Hood won’t open …..

Hood won’t open …..

#1

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The cable seems to have too much slack on it. If i push down on the hood while someone else pulls the latch it seems as if the drivers side unsnaps but the passenger side is still locked.
Funny thing is the owner’s manual states there’s only 1 latch in the middle…..
It appears the grille can be removed from the outside – is there a way to get to the latch that way?

Funny thing is the owner’s manual states there’s only 1 latch in the middle…..

It appears the grille can be removed from the outside – is there a way to get to the latch that way?

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#9

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I have a 1999 XC70 and this happens with the car is not sitting flat. I mean, when the car is parked with driver side on the curb. I use the jack to bring the car to level and push the hood down to lock positon and then pull the latch again. It opens.
If you wonder why don’t I drive the car to flat surface/ Usually when I have to open the hood it is because the battery is dead.

If you wonder why don’t I drive the car to flat surface/ Usually when I have to open the hood it is because the battery is dead.

#10

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Took the grille out today….. what a retarded design.. that’s all I can say.
Anyway… the drivers side releases, the passenger side doesn’t. I soaked it in lubricant for a while and messed with it for an hour. You can very clearly see the lock in there but it just doesn’t move and there’s no easy way to get to it. I’m about 10 minutes away from going to get a grinder…..

Anyway… the drivers side releases, the passenger side doesn’t. I soaked it in lubricant for a while and messed with it for an hour. You can very clearly see the lock in there but it just doesn’t move and there’s no easy way to get to it. I’m about 10 minutes away from going to get a grinder…..

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#12

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the problem is a simple adjustment I could not find before.

Whichever side is catching, loosen the two screws that hold the latch to the car body, where the cable is attached. This latch has slotted holes which you cant see, and if the hood is closing to tight or to lose on on side it puts pressure on the lever so the lever cant unlatch when the hood lever is pulled. In my case the drivers side was closing too tight putting pressure on the latch on the bottom side, so I loosened the two screws and slid the latch all the way down in the slots and that cured the problem and hood opens first pull every time now.

You can tell if its closing too tight or too loose bu looking at the latch on the hood for where the wear marks are on the metal latching bar.

#13

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I’ve been doing this too now for a real long time on my 98 V70XC AWD. Just gave into the fact as Iceracer. Always have been able to open the hood after pulling once, raising the one side, then pulling again. I even tried a fix of adjusting the cable I found at Volvospeed forum. It helped but didn’t fix it.
I will check out what you said Brew tomorrow. It will be great to finally get it right.

I will check out what you said Brew tomorrow. It will be great to finally get it right.

Last edited by ajwgator; 10-26-2009 at 11:33 PM.

#14

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It should work. The problem is that when the hood closes, its putting too much pressure on one side or the other. When you pull the latch the first time and pull up on the one side thats unlatching, it relieves just enough pressure off the other latch that it allows it to release the next time you pull the cable latch inside the car.
I looked all over for cable adjustments etc in the past, but never noticed the slots on the latch itself, because they are not very big slots and the bolt heads are so big they hide the slots, so it looks like its not adjustable.
Let us know if this fixed your problem. good luck.

I looked all over for cable adjustments etc in the past, but never noticed the slots on the latch itself, because they are not very big slots and the bolt heads are so big they hide the slots, so it looks like its not adjustable.

Let us know if this fixed your problem. good luck.

#16

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I’ve always suspected Volvo of discouraging owners from working on their cars, but this technique is a new approach. You have to be inside the secret Volvo circle to get the hood open? Long ago, I had an old junker Ford where the hand operated latch was at the base of the grille (I told you it was long ago) but I you had to press down on the hood at the same time you pulled the latch with your other hand to open the hood. And I thought that was a pain.
My ’06 is different (I hope) so no problems yet. Is there a way to adjust the
cable? (Harley experience will help here for those who have experienced throttle cable slack or breakage). If its the same set up, I see this problem in my future since I do check fluid levels so the hood is open at almost all fill ups. Any triggering events to avoid?

My ’06 is different (I hope) so no problems yet. Is there a way to adjust the

cable? (Harley experience will help here for those who have experienced throttle cable slack or breakage). If its the same set up, I see this problem in my future since I do check fluid levels so the hood is open at almost all fill ups. Any triggering events to avoid?

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