I'm new to this forum, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Today, I tried changing my oil, but when I went to open the engine hood, it wouldn't release for me. I pulled the engine hood lever below the instrument panel, but nothing happened. There seems to be tension in the lever, so I do not believe the cable is broken. My guess is that the latch is stuck for some reason, but how do I get to the latch when the hood won't open? Please help if you can! 2000 Mitsu Eclispe GT

 

Have a friend put a little pressure on the hood so the latch can release easier. Hopefully, it opens and you can asess from there.

 

Sometimes mechanical agitation is necessary to fix these things. Have someone holding the lever and hit it in the center of the front see if it pops. If not then try using a screwdriver (flathead) coverd in a rag insert it and try to pry the hood up perhaps the spring for the hood is too weak and needs replaced.

 

This is a common occurance and may require a bit of extra force when pulling on the release. Once you get it open, be sure to lube the release area on the front latch. Good Luck!

Joel, CA