How to Open the Hood on a Nissan Xterra
by Jody L. CampbellWith its distinctive rear roofline and humped rear gate, the Nissan introduced the Xterra to the U.S. with the 2000 model year. Motor Trend named the Xterra Sport Utility of the Year in 2000 and 2006. In 2010, the Xterra was awarded a five star side-impact safety rating -- the highest award granted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With all its accolades and awards, you might not expect the seemingly easy task of opening the hood to stump you.
How to Open the Hood on a Nissan Xterra
Step 1
Locate the interior hood release latch below the driver-side of the instrument panel, to the left of the steering wheel. Pull down on the latch, and the hood will pop up slightly.
Step 2
Locate the hood release lever in the center front under the lip of the hood. With one hand, lift the hood slightly enough to get the fingers of your other hand in between the hood and the top of the grill. Slide the lever to the left with your right hand and the hood will release and you can lift it.
Step 3
Locate the hood prop on the drive-side fender rail. Support the hood with one hand and. with your other hand, remove the hood prop from the fender rail retainer clip and insert the top of the prop into the predetermined hole on the underside of the hood.
Step 4
Close the hood by lifting slightly to take pressure off the hood prop and replace the hood prop back into the retainer clip. Lower the hood until it is about 6 inches above the latch and let it go. It will shut and latch by itself. Lift up on it to make sure it did lock.
Tips
- Rust and corrosion in the release cable sheath and in the latch mechanism can make the latch hard to open and close. If you pull the release handle all the way, but the hood doesn't pop up, you might have to give the hood a good yank to free it from the latch mechanism. Likewise, if the hood won't latch when you close it, you might have to give it a hearty heave. Some white grease slathered between the moving parts of the latch mechanism will keep it working properly.
Writer Bio
Jody L. Campbell spent over 15 years as both a manager and an under-car specialist in the automotive repair industry. Prior to that, he managed two different restaurants for over 15 years. Campbell began his professional writing career in 2004 with the publication of his first book.
