DupermanDave

I'm screwed. I went to pop the hood today to check my coolant level, and it didn't pop. I pulled the lever again and still no go. Under the dash it is still attached to the release lever, but I'm guessing it broke at the end under the hood.

So now I have multiple questions:

What's the part name or number for the hood release cable?

Is there a secondary release mechanism for the hood? How do I open it now to replace the cable?

toyota4x4907

I bet its not broken, but just came off the metal piece behind the release lever in the cab. the rubber (plastic?) casing should be behind the metal piece...This has happened to me manyyy times and it annoys the crap out of me......

DupermanDave

I looked under the dash at the release lever, and it's still attached to it. But I followed the cable back to the firewall and it seems to be okay. The only thing i notice is when tugging on the cable and plastic shield, it looks like it came loose at the firewall.

What casing are you talking about that came loose?

just a 22re

well try to pull just the wire with a set of niddle nose vise grips if it just pulls out and keeps going then it broke if not you just streched it no biggie but if you reach under the truck at the front and go between the rad and the front grill and reach up there you should be able to stick your finger in there and pop the hood like that just by looking and seeing the hood release wire and what not

toyota4x4907

the casing around the cable. Ill go snap a few pics

Scooby098

say screw it and put in some hood pins what I did when mine broke and keep messing up.

DupermanDave

That would help. thanks.

The cable is frayed a bit at the handle, but i don't think that's the cause of it since it's been that way since I've had the truck.

I really hate cabled. I've had so much bad luck with cables. Went through 4 clutch cables in 6 months on my last truck, had the parking brake cable break on this truck,and now this. I'm getting paranoid.

bikerbob

I had this problem when I got my truck. For about a month I had to stick my knife blade into the grill to pull the cable down far enough to pop the hood. My cable had broken the cable stop on the hood side and popped out of the bracket.

toyota4x4907

I couldnt get any good pics..but just a sec..


sorry about the crappy pics...it was too dark to not use flash, and it was close so the flash blurred everything.

91Toyota

Hood pins FTW!!!

just a 22re

like i said in my post!!!!!! then take the whole latch out and use hood pins like the rest of us!

toyota4x4907

sorry...what is a hood pin?....

91Toyota

Its a pin that goes through your hood and then a clip goes through a hole in the pin. Its very convenient. Drilling is necessary. lol

just a 22re

google pictures "hood pin"

DupermanDave

id consider hood pins. Ill look for instructions for that later. For now im still trying to pop the hood. Went under the dash and tried pliers to pull the cable. Aall that did was pull more slack. I tried prying the switch with a screwdriver and couldnt get it. is the switch i need to get to under the hood the same one you lift after you pop the hood? or do i need to force another latch open elsewhere?

DupermanDave

I was able to get the hood open. I removed the 2 screws holding the release handle and pulled the handle out of the dash. I pulled it out a good 5 inches (5 inches worth of slack) and was able to pop the hood. So now it looks like the cable is still attached at both ends.

Now all I need to do is remove all the slack in the line. Could the cold temperatures have cause the metal to shrink and bind up? It's about -10 degrees outside now, but in the parking garage it's more like 0 degrees. What should I do about the cable? I feel that even if I remove all the slack, it's just going to bind up again and the slack will need removed again (which entails me removing the handle every time)

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

If you had to pull it that far, just replace the cable. Get a new one from toyota. Given that its -10`, i would pin that as the culprit, coupled with the age of the cable. Get a new cable, and lube it up good before installing. That will help lengthen the life of the new cable.

And hood pins.....yikes. Rice FTW!

a4runnerfreak

You mean you don't have hood pins, 'Coug? All the cool trendy kids like Norbert have them on their rigs....!

Though, I think Norberts are those cheap hood pin fakes, held on the hood by double back'd tape....

DupermanDave

I'm going to leave the handle unhooked and buy a new cable. Now I'm just wondering how much the dealership is going to charge for a $2 cable I can make from parts at home depot.

Custom made my own throttle cable for $3, dealership wanted $75

Jay351

Mine was frayed at the inside latch part. So it was moving the cable cover instead of the cable itself. Then it somehow managed to keep my hood from closing all the way... I got it closed, need to pick up a new one tomorrow!

As for hood pins.... I don't like any yahoo having the ability to pop my hood and dick around under it....