850 Hood latch cable broken - how can I get the hood open??
#41
#42
volvo 850 1997 hood stuck
I have read this post and cannot find the tab on the drivers side, the parking lamp is out, only the spring bent. There is no tab visible. What am I misinterrupting? The drivers side released, the passengers side is latched. Any help is appreciated. I have made a 800 mi trip already without being able to check the vitals.
#43
dam.. been looking everywhere for the answer to this.. i smashed in my hood and the drivers side latch opened on impact but passenger side stayed shut.. Think this will work if the car had been somewhat wrecked? also, if this doesnt work, the hood is useless anyway.. anyone know if bolt cutters or anything will get through the latch catch on the hood? thats all i need to get off to open the hood and all it needs is a new radiator but i cant get the dam hood open! hope this works, responses appreciated. Oh, '96 850 GLT btw.
#44
#45
#46
@NCdad - Boxpin posted some great pictures and both my markers are off anyway so that parts already exposed... Im still not totally sure what the tab is tho.
@brick - the cable is not broken but the release mechanism in the middle of the car is.. however the hood is only latched on the driver side..
@Boxpin - Your explanation (& pictures) of this is the best I have found on the web so far and I have been looking for a.long.@ss.time. So thank you. I am still sort of unclear on what the tab is exactly.. if its that black thing with the hole in shaped like a pop tab then I got it i think. could you let me know? Also, if this doesnt work (cuz the front of the car is smashed), i was wondering if bolt cutters or what might be able to cut off the little hook that clips into the locking mechanism and open the hood that way. (the hood in useless anyway)
Thanks everyone! (Boxpin in particular)
I literally almost scrapped it a week ago, i had lost all hope of opening the hood!
Andrew - '96 850 GLT
@brick - the cable is not broken but the release mechanism in the middle of the car is.. however the hood is only latched on the driver side..
@Boxpin - Your explanation (& pictures) of this is the best I have found on the web so far and I have been looking for a.long.@ss.time. So thank you. I am still sort of unclear on what the tab is exactly.. if its that black thing with the hole in shaped like a pop tab then I got it i think. could you let me know? Also, if this doesnt work (cuz the front of the car is smashed), i was wondering if bolt cutters or what might be able to cut off the little hook that clips into the locking mechanism and open the hood that way. (the hood in useless anyway)
Thanks everyone! (Boxpin in particular)
I literally almost scrapped it a week ago, i had lost all hope of opening the hood!
Andrew - '96 850 GLT
#49
Thanks Everyone for Your Help!
@ Boxpin:::--> you have no idea how much that helped me. I think my neighbors think Im crazy i was all dancin around and whatnot when i opened it.. damn tho man that was hard.. AND. the passenger side locking mechanism was exposed and clearly visible b/c of the crash. I would NEVER have found the driver side's tab without being able to study the other one. Anyway. THANK YOU!
@Boxpin & Admin
I hope an administrator sees this and gives you (Boxpin) internet/forum/blog points or something (?!sticky!?).. i joined this blog just to see those pictures and i am SO glad i did it. ok sorry for the long gratitude posts im so grateful tho.
EVERYONE
**I have a few more questions now that I got the hood open (not sure if they relate 100% to this topic but everyone here has been so helpful...so i guess tell me if its bad etiquette to ask unrelated questions.)
QUESTIONS:
1) What size ratchet head do I need to get the radiator off the mounts?
- All the bolts in and around the engine and its enclosure seem to be the same size but I.Dont.Know.What.It.Is.. and none of my wrenches or ratchet heads fit.
2) I ran the '96 850 with the radiator cracked (its a BIG crack) and just kept putting water in to try to cool it even tho it just drained out within seconds... I tried not to drive and attempted to keep the temp down by making my trips in the car short as hell with the engine in neutral or off as much as possible (I drove it like this maybe 7 times, est. 2 miles each)
QUESTION 2 BEING: How much damage does everyone think I did? AND, If I buy a new radiator (and battery) could it run again?
The last time I drove it, it died right outside where I was going and, unable to start it, i took the bus home. I waited a day then went back, jumped it (with great difficulty) and from then it sat in my garage for almost a month.
THANKS TO EVERYONE! - Like i said, I was gonna scrap it. and i love that car... there is hope! (i think).. Lemme know if u think it'll run again!
@ Boxpin:::--> you have no idea how much that helped me. I think my neighbors think Im crazy i was all dancin around and whatnot when i opened it.. damn tho man that was hard.. AND. the passenger side locking mechanism was exposed and clearly visible b/c of the crash. I would NEVER have found the driver side's tab without being able to study the other one. Anyway. THANK YOU!
@Boxpin & Admin
I hope an administrator sees this and gives you (Boxpin) internet/forum/blog points or something (?!sticky!?).. i joined this blog just to see those pictures and i am SO glad i did it. ok sorry for the long gratitude posts im so grateful tho.
