Greetings,

2003 X-type...hood will not open...when using inside hood release pull it hood pops open on drivers side but NOT on passenger side of the hood! Stuck shut...tried everything..pressing on hood etc....can access from whell well etc??? Desperate....many thanks!

 

Gary, in the past, members have been able to remove the plastic plate that goes under the radiator and then reach up with either a stick or their hands and then pull on the lever where the cable goes through. That will allow the hood to release on that side. From there, give the hood release a good spraying with say WD-40 and you should be good. You may want to try manually closing the hooks with a screw driver and then see if using the handle inside the car will pop them open again. That way you are not fighting by reaching up in front of the radiator to do the hood latches.

 

The problem is one of two things..

First of all Thermo is quite right about how to get to the hood latch from underneath the front to release it..a long arm works too..

The problem is #1...The cable end has come out of the latch lever ..or #2... the ballbead on the end of the cable has snapped off..I hope it is problem possiblity #1 for your sake.

Once you have it open and seen what the problem is, do not slam the hood shut just let the keeper latch hold it while you get a new cable if need be.

 

When I first bought my jaguar x type, I had this exact same problem. I just went under the car and used a thin stick to release the latch by pushing up on it. I didn't have to remove anything...

Once I got it open, I made sure the cable wouldn't pop out again... i secured it in place and super glued it, because this problem did happen to me more than once.

After I super glued it in place, it never got stuck again... and its been a few years now.

 

Many thanks for the help! I'll try the methods suggested....it's mighty cold up here in Montana so hopefully can pull it into the shop where it is a bit warmer....thanks again...I really appreciate the quick and awesome advice.


Garylars
2003 X-Type 3.0

 

When I had this problem I took my car to a few shops and no one knew how to get the hood open. They were saying they would have to cut open my hood and I would have to order a new one. lol I'm glad I figured it out. I think the x types are known for having the cable on the passenger side popping out of the latch.

 

Timely. I just had this happen and came to the forum to get some ideas. I didn't even have to search. I wonder if it is related to cooler temps outside.

 

Flood the inside of the cables with WD-40 ("Water Displacing, Formula #40") and hopefully you won't have a repeat. Use half a can, it's cheap and it works. Just press the button gently, take your time and try to fill 'em up.

Water and muck spray those cables ever-so-gently all year-round and now that it's cooling down, you've maybe got a bit of rust and maybe ice inside them.

(While you're at it, do the same with the cables your Snow Blower, Rototiller, Lawn Mower and Bicycles!)

Yeah - it's getting a bit cold up at these latitudes, yes? On the bright side; if you were in Texas like Hustle Hyde, it sounds like they'd try and open your hood with an axe!

 

Fortunately, I didn't have to resort to the axe.

The hardest part was getting the lower cover off. But that said, I couldn't see the latch on the left side of the car. One the right side I could see it clearly and could reach it with the stupidly long screwdriver I have, which is really too long for driving screws but I have used it plenty for odd ball jobs like this. Even though the one on the left was hidden, I was able to tell by mirroring the position of the one on the right that the left latch was above the upper radiator hose. I was able to reach up with my hand and pop the left side latch. Super easy. I then popped the right side with the stupid long screwdriver. My problem was the end of the sheath had come off the holder on the left side of the car. It would pop back in place but I figured it would just come back out again so I glued it with 5 minute epoxy. It's too cold here right now for the two part epoxy to cross link and set, but my wife had just gotten home in the car and there enough residual heat under the hood for the glue to set. So I think we're good to go for now, until the next time.

 

Awesome! I'm having the identical problem, and I knew coming to this forum would help me find the solution. You all have never let me down yet. Thanks!
Jeff
Queen Creek, AZ

 

OK, maybe I spoke too soon. Not as easy as I'd hoped it would be. I have the bottom rubber dirt cover off. I can reach my hand up and feel the cable. Mine is stuck on the driver side. Most of the other posts I read are having troubles with the passenger. Don't know if that makes a difference.

I can reach my hand up there just to the side of the thermostat housing and I can feel the cable. If the hood is down and latched, I can tug on the cable and it pops the passenger side as it should. Nothing happens on the driver side. Where is the latch-thingy located at that is sticking? Is it near the middle where the trigger is that you squeeze to fully open the hood from the outside, or is it near the side fender area? I can't tell. I don't see anything I would recognize. I can't even see the cable, but I am able to feel it.

