Hood latch won't shut

Ive been having battery issue and after swapping the battery now the hood won't latch shut.

The hood release cable seems to be working properly. There's tension on the release handle and its held back in place after I let it go/ It also seems to be actuating the latch mechanism from what I can tell.

The latch component that others often say gets gunked is moving freely and the springs are pulling it down/to the right(driver side).

The other side of the latch component (the part the hood loop presses on) seems to be moving, but won't articulate far enough to fully latch.

There isn't anything in the engine bay preventing the hood from closing.

Ive sprayed the latch with a penetrator and letting sit. Any other ideas or suggestions on what Im missing?

 

I had a similar issue and after spraying it with Teflon lube ( latch, spring, and cable where it goes into the housing ) everything worked properly

 

I should use that instead of just WD40, do you use it on your door hinges too?

 

I wonder if one or both of the rubber bumpers need screwed down?

 

you just need a lubricant of some sort. wd 40 isn't going to do it. even engine oil would work. but a dry lube is best to prevent it from attracting gunk.

 

Did you try Try pushing the latch closed with a screwdriver? Then reopen it.

If the hood was fine before battery replacement is the new battery too high?

 

I’ve been soaking it for the past few days with a years supply of pb blaster, but previously I’ve tried closing it with a screwdriver but more to actuate the latches. I’m guessing you mean to use the screwdriver shaft sideways which I haven’t tried yet, but will give it a shot. Thanks.

I thought the same thing about the battery, but it sits clear. When I try to close it the hood sort of teaters on the latch.

 

yeah, the classic WD40 isn't really a lubricant. It just displaces water (Water Displacement formula #40) and a method of rust prevention.

Fun fact: it was first used on Atlas rockets to prevent rust.

But the WD40 company does make a silicone lube:

$8 WD-40 Specialist Silicone Lubricant with SMART STRAW SPRAYS 2 WAYS, 11 OZ

https://www.amazon.com/WD-40-Specia...ocphy=9060061&hvtargid=pla-357370613934&psc=1

 

I can get the latch to close but need to manually assist the driver side of the latch.

If I understand how the latch works, as the hood pushed on the passenger side of the latch that part pushed the driver side of latch downward and then the two parts sort of wedge themselves.

At this point everything is well lubricants and rotates smoothly, but that driver side latch won’t move without prying it with a screw driver.

 

I too have been emptying a can of PB Blaster on my hood latch. Although I can tell when my hood is going to close and when it isn’t because the release inside doesn’t return. Then if I move the assembly under hood around with a screwdriver - not even sure what I’m doing or accomplishing but it closes then.
Hope to find a permanent fix and take that off my list of small issues !

 

The PB Blaster is starting to work. With a screwdriver I can push in the latch where the hood would seat and the latch functions properly, but I can’t seem to get it to work with the hood. I’ve opened and closed the latch about two dozen times and it seem it’s getting easier, but it might be my imagination. I can’t figure how it went from operating properly to this. I feel like I’m missing something.

 

I was having trouble with my tail gate not closing right. I used to spray the heck out of the hinges with WD40 so it would work but I had to respray it all the time. Recently I used red grease this time and now it keeps working all the time. I’d bet lithium grease would work too

 

Ok. I was using original on blaster the first part of the week and then switched to pb blaster with the lithium grease. I’ll just keep at soaking and cycling the latch ... Although I’m about to just replace the whole latch.

 

Removing it, regardless of replacing or not, might allow you to free it up or lube it better and see if anything else is weird

 

The latch assembly is not very expensive.

This is what happens when the primary latch is not engaged. The secondary latch is no match against the wall if air produced by a gravel train truck hauling 60 mph the opposite direction. Hood flipped over roof and bent it up like you see.

It wasn't fun trying to see thru the hood at 69 mph, either.

 

Ouch. I just decided that if I do buy a new latch I’ll go with the oem part for $55 vs the $15 version because replacing my hood and or windshield would cost more than that $40. Additionally, for the first time since this issue I needed my Tacoma for work today and decided to get a ride instead for that same reason. I feel your words of caution are timely and verified my (rarely used) better judgement. I’m glad you survived that ok (I’ve hit a deer before causing that same test of peering under the hood at high speed. No small feat).

 

is this good to use on door hinges?
Mine started squeaking again today with the 'climate change' here

 

I don't see why not.

 

Fixed it... finally... sort of...
The new latch just now arrived (from apparently the dark side of the moon). I changed out the part and it still wouldn’t shut. Same symptoms. To cut to the point it took me actuating the secondary latch/hook thingie while applying downward pressure on the hood to get it to latch. I’m pretty sure the same “technique” would’ve worked with the old part, but at this point I’m not going to question the truck gods and am satisfied enough that it works at any level.

 

Good to know ! I’ll keep that in mind next time mine acts up.
Glad you have a solution...