How to open the hood if the cable is broken

Car owners often face the problem of opening the hood due to a broken cable. This is an important detail that helps to gain access to the "heart" of the car. A broken cable drive causes a lot of trouble for the driver. Breakdowns always happen unexpectedly and at the wrong time.

Imagine a situation when you are hurrying to work on a winter morning, trying to start your car, but nothing happens. Urgently pull the lever that opens the hood to look at the engine. The characteristic sound of a broken cable is heard. And you understand that you have to go to work in a taxi.

Any driver should be able to get out of such situations. This will allow you to do without the services of car services, save money and time. This article will help you learn how to open the hood if the cable breaks. Applying the tips, you will cope with the problem.

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The design of the hood, the lock and the location of the cable drive on cars are different. But the repair sequence remains the same in all cases. Owners of domestic brands were more fortunate, as manufacturers have not made significant changes to the design of manufactured cars for many years. Therefore, opening the hood will always work without problems.

Most often, the cable breaks near the lever, less often under the hood. In the first case, it is easy to deal with a breakdown, and in the second you have to tinker.

When the cable breaks in front of the lever This is the simplest situation. To eliminate the breakdown, inspect the place of fastening of the cable and the hood opening handle in the passenger compartment, the stopper may have flown off the lever - insert it into place and fasten it. If you notice that the cable itself has broken off, then you will need pliers. To open the hood, try to firmly grasp the cable together with the casing and pull it down. It might not work the first time. If a stall occurs, cut the cover and wind the metal cable around the pliers, and then pull with great force - the hood will open.

When the cable broke under the hood If you examined the mount inside the cabin and did not find anything, it means that the cable broke off under the hood next to the lock. This problem is considered the most serious, because you need to somehow gain access to the lock and forcibly click it.

For the rear opening hood, there are two main methods that can be used in domestic and foreign cars.

1. through the radiator grill. On many models, you can get to the lock using a homemade wire or knitting hook. Insert the hook into the slot in the grille. You can also climb through the air intake. Reach for the tab to which the cable is attached and pull on it. Some cars have a solid grille without slots. In this case, it must be removed, but this is not always easy to do. Worst case, you'll have to break it. A new grille is inexpensive.
2. Through the crankcase. This is another way to get to the castle. You will need a viewing hole, but if there is none, you will have to repair it while lying on the ground, jacking up the car. Remove the metal protection of the engine oil pan. Using a long screwdriver, reach the tab to which the cable is attached and push to the left (towards the driver). You may need the help of another person. You pull the cable, and the assistant first presses the hood down, then raises it.

If the hood opens forward, in this case you have to tinker. You will need a homemade hook. You can get to the castle through the hood air intake. Remove it and hook on the cable through the grate. In some cases, you have to cut out one division, as narrow slots interfere with the work.

If it did not work out, then another way will help you. Raise the edge of the hood in the lock area. Pull out the sealing gum - you should get a gap. Then hook the cable with a long screwdriver or hook and the hood will open.

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A common cause of cable breakage is normal wear and tear. Over time, it stretches and frays at the bends. Lack of lubrication also greatly affects its service life.

If the lock and cable have not been treated with oil for a long time, then jamming occurs. The driver has to make a lot of effort to open the hood. As a result, the cable drive does not withstand.

Regularly check the condition of the lock and cable. At low temperatures they freeze. When you feel that the hood is difficult to open, identify the cause and fix the problem without waiting for a breakdown. If the cable still breaks, install a new one. Try to fix it securely without bending it. At the end, treat the lock with grease. After a job well done, you will forget about the problem with a broken cable for a long time.

Car owners know that a breakdown of a particular system can occur at the most inopportune moment. If you urgently need to open the hood, but the cable has broken, you can take a number of actions. This will help you quickly resolve the issue.

Most often, a breakdown in this area of ​​\u200b\u200bmechanics occurs in severe frost. In order not to mess with the car for a long time, every motorist should know how to open the hood and why such a nuisance happened. You can fix it yourself, and quite quickly.

To understand how to open the hood lock, you need to understand the design of this system. For obvious reasons, it is impossible to pick it up from the street. The opening of the lock occurs exclusively from the salon.

Its drive is characterized by a rather simple scheme. It consists of a cable that creates traction. He communicates the lock from the hood with the interior. An electromagnetic mechanism is connected to the cable and drives it. This system has a switch. It is he who drives the electromagnetic mechanism. The circuit, when closed, receives an electromagnetic pulse from the controller.

