What does the open hood warning light mean?

The open hood indicator tells you that the car's hood is not closed properly.

Modern cars are equipped with switches and sensors that monitor the vehicle while it is in motion to make sure everything is running smoothly. One of these switches is located inside the hood latch to ensure that the hood is fully closed.

The hood locks have two stages of locking, one lever inside the car and another on the latch itself to prevent the hood from opening unnecessarily. With this two-stage system, the hood won't swing open and block your view if you accidentally move the lever inside the car.

What does the hood open indicator mean?

This indicator has only one purpose - to make sure that the hood is completely closed. If the light is on, stop safely and check the hood to make sure it is fully closed. After the hood is properly closed, the light should go out.

If the light stays on after checking that the shroud is secure, it is likely caused by a switch connection problem or switch wear. Locate the hood switch and make sure the connector is fully connected before attempting to replace the switch. Closing the hood can sometimes cause the switch and connector to move, and there may not be actual damage. If the connector still looks good, the switch itself probably needs to be replaced.

Is it safe to drive with the open hood light on?

Since the hoods have two separate latches, they are unlikely to open while driving. You may need to stop and check if the hood is closed if this light comes on, but you can still continue driving normally if it does not turn off even after closing the hood. However, some cars disable other features such as windshield wipers if the computer thinks the hood is open. As a result, a faulty hood switch can prevent safe driving in the rain.

If the hood light does not turn off, please contact one of our certified technicians to diagnose the problem.