Like your other responders, I have the same problem ... sorta. In my case, if I have another person present, I ask them to provide upward pressure on the unlatched (driver) side of the hood. When I pull the lever, it releases.

Before I discovered the above method, I, too, had someone push down to permit the release, but they then had to pull up to clear the latch. That took a bit of timing and communication finesse, especially if the assistant was the spouse.

Once I determined that pulling up would also accomplish the release, it was much simpler.

If I am alone, I wedge a screwdriver between the front of the hood and the frame beneath it close to the site of the latch in order to provide the upward pressure and permit the release.

In my case, there is no more available adjustment in the retaining ring; it is as low as it can go.

As has been stated by others, there is a rubber "bumper" on each side of and adhered to the underside of the hood. I can see that there are currently two thicknesses at each location. I am assuming that my body shop did that following a hood replacement due to a collision (not my fault). It appears that I need to add another thickness, i.e. a shim, to provide the necessary upward tension on the driver side latch, so that it will release when I pull the lever. Of course, the addition of this shim may cause the hood to be just a but higher than the fender right next to ut, but I could live with that, if my hood will unlatch reliably.