[japper]

When we pull the hood release lever on my son's 97 taurus, to hood does not pop up and we have to pry it up with a screw driver.

Is there supposed to be some sort of a spring or is there an adjustment that we can make to have this pop up?

 

[machineop]

Hello, I had a 96 taurus with the same problem. When you pulled the hood release you would then need a screwdriver to pry the hood open farther in order to get your hands under there to pull the safety release. Either the hood release has too much slack or a spring is not doing its job. BTW I never bothered to fix mine I just lived with it. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Vashthestanbeto]

The hood struts wear out overtime and becomes weak. just replace them with new units and they will pop up freely again.

 

[japper]

The hood struts ?

I never would have guessed that! They seem to hold the hood up just fine, but they also play a part in the hood popping up too?

 

[sheila]

Nah.

 

[japper]

Nah what?

 

[sheila]

The hood struts are not keeping it from popping up. Check for stretched cable or weak or broken spring.

 

[japper]

Where is the spring located, inside the latch?

 

[shoz123]

Lube up the latch or adjust it down a bit.

 

[sheila]

I would def. try shoz123s sugg. first. Easiest and good preventive maintenance. First, spray latch (top and bottom) with pb blaster or wd40 to clean it up, and secondly, spray it with some white lithium grease for lasting protection. Paul (shoz123) is very knowledgeable and his advice is right on!

 

[Kyle's 03 SES]

Lube up the latch or adjust it down a bit.

+1


i had the similar problem in my 03 when i got it...sprayed it with some pb blaster and it worked like new again

 

[Vashthestanbeto]

I agree that the latch can easily be the problem, I had to lube it too to get it to release properly. However that's not all the solution I needed since the hood struts/lifts are another outstanding problem at least for me, they barely extends on their own and I will have to literally pull the hood open all the way to the top. It then barely hold the hood in the up position and will slam close at the lightest wind blowing against it. I've gotten my head knocked by the hood several times until I replaced them, now they pop up, extend, and stay up correctly that I replaced them. If you don't believe me you can push against your old and new units outside of the car, against the floor. and you will find the old ones much easier to compress like that of a old suspension strut. a new one takes a lot more force to compress.

 

[sheila]

I feel your pain. Ive had to replace several pairs after seeing stars and that bright flash of white light. Also got tired of lugging out the sledge hammer handle to work underhood. Lol!

 

[97redwagon]

Did the hood struts on my 97 wagon and it did the trick. Lube was not as effective.