{"id":7085,"date":"2022-08-21T02:43:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-21T09:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=7085"},"modified":"2025-08-29T00:34:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T07:34:22","slug":"how-to-close-car-hood-properly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-close-car-hood-properly\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Close Car Hood Properly"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;}.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column7085_665697-59{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column7085_665697-59 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column7085_665697-59 inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-4578d8  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-e8cf28\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading7085_05956c-73, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading7085_05956c-73[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading7085_05956c-73\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading7085_05956c-73 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading7085_05956c-73[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading7085_05956c-73\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading7085_05956c-73 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading7085_05956c-73[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading7085_05956c-73\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading7085_05956c-73 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading7085_05956c-73\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To properly close your car hood, make sure all lids and covers underneath are closed, and that you don&rsquo;t accidentally leave some items in the engine compartment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When closing your car hood, don&rsquo;t forget to unhook the hood prop rod and fasten it to the clip. Then, carefully pull the hood down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your hood still won&rsquo;t close securely, then the latch is likely broken. This can be a safety issue since it can blow open while driving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Exercising care when closing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/car-body-parts\/#Hood\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"hood\">hood<\/a> of your car is important in keeping it in good working condition. The hood protects the most essential components of your vehicle, which includes the engine and its many parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mechanics of closing your car hood isn&rsquo;t rocket science, but there is a correct way of doing it to ensure that it won&rsquo;t get worn out easily and to keep everything underneath in good shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Closing the Hood of Your Car<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The car hood acts as a cover for the front engine. Hinged onto the cowl of the vehicle, it serves as an entry point to the engine compartment. Access to this compartment is important for vehicle maintenance and for quick fixes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A latch installed underneath secures the hood in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Check the engine compartment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When doing repairs and maintenance, make sure that you don&rsquo;t accidentally leave some items in the engine compartment. Do an inventory of all the tools or used parts that were used before you close the hood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/checking-engine-compartment-before-closing-car-hood-1024x614.jpg\" alt=\"making sure all covers and caps are secured before closing car hood\n\" class=\"wp-image-9058\" style=\"width:1024px;height:614px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/checking-engine-compartment-before-closing-car-hood-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/checking-engine-compartment-before-closing-car-hood-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/checking-engine-compartment-before-closing-car-hood-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/checking-engine-compartment-before-closing-car-hood.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Before closing the car hood, check to make sure all lids and covers of components inside the engine compartment are secured. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Make sure all covers and caps are secured<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before closing the hood, check that all the lids and covers of the components inside your engine compartment are properly attached. Make sure all of them are secured tightly to prevent leaks and other issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/unhooking-prop-rod-to-close-the-car-hood-1024x614.jpg\" alt=\"unhooking hood rod\n\" class=\"wp-image-9060\" style=\"width:1024px;height:614px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/unhooking-prop-rod-to-close-the-car-hood-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/unhooking-prop-rod-to-close-the-car-hood-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/unhooking-prop-rod-to-close-the-car-hood-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/unhooking-prop-rod-to-close-the-car-hood.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hold the front edge of the hood with one hand, slightly push it upward, and unhook the prop rod with your other hand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Unhook the rod and fasten it to the clip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hold the front edge of the hood with one hand, slightly push it upward, and unhook the prop rod with your other hand. Lower the rod and secure it in place&mdash;there should be a small clip (the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/hood-rod-clip\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"hood prop rod clip\">hood prop rod clip<\/a>) near the front of the engine compartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using a rag, remove any grease off the edge of the hood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/securing-rod-using-hood-prop-rod-clip-1024x614.jpg\" alt=\"lowering hood prop rod to secure it in place\n\" class=\"wp-image-9070\" style=\"width:1024px;height:614px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/securing-rod-using-hood-prop-rod-clip-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/securing-rod-using-hood-prop-rod-clip-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/securing-rod-using-hood-prop-rod-clip-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/securing-rod-using-hood-prop-rod-clip.