The coordinated work of the system allows you to open the hood. It works when the car is removed from the alarm. If the cable breaks, the process cannot be carried out. The rope may break at the point of movement of the lever, which is pulled by the driver. But in rare cases, a breakdown can occur under the hood.

When wondering how to open the hood on a VAZ or another car, you must first find out the cause of the problem. Similar problems most often arise in the winter. When cold weather sets in, the grease begins to thicken. The cable simply frays, and it breaks.

Sometimes the cause of a malfunction can be a long service life of the vehicle. Some new machines may also be equipped with rather low-quality components. The cable may break for this reason.

The traction can be a stranded or single-stranded steel wire. It is in a protective shell. There is also a special metal braid on top of it. But even such materials can break under the influence of adverse factors.

In some cases, more serious difficulties may arise in deciding how to open the hood. "Focus", the hood of which opens in a rather original way, may require the intervention of an experienced auto mechanic.

The fact is that for some car models, the operation of the mechanism is carried out in a rather complicated way. The cable is set in motion not by a lever, but by means of a lock, which is located on the radiator grille. Moreover, access to it hides the manufacturer's logo. It must be turned, but very carefully.

The key is inserted into the lock and turned counterclockwise by 90° until it clicks. At this time, the hood is partially released. Further, the movement of the key is performed in the opposite direction. Only then can you lift the hood. This is a complex system, in the event of a breakdown of which the help of a specialist will be required. But everyone can figure out the usual mechanisms with a traction cable.

To understand how to open the hood if the cable breaks, you need to delve into this procedure. The difficulty lies in the fact that it is quite difficult to determine exactly where the gap occurred. It can be in the middle of the cable, as well as near the lock or, conversely, at the start button.

To do all the work quickly and correctly, you need to prepare a set of standard auto mechanic tools. You will also need a long screwdriver. To protect your hands from dirt, you must protect them with cotton gloves.

Next, you need to read the instruction manual for the vehicle. This will help to understand what is the location of the cable and lock in this car model. During operation, the engine must cool to an acceptable temperature.

Considering the technology of how to open the hood of a car, it is necessary to understand where the gap occurred. For this, the lever is carefully inspected. If the cable does not fit it, then the gap occurred in the cabin. It will be a great success if during the inspection it is possible to find the tail of the traction mechanism. Then it can be pulled out.

Pulling on the tip will open the hood. You can fix the damage later. In some vehicles, you will have to completely dismantle the traction mechanism from the passenger compartment. In the opening is the end of the cable. It is pulled out with pliers.

After finding the place of the gap, you will have to replace the harness of the mechanism. In some cases, it will be necessary to install a new lock and other parts of this system.

If a cable break occurs under the hood, the procedure will be somewhat more complicated. To do this, you will need to remove the grille. In this case, it is quite easy to get, for example, an open hood of the VAZ-2109. The radiator grill of old Soviet car models is mounted on plastic latches.

By removing the grill, you can get to the engine compartment, albeit a small part of it. Next, refer to the instruction manual. It describes in detail the layout of the hood lock, as well as its drive.

Next, you need to use a long screwdriver. With its help, you can try to reach the part of the lock to which the cable is attached. This will open the hood. Then the tongue simply moves away and the hood rises. In this case, the cable will have to be changed.

The most difficult way to open the hood of a domestic car or a foreign car is to disassemble the crankcase. If the previous two approaches were not successful, this method will allow the opening of the lock. This is a rather laborious process. It will require a flyover or a viewing hole.

To get to the hood opening lock, it is necessary to remove the protection from the engine crankcase. Most often it is bolted. Unscrew them with tools. Protection is taken out of the grooves. A lot of dirt accumulates on its reverse side. Therefore, when performing this work, it is necessary to protect your eyes.

A flashlight needs to illuminate the open space. Here you can find the lock that opens the hood. If you can reach it, you need to follow the steps described above. This will open the hood and replace the cable.

Having familiarized yourself with the technology of how to open the hood, you can fix this problem yourself. The repair will not take much time and money. But in especially severe cases, it is better to contact the service center.

Quite often, drivers have a question - how to open the hood? Most often, this structural element is jammed due to the fact that the cable breaks. The reason for this is the wear of the cable or the lack of lubricant in the moving mechanism. This seemingly simple detail plays a very important role. It is thanks to the cable that the hood of the car can be opened and closed. Therefore, when it breaks, it brings significant trouble to the driver.

