Safety warning, discovered flaw that likely affects others.

[Potter]

Discovered today when I went to check something in the engine that the safety catch for the hood was not engaged. To be sure I'm calling it by the right name, after popping the hood open from the dashboard, I'm referring to the manual second lever that has to be flibbled to open the hood. It's seized enough (not visibly rusty) that it does not swing into place when the hood closes. Even after being lubricated.

This means the hood could fly open if someone pulls on the dashboard lever not knowing what it is. Can envision someone pulling on it while the car is stationary, cleaning the dash perhaps, and not realizing the hood is free to fly open! Or thinking it's the gas door and moving on to something else when it didn't open. Bingo, the hood is free to swing up into the windshield!

So I manually moved it after closing the hood to the engaged position. And will check it's position now every time I close the hood. Suggest you do the same.

added: I see it's a recurring problem
http://www.aboutautomobile.com/Compl...nna/Hood+Latch

[Black Sunshine]

Mine has always worked fine because it catches the hood when I pop it. I always pull up until it stops the hood then flip the lever. I may lube mine some anyhow. My stupid hood prop retainers are both long gone.