Well, I went out to check my engine and found my hood won't open on my '92 300SD (W 140). The passenger side hook releases and I can pry the hood up on that side and even release the secondary catch controlled by the tongue in the grill, but the driver's side won't release. I've recently done work on the radiator and the radiator fans and have had the thing open a lot. I took off the upper cross member (which holds the radiator in place) and possibly did not remember to put the release cable to the rider's side in the little clips for that, but I can't imagine that to be the problem. I can reach the connecting release cable that goes across the top of the radiator (same as above) from underneath, but I don't think I can reach the driver's side release from the bottom. I can repeatedly close and release the rider's side, so I think the catch on the driver's side is somehow messed up or out of synch.
Questions:

1. Any suggestions on how to get it open? I've done the shake and release thing without success.
2. Any suggestions on how to get in there if I have to break something to do it?

This thread may help you.


Read this thread for information on opening your hood.
Hood cable, hood latches, hood release, HELP! cannot open hood!




Have a great day.

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1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

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To complete the loop, I got it opened. I think the link above is for a single latch hood. I found that a determined fellow with long arms and dexterous fingers can reach the driver's side latch mechanism from below. If the mechanism is not jammed (I thought maybe I had dropped a nut down there or something and could not figure what had made it suddenly stop working), you can just push the latch release, which you can feel on the release wire (that comes from the driver's compartment). You push it away from the center of the vehicle (on the driver's side) or (and I have not done this but I know the direction is correct) toward the center of the vehicle on the rider's side (in the US).

It turns out that I had disconnected the upper radiator hose and, when I reconnected it, I threaded the armored wire which is the hood release mechanism under the upper radiator hose when the upper radiator hose should be under the armored cable. Careless me!