The most unpleasant thing is that the cable breakage mainly occurs exactly when it is urgently necessary to go somewhere. Therefore, any driver should be able to open the hood of the car in the event of a malfunction. There are two ways to do this, which depend on exactly where the cable broke.

Most often, the rope breaks at the point where the driver pulls the lever. Less often, it breaks off under the hood itself. The second case is much more complicated, but we know how to solve such a problem.

First, you must clearly understand where the cable broke. To do this, you need to run your hand around the lever and make sure that the rope does not fit to it. In most cases, the cable is attached to the back of the lever. Carefully examine the area around the handle to clearly understand exactly where the rope broke.

Having determined the place, take the pliers and hook them on the edge of the cable. Then pull it towards you, that is, towards the passenger compartment. We recommend that you make a hook at the end of the rope using the same tool. Then the pliers will not slip off the single-core cable. If you do everything right, the hood will open soon.

As we have already noted, such a breakdown is much more complicated, so you have to tinker with it. If you are not particularly versed in the device of the car, it is better to seek help from specialists. But if you feel the strength to cope with the problem on your own, follow our recommendations.

The hood can be opened forward or backward (in the direction of the car). If it opens forward, you will have to remove the decorative grille from the front of the car in order to be able to crawl to its lock. Inspect the grate and try to understand whether you are able to remove it yourself, or it is better to turn to professionals. Handle this part with care as it is not cheap. If you managed to remove the grille - right behind it you will see the hood lock.

On the video - opening the hood with a broken cable on the Opel Cadet:

This is an even more difficult case. There are two options for solving the problem. The first is to get to the castle through the air intakes in front of the windshield. But it should be noted that not every manufacturer provides access through this window. In this case, it would be more appropriate to use the second method. Unscrew the fasteners themselves - for this you will again need to remove the decorative grille from the front of the car. After opening the hood, it is necessary to change the cable in order to be able to use it again.

On the video - opening the hood with a torn cable on a VAZ:

Many motorists are wondering - how to change the cable? This procedure is not too complicated, but it requires a margin of patience and a sequence of necessary actions. You must do everything very carefully.

It is necessary to start replacing the cable by dismantling it. It is necessary to remove the broken cable from the lever to open the hood. Remove the handle or look under the dashboard. If the rest of the cable is visible, you can squeeze it with pliers and pull it towards you. When the hood opens, you will have access to the cable.

If the cable breaks under the hood itself, you need to drive into the pit and remove the engine protection. Wait until the car engine has cooled down, otherwise you may get burned. Run your hand between the radiator and the engine block. You should feel for the lock spring and pull it back. In most cases, the part can be pressed towards the battery. After completing these steps, close the hood.

Now you need to remove the old cable - pull it out of the special mount in the spring. Usually, it is enough to use a screwdriver or pliers for this. Next, you need to remove the mount near the lever. Perform this action with extreme caution, as access is very difficult. Release fasteners in the body part. Usually they look like ordinary rubber plugs. Now you can safely pull out the cable.

On the video - replacing the hood cable, part 1:

It is necessary to mount a new cable, starting from the engine compartment. Attach it to the spring in the same way as the old one. Insert the rope into the mount and secure using the rubber plug. Before launching it into the salon, put on a special plastic cap. It will act as a limiter.

You need to feed the cable into the cabin through a special hole. It must be fixed on the lever. While tightening the loop on the handle, have someone pull back on the spring along with the cable. Then it will stretch better, that is, it will be better installed. But don't overdo it! A rope that is too tight will break very quickly. Everything is good in moderation.

On the video - replacing the hood cable, part 2:

Finally, we will give you a little advice. In order for the hood cable to serve as long as possible, carefully lubricate its outputs with lithol. When replacing a part, select a stranded cable. It is much stronger than single-core, so it will not break for a long time. In addition, such a product is very flexible, does not stretch and wears out slowly. We also recommend that you treat the handle on the hood with more care. Do not pull it sharply - handle the lever as carefully as possible.

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How to open the hood if the cable breaks or the lock breaks?

Under the hood of the car, the most important components and assemblies are hidden. In this regard, drivers periodically need to open the hood. This can be an oil change, filters, spark plugs, or repair work. But sometimes it happens that after pulling the lever, the hood does not open. This is a frustrating situation, especially if you have to hit the road in a few hours. But there is a way out. How to open the hood if the cable breaks or the lock breaks? Let's take a look at our today's article.

