The hood release cable broke on my 2000 Mountaineer. I have read that there is another way to open the hood but don't know how to do it. I can replace the cable myself but need to know how to get the hood open first. Any help would be great.

Thanks!

 

Which side of the firewall did it break?

Steve

 

The broken side is in the inside of the SUV. I can still see and get to part of the cable but can't get a good enough grip with a needle nose pliers to pull the cable hard enough to open the hood.

 

When I broke it on my last car I was in a similar position and lucky that the cable was on the inside of the car still. I found that a pair of vice grips helped a lot in pulling on the cable. I clamped the vice-grips sieways on there and then sort of wrapped it around 180 degrees and then was able to use the pliers as a make shift handle.

You might be able to do the same with a pair of needle nose. Get the cable to wrap around the closed jaws and then pull on them like a handle.

 

Can you cut some of the cable sleeve away to get a better grip?

Steve

 

As a guy I used to work with said:

"Can't make it no worse, it was broke when I got here."

(he was a very large handed (and large period) gentleman who used to fix typewriters.)

Any way, cut the sleeve, (just make sure you don't cut through the cable)and use a set of vice grips. to pull the cable.

It's already broke, you're going to replace it anyway I assume, so go for it!