No, it shouldn't take two people to get it open. Your hinge is broken, or the release cable isn't doing it's job, or something in there is just plain stuck.

To open the hood/bonnet

1. Pull hood release lever, hood pops up a little, but is still latched.
2. Find latch on right front side, over grill. Pull towards you to unlatch hood.
........
4. Open hood (pull towards you, and then push down, it will swing up into the air).

sounds like something is definitely wrong If the passenger side feels stuck, it probably is - it's not releasing when you pull the hood release lever. I wouldn't recommend forcing it, but there are others here with a lot more technical knowledge than me :lol:

 

Thank you Matt for your quick response! :cheesy:


I thought when the shop had it, they had opened it from the front (not the sides like I was being directed)!

Oh, yeah, a bonnet :lol:

 

The hood release lever is on the drivers side of the forward of the passenger compartment.
The lever is just to the left of your left knee on the carpeted driver's side wall.
Pull that lever to the rear and the hood should pop up and inch or so.
Then the safety release latch,the second latch, can be released.
It is just under the front of the hood directly in line with the left side body crease in the front hood.
Pull the,then slideable,front hood forward to fully release the hood.
Having the hood forward then it will flip up forward.
Easy does it here.
These cars use a soft touch.
Heavy handed stuff will only bust up this fine car.
If this hood has not been open often please check and fill the engine oil,coolant bottle 1/2 way,power streeing fluid,auto transmission fluid levels and check and fill other levels in the engine bay.
If you run out of any of those fluids,old cars seep fluids,you'll have big expensive repairs to keep the car driving.
If the hood won't open as outlined above the cable between the lever inside the car and the front hood catch may be broken or come loose.
Get it properly fixed as easy access to the engine bay is needed to drive one of these classic Saab 900 autos.
The main hood release catch is in the front center of the hood and the secondary safety catch is a few inches left of the center main catch.
There is no left and right main catch system as used,say,on a Volvo.
If one side of the hood won't come up something odd is going on and needs careful approch to avoid damage.
If you don't have an owner's manual get one ASAP from an online auction site,auto recycle yard,etc.
An original owner's manual for your car will have most all the information you could need to use the car and all it's items.
They are not expensive.
I believe some of the best and most well known classic Saab 900 automobile service shops are in your area.
Catch up with one for local advice and service you don't want to take on yourself.
Keep 34 or so pounds of air pressure in all 4 tires and keep a watch on this regularly for safety.
Very important!
Keep us posted as one of us will know.......
TrollMedic

 

I once had a problem with getting the hood to disengage with the passenger side as well, as it was catching on something but it wouldn't budge; this was at the "pull-hood-forward" stage. After a body shop yanked it off, we noticed the problem.

There is a guide pin on the inner side of each side of the hood that has a pointed tip and mates to a matching hole on the body of the car. The hole is actually a steel plate that is fastened onto the car, and can be adjusted to better hold the rear of the hood down against the car when the hood is closed. However, you'll notice the guide pin tip is more of a head, which can catch on the plate if the plate has been adversely adjusted...the plate isn't meant to move too much in any direction. In my case, when the body ship yanked the hood open, they took the plate with it, and thus the plate was bent out of shape. My temporary fix was to simply remove the plate altogether, but the hood will no longer appear to fit properly on that corner, even if it fixed my stuck-hood problem. You can find a new plate at the yard, which entirely fixed the problem for me.

li Arc

 

Your very right there.
There is a stamped sheet metal guide on the fender by the hood opening on the body near the windshield that can get bent and screw up the whole hood opening deal.
Often it can be bent back into correct shape.
TrollMedic

 

Hey, thanks, you guys are great.

It's the second car, spending most of it's time garaged a few miles from my home, I had it in last summer before taking a trip, and all they ended up doing was adding a bit of power steering fluid, said it didn't even need a tune up. And that's where I brought it back for the grill repair. They haven't called me about more work, but we scheduled pick up for Wednesday, my next day off they are open, so I will be able to check out the bonnet opening at that time, I have printed out the instructions and expect to do it myself! And now, with your assistance, I will be able to save money and DIY! (and who doesn't need to save money these days?)

When I dropped it off it was raining and had been for a week, but now the weather is great; and I will miss her this weekend. Sigh I like to take her to the Pier http://www.hermosawave.net/webcam/
and we watch to see what Jay's driving on Sunday's to the Comedy Club.

She likes it too. :cheesy:

 

Hey, thought of a nice way to say thank you, get a chance to win a new Saab convertible!

This is dumb, but I entered. The games are so easy, your kids can do them, and you get put in for free for the new Saab drawing. Maybe one of us will win?!

http://burnnoticeops.com/

Good luck!