The national cost for a hood support strut replacement with CarAdvise in 2024 is between $60 and $260 with an average of $145.

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HOW IT WORKS

What is a hood support strut and how does it work?

The hood on your vehicle is held open in one of two ways. It is either supported by a long metal rod that you swing up from the inside of the engine compartment and insert into a hole in the hood, or by a pair of hydraulic struts that resemble mini shock absorbers.

A hood support strut is a metal cylinder with a metal rod that telescopes from one end. The cylinder is also filled with hydraulic oil or inert gas that constantly pushes to expel the rod, effectively extending the strut to its full length, kind of like a pogo stick. One end of the strut is attached to the hood, and the other is attached to a structural part of the vehicle body. Also found at each end of the strut is a ball and socket or a hinge that can move with the hood.

When the hood is opened all the way, the pair of struts work to keep it open. But when the hood closes to a certain degree, somewhere around halfway, the weight of the hood overpowers the struts, and the hood closes

HOW IS THIS SERVICE PERFORMED?

How is a a Hood Support Strut Replacement done?

Hood support struts are usually replaced in pairs, except in the less-common case that the hood only features a single strut. Some support struts are held in place with a screw-in stud at one end and a hinge bracket at the other. Some have a retaining spring-clip that holds the ball and socket together. The methods required to detach them are slightly different.

To replace the support struts, a technician will take the following general steps



  • Raise the hood and support it with a telescoping prop rod or other device
  • Disconnect the support struts from the hood by either separating the ball and socket or unscrewing the end of the strut from the hood (depending on the style of the strut)
  • Unbolt the lower strut hinge (or separate the lower ball and socket joint)
  • Fasten the new struts in place in the reverse order of disassembly
  • Remove the auxiliary support and test the new struts

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POPULAR VEHICLES

National average cost of a a Hood Support Strut Replacement
for popular vehicles:

Car Model

Avg. cost

$50

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COMMON SYMPTOMS

How do I know if my vehicle needs new hood support struts?

When the hood support struts on a vehicle fail, they are no longer able to hold the hood open. It is out of the ordinary for a pair of support struts to fail all of a sudden. Rather, they tend to lose strength gradually over time. First, you might notice that the hood does not rise as quickly as it used to. Then you might find that a stiff breeze causes the hood to lower. At some point, the hood will have difficulty staying open for long before finally failing to stay in place at all. If you find that you need to use a supplemental support to keep your hood open, the hood support struts need to be replaced.

This text is only for demo

Other questions customers ask

Why do hood support struts fail?
No, a lift support, such as a hood support strut, cannot be repaired. Once it loses pressure, the sealed strut is not able to be refilled. Instead, a worn out support strut is replaced with a new one.
Can lift supports be repaired?
In most cases, a hood support strut (or other lift support strut) will fail because it loses hydraulic pressure inside. The strut body is filled with either hydraulic oil or an inert gas that applies constant pressure to the telescoping arm that protrudes from the end of the strut. When the oil or gas leaks out over time, the tension (and support) provided by the strut is lessened.
What is the thing called that holds up the hood?
There are actually two different types of mechanism that are used to hold up a hood. These vary from one vehicle model to the next. One type is a hood prop rod. That is a thin but sturdy metal rod that you must pivot up from the engine compartment and insert into a hole in the hood. It is similar to using a broomstick to hold the hood open. The other type is a hood support strut, a type of liquid or gas filled shock absorber that applies pressure to the hood to hold it open.

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