It is very difficult to accurately determine the place where the cable has broken or flown off. Sometimes it can be the castle itself. But we will talk about it at the end of the article. Usually the hood does not open due to the cable that activates the mechanical lock.
The drive breaks off in two places - in the cabin, at the lever, or under the hood. In the middle, it practically does not break off. Depending on the location of the cliff, there are several ways to get out of the situation. We will talk about them below.

What do we need to prepare? Before opening the hood on a VAZ and any other car with a damaged cable, you should use pliers and a long screwdriver.

How to open the hood if the cable broke in the cabin? First you need to get to the location of the lever. If it moves freely and effortlessly, and the cable is not fixed under it, the second part must be sought in the tunnel (drive shell). Usually part of it will peek out. With the help of pliers, carefully grasp its edges and pull the element towards you. The larger the contact area, the easier it is to catch on the cable.

On some foreign cars, a completely removable mechanism is mounted in place of the lever. How to open the hood in this case? You will have to completely remove this mechanism from the front panel and find the end of the cable in the gap formed.

If the element is connected to the lever, but the latter moves freely and effortlessly, it can be assumed that the drive has broken in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe lock. How to open the hood in this case? To do this, you will have to remove the grille. On domestic VAZs, it is mounted on plastic latches. And there are no problems with its dismantling. On foreign cars, the situation is more complicated. In order not to break the grating, here we will have to use a different method. A long flat screwdriver comes to the rescue. With the help of it, you need to feel for the entrance of the cable and pull it with a tool. You can get to this place through the bars. But if the dimensions of its holes are small, you will have to get through the bottom, parallel to the cooling radiator.

This is the most serious case. If the lock is broken, the first two methods are simply powerless. What to do in such a situation? How to open the hood without damaging the car?
In this case, we need a viewing hole or overpass. Additionally, you will have to dismantle the engine crankcase protection. It is bolted (for plastic ones, a key of 8 is usually suitable). We remove the protection from the grooves and carefully inspect the engine compartment with a flashlight. We need to find the inside of the hood latch. How to open it? This can be done with a screwdriver. But it is not always possible to reach the edge of the castle. In this case, it is necessary to install an extension on the screwdriver handle. Having reached the right place, we pull the lock to the side. The hood can be safely opened.

A similar problem often happens with owners of domestic VAZs (including Lada Samara). How to open the hood if the cable has fallen off? You will need two keys for 17. They need to unscrew the bolts from the "crabs". Next, take the key to 8.
Or we unscrew the little engine protection. In total, you need to unscrew five bolts. We move one of them aside. Next, we put our hand between the cooling radiator and the engine. We need to find the lever on the "TV". We move it aside, to the battery. Then you can safely open the hood. If you are going to continue driving, do not forget to reinstall the engine protection. However, to replace a damaged element, you will have to remove it back. Experienced motorists recommend changing the cable on the spot - this will save a lot of time. We will tell you below how to carry out the procedure yourself.

If this element is torn, it urgently needs to be replaced with a new one. First you need to remove the old, damaged element. The cable must be pulled out of a special attachment in the spring. To do this, you need pliers or a screwdriver. Then the mount near the lever is removed. It is very difficult to get to him. For convenience, you can use a mirror. To release the fasteners in the body part, you need to remove the rubber plugs. After that, we take the cable out and install a new one.

How is the installation done? You need to install a new cable starting from the engine compartment. First, it is fixed on a spring. Next, a “rope” is installed in the mount and securely fixed with a rubber plug. Please note: before running the cable into the cabin, put a special plastic cap on it. It will serve as a limiter. We push the cable through the regular hole. We fix the drive on the lever. Next, we need the help of a second person. It will pull the spring along with the cable. At this point, we tighten the loop on the handle. So the cable will be better stretched and will be qualitatively installed. But be careful: a drive that is too tight can quickly burst.

In order not to encounter the problem of a flying or broken cable in the future, lubricate it periodically with lithol or a similar agent.
And when buying a new one, pay attention to stranded models. According to reviews, they are much more reliable than standard ones and are very difficult to break. When opening the hood, do not jerk the handle sharply. In 80 percent of cases, the cable breaks precisely because of this.

Such situations often take motorists by surprise. In order not to waste time (especially if it is winter), you need to know in advance how to open the hood manually. Of course, after such an operation, it is urgent to change the cable drive or the lock itself. Otherwise, all procedures will have to be repeated again.