Guys, I'm a newb so stick with me here. I just bought an '02 WRX a couple days ago thats halfway to non-US STi spec and I love it. My first Subaru.

However, my hood doesn't seem to want to stay down all the way. What happens is that the latch keeps releasing on the hood and the hood pops up while driving on the interstate. Not all the way to hit the windshield, don't worry, but all that's holding it down is that release you move to the side to open the hood. It's pretty scary cuz the hood starts vibrating and it doesn't seem like much is holding it down.

I'm taking my car in for a 45k service on Friday, but I don't want this problem all week! I hope someone knows what I'm talking about, I couldn't find a previous thread here about the issue.

Anyone have any ideas on what's going on and potential fixes? My theory is that something's going on with the cable that releases the hood, but I have no idea what to do even if I'm right.

I tried taking a screwdriver and pushing that latch back and forth, since I saw the manual recommended doing that with the trunk latch. But it didn't do anything, since it's springing back to open.

What's going on, this sucks. After all the trouble I had getting the car titled/registered, I have plates now, and I just want to drive my Subaru.

 

Well your car is obviously out of warranty so you'll have to fix it yourself or have a mechanic do it.

Go to the local shops and see if they can fix it...hopefully it shouldn't be that expensive.

You're right to think that it might be the cable...it's possibly kinked somewhere and is holding slightly open so that it releases with enough pressure from the wind.

Good thing that hoods have those dual stage latches huh?

I would either get a mechanic look at it or pay about $60 for hood pins/latches.

I have a CF hood so I have the hood pins and the stock latch.

 

Yeah, I'll have the dealership look at it when it gets the 45k service. I wasn't sure if this was a common problem or not.

Thanks for the help.

 

Until the service happens you can take it down with painter's tape or something.

Just put tape along the seam where the hood meets the car to cut down on the air that pushes up on it.

 

It might just be that it isn't getting slammed closed hard enough, don't be afraid to let it drop closed from a couple feet up or more.