Hood Open alert

ANSWER : Hi there:

If the hood was having a problem closing and won’t open now, it’s typically an indicator that the hood latch itself is damaged or simply needs to be lubricated. The best way to have this issue repaired or diagnosed is to contact a professional mechanic and have them complete a door will not open inspection. This will allow them to determine why the front hood on your 96 Ford Explorer is locked and recommend the right repairs.

ANSWER : Hello. There is a spring loaded latch that the cable pulls on so you should grab a flashlight and a screwdriver like the one you saw him use and look for where the spring is. The lever needs to be pushed towards the drivers side of the car. If you play with it a little bit, you’ll get it. Keep in mind it’s spring loaded so it will require a little force. There are multiple videos that show the process if you still cannot get it to release.

ANSWER : Hi there. It is possible that the problem with your doors is electrical, however, there are multiple individual components that make up the electric door locks, ranging from solenoids, to relays, fuses, control module and the door lock itself. Before receiving a price quote on what it would cost to fix it, it would first require an inspection to properly diagnose what is damaged and needs to be fixed. I would recommend having one of our professional mobile mechanics come to your location and complete a door will not open inspection first, so they can pinpoint the source of your issue and recommend the right repairs.

ANSWER : Hey there. You may need to have another person check on the hood latch in the center front when pulling on the release. If it will not work, then the vehicle may need to be on a lift to access under hood to get to latch and release it.

ANSWER : Hello! We will be happy to assist. I sounds like you are having issues with your hood latch sensor. The hood latch sensor is integrated into the alarm system because back when alarms were first being used there were only alarm sensors on the doors. So thieves would force the hood open and disconnect the battery before breaking into a car so the alarm wouldn’t go off. The engineers found a way to stop this from happening by putting an alarm sensor on the hood latch itself.

If the hood alert icon comes on when the hood is closed you have a bad hood sensor. Replacing the sensor will fix all of the issues you have described. A technician will be able to install a new sensor for you. A convenient way of fixing your vehicle issue is through YourMechanic. YourMechanic provides mobile automotive diagnosing and repair. Meaning you wont have to alter your schedule to find time to go to a shop. YourMechanic technicians will diagnose and repair your vehicle right where it may be.

ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle is likely having issues with the door switch which activates/shuts down both circuits. This is going to look like a peg in the door frame next to the hinge. The peg that is designed to make contact with the switch behind it may be at fault, or the switch itself may be faulty. It is best considering the circumstances that you replace the entire unit, as they are typically sold as an assembly. It is a rather straight forward repair if you are looking to do it yourself. Simply remove the old switch and reconnect it to the new one. Make sure to unplug the battery before hand. With that said, you can also contact our service department to schedule an appointment, and we can resolve the issue for you.

ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The charging system needs to be inspected. With the vehicle off, remove the negative battery cable and the the positive in order to remove the battery from the vehicle. From there you can inspect the battery cables, and the battery’s ground connection. Make sure the opposite ends of the battery cables are clean, dry, and tight (the positive will need to be traced to the starter and the fuse box). Clean the battery cables if they appear to be corroded or dirty. Reinstall the battery after making sure it was disconnected for at least 10 minutes, as it should reset the memory. Make sure the battery cables are connected securely. Attempt to start the vehicle and put it into gear. If it does not work, then you will want to try cycling the key, and possibly checking into the alternator and other components in the charging system. The new battery may not be working because the alternator has failed to keep it charged. Only further testing will tell at that point. For more help resolving the issue, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.

ANSWER : Hi Rachel. Thanks for contacting YourMechanic.com about the door problems that your BMW and Volvo are experiencing. Our process for completing repairs is a bit different than most garages, dealerships or repair centers. Since we are mobile, the first thing we suggest is setting up an inspection to determine what exactly is damaged and causing the problem. On most cars, trucks and SUV’s sold today, there are more five individual components and systems that must all work together – just to open a door. Knowing what item is broken and requires replacement is the best way to ensure the repair is done efficiently and you save money. Since there are two different cars, with two different door issues, it would be best for you to set up a door will not open inspection first; which will allow us to diagnose each component failure, secure the right replacement parts and complete the repairs for you at your location.