EVERYONE
**I have a few more questions now that I got the hood open (not sure if they relate 100% to this topic but everyone here has been so helpful...so i guess tell me if its bad etiquette to ask unrelated questions.)
QUESTIONS:
1) What size ratchet head do I need to get the radiator off the mounts?
- All the bolts in and around the engine and its enclosure seem to be the same size but I.Dont.Know.What.It.Is.. and none of my wrenches or ratchet heads fit.
2) I ran the '96 850 with the radiator cracked (its a BIG crack) and just kept putting water in to try to cool it even tho it just drained out within seconds... I tried not to drive and attempted to keep the temp down by making my trips in the car short as hell with the engine in neutral or off as much as possible (I drove it like this maybe 7 times, est. 2 miles each)
QUESTION 2 BEING: How much damage does everyone think I did? AND, If I buy a new radiator (and battery) could it run again?
The last time I drove it, it died right outside where I was going and, unable to start it, i took the bus home. I waited a day then went back, jumped it (with great difficulty) and from then it sat in my garage for almost a month.
THANKS TO EVERYONE! - Like i said, I was gonna scrap it. and i love that car... there is hope! (i think).. Lemme know if u think it'll run again!
#50
Here are instructions for opening the hood without a cable
1. You will have to remove your marker light...maybe you can even do this without removing it. Its spring loaded, you might be able to pull it out far enough to do this.
2. Take a look at the picture with the marker removed. See the hole in the well that makes its way into the engine compartment.
3. Next picture is zoomed in...see the little tab with the hole in it? Thats the release. Take a hanger and make a bend in it to grab that tab and pull...that should do it.
1. You will have to remove your marker light...maybe you can even do this without removing it. Its spring loaded, you might be able to pull it out far enough to do this.
2. Take a look at the picture with the marker removed. See the hole in the well that makes its way into the engine compartment.
3. Next picture is zoomed in...see the little tab with the hole in it? Thats the release. Take a hanger and make a bend in it to grab that tab and pull...that should do it.
Man thanks for this post really. I was about to remove everything I can take off till I saw your post. Thanks bro.
#52
Helpful Post
Look at the beginning of the thread and you will see the posts. I followed it and I was able to open my hood. Mine broke too and now I installed the steel cable that busted into the left hand side latch. I ran it through a hole in the latch just in case it happens again I have a secondary option to open it again. My corner lamp busted when I was trying to pull it out. I installed a new cable and kept my rig in place just in case the stupid thing does it again.
#53
I replaced my lights with HID and its a single assembly, so I no longer have the option of going via the turn lamp housing. Need to hand a cord down to grab from below... if someone would post photos of their setup it would help motivate me to duplicate it instead of having to figure out the details...
#54
I am in the same boat as Tracy was..
Anybody successful with the hanger idea? I have failed on multiple attempts. I can get the hanger around it but it won't budge. I even tried running a 3/4" metal pipe behind it and pulled the heck out of it...no dice. Will I have to brake the grille off to get this thing to open? Can anyone take a photo of the back of the grille so I can see where the clips are to release it? Thanks
Anybody successful with the hanger idea? I have failed on multiple attempts. I can get the hanger around it but it won't budge. I even tried running a 3/4" metal pipe behind it and pulled the heck out of it...no dice. Will I have to brake the grille off to get this thing to open? Can anyone take a photo of the back of the grille so I can see where the clips are to release it? Thanks
#55
If you cannot find a solution that works for you on this forum, I suggest that you take your car to a Volvo dealer. It will probably be expensive, but at least you will not have inflicted additional damage to your car.
#57
Okay, gotcha. Makes sense now. Your looking at the radiator support. Its made of a fiberglass compound. You have two options here. First, pull the lower trim off below the headlight. Then size up the angle you need to access and pop a hole in the radiator support to gain access to the path.
Option two, and I dont know if this will work, remove the top and bottom radiator support bolts and see if you can pull out the support far enough to access the holes. I doubt this will work but worth a try.
Option two, and I dont know if this will work, remove the top and bottom radiator support bolts and see if you can pull out the support far enough to access the holes. I doubt this will work but worth a try.
I have the same problem with the hole being covered. Did either of these solutions work?
My 850 needs a jump start (or the engine has frozen over) and my hood release latch doesn't "click" when I pull it to release. I assuming this means the cable is broken because the second pull tab doesn't loosen.
#58
On my hood it wouldn't open. Pulled the handle and nothing. Had a second person bounce on the hood while I pulled the handle and finally it popped.
My problem was the safety or secondary release was so stiff it wasn't allowing the hood to pop up when released. I make sure to lube that safety at least every oil change and squirt some at the main catch too.
My problem was the safety or secondary release was so stiff it wasn't allowing the hood to pop up when released. I make sure to lube that safety at least every oil change and squirt some at the main catch too.
#59
Ok so the same thing happened to me today and it's negative 40 degrees and of course my battery is dead so I pull the latch to get a jump and only the passenger side unlocked. Is there something I can do that may be a little quicker? Like I said its forty below right now and I have to go to work tomorrow
#60