Bought a B6...but the hood latch is stuck!

[codyS4]

2003 A4 1.8T Quattro, 5MT, silver, 82k miles, new engine + clutch 40k miles ago for $7.5k. Runs great.

But the hood latch won't open. The inside hood latch pulls the cable and the outside latch will move up and down. I've tried yanking on the cable with a pair of pliers and still no go. The solutions so far are to either remove the grill (probably breaking it in the process) and unbolt the latch, or remove the splash guard and push the latch towards the passenger side with a long screwdriver. Are there any other ways to fix this?

[Sales@RAI]

removing the grill will work, you could use a better one anyway! haha. you can get to the 3 bolts that hold the latch to the hood from there, or go in from underneath with a long bar

[codyS4]

Do you know where I could find a picture of how the grill hooks to the front? Is it tabs or bolts?

[itsmatt33]

http://www.a4mods.com/index.php?page...tml&category=3


that might help

[DUDEFROMRI]

I disconnected my cable once and shut the hood without attaching the cable. If you jack the front of the car up and look at the latch from underneath you can easily see how the latch works and pop it open with a long rod (Prybar, long screwdriver etc.)

[codyS4]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll give it a try tomorrow.

[pOrKcHoP07]

This happened to me too..IIRC you can stick a long screwdriver through the grille and apply enough force to manually open the latch.

[Audi Skate Snow]

removing the grill will work, you could use a better one anyway! haha. you can get to the 3 bolts that hold the latch to the hood from there, or go in from underneath with a long bar

yep i found this is the easiest way to do it.... I have done it with out ruining the grille.... i have had to do it like 5 times.... they are 10mm bolts (3 of them) if you get in there with an open end wrench you can get them off.

[jaustin]

is this a common issue with the cable not always wanting open the hood?

[A4.1.8turboo]

is this a common issue with the cable not always wanting open the hood?

never ever ever never ever happen to me.

[preluding]

Happened to me when my cable broke.

I was able to take the three bolts off holding the bumper skin on the right side along with the 2 bolts holding bumper on the bumper then rotates out of the way enough to get the hood grille off without damaging it. Once that is off, you can access the three bolts holding the latch in place with an open ended 10mm wrench.
Be patient...its a lot of microturns and tuning the wrench around.

[Maniorta]

same thing happen to me the best way that it work for me was removing grill and take off the 3bolts is a pain in the ass but it will get the job done.

[DJayG3]

This happened to me once on a B6 S4. What a friggin nightmare! The reason it was such a problem, at the time, is the car had died after I had been installing a marathon remote starter. turned a 5 hour job into a 12 hour job.

I didnt have the space in the engine bay with the 4.2 in there. I was wishing it was a 1.8 while that was happening....

The screwdriver trick will work no problem.

[CyberPMG]

Without destroying the grill, get a long bar and jack up the front of the car (or put it on a lift). Take the belly pan off. With the long bar, you should be able to go up behind the radiator to the release switch and move it to one side to open the hood.

[A4SoftWalker]

Couple of ways to mitigate the B6 hood latch issues:

1) When the lever in the cabin is getting tough to operate - get some wd40, or royal purple, or other spray lubricant and spray the latching mechanism itself under the hood.
Notice how easy it is to open the hood now?

2) When u place the front carrier in service position - be careful to route the hood latch cable properly so that it does not jump out of its track when pulled.
This is less likely to happen if the latch itself is properly oiled/lubed as there is MUCH LESS force placed on the cable to open the hood.

Often folks talk of how hard it was to open the hood and then finally 1 of 3 things happens: Latch lever in cabin breaks, Cable jumps out of track, Cable itself snaps in two.
Prevention is the cure for this issue.

[Ace]

Mine was almost stuck also some time ago.
Had to pull pretty damn hard to get it open.
Some grease fixed the problem for me, before it got completely stuck.

[lyleswk]

I need any other hints anyone has. I can't figure out how the clips on the grille work and I can figure out what part of the mechanism to push on from underneath.

[Ace]

I need any other hints anyone has. I can't figure out how the clips on the grille work and I can figure out what part of the mechanism to push on from underneath.

I can make a picture from the grill if you think that will be of any help.

[lyleswk]

I looked at the a4 mods link and know where the clips are, just can budge anything; not sure where the grille ends and the hoods begins...or vice versa. Maybe a picture of the hood without the grille will help if you have that?.?.

[old guy]

Clicky click Easier than removing the grille.

[Ace]

Don't have a pic of the grill removed.
The times I had to remove it I just pushed it out.
Had the hood open though.

The link OldGuy posted should a simple solution though.
Did not think I of that, probably because I never paid attention to that part when under the car.

[lyleswk]

Okay, way counterintuitive becuase when you pull the lever in the cabin, it pulls the other way. Now I need to find some way of lighting the latch and pulling at the same time. I haven't found a way to do both yet.

[old guy]

The lever that you are looking at is not where the cable attaches. The cable pulls on the other end of the lever. The fulcrum point is between the two. Once you get the hood open it will be obvious. Just push in the direction of the arrow and it will open.

[melo217s]

So it happened: number 1 of 3 scenarios.
The 'mechanics' broke my latch lever in the cabin.
They all said it was stuck and I didn't know anymore who broke the thing.

Now I need your help where I could find a replacement part.
Is it better buying it new or used?
Thanks. I really appreciate it.

Couple of ways to mitigate the B6 hood latch issues:

1) When the lever in the cabin is getting tough to operate - get some wd40, or royal purple, or other spray lubricant and spray the latching mechanism itself under the hood.
Notice how easy it is to open the hood now?

2) When u place the front carrier in service position - be careful to route the hood latch cable properly so that it does not jump out of its track when pulled.
This is less likely to happen if the latch itself is properly oiled/lubed as there is MUCH LESS force placed on the cable to open the hood.

Often folks talk of how hard it was to open the hood and then finally 1 of 3 things happens: Latch lever in cabin breaks, Cable jumps out of track, Cable itself snaps in two.
Prevention is the cure for this issue.

[Blue2004S4]

I know this is an old thread but your help would be appreciated. I have a 2004 B6 S4 and have tried numerous time to get to the latch from underneath. As you all know there is next to zero room and I am not sure I am even really seeing the release latch. I have watched a youtube video on what needs to be done, but of course the radiator is out and 1 gazillion times easier to get it into the latch to open it. Anyone with pics from either the bottom or the grill method would be really appreciated right about now.

Thank you.

[lyleswk]

Click the link that OG has in post #20 and go to the very bottom for a picture. You'll need something about 2 feet long; I use a concrete drill I bought a couple years ago. And push toward the passenger side!

[Rocs]

I am currently doing this right now haha

I decided to just pry the top grill out and then remove the three accord nuts that hold the latch to the hood. I have gotten 2 accords out and now I am working the the furthest accord nut.

Yeah this sucks..