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HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close

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jettaproblems

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I openned up my hood and now it doesn't close... it seems like the latch isn't locking into place and holding the hood down. Has anyone experienced this type of problem and if so, how did you end up fixing it?
I do a lot of car work myself, but after countless hours of trying to figure out why my latch isn't locking shut, I give up. I am planning to take it to a local dealer after I schedule an appointment, but that means that I can't drive for a few days... maybe weeks if they are booked... I don't want the hood to pop up on the highway or anything...
Any advice will be greatly appreciated~ thanks! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
BTW: if you can help me solve this issue, your help will not go unnoticed... a free Bee-Sting Antenna of your color choice will be sent as a gift. Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (jettaproblems)

well the first and easiest thing to check is the handle inside the car. make sure it has returned to original locatation as if the handle is out even a few mm it will not allow the hood to catch. so make sure the hood release handle inside the car is pushed all the way forward.
 
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Discussion starter · #3 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (Sawdust)

Quote, originally posted by Sawdust »
well the first and easiest thing to check is the handle inside the car. make sure it has returned to original locatation as if the handle is out even a few mm it will not allow the hood to catch. so make sure the hood release handle inside the car is pushed all the way forward.

Hey Sawdust,
Thanks for that advice... I have been checking that out as well... After about an hour of figuring out how the mechanism operates, I thought maybe the interior latch might be stuck and pulled, so I tried pushing that in to the original position as well. I will try again though and if that works, I'll let you know~
Any other things I should be looking for?
It seems like that hood latch doesn't lock up like it's supposed... I am thinking that maybe the entire latch mechanism might have been shifted down or something because even when the hood is pressed all the way down, I don't hear that locking "click" sound... I pressed down my hood very hard to see if it might lock into place~
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Today was a very frustrating day~
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#4 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (jettaproblems)

My hood now requires a good 'slam' for the lock to catch properly. If you don't slam it, it catches on the first notch but won't catch on the second notch (fully closed). No matter how hard I push down on the hood after it catches on the first notch, it won't go down far enough to catch on second notch. I've tried a number of things to fix it, including adjusting the rubber stops and raising the lock mechanism, but none of these have worked.
 
#5 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (VgRt6)

me too....somehow my hood latch mechanism got misaligned and now the hood wont close by pushing down on it. It wont hit the second notch. Now i have to give the hood a good slam to close it. Nothing other than a good slam will close it now. Now, when i look on the hook latch on my hood, its scraped as heck. But nothing I can do about it, for slamming it down is only way it will close. I bet you have the same problem. Give it a good slam to close it. Dont slam it like you're Goldberg, but raise it about a foot above the closed position and throw it down with a little force. It should close every time with this method. If it doesnt, then you need to try again by throwing it a bit harder. Keep trying until you get it, and from now on, you'll know how hard you need to throw it down to close it.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (JettaKnightVR6)

I've actually gotten pretty fed up with the latch and I slammed it pretty damn hard out of frustration and it still didn't close... I might go out and try slamming it REALLY hard and I'll let you know if it latches...
Maybe we can all find a solution to this~ I also tried tightening down the rounded rubber stops to see if that would give the hood a bit more downward moving space... is there anyway to higher the latch?
Thanks~
BTW: If any of the above helps to solve my issue, I will be sure to send you an antenna~
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#7 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (jettaproblems)

If you remove the grille, you can access the screws that hold the lock mechanism to the carrier assembly (Torx 30 I believe, but maybe Torx 25). Loosening these screws will allow you to move the lock mechanism up or down, but only slightly. You can give that a shot, but I don't know if it will solve your problem.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (VgRt6)

Quote, originally posted by VgRt6 »
If you remove the grille, you can access the screws that hold the lock mechanism to the carrier assembly (Torx 30 I believe, but maybe Torx 25). Loosening these screws will allow you to move the lock mechanism up or down, but only slightly. You can give that a shot, but I don't know if it will solve your problem.

Yeah I was thinking about trying that... I believe there are 3 torx screws 2 are T30 and one was T20 or something... I think if I loosen those, maybe I can move the assembly up slightly... I don't understand how that might have went down in the first place~ I'll definately give that a shot tomorrow~ thanks!
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#9 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (jettaproblems)

i've tried moving the latching assembly...no matter what position i put it in, i could never get it fixed....sometimes when moving the assembly around, the problem got worse...to the point where it wouldnt close at all
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (JettaKnightVR6)

Quote, originally posted by JettaKnightVR6 »
i've tried moving the latching assembly...no matter what position i put it in, i could never get it fixed....sometimes when moving the assembly around, the problem got worse...to the point where it wouldnt close at all

Do you remember which positions were worse than others? I was thinking about just moving the assembly straight up... I don't know if it's shifted sideways or vertically, but I guess I need to experiment with the whole thing...
I wonder if the dealerships would just recommend replacing the assembly... hmmm
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#11 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (jettaproblems)

it was so long ago...i cant remember which position was worse than others...all i rememberd was trying every position possible...left, right, up, down....nothing worked and i just gave up....my hood still closes now, but i have to give it a slam to close it....if you ever get this fixed, please post how you did it...i would love to know...thanks and good luck
 
#13 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (JettaKnightVR6)

If I'm bored tomorrow (which I know I will be) I'll try and fix mine again too. I don't think I tried many different assembly positions when I tried to fix mine. Maybe I should move it systematically and note how the hood closing behavior changes. I'll post whatever I find out.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (VgRt6)

Quote, originally posted by VgRt6 »
If I'm bored tomorrow (which I know I will be) I'll try and fix mine again too. I don't think I tried many different assembly positions when I tried to fix mine. Maybe I should move it systematically and note how the hood closing behavior changes. I'll post whatever I find out.

Yeah... I'll do the same and do a quick write up of my progress... Thanks for all the response guys~ http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#16 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (jettaproblems)

Quote, originally posted by jettaproblems »
I opened up my hood and now it doesn't close... it seems like the latch isn't locking into place and holding the hood down.

You had made no modifications to the car? Had the latch been giving problems before?
My 3 year old GTI's hood still latches with the safe-like precision as from day one. Yours must just have something disconnected if there has never been any disassembly or damage to it.
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (melman8r)

Quote, originally posted by melman8r »
Is it fixed?

Nope, not yet... I tried playing around with it a bit and managed to close it after a REALLY hard slam~ It takes a few slams to get it to shut, but at least it closed.
I'm still trying to fiddle around with the position, but there is almost no space for movement... I'm trying to raise it up a bit... I recently changed to a euro bumper bar and the locking mechanism retainer doesn't attach to the new bumper bar and I think that could be the problem. I'm ordering a retainer from europe to see if that would help hold the locking mechanism up. I'll let you guys know if I find a way to fix this problem. I have my last finals coming up, so I haven't had too much time to work on my car.
Thanks!
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#19 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (VgRt6)

Reviving a dead thred cause I've got the problem now! Yesterday I removed and reinstalled my bumper while putting in new wheel shrouds (the old ones were scuffed to hell). The grille got a few good tugs, but there's nothing visibly wrong with the mechanism. Regardless, the hood will now latch, but it won't close all the way and lock. I'll try slamming it to see if that works.
Anybody every figure this out? Gary? Bueller?
 
#20 ·
Re: HELP~ Hood Latch Problem! Hood Doesn't Close (happywaffle)

it sounds like the attachment points on the mechanism have worn past tolerances....this also happens in crappy Porsches...
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I used to replace many under Customer Goodwill at the dealer...they just wear out, and won't latch...only fix is replacement of BOTH the latch and the mechanism
 
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