood I removed the two bolts holding the
latch on the car. It was difficult because there is not much room to get a
wrench and your hands in there. Once I had the latch apart, I was able to
see where to get a thin screw driver into the latch and pop it open. In
hindsight, once I had it open, I should have left it unlatched until I got
the replacement cable. Hope this helps.
Jay

Had a similar problem with my 97, though it was a case of corrosion in the
latch mechanism. The cable was releasing, but the "jaws" wouldn't slip by
each other.

On my 97, if you shine a flashlight in through the front of the grill near
the latch, you can see a lever there you can pry sideways with a
screwdriver. I guess it is the bottom of one of the jaws. At any rate,
that opened the latch and I got the hood open. A healthy dose of WD-40 in
the latch mechanism and everything is working fine again.

If your cable is intact, this might be your problem.

Since you posted on the 1st, your daughter may have already returned, but if
not, give it a whirl if nothing else has worked.

Dave

"Bill W" <net> wrote in message
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