Hood release broken - 1996 Ford Crown Victoria

SOURCE: Hood latch will not release the hood. Possible

you need to try to reach for the cable under the car or try to get the cable from under the dashboard,good luck

SOURCE: Cable for hood release has broken somewhere under

The first thing You need to do is go to a Salvage yard where you can remove this part yourself. What you want to find is how the car is put together. Observe how the Grille comes apart. Maybe take a digital picture. Remove the hood release from the Salvage car and keep the extra attaching nuts and bolts in case you drop some when reassembling your car.

Second, disconnect the hood release handle from the interior of the car. Then pull on the cable and if it is broken pull out the broken piece. It is possible that it broke close to the interior. Then you would be able to cut the cable in a place which still has the metal piece in it. You could then grab the remaining cable and pull on it to free the hood. You may have to work from beneath the car to access the broken part.

But if you went to the Salvage yard you will know how to remove a grille without breaking your own grille. Now you have two solutions-grab the broken part without removing the grille, or removing the grille and then work on the cable.

I hope this helps you.

SOURCE: 1998 Escort: 1997 escort can't open hood broken hood release...

first, try smacking the hood at one of the front corners while someone else pulls the release handle. or even after you've pulled on it. if that works, once open, adjust and lubricate the hood latch assembly. if it still won't open, and it's the cable and not the latch you'll have to replace it anyway, so instead of removing the grill, cut the cable behind the pull lever under the dash where you can reach it. then skin the outer cable insulation away from the actual steel cable exposing an inch or two of it. then holding the insulation and plastic housing with pliers, grab the steel cable itself with pliers and pull it to open the hood. then replace the cable. the further you can reach up under the panel the better your chances of getting past the broken part of the cable and avoid removing the grill. you might also be able to gain access from up under the car if you're lucky.