What is lubricating the hood hinge all about?

The hood of a vehicle is a movable panel that covers the engine. Hinges hold the hood to the rest of the vehicle. When the hood closes, the hinges ensure that the hood latches properly in the same position each time.

Keep in mind:

• If the hood is not latching properly or the hood no longer lines up with the position of the latch, lubrication will not sufficiently fix the problem.
• Lubricating the hinges of the hood will make operation smoother and quieter, but will not fix any issues with the hinge’s location or physical damage.

How it's done:

• Apply grease to the hood hinge

Our recommendation:

Any issue with the hood or hood hinges should be addressed immediately to ensure proper operation and to prevent expensive repairs in the future. By the time the lubricant or grease has worn out on the hood hinge to the point of needing replacement, it is likely that other moving points on the outside of the vehicle have suffered similar wear and tear. Inspect the latch mechanism of the hood, the hinges on the doors, and the hinges holding the trunk lid to the vehicle to assess if they could use lubrication as well. Excess friction in hinges causes them to wear out prematurely and can cause real issues down the road.

What are the common symptoms indicating you need to lubricate the hood hinge?

• Difficulty opening or closing the hood
• Squeaking noise when the hood is opened or closed
• Multiple attempts required to properly close the hood
• Hood gets stuck when opening or closing

How important is this service?

This service is moderately important and is mostly done as preventative maintenance. In extreme situations, jammed or seized hood hinges can prevent access to the engine compartment. If the issue is with the latching mechanism of the hood, then the service is more crucial. If the hood does not latch properly, there is a chance that it could open while the vehicle is in motion.