Help! Hood Release doesn't work
 

NOT a good day. My hood release cable came loose or broke. The release has no tension to it.

My search has turned up two methods to get to the release.

1: reach up through intake opening and push release lever with screwdriver

This won't work for me as I still have stock intake and IC.

2: jam rubber pads between hood and bumper til the hood is pryed up enough to slip something through the opening.

I am reluctant to try this method.

Does anybody know of another way to get in there? How much can you loosen up the front bumper with the hood closed?

Thanks.

#2 was explained in detail in another thread. You'll need a flashlight and a coat hangar.

I know, I was trying to found out if there is another way. My hood fits pretty tight up against the front clip.

There are a few threads on here about this and several ways that people have succeded. Do a sear for stuck hood. There is also a write up on this on Steve Cirians website. My friend had this happen to him. He was able to get it open by pressing down on the hood and messing with the handle inside the car. He was really desperate because he had just drained his coolant!! Moral to that story...

Pop the hood before draining any fluids.

is your hood just stuck?....or when u put the release lever does it feel like theres no tension on it?

No, there is no tension in the release lever. I take it the cable has come loose or it broke somehow.

I DID search and I only found the above two methods. I will check out the remedy at Steve's site.

Thanks for the responses everybody.

This means your hood cable is broken.

I posted a detailed write up on the big list. Go to yahoo and check for rx7@world.std.com.

Short explanation:

pry up the hood slightly with a screwdriver, get a strong rod, like a welding rod instead of a coat hanger. There is a hole in the driver side of the hood retention mechanism. The hole is pretty low in the mechanism so you'll need a flash light. Insert the rod into this and jiggle. The mechanism will pop.

I remember doing this the first week I had my FD. I reached up in there and pushed the lever to the left(or was it the right) with a screwdriver and the hood popped open. I can't do it now since I have a FMIC.

The green tab on the hood release is made of plastic and tend to crack/break over time. I've seen it break on 3 different FD's here.:mad:

Yeah, I found your method during my search and tried it. Unfortunately, I have stock intake and IC, including the crossover duct. There ain't nothing but plastic and radiator up there! I'm going to try the second technique of trying to pry the hood up far enough to slip the release with a coat hanger/thick wire. Tomorrow morning, I'll find out if it works or not.

Once again, thanks everybody.

that blows good luck man

We love our car for being so light, but all these plastic pieces break...

Plastic clips on the headlight covers
plastic nipple on the AST
plastic clip on the inside door handle
plastic hinge on the gast tank
plastic tabs on the intake
etc, etc....

Tyler...

If you need some help call me I live just around the corner. I'll take a look at my car in a few minutes and see if there is anything I can figure out.

David

Have you opened your hood yet?

Victory! I got the hood open tonight. I used DamonB's method. Once I actually got a coat hanger bent correctly (about 1/2" of hook) and got everything set, it only took me 5 minutes of playing around to release the latch. At which point, the alarm started going off, which was a little startling. :)

It actually took a lot longer to get a wire wrapped around the release hook and run it out of the hood. It looks pretty ghetto with a piece of wire masking taped to the front bumper, but it will work until I get a new cable.

Thanks DamonB for your great write-up and thanks to everyone who tried to help.

I bet you are relieved now! So what wa broken?

Very!

The little cheap-ass piece of green plastic on the cable that holds it in place in the latch. It was broke completely in two. It is also made from some very cheap quality plastic. I know weight was a top priority, but damn Mazda, use a little common sense....

Tyler,

Call mazda recycling.

www.mazdarecycling.com

you can likely get a used one fairly cheap.

David

Damn your name is Tyler also? There used to not be many people named that. Now there are little Tyler's runnning around everywhere.

Sshhhh....Don't tell my wife that!

That's what broke on mine at the time too. The hood cable is cheap; seems it only cost me $25-30. Here's my old thread about the broken hood release cable here

I actually got to do this same procedure again once when I somehow locked my keys in the car with it running in the driveway. I had the tire trailer hitched and everything getting ready to go racing early on a Sunday morning. I was also locked out of the house since my keys were inside the car. :dunce: I was not happy about it :D

My thoughts were that the only way it could get worse was the water pump belt would break or something and the car would sit there and overheat while I watched it! So I tore a piece of wire out of my umbrella, fished the hood open and pulled the EGI relay to shut the engine down. Once the lock smith got there I told him he could either open my front door so I could get my extra keys, or he could open the car. Either way I couldn't pay him until one was open because my wallet was inside the car too :p: Barely made it to the track on time that morning but it's been long enough now that I think it's funny :D