Hood Latch Release Cable Broken - How to open hood?

[Raacerx]

So ive been reading people's threads via the search and google, but I am wondering if anyone can give me a definite answer...

Hood Latch cable on my B5 S4 broke, and I need to open my hood to add some oil and coolant. I have tried going from underneath with a long extension and flashlight, but the latch is not budging and I cant get enough leverage. Some threads say you can pop of the grill and do it that way.

Is this true? I just bought my OEM RS4 grill and don't particularly want to bust the tabs on it just to find out it didn't help.

Thanks.

EDIT: Read below for solution, best way is to go at the latch from underneath with a 2 foot long socket extension or something along those lines. Move it from passenger side to driverside.

[NYEuroTuner]

I guess you can do it that way, but if you want to be safe, you can remove the front bumper, then loosen the radiator and see if you can manipulate the hood latch release then, its a PITA, but its safer than popping off the grill and sticking a screw driver in to try and unlock the release..


Only safe course of action I can think of at the moment.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[Raacerx]

I guess you can do it that way, but if you want to be safe, you can remove the front bumper, then loosen the radiator and see if you can manipulate the hood latch release then, its a PITA, but its safer than popping off the grill and sticking a screw driver in to try and unlock the release..


Only safe course of action I can think of at the moment.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

I read of someone removing the front bumper, but then another person said that didn't really help in the end. Sounds like its worth a try. Hopefully I can fashion a new cable too... as I imagine the dealership wants some ridiculous price for it.

[NYEuroTuner]

I read of someone removing the front bumper, but then another person said that didn't really help in the end. Sounds like its worth a try. Hopefully I can fashion a new cable too... as I imagine the dealership wants some ridiculous price for it.

Well check your local junkyard, you never know what you may find. I would assume a hood cable from an B5 A4 would also work. Check n see if you can find either an s4 or a4 in the junk yard..



But as far as getting your hood open, removing the front bumper & loosening your radiator is the only option I can think of that would work.

Also, check the CA regional section here on audizine and see if any s4 owners have any spare parts they could sell you...

[Raacerx]

PHEW!!! After 3 hours, I finally got it. I was able to safely remove my RS4 grill, and got 2 of the 3 10mm bolts that hold the last to the hood... however the 3rd was absolutely impossible. I then borrowed a jack (dont have mine) and was able ot get underneath and after another hour, I was finally able to pop the hood release from below.

FROM BELOW IS THE WAY TO DO IT. I could have probably done it in about 5-10 minutes if I had the right setup and an understanding of the situation. The latch mechanism has to move from passenger to driverside, doesnt take much force.

Cable is in tact... it had fallen off the latch.

[Mooseimage]

Good to hear. I was in a similar predicament as you last weekend. Luckily, my headlight was out, so I just pushed it through there, real quick.


But the sad part, It took me most the day to realize it. Sad.

[NYEuroTuner]

Nice!!!!!


Glad to hear it all worked out.!

[kingofqueenz788]

this happened to me the other week i unbolted the bumper and loostened the t45s all 4
then i pushed the rad foward n held it so i had enough room to get my hand up in their after cursing and cutting my arm i positioned the cable back in place and pulled the latch!

[S4 in_lowplaces]

wish i would have seen this earlier, This happened to me bout a month ago, took me about 15 minutes to get it, stuck a wire hanger up there with a loop at the end (wrapped around the wire so it woudlnt pull loose) Found the hinge, placed it on there, pulled the wire towards the driver side and i was good to go.

[Raacerx]

yeah, I really wish I would have just tried to move the latch from beneath in the first place, but I only had my emergency jack. Its a very small space to work with, but I could have saved a lot of frustration. Plus I bent my hood a little getting angry, LOL!

I am going to snap a picture if I can of the latch from under the car, for future peoples problems, cause I couldn't find a diagram online and most threads I saw just suggested I remove the bumper or pull a headlight out. I didn't want to remove my bumper cause its partially ziptied and my headlamps are completely ziptied in since all tabs are broken.

[2kblacks4]

I am working on mine now where do i press? here is a pic of what i am looking at.

[2kblacks4]

I know your spouse to come in from the passenger side and push on something but dont know what.

[Raacerx]

I know your spouse to come in from the passenger side and push on something but dont know what.

go from underneath with the 2+ foot socket extension with a socket on the end for a sharp edge. I went from the passengerside of the snub mount, up between the radiator and fan, and then that silver piece in your picture will move to the driverside. I had to wedge a flashlight in there and use both hands. if you imagine that the cable has to pull on something, you are just going to push sideways on that thing.

[2kblacks4]

Are you referring to this tab? it looks like the wire has popped out of the hold. Yes i am trying to come from the other side of the snub mount as well i am using a 2ft re-bar poll. Will i have to push the thing with the ball back in?

