How do you open the hood on a 1997 Chevrolet Blazer if the hood release cable broke?

Answer 1

Where do you think it broke? Close to the handle, in the middle somewhere, or break loose from the latch? Chances are one end or the other is messed up. Are you sure it's broken? Pull the lever as far as you can without forcing it and have someone try to open the hood while you keep steady moderate pressure on the handle. Sometimes the spring under the hood isn't enough to pop the hood up. Or maybe there is too much upward tension on the hood and it needs to be slightly depressed, so you can pull the lever fully. If the cable came loose from the latch, I think you may be able to work sockets through the grill and completely remove those 2 large bolts that bolt the latch to the support. You may have to flex the grille a bit, and you may need to use a smaller tools with a wobbly extension. Look carefully at these two bolt heads and see if you can get a line on them. Devise a way not to drop these bolts into never-never land. That's the easy part. Once those 2 bolts are out, the hood isn't coming up far, because the cable sheath is attached to the latch that is still latched to the hood. But you should be able to get your hand in behind the latch and push the lever to which the cable is supposed to be attached. Also you or someone else will need to be pulling downward on the latch as this lever is pushed. You will probably need two people. One to hold the hood up, one to work the latch lever with one hand and pulling the latch down with the other. Unless you wedge the hood up with some lumber. If the passenger compartment end is of any use to you, then remove whatever trim panels are necessary to find the end. It should be easy enough to see if the cable is attached to the handle or not. If you feel like midstream access to the cable would be helpful, it lies right on top of that fender panel that is over the left front tire. That panel could be removed and the cable would be right there. However you would have to destroy sheath to get to the cable inside. And if it's not attached to the latch, it would do you no good. Once you get at it. Prevent reclosing by manually closing the latch with your fingers until it clicks, by now you will see how it all works.