motor hood stuck closed

Hello everyone, tried to have a look into my engine compartment the other day but much to my surprise after pulling on the lever nothng happened back there! ( 1998) c2 996 Tried pulling on the cable directly with the lever disconnected but that didn"t work. It appears that the latch is either broken or the cable fell out of its guide??? Anyone got any ideas??? rgds

You might be able to get at the guide from underneath, good luck.

[QUOTE=billh]Hello everyone, Anyone got any ideas??? I think your latch is busted. Hopefully its not and may just be stuck on something or something is stuck in it. When you lift release in the door sill does it still feel like there is tension? If there still remains tension have a friend put a moderate degree of pressure with their hands on the lower part of the hood approximately 3 inches below the "RR" in Carrera. You might want to place a damp towel there do give better grip' while pressing downward. While that person is pressing downward lift the release in the door sill. Do that a couple of times in unison and see if the latch engages. There is an emergency release to open the engine compartment located under the driver's side tail light, however, in Porsche's infinite wisdom in order to access the emergency release located in the trunk, the trunk has to be opened to remove the tail light assembly in order to get the release to open the trunk!!! (lots of people re-route that cable so it is accessible in an emergency--I did). This cable attaches to the release latch and rests on the shelf where the latch sits. You could attempt to access the emergency release by fishing under the rear bumper between the heat shields curling your hand toward the latch. If feels like very strong wire that is un-shielded. Pull it hard so that it comes away from its storage place under the tail light. IOW, it should now be dangling under the car after you grab onto it and have given it a pull. At this point give it a good yank toward the driver's side tail light and see if that works. You could also have someone press on the hood as above and pull again... If all the above fail...drive it down to your service center and let them worry about it... Good luck! Jim

Use the emergency cable located behind the left tail lite assembly. Get a clothes hanger and flashlight. Using a wooden paint stick (or similar tool) slightly raise the assembly by inserting the stick between the bottom of the assembly and bumper. Use the flashlight to locate the looped end of the cable. Grab the loop with the coat hanger and pul it out from under the assembly. Then pull the cable with your hand and the trunk will open. It will take you longer to find a flashlight with good batteries than it will to open the trunk.

I agree Jim. Its a better way to fish that wire out...but do you think the latch might be busted? Hopefully its just jamed and the emergency wire will release it... Jim