Loud bang from front end while driving. Hood release?

[Biker Scout]

I was driving my 2021 Ford Ranger with 4K miles when I heard a loud bang come from the front of the car. I didn’t hit or run over anything. I immediately pulled over thinking a tire blew, but nothing. I popped the hood and no broken hoses or leaks. No leaks under the car. Nothing hanging down. Suspension all looks good and the car drove perfect afterward. When we got to where we were going, I tried to pop the hood again but the hood release in the cab had no resistance and the hood did not pop. I was able to lift the hood and slide the release.

I don’t see anything missing or broken and the hood release in the cab does nothing. The hood closes with a different thud. It is really strange that it would break like that. I’m guessing the sound I heard was it snapping under pressure.

Has this happened to any of you all before?

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[Zaph]

Hmmm. Well there's 2 parts holding the hood down, the hook and the latch. For any type of hook/latch assembly like that, sometimes the pointy part of the hook doesn't fully, securely go under the latch and it just might catch the corner of it. Then hit a bump just right and it comes unlatched.

Probably nothing to worry about. Just slam the hood harder next time to ensure the hook fully goes under the latch. If you still have issues the bumpers the adjust hood height might need adjustment so the hood can go lower, allowing the latch to hook better.

Just speculating.

 

[Biker Scout]

Hmmm. Well there's 2 parts holding the hood down, the hook and the latch. For any type of hook/latch assembly like that, sometimes the pointy part of the hook doesn't fully, securely go under the latch and it just might catch the corner of it. Then hit a bump just right and it comes unlatched.

Probably nothing to worry about. Just slam the hood harder next time to ensure the hook fully goes under the latch. If you still have issues the bumpers the adjust hood height might need adjustment so the hood can go lower, allowing the latch to hook better.

Just speculating.

Thanks for the quick reply but the hood is latching. The release in the cab no longer pops the hood. I can’t see anything broken and the latch catches the hood. It is so strange.

 

[Zaph]

The main latch or the backup latch? The main latch pulls the hood tight. The backup latch keeps the hood from flying open if you pop it while you are driving.

If it's hooking on both the main and backup latch, maybe the main latch is broke or loose. Inspect it. It should be under pressure from the hood rubber bumpers.

 

[CHS]

Time to bring to the dealer (it's brand new)

 

[ryyck]

Time to bring to the dealer (it's brand new)

One time when I tried to release the hood...it would not.
I finally got the hood released by "who knows", then lubricated that hook/spring attachment.
So far...has always released.

 

[Leftcoast]

Story about a big bang
I was working on a project some years ago. It was the end of the day and the luffing jib crane was lowering itself down. My office shed gang box was in a walkway about 15' behind the crane. It was an older crane owned by the ironworkers. They were assembling a new building. As they were dropping it down there was a very loud metal bang. I immediately turned around to look for the location of the jib. It was OK and stable. Everybody on the jobsite was now looking in the same spot. A bolt had sheared off when the crane was lowering itself down. It was a bolt for some cladding on the crane and wasn't structural. Something didn't fold in correctly. I never got the stain out of my overalls and had to discard them.

 

[ryyck]

Story about a big bang
I was working on a project some years ago. It was the end of the day and the luffing jib crane was lowering itself down. My office shed gang box was in a walkway about 15' behind the crane. It was an older crane owned by the ironworkers. They were assembling a new building. As they were dropping it down there was a very loud metal bang. I immediately turned around to look for the location of the jib. It was OK and stable. Everybody on the jobsite was now looking in the same spot. A bolt had sheared off when the crane was lowering itself down. It was a bolt for some cladding on the crane and wasn't structural. Something didn't fold in correctly. I never got the stain out of my overalls and had to discard them.

Better that stain...then any other...or missing parts.

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