How do I open the hood with a broken drivers side hood latch cable of my 2001 XJ8L?

SOURCE: Hood won't open. Cable is broken and can't get hood to pop.

NO there is no manual way . get a good flash light and look at teh latch through the grill or from under the truck and try and pop it with a long flat blade screw driver

SOURCE: My hood latch is broken

If the cable link to the latch is rusty or broken you have to take the front grid down. It's relatively easy. It's held there by plastic fasteners. Then reach for the latch with you hand, or the leftover broken cable. Pull it, it should release the first latch, than you just have to get to the security latch, like you usually do to open the hood.

SOURCE: Broken latch cable on 2000 Tundra, will not open

remove the door panel, i believe the handle uses a cable on the link... simple fix

SOURCE: 1997 Plymouth Voyager broken hood latch cable

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.

SOURCE: hood latch cable broken on 2001 cougar

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.