1995 E300D (W124) hood refuses to latch

[bhehmann]

Hi.

If it's not one thing, it's the next. I just replaced the serpentine belt tensioner on my 1995 E300D and now the hood won't close completely. I didn't leave any tools or objects on the radiator or it's support, so the problem must be the latch or catch itself.

The latch seems to operate properly, and I used luminous paint to check if the latch lines up with the catch and that seems ok as well.

How does the latch stop working from one day to the next?