DIY hood latch cable replacement
02-10-09, 03:31 PM
#1
DIY hood latch cable replacement
I know this is a common problem with the GS's, I just did it on my dad's GS400 (had to give him my SC300 so he could get home). We were just checking the oil before he made the 6 hour trip home, we had the problem with it before but we always got it to close with in a couple mins. After trying for 30 minutes or so, I was pissed off and I told him he could take my SC300 after i changed the oil. He went on his way and I looked here for a write up so I could get a general idea on what I needed to do. I really couldnt find a good one so this is why I am write one up now.
Tools you need:
Jack and jack stand
Ratchet with a metric sockeet set (only really use the 10 mm socket)
Allen wrench set (not sure what size I use maybe 5mm)
Various extensions
Lug wrench
screw driver set
metric wrench set
(probably left something)
1. Go inside the car, flip the hood release out and look in the inside. Push the metal ball end of the cable out from the release switch, you push it out towards the passenger side. A couple mins of messing with it will get it out pretty easily.
2. Open the hood (most likely open because it wont close). The main hood latch is in the dead center of the core support, there are 2 bolt and one nut in a triangle that you want to remove. The nut is on the bottom and has a cover on it, use a screw drive to pry the cover off so you can get to the nut. Now there is a cover to the right of the latch that protects the cable and a wire harness, there is one bolt with a philips screw head on it right above it. Remove the bolt and the cover, you might need to remove a electronic part that is attach the core support in front of it too. Now you should be able to remove the latch. Undo the harness and the cable. If your cable is bad the latch should click back after you remove the cable ball end. if not your latch is bad.
3. Follow the cable to the driver side head light, there is a little clip for the cable connected the core support above the headlight. Click that out by hand or with a pair of pliers.
4. Jack up the car, put it on a jack stand, and remove the wheel. Now take off the fender liner. There are 4 bolts below the bumper and a bunch of bolts and push in holders (not sure what they are really called) inside the wheel well, and there are two allen bolts on the side of the fender near the door. Remove them all, and remove the liner or remove it from wheel well and swing it around. Now you can see the cable attach to a holder in the top middle of the well, detach it from the clip. You should now be able to feed the cable out from the hood and into the wheel well.
5. Go under the hood and remove the two bolts holding in the black box on the very top corner of the hood marked fuses and relays. Move the relay box as much as you can out of the way, this will give you enough room to put you hand in to find the cable where it attachs to the firewall. Pull on the cable and try to get it out, it maybe easier to feed the line up into the hood, just remember how its routed. You may also need to go into the car and help feed the cable out, be careful feeding it out so you dont mess up any other wiring as you take it out. Try to feel where it comes out of the firewall on the hood side so you know where to feed the new one in.
6. Once you have the old cable out, first feed the new cable through the firewall, this is going to be the biggest pain. I was being extra careful not to bend the cable in anyway. I found it was easiest to feed the cable in from the hood guiding with my left hand and pushing with my right. Once I got it through the firewall you can pull it through the interior end till the metal stop on the other side hits the firewall. I kept the ball end pushed in the whole time so I wouldnt damage the cable. I would only pull from the black cover of the cable. Reconnect the cable to the dash and the switch.
7. Connect the cable back in clip in the wheel well and feed it back through above the head light. Take the little clip off the old cable and put it on the new cable and hook it back in the core support. This will be annoying too, i balanced it on the tip of my finger and moved it up till i could get it in the hole. Took like 10 tries but I finally did get it. Feed it to the latch spot and reconnect the latch and harness. Bolt back in the latch and then the cover next to it, and the electronic piece if you took it off. Put back in the fender liner and bolt it back up. And then bolt up the relay box. Put back on the wheel and lower the car, (dont forget to torque the lugs down to spec).
8. Now come the moment of truth, to be safe I would remove the grill before testing to see if you did it all right, this way you will be able to get to the latch if somethings messed up. I didnt do this and as I closed the hood I regretted till the moment I hit the interior switch to open it back up and it worked. It only a couple bolts and will save you alot of headaches if it didnt work.
9. If it works, crack open a beer and count the money you saved. Which ive heard is 350-400 at the dealer.
This is done as a guideline and is done at your own risk, I am not responsible for anything that may happen or was left out. If you dont feel comfortable doing any of this, then take it to a mechanic or the lexus dealer.
I would rate this a 5 on a scale of 1-10, 1 being the easiest. It took me 2.5 hours with no guidelines. I did it by myself, but I am a very experience DIY mechanic, so take that into account with the rating and how long it will take. Any question feel free to ask them or PM me.
Tools you need:
Jack and jack stand
Ratchet with a metric sockeet set (only really use the 10 mm socket)
Allen wrench set (not sure what size I use maybe 5mm)
Various extensions
Lug wrench
screw driver set
metric wrench set
(probably left something)
1. Go inside the car, flip the hood release out and look in the inside. Push the metal ball end of the cable out from the release switch, you push it out towards the passenger side. A couple mins of messing with it will get it out pretty easily.
