# Hood latch broken (cant open hood)



## RobertH (Aug 27, 2006)

98 Beetle and the hood latch is broken. The release works and pops the hood to the partial open position but the plastic (oh I am pissed that is plastic) pull lever is broken it looks as if it is separated from a pivot so that it has no leverage to pull the latch.
Does anyone know how to release the hood in this situation? Also does anyone have a good pic of the latch assy? The one at DIYalldata is garbage and I can’t really make out the components well enough to see a work around…


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## vested74 (Aug 16, 2003)

*Re: Hood latch broken (RobertH)*

I had this happen about 6 years ago. If I remeber correctly, with the hood unlatched I snaked a wire or corded string around the lever in the mechanism (fingertips and patience) and then pulled toward front of car while lifting hood to release. I have no drawing to post.
Good luck.


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## the_journalist (Jul 21, 2004)

*Re: Hood latch broken (vested74)*

Needle nose pliers should do the trick. Look at the bright side, at least it wasn't the main release cable.


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## RobertH (Aug 27, 2006)

thanks to you both. I will try again when my daughter get home (her car) tonight.


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## Scoobiez_Wrx (Apr 12, 2006)

*Re: (RobertH)*

This happend to my girlfriends car but i think she broke something or something is realy f'd up. Does anyone have a pic of what to pull or push/yank/poke Etc...?


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## RobertH (Aug 27, 2006)

*Re: (Scoobiez_Wrx)*

Well, I resolved it but as I’m coming to expect on modern VW products, this latch is way over-engineered and constructed with inferior material (plastic and thin metal). Here is what I did,: with the hood popped you can look, at the latch, up through the gap between the hood and the body, about 1 inch. Be sure to look at it from the sides of the car by the headlights as well as right in front, the side perspectives really helped me.
Using a long piece of strong wire (stripped back, 12 GA, household wire is what I had on hand) Make a loop in the end that is about one inch long. Shape the loop so that is is an oval anout ¼ inch wide. The latch hook engages the catch from the drivers side. From the front, reach up and snake the look over the hook (wire coming from the drivers side. Once the loop is over the hook pull the hook with the wire toward the driver side headlamp. While holding the wire, lift the hood. I had to fool around with this several times to get it right…
Once I got the hood open I could see that the plastic pull tab, pulls on a pivot or bell crank. It was this pivot mechanism that is broke. However, I have removed the pull tab part from the assembly I can reach in (hood popped) and get a finger around part of the pivot and pulling it releases the hood and I can lift it. 
I can o0nly imagine how much the parts to repair this will cost, so for now I am satisfied with the workaround 


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## RobertH (Aug 27, 2006)

*Re: (RobertH)*

Also, you may be able to pull the lever with your finger without having the plastic piece removed. I just didn't see how the mechanism worked untill I had that out of the way. I have a pic that I will post as soon as I figure out how to do that.
Good Luck


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