Cant open hood?

Tiny
GRMD77
  • MEMBER
  • 1992 CADILLAC DEVILLE
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 125,500 MILES
I opened the hood to my 1992 Cadillac Deville and placed a battery charges on the engine. Then a strong wind gust slammed the hood shut. Now it is in the safety latch position and I cannot release the safety latch. What do you recommend?
Sunday, February 20th, 2011 AT 12:36 AM

7 Replies

Tiny
FACTORYJACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,159 POSTS
Can you visually determine anything by visually looking through the opening with a flashlight? Is it possible that the linkage rod has come loose, or bent, and the solution lies in prodding it with a screwdriver or something to make up for what the lever can't do.
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Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 AT 5:00 AM
Tiny
GRMD77
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1992 CADILLAC DEVILLE
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 125,700 MILES
I opened the hood of my 1992 Cdillac Deville and placed a battery charger under the hood near the battery. Then a wind gust slammed the hood and now I cannot open the hood even though it is not completely closed. What can I do?
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Friday, January 15th, 2021 AT 11:35 AM (Merged)
Tiny
FACTORYJACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,159 POSTS
Not completely closed, is it completely latched and just resting on the battery charger? Is it on the safety latch, and loose. It would almost be a need for a visual, hands on approach to give you some guidance, since it is a special circumstance.
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Friday, January 15th, 2021 AT 11:35 AM (Merged)
Tiny
LEVON DAVIS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1992 CADILLAC DEVILLE
  • 4.9L
  • V8
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 168,542 MILES
How to open hood when cable is broken?
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Friday, January 15th, 2021 AT 11:35 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Some makes and models, you might be able to remove front grill and reach release mechanism. Depending on where the steel cable broke, you might be able to reach the steel cable, then use a pair of vice-grips on the cable itself and pull. Sometimes it helps when your pulling on cable to have a helper pop the hood with palm of the hand in area of release mechanism, to open. With it open, I usually lube the release mechanism. You can do what you think best about the cable. In the past, I have used a long piece of wire hanging down from release mechanism, I could reach the wire through the front grill to open the hood. Of course if you want to replace whole cable release assemble, that is fine, also.
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+2
Friday, January 15th, 2021 AT 11:35 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GREGB5722
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1990 CADILLAC DEVILLE
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 90,000 MILES
Hood release latch broken! Tried manually pulling wire did not work! How do you get the hood open?

Thank-You!

Greg
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Friday, January 15th, 2021 AT 11:35 AM (Merged)
Tiny
FACTORYJACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,159 POSTS
There is no published service procedure for getting a hood open when the cable breaks. The only possible way is to look through the grill and see if you can determine where the cable attaches, or possibly reach up from below.
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Friday, January 15th, 2021 AT 11:35 AM (Merged)

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