Need some help with the Jimmy Oppo!

"gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun" (gbergey) 01/19/2016 at 22:15 • Filed to: HELP, JIMMY, BLAZER, HOOD LATCH, OPPO PLZ

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As Oppo may know, I have a 2005 GMC Jimmy as my winter beater.

This past weekend I may have gone a little offroad with a pretty girl of my acquaintance and found a rather deeper mud hole than expected. Said girl in question knows a few local dirt backroads that she thrashes her Neon on during the summer, and we were both fairly confident that the Jimmy could handle them even in the depths of a BC winter… and it did! Managed to make it through even the deepest mud and puddles in 2WD as a matter of fact, although I did find one that was deeper than the headlights.

After I got home I went to pop the hood just to make sure my engine bay was clean and the air filter was dry, and I found that my hood won’t open!

Pulling the little hood release lever does nothing, although if you get a second person to pull it while you stand up at the hood you can hear something moving. I’ve tried grabbing the cable right behind the lever and pulling it extra hard, and that doesn’t help either. I’ve tried poking a screwdriver in through the grille and moving the latch, but the accessible latch seems to be the secondary one that you flip by hand after releasing the primary one, so that doesn’t help.

Does anyone know any suggestions or know anyone who had a similar problem with a 2000s GMC Jimmy, Chevy Blazer, or Chevy S-10 pickup?

Thanks!

(Marcos Mantula for your time)

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/19/2016 at 22:26

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Wait, where in BC are you?

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 01/19/2016 at 22:30

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Vancouver Island, aka the rainy part

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/19/2016 at 22:37

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Ahh. I’m all the way out in Kelowna.

Big Bubba Ray > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/19/2016 at 22:52

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My dad had a ‘99 Suburban and the secondary hood release didn’t work. One of my friends has the same problem with his ‘00 Tahoe Z71. Pull the primary hood release under your dash. After that, walk up to the hood and, with both hands together like you’re administering CPR, smash them down on the hood right where the secondary release is latched onto the hood. If that doesn’t work, try it again. It’s a pain in the ass but seems to be a problem on these older GMs.

Let me know if it works for you!

John_Harbinson > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/19/2016 at 23:04

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I saw “2005" and “GMC Jimmy” in the same sentence and became intrigued.. Didn’t know they made them until that recently. Only experience I have with hood latches is on my Jensen, and they were a royal pain in the ass, since the hood opened forwards. This doesn’t look to be too difficult though, and from looking at stuff online, what could have happened is something in the mechanism is frozen. This happens to me with my tailgate on a regular basis, with it being so cold that the locking mechanisms just freeze. You could try shooting some WD-40 or penetrant in there to try and free it, or you could just park the car somewhere warm for awhile and see if that works

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 01/19/2016 at 23:29

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So you have *shudder* snow?

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > John_Harbinson 01/19/2016 at 23:33

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They sure did, it was the last year! Nice compact body-on-frame SUV with 4WD on the same chassis as the Chevy S-10. Came in 2 door and 4 door flavours.

I nipped over to the grocery store for some pineapple and stuff, and it was unlatched when I got there. My choices now either involve getting a set of hood pins and never latching it again, or spraying a shit load of silicon lube in the latch...

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > Big Bubba Ray 01/19/2016 at 23:34

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I took it for a drive, went to the grocery store, and it was unlatched when I got there! My solution may involve getting a set of hood pins and never latching it again ;)

JustJim > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/19/2016 at 23:40

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I had a 1999 Chevy Blazer for 7 years. I had to yank hard on the release and do a Fonzie bump to the hood right where a hood ornament should go. When it was cold I wold have my wife hold the cable release in the open position while I gave the hood a bump.

Not kidding. Let me know how it works.

Big Bubba Ray > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/19/2016 at 23:43

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Haha that’s a simple solution!

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > JustJim 01/19/2016 at 23:53

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I got mad and ended up going to get some groceries, and when I got there it was unlatched (secondary latch was still holding it closed)

I’m going to lube it really well tomorrow... that, or put in hood pins and never latch it again

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/19/2016 at 23:55

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Sadly, yes.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 01/20/2016 at 00:09

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If it makes you feel better, I haven’t seen the sun in weeks and the forecast is for either clouds or straight up rain for a coon’s age

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/20/2016 at 00:29

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At least you guys have a semi-decent used car market.

Spoon II > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/20/2016 at 01:05

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I had the Chevy Blazer version, and those things are awesome! Glad it unlatched itself, I never had that problem. I bet you could get a new latch from a junkyard/ebay or something

boxrocket > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/20/2016 at 01:27

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Looks like it fixed itself, but if it happens again...

The Hope of Africa > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 01/20/2016 at 03:26

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Are you sure you aren’t using any idioms?

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > The Hope of Africa 01/21/2016 at 00:46

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Uh, in reference to what in specific?

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > boxrocket 01/21/2016 at 00:48

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I googled around a bit, and one guy on a forum had said (in reference to a 97? Blazer) to just Sawzall the f***ing grille apart, deal with your problem, and get a new grille

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > Spoon II 01/21/2016 at 00:48

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It’s been well lubed and works fine for now, one spring looks a little off and I may replace it soon