cloudcitycollective

So some friendly soul backed into my car, cracked headlight and put a little smashy type dent in the front of the hood. The damage is very light, I didn't even notice it. So, I'm obviously pissed, but it gets worse.

I'm having oil problems, so I top off a lot, just to be safe until I can get things fixed.

I go to pop the hood and top it off, the release has tension and the hood does "POP" like normal, I go out to lift the hood, the pull lever out front has tension too and I can start to open the hood, maybe 2 inches, then it stops. Can't open the hood.

My battery is dead now, so I can't even drive it.
Just to reiterate, when I push the hood back down it does click closed, and restores tension to the release handle in the car, so the cable SEEMS to be working, but what could it be getting hung up on?

How many points does the hood connect to the car at?

The hood is probably beyond repair, so if I have to bend/pry it, no prob.

Any ideas? I'm desperate and without a car.

cloudcitycollective

Anybody? I'm dyin here...

mtroxel

I had the exact same problem on my B5. The damage to the hood has changed the location/angle of the latch so when you pull on the black lever, it doesn't release all the way. I finally got to the point where I realized that cutting through the grille was the next option. So I just pulled and pryed and swore at it. It finally came. But at some point the worst you can do is F up something that's already F'd up and ya just gotta grab your cajones and do it.

cloudcitycollective

Thanks man, I was hoping for a more elegant solution, but at this point, I just want to get it open.

Where do you suggest prying? I'm trying to figure out why the hood is popping, but won't open...

mtroxel

Depends on your situation. Mine was about a year ago. I reached through the grille with a long screw driver and pulled on the latch while I pulled up way too hard on the hood.

Razor1981

I hit a deer awhile back and it cause the same problem. With mine once you pop it you can grab the lever and play with it pulling it as tight as you can against the hood the pull straight up. Sometimes it comes easy, other time it takes a lil more force n wiggling.

jschick

before you screw something up, just grab the hood under the grill and pull straight out (STRAIGHT AWAY FROM THE CAR), you should be able to bend the grill portion of the hood easily 1/2 inch or more. this will also move the latch out. if your lucky it will now open, if not you can easily push it back with no damage. but if the hood is poping then it's the saftey catch that isn't releasing and bending the hood out should do it. also try to pull the release latch and pull the hood again to see if it opens. I have always been able to open them this way or once you bend the hood out you can reach under the hood with your hand and put your finger on the release to push.

also look at your hood if it is twisted one direction it needs to go back that direction to release.

cloudcitycollective

Thank you for all the responses, I tried a few variations of all the suggestions here, and none of them worked, so I pryed off part of the grill and after it popped about half way the hood released. Go figure.