The average cost for a hood release cable replacement cost is typically priced between $161 and $186 for most car models, makes, and years. This fix’s labor cost is generally inexpensive due to the 1-2 hour labor time, coming to between $96 and $121. The cost of the parts is even less expensive compared to the labor, priced at just $65 for the entire mechanism.
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To best understand why you only have to spend less than $190 for the total hood release cable replacement cost, you need to know the function of this part, the location of the mechanism, how the cable works, the symptoms of a faulty hood release cable, and the steps to replacing this hood cable in your car.
What is a hood release cable?
For most cars on the road today, the engine is located in the front hood. Therefore, when you open the hood of your car, you will see the engine and its internal mechanisms protected by the vehicle’s outer structure. The small part that lets drivers and mechanics open a vehicle’s hood is the hood release cable.
When you ask yourself how the lever inside the vehicle causes the hood to open when someone pulls on the hood, the cable connects the hood latch to the lever inside the vehicle. If the hood release cable were not there, the lever would not “release” the hood and open it when needed.
Almost the entire cable is hidden from view when looking at the exterior of the car. Protected by the dashboard/instrument panel, frame rails, and front bumper cover, the hood release cable is shielded from any eternal trauma or elements by the structure of the car. Even though it is difficult to see from the exterior point of view, the hood release cable is present in every single car, truck, SUV, or motor vehicle on the road today.
How does the hood release cable function?
Although it may seem quite simple, the hood release cable’s function is an important and imperative mechanism that allows drivers and mechanics to access the hood’s underside in all vehicles. Looking at the vehicle’s mechanics and structure, the hood release cable is attached to one end of the hood release latch.
Even though the hood release cable replacement cost is fairly low, if this part is not working correctly, the hood will not be able to pop up a few inches to give access to the interior of the car. By using the hood release cable and the latch, one can then access the engine by finding the safety catch for the hood and propping open the hood to give you room to search the interior for any faulty parts.
The safety catch of the hood is positioned directly on the hood latch. To raise the hood, you need to push, pull, or lift the hood latch to give you enough room to position the hood on the safety latch to prevent any unintentional falls or movement of the hood while working on the interior of the car.
As you can see, if the hood release cable is not working properly, the hood may not be able to stay open while you examine the interior of the car. Even with an inexpensive hood release cable replacement cost, this part is crucial to function properly and safely.
Symptoms of a Faulty Hood Release Cable
To best understand why you have to keep your hood cable working and pay the hood release cable replacement cost, drivers need to understand the important safety mechanism of this part and how it affects the running of the vehicle. If your release cable is defective, the hood will not move or open when you pull the release lever.
Furthermore, the hood latch release could be wobbly and loose, meaning that it can be moved without any real force. If this is the case, the hood could undergo structural damage and succumb to external trauma easier than if the hood was protected and the hood release cable was as strong as it should be.
Lastly, the hood release lever could feel okay when being handled by the driver or mechanic, but the hood may not move when needed. In this case, drives or mechanics would have to forcefully pull or tug the hood in a sharp upward direction to access the interior. If you do this too often, the total hood release cable replacement cost will skyrocket when you finally decide to help your car’s safety and longevity.
Can You Drive Safely With a Faulty One Of These Parts?
If you want to continue driving without paying for the hood release cable replacement cost, you might be playing with fire. Although this part does not seem very important to your car’s everyday running, leaving this unattended and unfixed problem can cause more server issues over time.
Since the only time the hood latch release lever and hood release cable are used is when maintenance has to be performed on the engine or internal parts of your car, a broken release cable will need to be fixed before you can repair any other parts. Basically, suppose you have any internal damage to your vehicle. In that case, the hood release cable replacement cost will have to be estimated and paid before a mechanic can successfully access the interior of your car.
Since a faulty hood release cable makes servicing the car impossible, drivers need to know the importance of keeping this part protected and working correctly. In some cases, the hood can be released without the lever or hood release cable. Still, other situations require complete disassembly of the vehicle and removal of internal parts to gain access to the hood. In this case, the hood release cable replacement cost will be higher due to the labor complexity.
How do you Replace This Piece of Your Car?
If you are trying to save money on the hood release cable replacement cost, you may need to find out and research the steps of replacing this part on your own. Even though we recommend professionals and knowledgeable mechanics to do this repair on their own, if you have enough car DIY knowledge, you can try to replace the hood release cable by following these steps in order.
First, you have to remove the trim from the kick panel area or another spot in the car where the hood release lever is currently positioned. By removing the structures, you can effectively gain access to disconnect the hood release cable from the assembly. If you skip this step, you will not remove or replace the hood release cable without damaging other parts in the process.
Next, you have to remove the cable from the hood latch assembly. Make sure that you remove and replace the rubber grommet that encapsulates the hood release cable. Even though this part may not be included in the new cable assembly, this part succumbs to wear and tear and should be replaced with the hood release cable in your car.
The hood release cable replacement process’s final step is to adjust the cable, so the hood release lever is held in slight tension when not being pulled. This way, you can prevent excessive motion, vibrations, and sounds while driving, reducing annoying noises while keeping the hood release cable in the proper place. Following these steps in order can help you reduce the overall hood release cable replacement cost.
What Should I Keep An Eye Out For With This Part's Replacement Cost?
Keep an eye and ear out for certain symptoms and signs when replacing your hood release cable to prevent any further damage and costs. For example, failing to replace the water sealing grommet that surrounds the hood release cable can result in water intrusion and water damage in the car. This case can lead to engine failure and cause a much higher hood release cable replacement cost.
Secondly, ensure that the engine’s area and the hood release cables do not smell when you are repairing. If this is the case, there is extensive damage in the firewall area that can cause severe and expensive engine damage.
Lastly, make sure that you reseal the cable’s exit point to prevent unwanted sounds, smells, and damage from spreading in the internal components of your car. Although some cars do not have a release cable, make sure you double-check to ensure the hood release cable is not causing any of these unwanted side effects.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, paying less than $200 for the hood release cable replacement cost is a small price to pay for keeping your engine and other internal parts working safely and properly. By giving access to the hood area and letting mechanics easily fix any mechanical or electrical parts of your vehicle, you can ensure that your car has a long lifespan!