Why the Nissan Sentra hood won’t close all the way.
By
Vroomouk
This article will explain the “Nissan Sentra hood won’t close all the way” problem. Moreover, we will also explain two possible troubleshooting methods which can be used to fix the Nissan Sentra’s hood.
Many Nissan Sentra owners face the issue of the hood not closing when they try to shut the hood. Unfortunately, this is a common problem, and several reasons can be behind it. In this section, we will mention the different reasons why the hood of Nissan Sentra isn’t closing.
Reasons why the Nissan Sentra hood won’t close all the way.
- The latch cable Spring is detached.
- The stops on which the bonnet rests are raised.
- The Hood Latch is rusted.
- No lubrication on the hood latch
The latch cable Spring is detached.
Over the years, when the car is driven several kilometres, wear and tear are obvious. The bonnet latch consists of two torsion springs. The smaller of the two springs are connected to the bonnet release lever with the help of a latch cable. The smaller spring is then connected to the latching mechanism, which is responsible for the opening and closing of the hood.
Due to several reasons, the smaller spring might get disconnected from the latch mechanism. In that case, when you try to close the bonnet from the outside, the hood won’t close.
The stops on which the bonnet rests are raised.
For the proper closing of bonnets, there are rubber stops fitted on the bonnet and the vehicle. The height of these can be adjusted by rotating them. However, if these stops are not a proper height, then there are chances the Nissan Sentra hood might not close. Thus to close the hood, you need to adjust the height of these stops so that they go back to the optimum height.
The Hood Latch is rusted.
The hood latch on Nissan Sentra keeps the bonnet locked. However, since the hood latch is made of metal, there are high chances that the latching mechanism gets stiff due to the oxidation of the metal.
Therefore once the latch is rusted, the latching mechanism will get stiff and inoperable once the corrosion completely covers it. The rusting of the hood latch is one of the common reasons behind a hood that is not closing.
No lubrication on the hood latch
As explained previously, the hood latching mechanism has a pronounced exposure to water and moisture. Hence, there are chances of corrosion in different metal parts of the hood, responsible for its smooth working. Therefore, once one of the mechanical components gets corroded, the chances of corrosion grabbing the complete system are high. Therefore, once corrosion enters the mechanism, the movement of the hood will require more force, and eventually, the hood will become inoperable. Thus to avoid corrosion, lubrication becomes an important part of hood maintenance.
Different Troubleshooting Methods for Fixing the Hood of Nissan Sentra
If your Nissan Sentra car hood isn’t closing, then you can apply one of the two mentioned techniques to fix it. However, if the hood still doesn’t close, then you need to take your car to a mechanic who can precisely diagnose the reason behind the faulty hood and fix it.
Method 1
- Sometimes due to continuous operation of the hood, the small torsion spring attached to the latch cable gets detached from the hood latch. In such a case, when you push the hood down, the hood won’t close. In such cases, the small spring is mostly detached from the latching mechanism.
- For fixing the latch, you first need to lift the bonnet and support it with the help of a prop rod. Then you need to collect some basic tools such as a torque wrench.
- Now the hood latch uses 3 bolts for getting fixed on the car. With the help of the torque wrench, lose these 3 bolts and slowly pull the latch out.
- For loosening the bolts of the latch, you will need to first remove the plastic protection just behind the front grille. The plastic protection panel is fitted on the vehicle with the help of screws and plastic locks.
- Once you have removed these screws, you will access the latch.
- After removing the latch from the vehicle, pull the small spring and fix it back on the latching mechanism.
- Once the torsion spring is put back, tighten the latch back on the vehicle with the help of three bolts. Now pull the release lever from the inside and check whether the torsion spring is extended in the latch.
- If the spring is getting extended, test the hood by closing it.
Method 2
- Find a small wire or a brush. However, using a brush is difficult because there is not enough space to enter and move on the latch. But still, the brush is more effective.
- Rub the surface of the latch using a brush. Rubbing the surface of the latch will remove the rust from it/
- Take WD40 lubricating oil spray, spray the lubricating oil on the component. Moreover, during lubrication, make sure the pivot points and latch hook are lubricated using the WD40 oil.
- Once the lubrication of the latch is complete, check the working of the latch. If there is no resistance in the working of the latch, then it can be assumed that the latch is properly lubricated, and the effect of corrosion is minimized.
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- After spraying the lubricant on the various parts of the latching mechanism and testing it, apply lithium grease on all the lubricated parts to restrict moisture from entering again.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained, “Nissan Sentra hood won’t close all the way.” We have also explained the two reasons behind the hood not closing in the Nissan Sentra. In addition, we have also explained the two ways in which the Nissan Sentra hood can be fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Nissan Sentra hood won’t close all the way
How Do You Fix a Hood that won’t close?
One of the common problems behind the hood, which doesn’t close, is due to the corrosion of the latch mechanism. In such a case, you need to lubricate the latching mechanism to make it operable again.
How long does the hood latch last?
The hood latches have a life span of nearly 50,000 miles if the car has not met with an accident.
What to do if the hood opens while driving?
If the hood opens during driving, follow these simple steps.
- Slow your vehicle down
- Try looking at the road from underneath the hood
- Alternatively, you can put your head from the window to look ahead of the hood.
- Use centre lines to align your vehicle on the road.
How does the hood latch work?
When tension is applied to the cable from a release handle, it pivots the secondary latch, which pulls away from a retaining seat placed under the hood. The secondary latch releases the hood a few inches by design before the safety latch takes over.