2. Open the hood (most likely open because it wont close). The main hood latch is in the dead center of the core support, there are 2 bolt and one nut in a triangle that you want to remove. The nut is on the bottom and has a cover on it, use a screw drive to pry the cover off so you can get to the nut. Now there is a cover to the right of the latch that protects the cable and a wire harness, there is one bolt with a philips screw head on it right above it. Remove the bolt and the cover, you might need to remove a electronic part that is attach the core support in front of it too. Now you should be able to remove the latch. Undo the harness and the cable. If your cable is bad the latch should click back after you remove the cable ball end. if not your latch is bad.
3. Follow the cable to the driver side head light, there is a little clip for the cable connected the core support above the headlight. Click that out by hand or with a pair of pliers.
4. Jack up the car, put it on a jack stand, and remove the wheel. Now take off the fender liner. There are 4 bolts below the bumper and a bunch of bolts and push in holders (not sure what they are really called) inside the wheel well, and there are two allen bolts on the side of the fender near the door. Remove them all, and remove the liner or remove it from wheel well and swing it around. Now you can see the cable attach to a holder in the top middle of the well, detach it from the clip. You should now be able to feed the cable out from the hood and into the wheel well.
5. Go under the hood and remove the two bolts holding in the black box on the very top corner of the hood marked fuses and relays. Move the relay box as much as you can out of the way, this will give you enough room to put you hand in to find the cable where it attachs to the firewall. Pull on the cable and try to get it out, it maybe easier to feed the line up into the hood, just remember how its routed. You may also need to go into the car and help feed the cable out, be careful feeding it out so you dont mess up any other wiring as you take it out. Try to feel where it comes out of the firewall on the hood side so you know where to feed the new one in.
6. Once you have the old cable out, first feed the new cable through the firewall, this is going to be the biggest pain. I was being extra careful not to bend the cable in anyway. I found it was easiest to feed the cable in from the hood guiding with my left hand and pushing with my right. Once I got it through the firewall you can pull it through the interior end till the metal stop on the other side hits the firewall. I kept the ball end pushed in the whole time so I wouldnt damage the cable. I would only pull from the black cover of the cable. Reconnect the cable to the dash and the switch.
7. Connect the cable back in clip in the wheel well and feed it back through above the head light. Take the little clip off the old cable and put it on the new cable and hook it back in the core support. This will be annoying too, i balanced it on the tip of my finger and moved it up till i could get it in the hole. Took like 10 tries but I finally did get it. Feed it to the latch spot and reconnect the latch and harness. Bolt back in the latch and then the cover next to it, and the electronic piece if you took it off. Put back in the fender liner and bolt it back up. And then bolt up the relay box. Put back on the wheel and lower the car, (dont forget to torque the lugs down to spec).
8. Now come the moment of truth, to be safe I would remove the grill before testing to see if you did it all right, this way you will be able to get to the latch if somethings messed up. I didnt do this and as I closed the hood I regretted till the moment I hit the interior switch to open it back up and it worked. It only a couple bolts and will save you alot of headaches if it didnt work.
9. If it works, crack open a beer and count the money you saved. Which ive heard is 350-400 at the dealer.
This is done as a guideline and is done at your own risk, I am not responsible for anything that may happen or was left out. If you dont feel comfortable doing any of this, then take it to a mechanic or the lexus dealer.
I would rate this a 5 on a scale of 1-10, 1 being the easiest. It took me 2.5 hours with no guidelines. I did it by myself, but I am a very experience DIY mechanic, so take that into account with the rating and how long it will take. Any question feel free to ask them or PM me.
02-10-09, 05:34 PM
#4
Had mine swapped out recently, part number for the cable is 53630‑30250 if anyone needs to get one.
The guy who did this for me thinks the routing of the cable may have been what caused the issue over time so he rerouted the replacement a much more direct route - I don't have the car but can get a pic when I get it back if it would help anyone.
The guy who did this for me thinks the routing of the cable may have been what caused the issue over time so he rerouted the replacement a much more direct route - I don't have the car but can get a pic when I get it back if it would help anyone.
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QLex300 (01-21-22)
02-11-09, 12:58 PM
#7
I didnt think of taking pictures while I was doing it. I decide to write it up after I did it, didnt intend on doing one when I started the job. I think the couple of things I would take pictures of, would be impossible to picture well. If anything is unclear, I can try to take pictures of it while I have the car.
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02-12-09, 09:43 AM
#9
I didnt think of taking pictures while I was doing it. I decide to write it up after I did it, didnt intend on doing one when I started the job. I think the couple of things I would take pictures of, would be impossible to picture well. If anything is unclear, I can try to take pictures of it while I have the car.
u outta contact nigel to add this to his sticky!
good work
it should be easy. what does this part run for ?
