Stuck hood latch nightmare

khaikhon22 · Feb 9, 2025

Anyone else have their hood latch freeze up in snowy/slushy conditions? I had a terrifying experience when I couldn't pop the hood to refill my washer fluid - in the middle of a freaking storm! Dealership had to dismantle the front end to open it. Seriously, how is this even a thing? Feels like a major safety fail. Any tips to avoid this headache?

Mirrage&Charge20 · Feb 11, 2025

This is a common thing on Nautilus. I have a few friends who avoid driving it in places where the winters are severe.
I read somewhere that a guy had to remove the front end completely just to get to the latch.
They ended up using a tube camera through the grille to see what was going on. They opened the hood, and then they washed out the latch with WD-40 and dried it, then adjusted it a bit looser so it didn’t apply too much pressure when the hood was closed.
This is all I can help you. You could consider having a new latch assembly as well. So, the idea is, the dealership did a great job.

Evholic_50 · Feb 12, 2025

khaikhon22 said:
I had a terrifying experience when I couldn't pop the hood to refill my washer fluid

Sir, I am wondering how did you deal with the snow without any fluid. At least nothing tragic happened.

VeryGoodDriver · Feb 20, 2025

To avoid it you should spray lubricant on the latch and cable before it gets snowy. Also check the rubber seals around your hood. Some people say gently shaking the hood can help break any ice. But if it's really frozen you'll need a dealer to take your car apart, which is a hassle. This seems like a common issue so you should let the car company know it's a problem.

ErlingJolan · Mar 2, 2025

Wow, that sounds intense! Definitely a good reminder to prep your car before the storm hits.

khaikhon22 · Mar 2, 2025

Yeah, it was wild! I didn't even think to check the latch before the storm. Definitely learned my lesson. I’ll try spraying some lubricant on it next time and maybe check the seals too. Appreciate the tips!