I have an '02 Ranger. The battery died and I can't start it. Went to pop the battery out so I could exchange it for a new one (get the "core charge" credit)

The hood won't release. I've had this issue a number of times in the past but what has happened before is if I pull *really hard* on the hood release latch it might open. If seemed to work better on cold days. So my thinking was that the length of the cable is just a tad too long and when it's cold (being a steel cable) it would contract and that slight difference was enough. So I just gave up on it (hot day yesterday) and tried again in this morning, (much cooler) but still not opening. So maybe the temperature thing isn't even a variable and I'm just making that up in my mind.

I have tried the various solutions I've found on this forum, having someone else pull up (or push down) on the hood while I'm pulling on the hood release lever (no good). I've seen many YouTube videos of people shoving a screw driver into the latch mechanism but I can't do that on mine as there appears to be a plastic piece sitting in front of that whole mechanism and it's completely inaccessible while the hood is down.

 

Hopefully this helps

 

Thanks this is one of the videos I was referring to, on my truck there is no access to the latch under the hood due to a plastic "shield" (for lack of a better word). (see pictures below)

 

Yeah this is one of the videos I watched, unfortunately I can't follow these instructions as the mechanism is not accessible, there is a black plastic shield (for lack of a better word) in the way. I tried to post a picture but since I'm a new forum user and my reply included photos it said it was subject to moderator approval (who knows how long that will take)

 

Maybe try a CoatHanger bent\hooked to get around that plate\shield?

 

I don't think that's going to work, aside from the fact that I haven't seen a metal coat hanger in about 15 years.
I really wish I could post pictures here so you can tell what I'm trying to work with. That plastic shield isn't just immediately in front of the latch but extends the whole width of the grill and all the way up, it even has a bit that goes back toward the radiator so you can't get up under it either.
At this point I'm ready to start drilling holes through the shield but even then I'm really struggling to understand exactly where I'm supposed to be manipulating the latch with a screwdriver and how. Unfortunately the only thing I can see in the video is the handle of a screwdriver and a pair of hands.

 

Google for pics of your year model engine bay, may give you some reference as to where to try.

 

Yeah I can't get at anything useful. I can't even access the cable (except on the broken end under the dash), and I do now think that it's broken because no amount of pulling on it makes any difference and it's not springing back in.
I can't get at the bolts that are holding the latch on either.
I guess I'm going to have to take it somewhere, but unless I can get it started I'll have to have it towed. Since it's an automatic I can't push start it.
I guess I'll seek help on some other forum, one where I'm allowed to post pictures.

 

The only access to release the hood manually is thru the front grill, if that area is blocked then you will need to drill a hole in what ever is blocking it to access the release mechanisim
I don't think there is anyway to access if from under the vehicle easily, don't have a 2003 so can say specifically

I have a bug defector shield across my hood but doesn't block the grill
And there should be no solid piece across any grill that would block air flow thru radiator, so yes that is puzzling