[Raacerx]

its hard ot tell from your picture, but essentially, that plastic piece attaches to a piece of metal that does not move, then the ball with the cable pulls a seperate lever. You need to push the lever where the ball would go. You should be able to see it with a flashlight; it is a thin piece of metal with a slot cut out of it for the cable to slide up through. It should be easily without much effort.

[2kblacks4]

Sweet just got it. Thanks for the help.

Might try to make a write up for people in the future.

[resiew]

Very usefull thread. I was able to do it but had to check on another car first.

[Raacerx]

I ended up having to do that procedure like 6 times before I ziptied the cable so it wouldn't pop off...

Glad my frustration is still helping folks, lol.

[TweetsS4Estate]

PHEW!!! After 3 hours, I finally got it. I was able to safely remove my RS4 grill, and got 2 of the 3 10mm bolts that hold the last to the hood... however the 3rd was absolutely impossible. I then borrowed a jack (dont have mine) and was able ot get underneath and after another hour, I was finally able to pop the hood release from below.

FROM BELOW IS THE WAY TO DO IT. I could have probably done it in about 5-10 minutes if I had the right setup and an understanding of the situation. The latch mechanism has to move from passenger to driverside, doesnt take much force.

Cable is in tact... it had fallen off the latch.

I got my last bolt with a small wrench lol it is difficult for sure!

[B Dot]

I just broke my hood release hatch (I suspect it needed to be lubed and I used too much force to attempt to open it) and need to get under my hood to change my hid bulbs... Does anyone have the pics of this thread by a chance? I have a lift at my disposal and would like to fix this handle issue this weekend. I still have the broken handle and was wondering if I need to source another one? Or would a properly lubed latch still pop with a glued handle.. Thanks in advance!

[tosh2.7]

you can simple get it from underneath. Remove the belly shield and look up you'll see the latch hinge.

[RicoS4]

Guess now its my turn... my boss had to be the nice guy and closed my hood

[tekkie]

I screwed around with mine tonight and had no luck doing this :(

Does anyone have pics of this ? I can see the cable but i cant see anything to pull on

[01audia4]

I replied in your other thread.

Its easiest on a lift, but I'm sure it can be done on jackstands.

Slide under the car, look up, you'll see the hood latch. Get a big screw driver or crowbar, find the tab on your hood latch and push to the left(left if you under the car right if your looking at it)

Hood will pop.

EDIT: Just re read this thread, there are better descriptions on how to get it. If you still can't I suggest selling your S4. 5 minutes top.

[gear_head81]

I got an extra cable and latch assembly if you brake your.


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[RussellR32/S4]

Had this happen. Had a buddy do timing belt for me and when I went to pick the car up he was all proud to show me.... Then we tried to open the hood. The cable wasn't broken but had slipped out of its housing. We then spent the next 2 hours fighting it (and waiting for the engine to cool down, he had just taken it on a decent sized test drive)

[01audia4]

2 hours? How were you trying to go at it. I threw it up on a lift and pushed over the lever with a giant crowbar in 5 minutes. First 3 minutes were how I was going to attack it.

Tekkie-It really is simple, just look up until you see the latch(flash light is a nice feature here) Once you see it just play around up there with a crowbar pushing from passenger to driver side. It should pop fairly easy.

[zillarob]

If you are in a hurry...

[ZimbutheMonkey]

Necro bump on this thread. However there is an easy way to do it. The Grille is only held on by clips. Gently pry it loose and you'll have access to the two torx bolts that hold the striker assembly on. Get them out and the hood opens. This is on a B6 S4 (or A4).

I had to do it tonight after I had put the car into service position and the cable fell out of the latch assembly.

[m_haiser]

Necro bump on this thread. However there is an easy way to do it. The Grille is only held on by clips. Gently pry it loose and you'll have access to the two torx bolts that hold the striker assembly on. Get them out and the hood opens. This is on a B6 S4 (or A4).

I had to do it tonight after I had put the car into service position and the cable fell out of the latch assembly.

doesn't at all count. the B5 s4 grill is held in but V shaped tabs all around the grill that will break if you just pull it out

[CELison]

Dude bumped a 6 yr old thread to give info about a b6. Shame!

[neilpaku]

A6 C4 (1995) - same latch arrangement as the B5 - drove it up on ramps so 12" higher, removed belly pan, slid my arm up between the front crank pulley and the A/C hose, grabbed hold of the cable ( two tabs holding the cable back against the lock broke) and pulled one way for one latch, and then the other way for the other latch. Total - about two minutes. I closed the hood on a bottle cap and pulling the hood release was too much for the 26 year old plastic tabs.... will replace with some stainless tabs