2000 Won't Start and Hood Won't Open

[rob_allan]

okay, I've got a major problem

1. My car won't start. I turn the key and nothing happens. It bings and all the lights come on like normal but it doesn't start. I don't hear any noises at all either. I thought it was the starter so I tried to look under the hood and

2. The hood won't open! I pull the darn lever and it won't lift up

I haven't been in a wreck or anything This car was working fine just 2 days ago and yesterday it wouldn't start I didn't try to lift the hood until today

What can I do? Are the problems related?

2000 Mercury Mountaineer
5.0L V8
4x2

[shorod]

The problems are probably not related. What you should try, to get the hood open, is to have one person try to pull up on the hood while you pull the hood release. If that doesn't work, then have someone press down on the hood above the latch while you pull and hold out on the hood release lever. Then, while still holding the the release out, lift up on the hood.

If you still can't get the hood open, check to make sure the release cable is actually connected and pulling on the latch. If not, you will need to figure out an alternative way to pull the latch. I'd have to look at how one might accomplish that.

Do the interior lights dim at all when holding the key in the start position? If not, it sounds like you may have a starter relay problem, ignition switch issue, or issue with the Passive Anti Theft System (PATS). Do you have a second transponder key that you can try?

-Rod