Exterior hood release lever broken?
 

On the hood, the metal catch is spring loaded. Should the black plastic lever be spring loaded as well? Mine is not. As a result, when the hood release lever inside the truck is pulled, the only way I can open the hood is to reach inside the grille and pull the black lever out. I was under the impression that the black lever should pop out when the hood is release, so I don't have to reach inside the grille to get to the black lever.

Lift up on the hood a little and it should move it out some and easier to reach...

Mine is doing the same thing. I tried to lube it but it didn't help. Spring must be bad?

Ditto to lifting the hood up slightly...the lever should then move forward in order for you to pull it. This is how the hoods have been on all of my BMWs since they changed over from the rear lifting hoods to the front lifting hoods (e38 & e39 & now the e53).

Thanks. Let me try it again by pulling up on the hood.

Let us know if after pulling the interior release lever first, then walking around to the front of vehicle & lifting the hood an inch or so helped with the exterior release lever being "spit out" a bit further. :)

Wasn't working by just pulling up on the hood. Shot some WD-40 on the pivot and worked it in. I'm good now. It springs out quickly now after I pull up on the hood. Thanks!

:thumbup::thumbup: Cool...glad all it took was a little lube. ;)