2018 Hood release broken

[jonticchi]

I am unable to open hood of 2018 Ram!! I looked for a solution on YouTube but cannot find for my year. Inside does not release , so cable must be broken. I looked through the grill but there is no access. same as underneath since there is a spoiler it’s hard to see. There must be a way to open the hood!!!! Is there something I am missing????

 

[crash68]

all the '13-'18 & Classics trucks will have the same hood latch/cable assembly(probably all the Gen4 trucks are the same)
You might have to break out the insert parts of the grill to gain access to the hood latch. The inserts are replaceable and are not super expensive in comparison to damaging the hood. Unless you have a sport hood the skin of the hood is aluminum.

 

[JHoward]

I am unable to open hood of 2018 Ram!! I looked for a solution on YouTube but cannot find for my year. Inside does not release , so cable must be broken. I looked through the grill but there is no access. same as underneath since there is a spoiler it’s hard to see. There must be a way to open the hood!!!! Is there something I am missing????

Look under the dash where the cable connects to the latch ... is it still connected? If so, it may have broken at the hood latch? Not good.

If it's broken under the dash you might be able to use pliers/vice grips and pull the cable wire and open it.

Other option may be, you don't want to hear is, you might have to cut into the grille and unbolt the latch assembly ... I don't know.

I had the cable come apart under my dash on my 2014 RAM and was lucky ... all I had to do was pull the cable with needle nose pliers and replace the cable.

I resolved the possibility of it happing again by tying a piece of nylon string to the hood latch and routing it over to the drivers side headlight with a small metal key ring attached to it where I'd be able to fetch it out with a small telescoping magnet with the hood closed ... if it should happen again.

I have this simple set-up done on my current 2017 RAM just in case ... you never know.

 

[JHoward]

Well, I guess I could post a pic of how I attached the nylon string with the metal key ring ... the nylon string is tied to the locking catch and routed towards the drivers side headlight and arranged where it's easy to retrieve with the small telescoping magnet with the hood closed.

When the hood is closed I can fetch the metal key ring with a small telescoping magnet and pull the key ring and the hood pops open ...

 

[1999 White C5 Coupe]

I am unable to open hood of 2018 Ram!! I looked for a solution on YouTube but cannot find for my year. Inside does not release , so cable must be broken. I looked through the grill but there is no access. same as underneath since there is a spoiler it’s hard to see. There must be a way to open the hood!!!! Is there something I am missing????

Here is a replacement handle for the release under the dash: https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-74401...668622636&sprefix=dorman+74401,aps,215&sr=8-1

Did you examine this handle release to determine if it broke and will not pull the hood release cable?

 

[jonticchi]

yes

 

[GTyankee]

There is an access panel under the steering wheel
2 screws hold it in place, then there are some plastic clips
with that removed, you can easily see stuff all the way back to the firewall.
If the broken cable end is under the dash, you should see it

Breaking the grill insert would be the first thing that you would have to damage
i don't think it would be the last

I hate to say it, but it might be cheaper to drive to an Auto Body Shop

 

[jonticchi]

Yeah, I am able to see cable going into firewall. you are probably right about bringing it in to shop. I just thought they would have put a access spot for a screwdriver in case. Thanks