hood doesn't pop, lots of info. inside PLEASE HELP!!

[maciag]

alright, i read something online and there was a alternate way to open my hood, i heard that i can't do this method too often though.

i had to go threw the grill in the front of the car to the left of the driver's side highbeam light and enter a flat head in this oval hole and turn it to pop the hood.
http://i10.tinypic.com/4m2hgug.jpg

under the hood near the same place where the oval hole is at the front driver's side highbeam light i found some sort of broken cable which was completely cut in half. im holding that cable in the following picture below. maybe some kind of relation to why the release cable doesn't work?
http://i16.tinypic.com/62g96bp.jpg

when i bought my car it without a hood latch, all there is to open the hood from the inside of the car is the release cable
http://i13.tinypic.com/6bity5t.jpg

my friend opened the hood the first time we've ever opened it by pulling the release cable with plyers. after he left i tried to do the same, but it wasn't doing anything?
http://i14.tinypic.com/53fb12o.jpg

i need help getting my hood to normally open again.. please help me!

 

[echothreezero]

Hi.

First - there is no limit to the number of times you can open the latch from the front of the car as shown in your picture as long as you are gentle and don't break the mechanism.

Second - you need to get a new hood latch lever so you can do it the "correct" way from inside the car.

Third - try using WD-40 on the latch, and all hinges for the hood as this will help.

The cable is a earth strap - nothing to do with the hood release.

I wouldn't use pliers on the cable - you run the risk of bending and weakening it.