HOOD RELEASE CABLE BROKEN IN THE ENGINE BAY AREA

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK · **Joined:** Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:29 pm **Posts:** 1167

Hello, Everyone:

I am currently having a big problem opening the hood of my 2006 Jeep Liberty KJ. The cable appears to have broken in the engine bay somewhere, and I do not see a way to open the hood to replace the cable.

I looked carefully in the foot well area where the hood release cable handle is located, and the cable is fine in the passenger cabin side of the firewall; no damage at all is evident. Had the break in the cable been in the cabin, it would have been a simple matter of gripping the broken end of the cable and pulling on it to release the hood latch. I even removed the cable from the release handle and can pull at least 2 feet of bare cable out easily, with no resistance at all. I can therefore confidently and unfortunately state the break in the cable is somewhere in the engine bay area.

I slid the bare cable back into its sleeve and the end of the cable remains disconnected from the cable release handle.

I have already seen some relatively helpful YouTube videos regarding this problem with other vehicles. However, due to the unique nature of this problem, the myriad of different designs in hood release mechanisms and the cosmetic parts that cover them, specific advice is required for every different vehicle, especially when it comes to getting the hood open without damaging anything. Has anyone encountered this problem, and if so please post your recommendations on how to get the hood open without damaging anything.

Is there a special tool that is used to trip the hood latch when the cable breaks? Am I missing where the assembly hardware is located to allow me to remove the grill to get to the hood latch? Do I need to get this thing on a hoist to remove parts from underneath to get to the hood latch?

Any helpful advice would be gratefully accepted.

Thanking you in advance,

mass-hole · **Posted:** Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:35 pm

Cut the little black plastic block in the grille in front of the latch and then undo the two 13mm nuts holding it onto the center pillar? They face forward so I imagine you could get to em.

Normally there is a little plastic plate in front of the latch but the picture above is mine without it.

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krb · **Posted:** Wed Dec 13, 2017 7:53 am

That might be your only option. If you remove the two nuts, the cable is still captured by the bracket but you might can still move it enough to pop it. Once the insert is out you might can pop it without loosening the nuts? Either way, you're only out an insert.
Good luck,

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Thu Dec 14, 2017 4:32 am

Jeff, I replaced mine, but was fortunate enough to have the hood popped when I noticed it was kinked and failing.

I replaced it with a Dorman unit (yeah I know) but when I laid them out side by side there was no discernible difference, except for the kinked spot and usage wear of the one I removed.

You really don't want to leverage against the grill bars if you try this, but have you tried grabbing the cable and sheath with vice grips through the grill bars, and seeing if you can pull it to the drivers side hard enough to release? It may be a bad and untested idea, but it is an idea. If the failure point is up next to the hood release, it wouldn't work. Mine failed where it's routed between the ECM mount plate and the inner fender.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:47 am

Some of those real long skinny needle nose pliers may be your best option to reach and grab cable through the grill opening and release hood latch?
I have had great luck with them in similar situations... :wink:

Mountainman · **Posted:** Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:18 pm

I wonder if Jeff got his arm stuck in his jeep?! That could be BAD news this time of year up North!

Sorry Jeff, I don't have any better ideas. I hope you don't have to chop up the jeep in order to open the hood!

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK · **Joined:** Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:29 pm **Posts:** 1167

Thank you all for your replies so far... it is indeed a vexing problem.

I welcome anyone else who wants to chime in a proper repair procedure for opening the latch. In the meantime, I will be considering my options.

I really want to get the hood open without damaging anything. I may end up using a hoist and going in from underneath somehow.

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Fri Dec 15, 2017 2:49 am

WWDiesel wrote:

Some of those real long skinny needle nose pliers may be your best option to reach and grab cable through the grill opening and release hood latch?
I have had great luck with them in similar situations... :wink:

I love my long nose pliers set, but in this case one would have to be squeezing the outer sheath hard enough to clamp it to the cable hard enough that it not slip. I was thinking of something more like This.

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK · **Joined:** Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:29 pm **Posts:** 1167

GordnadoCRD wrote:

WWDiesel wrote:

Some of those real long skinny needle nose pliers may be your best option to reach and grab cable through the grill opening and release hood latch?
I have had great luck with them in similar situations... :wink:

I love my long nose pliers set, but in this case one would have to be squeezing the outer sheath hard enough to clamp it to the cable hard enough that it not slip. I was thinking of something more like This.

I should probably order a set of these, (the long-reach vise grips), or at least see if my local Canadian Tire of Princess Auto outlet has them. Thanks, GordnadoCRD!

geordi · **Posted:** Fri Dec 15, 2017 4:48 pm

I will be looking at a jeep tomorrow morning that should be completely intact, I will see what I can figure out.

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mass-hole · **Posted:** Fri Dec 15, 2017 5:18 pm

Pictures as promised

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flash7210 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:24 pm

I can see that you need to trim your nose hairs :shock:

JK

HOOD RELEASE CABLE BROKEN IN THE ENGINE BAY AREA

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