2018 Chevy Cruze How To Open Hood

Download Article

Download Article

A broken latch is a hassle and makes it impossible to get underneath your hood and make full your oil, jump-start your battery, and refill wiper fluid. If your hood isn't opening because of a broken release wire, you can often pull the wire yourself from within the auto. But if the latch is cleaved, you'll need to get your hands a scrap dirty. Luckily, it's adequately simple to do and tin can abide you some time before you bring your car in for repair.

1. one

   Cool your engine for 30 minutes if it was running recently. Always permit your engine cool off before yous start poking effectually underneath the hood. If you lot used your vehicle recently, almost 30 minutes should be enough. Without cooling, you risk called-for yourself.^[1]

   • If you can feel the heat of the engine against your car grill or bumper, talk to a mechanic about overheating.

2. 2

   Engage the hood release from the within of your vehicle. If your auto requires a release to open, locate information technology inside your vehicle. In virtually cases, information technology's underneath the dashboard left of the steering cavalcade. Pull or press it and information technology should lift the hood 1 to two inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) without completely disconnecting it from the latch.^[2]

   • If y'all can't find the hood release, await at the driver's manual provided by your manufacturer. Either find the physical copy or wait on their website for your car model's manual in electronic format.
   • If the hood release doesn't open up your hood, the wire is probably broken.

   Advertisement

3. 3

   Discover the latch from underneath your vehicle if information technology doesn't accept grilles. If yous have a mechanic's creeper—a mobile seat that helps you motility while lying on your back—use it to roll yourself underneath the vehicle. If not, shimmy underneath on your back straight underneath the hood. At this point, you should be able to meet a pocket-sized hole with a small metallic latch hanging downwardly towards you.^[iii]

   • Give the ground a quick sweep earlier going nether your machine and wear clothes you don't listen getting dirty.

4. 4

   Locate the latch through your bumper if your vehicle has large grilles. If your vehicle has a grille with big enough openings, locate the broken latch from the front of your vehicle. Crouch down and await for the minor metal latch directly underneath the spot where the front-center of the hood meets the car frame.^[4]

   • If you're having trouble, follow the release cable—it connects to the latch from the driver'south side of the machine.

5. 5

   Remove your vehicle's grille to admission the latch if you can't notice it. Depending on the vehicle, yous might exist able to remove the grille without opening the hood. Withal, this just works for select models—refer to your vehicle's possessor's manual or visit your manufacturer'south website and locate information on hood removal. If you can access the screws holding your grille in identify, you should exist able to remove them with a Phillips head screwdriver. ^[5]

   • If you can see the latch and access it with a screwdriver, don't carp removing the grille.
   • Unscrew and remove the parking lamps and plough betoken lights before attempting to remove the grill.

Advertisement

1. i

   Trip the latch with a screwdriver or long piece of metallic. Reach toward the latch with a metallic tool that is long enough to achieve the latch—at least ten inches (25 cm) should do the trick. Insert the metallic piece in-between the latch and the metal piece it's hooked onto. Now, trip the latch by pressing it away from the hood.^[six]

   • If you're having trouble, check the direction of the wire running from the latch—this is the management you need to push button the latch.
   • If the hood does non open after tripping the latch, bring your car to a mechanic.

2. 2

   Lubricate the latch with a lithium spray lubricant if it'due south jammed. Purchase a spray lubricant—ideally lithium-based—with a bendable straw at the nozzle at least 8 inches (xx cm) long. Insert it into your grill or from underneath your automobile and apply it generously to the latch. Often, broken or stuck latches can exist remedied with lubrication.^[7]

   • Be sure to clothing safe goggles if you utilize the lubricant from underneath the car.
   • Never utilise silicone spray every bit information technology can contaminate the oxygen sensor and impair engine performance.

3. 3

   Adjust the latch mechanism if it's misaligned. In many cases, latches don't work properly because they become misaligned. After locating the latch, loosen the bolts that hold it in place but enough that you can motion it. Move it side-to-side so it aligns with the opening in the inner panel of the hood. Now, movement the latch upward and down until it fits affluent between the fenders and the top of the hood while the hood is pressed upward. Finally, tighten the latch bolts.^[8]

   • Open and close your hood afterward to ensure it works properly.

Advertisement

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Things Y'all'll Need

• Work gloves
• Lithium spray lubricant with nozzle
• Prophylactic goggles
• 10 inch (25 cm) Phillip's head screwdriver
• Flashlight

• If none of the in a higher place options work, visit a mechanic.

• Be careful non to damage your car hood by pushing or pulling too hard when the latch is jammed.

• Always cool your engine for well-nigh xxx minutes before working under the hood.

Advertizing

Nearly This Article

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 93,318 times.

Did this article help you?

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Hood-with-a-Broken-Latch

Share this post