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lower the rod and secure it in place; there should be a small clip near the front of the engine compartment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Carefully pull the hood down<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With both hands, gently pull the hood down. Leave about a foot of space before dropping the hood. Make sure that it is fastened securely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/carefully-pulling-the-hood-down-1024x614.jpg\" alt=\"gently lowering the car hood to close it\n\" class=\"wp-image-9065\" style=\"width:1024px;height:614px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/carefully-pulling-the-hood-down-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/carefully-pulling-the-hood-down-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/carefully-pulling-the-hood-down-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/carefully-pulling-the-hood-down.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gently pull the hood down. Leave about a foot of space before dropping the hood.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"rsi-card\">\n  <div class=\"rsi-thumb\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/d_noimage.jpg\/b_white\/e_sharpen,e_auto_brightness,e_auto_contrast\/f_auto\/q_auto:eco,dpr_auto\/w_873,h_873,c_pad\/images\/RF13230006_1\">\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"rsi-info\">\n    <span class=\"rsi-title\">The Best Hood Latch Brands: Secure and Affordable Replacements for Your Car<\/span>\n    <span class=\"rsi-desc\">See which hood latch brands are best for your vehicle. Learn about application, quality, and cost, and find budget-friendly replacement brands.<\/span>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/the-best-hood-latch-brands-secure-and-affordable-replacements-for-your-car-quickref\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Discover Your Options\">Discover Your Options<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What If My Hood Won&rsquo;t Close Properly?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your hood still won&rsquo;t close securely, chances are, the latch is broken. Obviously, a hood that won&rsquo;t close has the potential to blow open&mdash;which makes it a safety concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Get the issue fixed right away by going to your trusted mechanic. Or, if you know your way around cars, just purchase a replacement hood latch and fix it yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get the Right Hood Latch For Your Vehicle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you&rsquo;re familiar with how to close your vehicle&rsquo;s hood properly, you might need to replace your faulty hood latch. Without one, your vehicle&rsquo;s hood might not be properly locked in place. In a worst-case scenario, the hood can open while traveling at high speeds and obscure your view of the road. This is incredibly dangerous, so you should replace your faulty hood latch as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily, here at CarParts.com, we get hood latches from the most trusted aftermarket manufacturers in the industry. Each hood latch is handpicked by a team of professionals, ensuring that it will meet your vehicle&rsquo;s specifications and function properly. You don&rsquo;t have to worry about your hood opening abruptly anytime soon because our hood latches are built to last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, our warehouses have been strategically built all over the US. This means you can get your order within a matter of days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Browse our catalog of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/hood-latch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"hood latches\">hood latches<\/a> now here at CarParts.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Products Mentioned in this Guide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"reusable-productlink\">\n\n<!-- start of editable content -->\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/hood-rod-clip\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hood rod clip\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/d_noimage.jpg,h_200,w_200,c_pad,f_auto,q_auto,dpr_auto,e_sharpen\/images\/gxl0018009202_1\">\n<strong>Hood Rod Clip<\/strong>\n<\/a>\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/hood-latch\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hood latch\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/d_noimage.jpg,h_200,w_200,c_pad,f_auto,q_auto,dpr_auto,e_sharpen\/images\/kit1-111316-37-b_1\">\n<strong>Hood Latch<\/strong>\n<\/a>\n\n<!-- end of editable content -->\n\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Exercising care when closing the hood of your car is important in keeping it in good working condition. The hood&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-close-car-hood-properly\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1651,"featured_media":7086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3746,52],"tags":[3488,151,1080,1079],"ppma_author":[2607,3269],"class_list":{"0":"post-7085","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-car-body","8":"category-diy","9":"tag-car-body-all-articles","10":"tag-hood","11":"tag-hood-latch","12":"tag-hood-rod-clip","13":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Close Car Hood Properly - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There is a correct way to close your car hood to keep the hood, the prop rod, and everything underneath in good shape. Read this article to find out.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-close-car-hood-properly\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Close Car Hood Properly - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There is a correct way to close your car hood to keep the hood, the prop rod, and everything underneath in good shape. Read this article to find out.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-close-car-hood-properly\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-08-21T09:43:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-29T07:34:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/closing-car-hood.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1515\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1011\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CarParts.com Research Team, Lisa Conant, Automotive Content Specialist\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CarParts.com Research Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-close-car-hood-properly\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-close-car-hood-properly\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"1651\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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