Assuming that the cable isn't broken then opening the hood can usually be done with a classic Fonzie whack on the hood with the side of a closed fist in the general location of the hood latch. You may need to have someone pull on the latch while you do it but often you can pull the latch, whack it and then pull the latch again.
APEowner wrote: Assuming that the cable isn't broken then opening the hood can usually be done with a classic Fonzie whack on the hood with the side of a closed fist in the general location of the hood latch. You may need to have someone pull on the latch while you do it but often you can pull the latch, whack it and then pull the latch again.
And if that doesn't work I'll at least have had the satisfaction of punching the car in the nose!
I bought an s10 that had a seriously dented hood from a few years of the fonzie tap. So I hate the fonzie tap. I'd bet a fiesta has even thinner sheet metal on the hood.
dculberson wrote: I bought an s10 that had a seriously dented hood from a few years of the fonzie tap. So I hate the fonzie tap. I'd bet a fiesta has even thinner sheet metal on the hood.
It does require a little restraint and once you get it open you should actually fix the problem (probably with lubrication) but I've been using that that technique for close to 40 years and I've yet to dent a hood.
BlueInGreen44 wrote:APEowner wrote: Assuming that the cable isn't broken then opening the hood can usually be done with a classic Fonzie whack on the hood with the side of a closed fist in the general location of the hood latch. You may need to have someone pull on the latch while you do it but often you can pull the latch, whack it and then pull the latch again.And if that doesn't work I'll at least have had the satisfaction of punching the car in the nose!
And if it does work you look like you're as cool as the Fonze! One of my few hero moments was when I stopped by a buddies house to help him with a hood that he'd spent most of a day trying to open. I stopped my truck in front of his driveway, got out, walked over to the car and gave it the Fonzie rap while holding the lever and it popped right open. He swore, I turned around, got back in my truck and drove off.
Modern automobiles do not have a useful charge light anymore. I say this without a hint of exaggeration, 75% of the vehicles that come into my shop with the light on have nothing wrong with the alternator, and are still charging. They are not being controlled to maximum output by the ecu for some reason. Conversely, at least 90% of the vehicles that show up here with a dead battery will have a dead alternator, and no light on the dash.
If I were a computer guy, part of my charge light protocol would be: KOEO, voltage =X. If KOER voltage is not X plus 2 volts, illuminate dash light.
Check the coolant level, and scan the AC to see what sensor is shutting it off when its hot.
Whacking it hasn't worked. Looks like we may be taking it to a shop on Monday. I'm not familiar enough with the car to know what to do next and I can't fix the other stuff if I can't get the hood open. Sure did feel good to punch it repeatedly though, haha.
Actually... I win. I did finger gymnastics, got the latch from underneath, and could immediately see the cable had popped out from the latch.
And the coolant is low. The reservoir has coolant on the outside and what looks like hairline cracks in the plastic. I'm thinking it's bubbling through slowly when it gets pressurized.
Now to see about replacing the alternator.
You should look around for a shop that will replace the brushes and rewind the alternator. I had my Honda alternator rebuilt for $60 in Massachusetts.
Hal wrote: The alternator is the only thing I had to replace on my 2001 Focus which I just sold this year. Alternators seem to be a problem with the Focus as I know a number of people who have had to replace theirs.
It isn't just the Focus, Ford charging systems in general aren't the greatest. And yet, the Ford OEM EDIS ignition is powerful enough for race engine duty. Go figure. My '02 Escort is on it's 6th alternator in 292K miles, SWMBO's '08 Focus is on it's 2nd (died at 97K), my cousin's '92 5.0 Mustang is on it's 5th in 187K. But my old '88 323 was still on the original alternator at 410,000...
Our 2012 is Yellow Blaze Tricoat as well!
The yellow tri-coat is a neat color (one of the reasons my wife likes the car so much.) Ford had some good paint options that year.
So... Think this might be my problem? Looks like the alternator housing is somehow broken (hard to see the full extent in the picture) and there's a connecter that isn't connected to anything. Hmm. Curious.
Haha. Our 2012......Also Blaze yellow tricoat. Did not know they offered it on the base that year, or at least not in my region I am pretty sure.
I think ours is an SE model, one step up from the base model sedan. I've never seen another yellow one with plastic covered steel wheels though.
And that's interesting now that I think about it. Our car has the rear disc brakes and rear spoiler which I think indicates a sport package but... no alloy wheels (edit: or fog lights which I think came on the SE trim. Hmm. More research is needed.)
In reply to BlueInGreen44:
Fog lights were optional on SE trim. I see them all the time without fog lights. I enjoy our '13 Platinum hatch, but I'm starting to get the dreaded DCT shudder constantly. I wish my wife drove manual. 
In 2013, the SE with the appearance package gave you the disc brakes, 17" alloy wheels, rear spoiler on sedan, fog lights, leather interior with power drivers seat and the bling 7 color interior lighting.
It is interesting you have disc brakes with steelies and hubcaps. But rear discs are great!
A friend from church was eyeing the rear disc brakes on my Focus this weekend. He is the manufacturing engineer who started up the production line. Those rear brakes are made in Asheville NC.
Love that yellow color!
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: In reply to BlueInGreen44: I enjoy our '13 Platinum hatch, but I'm starting to get the dreaded DCT shudder constantly. I wish my wife drove manual.
There is that. I would like the car a lot more if it were a manual.
Our car was a Canadian SE originally. Blaze yellow 4 door hatch with 16" alloys, four wheel discs and the DCT shudder at 39k miles.
Funny how a broken alternator segways(sp) into the color and equipment.
I rea somewhere that the alternator is best remove from underneath, so it may hang low and vulnerable.
The trans. in ours shudders a bit sometimes when accelerating from a stop but it's livable. My only concern is that it will make the car hard to sell when that time comes.
Development: I asked my wife's dad about the car's history. Turns out he originally bought it from a guy who allegedly "rebuilt" it after a wreck. Then she bought it from her dad. I'm thinking if it was hit on the front end that could explain how the alternator could have gotten cracked. That would be an easy thing to miss during repairs since it's tucked down in there and you can really only see it from underneath.
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