Broken hood cable

Well my hood latch busted off and the hood flew up and broke my
windsheild while I was driving and popped the cable that pops the
hood.


How the hell does one go about fixing this!!

 

Oh, I forgot, its a 98 concorde 3.2 LXI

 

There's a secondary catch on the latch. The entire latch must've come
off. How'd that happen.

Reminds me of Mel Tillis in the movie "Canonball Run" - he was racing
down a culdesac and hit the curb square on at speed, the car goes
airborne and is heading for a swimming pool. You hear Mel Tillis *sing*
- not say - "I can't see sh** can you!!??" (hint - Mel Tillis stutters
when he talks but doesn't stutter when he sings - that's what made it
funny).

 

The ENTIRE latch came off then I ran over it

And who hasnt seen cannonball run lol.

But I ordered a new latch, I just dont know how to fix the cable, I
got a whole assembly that bolts over the radiator at a junk yard.

 

Well my hood latch busted off and the hood flew up and broke my

I'm having a hard time believing this really happened.

And that after all this you're still alive, and that the car wasn't
totalled because of the ensuing loss of control and crash.

You'd have to be going extremely fast for the secondary latch to fail
due to forward air pressure forcing the hood up.

 

This reminds me of when this happened with my Dad's 1963 Valiant. It
was only a *single stage* latch.

The hood went back flat against the windshield. The corners of the
hood poked huge holes in the cowl. Luckily, he was able to get off the
freeway okay.

Just a few days before, a repair shop had warned him about replacing
the latch. That afternoon, my brother and I had been to several
salvage yards, trying to find one. No one had one for that model.

-KM

 

Im no mechanic but I think its obvious when a fucking hood slams into
your windshield that it was some sort of latch failure.


Unless god was just fucking with me that day.

 

Well my hood latch busted off and the hood flew up and broke my

Now that seems strange, that the latch would completely fall off, and
not bounce around in front/rear of the radiator, but bounce over and
fall sideways onto the wheel track to get run over, while traveling
fast enough to let the hood pop back and hit the windshield.
Perhaps we are not getting the enitre story here.....

 

Why wouldn't it just bobble around is probably because it was still
attached to the hood till it hit the glass then popped off because the
cable pulled it before it snapped.


Any other questions or should I submit pictures and a reenactment of
what happened with expert testimony?


All Im asking is how do I replace the hood cable, does it go into the
firewall? Does the cable attach to a midpoint harness that I can just
replace the engine compartment side of the cable or does the whole
entire thing need to be replaced?

 

Why wouldn't it just bobble around is probably because it was still
attached to the hood till it hit the glass then popped off because the
cable pulled it before it snapped.


Any other questions or should I submit pictures and a reenactment of
what happened with expert testimony?


All Im asking is how do I replace the hood cable, does it go into the
firewall? Does the cable attach to a midpoint harness that I can just
replace the engine compartment side of the cable or does the whole
entire thing need to be replaced?


Yes, the cable goes through the firewall. Easiest way to replace it is to
tie the new cable to the old cable. Then pull the old cable out and it will
pull the new cable into place. Sometimes the new cable will snag on something
and you will have to move it by hand so it clears so don't pull too hard.

 

From the FSM (it sounds like you'll have no problem with step (1))

REMOVAL
(1) Release hood latch by using the inside release, if
still functioning. If not reach up through the bottom of
the fascia opening and release the latch pawl lever.
(2) Disconnect hood release cable ferrule and cable
end from hood latch assembly (Fig. 5) or (Fig. 6).
(3) Remove left cowl side trim panel.
(4) Remove screws attaching hood latch release
cable handle to the cowl side.
(5) Remove left wheel splash shield.
(6) Disengage release cable from routing clips.
(7) Roll carpet back to expose cable.
(8) Release taped on cable clip from dash liner
(Fig. 7).
(9) Release the rubber grommet from the dash
panel. Pull cable through the dash panel access hole.
(10) Remove cable from vehicle.

INSTALLATION
(1) Place cable in position on vehicle.
(2) Push cable through access hole in dash panel.
(3) Install release cable rubber grommet into
access hole in dash panel.
(4) Install screws attaching hood latch release
cable handle to the cowl side. Tighten screws to 2.3
to 3.4 N·m (20 to 30 in. lbs.) torque.
(5) Install cable clips.
(6) Place carpet into position.
(7) Install left wheel splash shield.
(8) Install left cowl side trim panel.
(9) Connect hood release cable ferrule and cable
end to hood latch.
(10) Verify hood latch operation before closing
hood.

 

Thanks for the reply guys! im going to get a new cable on Monday when
I get some time and the new windshield installed.