Hood not releasing, sometimes.
 

I use the front hood electronic release in the driver's door sill, I can hear the motor pull under the hood and 50% of the time the hood doesn't pop, but just sits there.

I have tried to recreate this, but sometimes it opens perfectly, sometimes the motor sounds like it moves the clasp, but nothing else happens up there.

The battery is fully charged. I have tried applying some pressure on the hood where the latch is to get the hood to pop. Nothing. I drive around and ignore it for 4 hours or sometimes a day, and viola, it opens up again.

Any ideas?

Also I hear there is an emergency cable. Is it behind the passenger headlamp? Isn't this a bad place for it since I need to be in the hood to get the headlight out to access the emergency cable?

Thank you!

Do a search, this a known problem, there's many posts about it and how to fix it

Funny, my '04 Seal Gray also has this issue. Now the frunk won't open without the emergency release (strategically relocated). Need to replace the actuator. :)

What did you search to discover the fix to the hood not popping but the release motor is moving? I searched for "hood" in the thread titles, scrolled/read through 6 pages to 2007, but didn't find an exact remedy other than spraying WD-40 on the latch mechanism, in other threads folks with my similar problem said this didn't work either.

I know I can get in using the emergency cable, but I don't just want in once. I want the hood to pop electronically, every time I pill the switch on the door sill / push the key fob.

Has anyone replaced or had to replace the hood unlocking motor? If the motor is making noise every time but the hood only pops 70% of the time, might this be something else?

Damn! Must be our punishment for having the best 986 model :)