My 2006 Mercury Mariner hood release cable is broken inside. How can I get to the latch outside to release it?

Like most modern cars, it is built into the door latch inside of the door.

If it is the one inside the car it will be in the driver's footwell. Open the driver's door and look at the side trim panel nearest the door. There will be a pull lever marked with a car with the hood open, (see picture). Try the lever. If it is slack it is most likely a broken cable. If it is tight it probably be the latch at the engine end.
If it is the lever itself that has broken, plastic so it can break, grab the 'T' bar end of the cable with a good set of grips (pliers) and pull it.
A broken cable is a lot more fun to deal with!!! You need to look to see if you can get to the release through the front grille. Trace the cable sleeve toward the centre of the hood. It should be connected to a lever. Using a big flat blade screwdriver, hook this lever and swing it left to right. Towards the side the release handle is inside the car. The hood should 'pop' up.
If in doubt get a GOOD mechanic to do it!

Short of using plastic explosives, I would see if there was some way of pulling down what is left of the broken cable down thru the engine compartment and yanking it.

And if you have long arms it is possible to stick your arm up to the top of radiator and move the latch. Use one of those inspection cameras to see how latch works and then you can go in there by feel and do the deed with a cost hanger.

Hey Elizabeth, is there any of the broken cable or end of cable still there ,? if so use a pair of vice grips to pull cable as long as the rest is still working . then you have some time to repair ,when you get hood open spray some lube on latch under hood and locking parts. good luck .
Woody

You'll have to remove the 2 8 mm bolts either through the grill or underneath.not easy but can be done

You will need to go up from the bottom of the car, and try with either metal clothes hanger (or other stiff flexible items) to pull the latch. You have a hard one here, and wont be easy anyway you do it. Good luck!

have someone push down on hood as you try to release hood latch if thie works for you, you can spray hood latching system and cable. work hood release from inside few times respray then you could use a white lith grease on it

is any portion of the cable still there? can you use some pliers and grab the cable. If the cable is broken then you need to release the latch using a screwdriver, or undoing the bolts that hold the latch to the car. This can be tricky, but with persistence it can be done.

can you reach the cable itself?,or is it broke at the hood latch?IF its not broken at the outside latch, try to follow the cable,un-hook it from the handle and pull on the wire cable to open it.IF its broken at the latch itself,you are going to have to reach the latch through the grille and try to pull the lever the cable connects to.That part is no fun at all..!!

find the cable that is supposed to attach to the latch, and grab it with a pair of pliers or the like and pull.