When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I know I’ve gotten the hood message before (first drive). I had to be moving above something like 25mph to get the message. In my case the hood was closed, but not completely. One of the, I don’t know what they’re called, was misaligned. But no message when starting the car, or just putting it into drive.
Last time my hood was ajar, I drove it a good 1/2 mile before the error message displayed.
So it depends on how open the hood is. For example, if you just pull the latch so the entire hood is unhooked, it will show the message pretty quickly. There have been instances where I closed the hood, and I usually just press down really hard on the center, where the entire hood looks closed. I didn't get the error messages for more than a few miles, possibly when I hit a bump in the road where the hood popped open a bit more. I learned that I shouldn't press to close the hood, but instead, drop close it so that it closes with a loud bang.
I pulled into my garage the other day and decided to add washer fluid. The headlight pattern changed as soon as I pulled the latch under the dash. I turned the car off, but I assume it puts more light on the ground.
My last several cars all closed the hood by the drop method.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
