A classic mistake perhaps. While filling up, I may have pulled release hood latch, (don't remember), checked mileage and then found myself talking to a neighbor in next pump over about upcoming ski season stuff, while my tank was filling, and then got my receipt from pump and as it was a blowing cold day and had checked my oil only last night, I didn't bother to do my usual look inside engine. (I don't recall pulling latch but probably did...)

Afterwards, going down the road about 50 mpg with on-coming traffic on a two lane road, Whomp! the hood comes up over my windshield. Luckily there was a driveway right there and no traffic behind me and I easily got in driveway, surveyed damage and saw one spring off passenger side of hood hinge mechanism...only minor cosmetic damage.. two rear corners of hood curled up and a gouge or two in header piece behind hood where the vent grill is. I slammed the hood down, it caught and stayed down slightly askew. Now it's permainently latched with no pull capable of inside release.

I tried prying from the sides with ducktape over edges to protect the remaining fenders, but so far no luck...I guess remove front grill...(cut a couple of supports?) and tryto release there underneigh... but it looks like a pain in butt to get it off. It looks like the one uncoupled spring is causing one side of hood to drift forward making hood catch unable to get out of receiving hole above grill?

Swedish car mishap? The only time I've experienced this before was 30 years ago while riding home from the Minnesota state fair with some strangers, friends of a friend, and their newish Saab had it's Hood come up in traffic. Sort of exciting but we got home alright.

This time my dog was with me...and he was pretty shaken by the sudden Whomp and loss of visibility and another illogical surprizing event, like Thunder, that scared the holy shit outta him.

any suggestions on getting the hood opened would be helpful...although I guess with a little swearing and bending I'll get it..and on my way home I passed another older Volvo 240 on the way home and I noticed his hood was a little askew too.... Common occurance? (I've in the pass driven miles and miles with a american car or a toyota i think accidently with hood partially released..I thought there is a safty double release to prevent this??)

(admittedly I can be a space case....years ago I found out that gas nossles have well designed release couplings for the occasional fool that drives off with the nossle still in car....the gas station owner just laughed it off and said "No problem! We can put it back on in a minute."