Help I can't Open my hood

[ronald_m]

Pls. help me out guys here's my problem:

I went to pull the lever inside my 93' 190e 2.6 release the hood and nothing happened. There was no tension on the lever and it went all the way back without popping the hood. Nothing happened.I think I have a broken cable.My problem is how to open the hood without pulling the lever inside the car so i could replace the cable,Any ideas?Thanks


Ron

[MikeTangas]

Take a good look at the pull handle. See if the lead plug has stripped off the cable, more than likely it has. If that is the problem you can pop the hood using a small set of vise grips on the cable end, until you get a replacement cable.

I got my replacement cable from FastLane for a song (also picked up a new pull handle too). Fairly simple replacement, but gets a bit tricky at the latch end, due to tight quarters. I had to drop the aux fan, plus you have to remove the latch mechanism to attach the cable end.

[ronald_m]

Mike:I think the problem was the cable(connection with the latch) inside the hood, the lever and the cable inside the hood was fine.Any Idea ?

[MikeTangas]

So, it didn't break in the cabin, hmmm...

At the latch, everything is fairly well protected, unless rust/corrosion got to it. Don't have any idea, short of something involving breaking things (might cost a grille insert). Maybe one of the Techs has had to open a hood where the cable was broken in a secure area.

[ronald_m]

Anyone?

[Jim T]

I had the cable break on my 16v . I have a screw driver with a flat blade and about the diameter of a pencil it is about twelve inches long . Stick it thru the grill insert and below the core support .there is a plastic ribbed guard to protect the cable you need to get it inside this guard and push the lever for the hood release . I figured I would damage the grill insert but it didn't . With a little patience you can get the hood to pop open . The latch arm needs to be pushed from right to left or pass side to drivers side . Hope this helps .

[ronald_m]

Thanks guys I will try it this weekend.

[ricali]

Jim T's

suggestion is exactually how I got mine opened. Don't forget to have a replacement ready I didn't do that and had to do it a second time.

[AMGmercedes]

I had this happen to me on my 16v recently. Seems like the 16v owners excersise the hood a lot I used a differnt technique. I got a roughly 3 foot pole from a mop (metal) and jacked the passenger side of the car up. I then put the pole diagonaly up from in front of the radiator and caught the end of the hood latch lever. I then hit the end of the pole with a hammer and that was that. My hood latch was stubborn and the screwdriver method did not work so this is an alternative. Good luck.