How do I open my hood on 2017 Chevy Cruze?

Question

I attempted to open the hood of my 2017 Chevy Cruze using the marked lever, but it didn't seem to do anything. How do I open the hood?

You pulled the lever under the dash I take it ... did the hood pop up at all? — Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2, Sep 12 '23 at 20:53
It clicked open like an inch or two. I can barely stick my fingers in , but couldn’t find a lever to pull up. — Sandra LaDue, Sep 12 '23 at 20:59
We were stuck once for AN HOUR at a gas station in europe trying to open the fuel flap on a rental car! Gotta hate things like this. — Fattie, Sep 14 '23 at 12:51

MTA · Answer 1 · 2023-09-14T13:38:48.420

18

Sandra, the manual says pull the handle near the driver's door, release it, then pull again and the hood will open. If you've lost your owner's manual, please use the link below for future mysteries. You're always welcome here if the manual is unclear or confusing.

2017 Chevy Cruze User Manual (pdf)

edited Sep 14 '23 at 13:38

answered Sep 12 '23 at 21:05

MTA

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I have to ask; is there a reason why this is a two-pull action? Is there some situation where the midway "hood a little bit up" option is useful? I'm just wondering why it's not a one-pull action. – Moschops Sep 13 '23 at 08:49
@Moschops it sounds like a double latching arrangement so if it's not shut with enough force it still can't fly open - and a single pull doesn't fully release it either (for example from a bag strap accidentally catching the lever - when I've had a lever inside it was on the passenger side). Bonnets/hoods usually double latch, sometimes with 2 levers, sometimes a double pull, and on my Transit by turning the key one way then the other, holding the second turn while you lift – Chris H Sep 13 '23 at 08:59
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@Moschops It has been the law of the land for decades. *Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 113, Hood Latch System*, requires two separate actions to open a car's hood to help prevent accidental hood opening while driving. Most cars have a hood release then a manual latch under the hood, but the Cruze complies with the standard by requiring two pulls on the same lever. – MTA Sep 13 '23 at 12:34
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I feel this system is incredibly dumb because it would appear that you can open it entirely (past the safety latch) from inside the car alone, while at speed – Fattie Sep 14 '23 at 12:52
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@Fattie I'm not familiar with the Cruze, but the instructions would suggest that the driver's door would need to be open in order for the lever to be pulled - i.e. the door being closed physically blocks the action of the lever. I've driven cars with a similar arrangement (e.g. 2014 VW Passat). – Alex Taylor Sep 14 '23 at 20:57
@AlexTaylor - ah, driver's door, brilliant; I did not know. Very nice! – Fattie Sep 14 '23 at 21:06
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@AlexTaylor is correct, you can see this at 1:26 in the video posted by Paulster2. The paddle on the lever is blocked by the door when it is shut. – user71659 Sep 15 '23 at 22:18

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 12 '23 at 21:04

For the Chevy Cruze, you have to pull the inside lever twice, then it should open. There won't be a lever under the hood to get it the rest of the way after the first pull.

While this is a terrible video, it explains it: https://youtu.be/zEIDd8HDtjo?si=Ga4-rhS14KpKJKf0

How do I open my hood on 2017 Chevy Cruze?

2 Answers2