Any help/photos would be absolutely amazing. My main purpose for needing to get under the hood today is to top off my coolant. I replaced the upper radiator hose/thermostat assembly two weeks ago, and I noticed a slight drip where I hadn't tightened the bolts well enough. I'm worried about the overheating scenario and not being able to get in. Help! Thanks!

Jeff

 

Jeff
If you can get your fingers around the top of the radiator hose where it attaches to the radiator, just a bit above the hose you should feel the latch mechanism. You should be able to see what it looks like on the right side, and then go back over to the left side and work on it. Put your fingers up there in the blind and fiddle with the latch mechanism. I don't think there is any possible way to hurt that latch with your fingers so fiddle away. I think you are trying to move a tab from the inside to outside, or from right to left of the car.

 

OK, fellas, this is my second Saturday I'm wasting trying to get my hood open. He's where I'm at. I have the car up on ramps, the rubber dust cover is off. I am able to pop the hood on the passenger side, but the driver side won't open.

I am 6'5" and my arms are long enough to reach. I can feel the cable sitting on top of the radiator hose. I tug on it and it does pop the passenger side. Still nothing on the stuck driver side. I removed the horn to give myself more room, and I can feel the cable where it curves and heads back around the corner into the cabin, but I just can't get to pop.

Most of the people on this thread who had this problem said it was on the passenger side. Tugging on the cable isn't doing it as other described. Here's my question...is there any way to manually release the latch itself, or can this only be done though tension on the cable? I'm feeling all around there, but I'm really not sure what my hands are searching for. Anybody have a picture of this latch? Anyone have more advice for me? I have a slow coolant leak at my thermostat housing and need to get this open to tighten and refill. I'm in a bit of a panic. Anyone???? Thanks!

Jeff
Phoenix, AZ

 

Jeff,

were you able to figure out how to pop the hood open? I am having the same issue; pops on the passenger side but not the driver side.

 

I ran into the same problem as many, the passenger side of the hood will not release.
I had opened the hood earlier to check for a vacuum leaks as was getting code P1647 and I found a small box on the top of the engine where the mount had broken and looked like the hose was loose. When I went back to take a picture, the passenger side of the hood would not open.
With the temperature close to 100 degrees I need to do this work first thing in the morning when it is reasonably cool. Does any one have a photo(s) or schematic I can look to get an idea of what to pull/push/move to release the latch and where it is located? or very specific directions on where the latch is located in relation to the hood? Someone posted that he did not have to remove the bottom cover and used a long stick. This would be great provided I know where to direct the stick and what to push. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

I removed the bottom cover and I could see at the very top the latch mechanism. I was able to slide the end of the cable back on the latch slot and the hoods open now fine.


There are indeed two square holes on the bottom cover and if you know what you are doing and can get the front end high enough off the ground, you can indeed slide a long stick and pop the latch without removing the bottom panel; something to try next time.

 

I got my hood open pulling the cable on the driver side. Let the hood close thinking i got it all back in working order. Now when I pull the cable it does nothing. Anyone know anyone in the louisiana area that can help? It will not detach on the driver side so im thinking the passenger side is not holding it down.

 

This is what I would do:
Try opening the hood by lifting it, if one of the latches is not engaging then that side will lift an inch or so. If neither side gives, then both latches are engaged.
Open the hood from the bottom like you did before.
Have a helper pull the hood lever inside while you watch the latches. I one moves and the other does not then that latch is disconnected. I neither latch moves, either both latches are disconnected or the cable is broken. Find the cable and see if it moves when the lever is pulled. if it does not then it is either disconnected at the lever or it broke somewhere in between the lever and the driver side latch. You might be able to follow the cable and find the disconnect/break.
Hopefully this procedure will allow you to pinpoint the problem. The entire mechanism is rather simple and once you find the cause, it should be fairly straight forward to repair it.
BTW, I had the car on ramps to get additionalclearance and had the bottom cover removed. I used a 24"-30" length of 1/2" PVC pipe to open it from the bottom; it was flexible enough that I could bend it to get it in and stiff enough to do the job once in position. I know you can open it by accessing it through the square cutout at the bottom but it would be difficult for me without actually seeing the mechanism from the bottom and a strong flashlight providing light; with enough practice I imagine I might be able to do it but I hope I don't have to do it again. If you do not have the car on ramps or a lift, I am not sure you have enough clearance to insert a long stick that is stiff enough to open the latch.
Let us know what you find out.

 

good info

 

I am not sure what to do body even tells me they are not interested in helping.
How do I open the hood when the passenger side latch will not release.

PLEASE HELP