How To Open The Chevy Truck Hood From The Outside?

Under normal conditions, truck hoods are meant to be opened using a switch on the inside. However, if the internal switch breaks, the only way you can open your Chevy’s hood is manual opening from the outside. 

Opening the truck hood from the outside isn’t that hard. All you need to do is locate the hood latch mechanism in the front bottom of the vehicle. Make use of pliers to control the latch and the hood will open. 

So have you gotten the gist of things on the hood yet? Well in this article we will be talking about everything related to the truck hood. So scroll down below and keep reading.

Can you Open The Chevy Truck Hood From The Outside?

The internal switch used to control the truck’s hood isn’t prone to breaking. Nor are there high chances of it turning faulty. 

However, in the odd scenario where it does, it is still possible to open the hood latch from the outside using manual techniques. Do note that while this task isn’t hard, it requires a skillful mechanic to do so. 

While most of the time the fault will lie on the switch; if the latch itself breaks, you might still be implicated with the manual method of opening the truck hood. That is why it is inevitable that you learn how to do it. 

Tools You Need to Open the Chevy Truck Hood from Outside

When it comes to opening your truck’s hood there aren’t a lot of tools that you will come in contact with. 

Do note that it is not mandatory that you must use the mentioned once. You can alternate between other tools as long as the purpose they are supposed to be used for will be met. 

We have compiled a list of these tools that you will be needing for the work below along with short details of where exactly they will be used. 

Flashlight

The bottom of the truck is dark, and if you want to get proper visuals carrying a flashlight or any sort of proper light source is advisable. If your truck comes with underhood work light, you can also use those. 

Screwdrivers

No matter what sort of job you will be doing, screwdrivers will always come in handy. Here, they will be used for opening the latch beneath the vehicle.

Spanner

A spanner of the right size will be required along with the screwdriver for working on dragging the latch from its original to the desired position.  

Ramp

If the bottom of your Chevy is too low, like it is in older models, you might need a ramp. The romp is responsible for elevating the truck from the ground so that you can get access to the bottom. 

Pliers

Pliers are optional and will only be used when the hood or its parts have been jammed, creating an adhesive force between the hood or latch and the truck’s surface. 

How To Open the Chevy Truck Hood from Outside? 

While it is clearly not a very easy task, you can still open up the Chevy truck’s hood externally. All you need to do is follow the step-by-step procedure given below for the most efficient way of completing the task.

Step 1: Safety Precautions

The first step is the preparatory step, where you are meant to ensure your safety. Make sure that the power has been switched off beforehand and the excess electrons discharged from the frame to prevent shock. 

Additionally, make sure to work in a well-lit work zone or garage with plenty of space. Use ramps to elevate the front of the truck if your Chevy has a low bottom. 

Step 2: Light The Latch As per need

Crouch down to the front in the bottom of the hood. There you need to find the latch that controls the lock of the truck hood. 

You can make use of flashlights to help you if the bottom of the truck is too dark. If your Chevy comes with bottom lightings, activate them to your preferred intensity. Do note that a too high intensity can prove to be blinding. 

Step 3: Open the hood latch

Make use of a screwdriver to open all the screws that tighten the latch to the surface of the truck. You can use spanners to drag the latch aside. If the hood doesn’t open yet, there is a possibility that it is jammed. 

In these cases, you can make use of a plier or strong copper wire to help you separate the hood from the vehicle’s surface. Using a removable grille is also a good choice for removing the adhesion force. 

This should make your Chevy’s hood open while making a popping sound.

Conclusion

While we have provided you with one of the easier methods of opening the hood externally, you can also make use of other methods to open the hood externally if the original switch breaks down. 

Alternatively, you can also have someone click on the switch that controls the latch while you push the hood inwards. If the latch is simply jammed and not broken this could prove to be a successful method. 

Of course, you can also get help from the mechanic. However, this task isn’t that complicated where you would require outside help. Try it out yourself, and you won’t regret it!

Related Posts: