Broken hood Latch Release Cable

[RubberCarrot]

Hi People,

One night last week I was being conscientious and decided to have a general look around under the hood, check fluids etc.

I pulled the hood latch release and the cable snapped. Right at the release handle. I was able to get a pair of vice grips locked onto the broken cable end and there they hang.

The local Caddy dealer is the only place I can get the cable and I am waiting for it to come in. $98.00.

What I am looking for are any tips to removing the old cable and installing the new. The handle end in the kick panel seems to be the most complicated area and it looks like the best way is to pull the cable out from the interior and insert the new the same way.

Does anyone here know the details? I am sure it will be tons of fun. (not!)

Thanks,

RC

[James Woods]

If it snakes through anywhere it might work to connect the new came to the old top pull it through. Or tire a string to the old cable so the string can pull the new one through

[KHE]

Rubber Carrot,

PM me with your email address - I have a scan of the procedure from the service manual that should help you out.

[RubberCarrot]

Thanks for the replies. I just picked up the cable today and will probably do the deed this weekend. I will report back on how much fun it was!

RC

[KHE]

RubberCarrot,

I sent you the scans from the shop manual.

[RubberCarrot]

Hi All -

I finally got to doing this this past weekend. I thought I would report back. And thanks KHE for those scans. They did help.

It really wasn't a bad job and didn't take that long. For the sake of future readers I will list the steps and describe the only shortfall.

1. Remove the front and rear rocker sill plate with "Cadillac" on it to expose the 5 screws. (3 in front, 2 in the rear). Do this by simply lifting them out with your finger.

2. Remove the "B" pillar cover that runs from front seat belt enclosure to the roof. Note how it fits over and other neighboring trim.

3. Remove the 5 screws on the carpet hold down. It runs from up front where the hood latch pull is, around the front seat belt mechanism, to the rear of the rear rocker panel. Note how it fits over and other neighboring trim.

4. Open the hood and detach cable from rear of hood latch mechanism. (insert small screwdriver in the retainer clip to spread it and the cable pops out easily)

5. Knock the cable housing out of its retainer there by placing a screwdriver against the bottom side and knocking it upwards with your hand.

6. Pull the cable out of the front bulkhead and out of the retainers where it snakes over the front fender. I only had 2.

7. Go inside the car and remove the 2 screws holding the latch handle to the car.

8. At this point, a little tug will loosed the cable from the boot/grommet through the firewall. Pull the cable out by pulling on the latch release handle.

9. After the cable is out, using a medium sized screwdriver, push the original boot/grommet out of the firewall from inside the car.

This is where stuff got a bit weird. My new cable had a grommet on it that was meant to push through the firewall from inside the car. There was no way to work it from under the hood. I tried to make it work but there isn't room enough in there (unless you have a really strong lawn gnome) to get that grommet in place. My original grommet was about 3 inches long and could be pushed through from the inside and then you can go under the hood, grab it and pull with a wiggle and it pops right into place. After killing myself (always do that first) I decided to scrap the one on the new cable and re-use the original.

I slit the original lengthwise so I could put it over the new cable after sliding the new one out of the way where it can ride around harmlessly for the next 100k miles. Place it at the proper location on the cable. That said,

10. Slide the new cable through the firewall from the inside of the car until the grommet/boot is in the firewall.

11. Go under the hood, reach in and grab that boot. Give it a pull and circular wiggle. It should be in place. I confirmed that using an extendable mirror.

12. Go inside the car and attach the handle to the car with the 2 screws.

13. Go back under the hood and thread the cable where the original ran.

14. Press the end of the cable into the retainer clip on the latch mechanism.

15. Press the cable housing retainer into it's seat on the latch mechanism and give it a smack with your hand to seat it.

16. Go back to that grommet and seal it with silicone. I loaded up the finger and pressed it into the slit I had made and around the end so it would not let water in and would hold the cable much like original did.

16. Put all that plastic crap back in place. Put the sill cover/carpet retainer in first. Then put the "B" pillar cover back in. Be sure to fit the seat belts correctly and getting the inter-locking tabs in place all the way around took a couple tries but it is doable.

That should cover it. The hood latch works better now than it ever has since I got the car. Now go grab a beverage.

Thanks folks for you comments and those scans.

RC

[Cadillac Jim]

Congratulations for a fine and tough DIY job well done.

[rockfangd]

Thanks for posting the update. It will likely help others to save some language, etc...