The hood prop rod
The top of your head does usually.
On the driver's side of the car, there will be a handle with a small picture of the car. The picture has the car and the hood is open. You pull that handle. You will see that the hood of the car pops up. Next, you search for a "latch" around the middle of the hood. You press up on that handle and hold it there while lifting the hood. The hood will go right up and there is your engine compartment!
No, the hood is ON the car, not in it.
To "pop the hood" first pull the hood release inside the car. It is on the drivers side next to the door and below the dash. Then outside the car release the hood safely latch, and raise the hood. Then put the hood prop up.
When you open the Drivers side door, look down and you will see a lever with the picture of a car with its hood up. Once you pull the lever the hood will slightly pop up, after that go to the front of the car and between the hood and the grille there will be a lever. Pull that lever and pull the hood up once the lever is as high as it can go. Now that your hood is open, put the hood support rod into its hole. Now you have an open hood.
This is what I have had to do for my 94 cutlass supreme. Hold the hood release wire lever open from inside the car with a something - a screwdriver or some such thing. Then just pull up on the hood and voila, it releases the latch.
The hood latch
you have to pull hood release then get out of car and pull up on the hood like you were to open it. then get back in car and pull hood release again. then get back out of car and open hood that should work. i have a 1999 Volvo v70 xc awd cross country and that's what i do for mine. ;)
maintenance required
A hood latch is the mechanism that holds your vehicles hood in the closed position while in operation.
Hood prop rod